Elderly woman consistently dons historical attire, now garnering attention as a local tourist attraction
In the heart of Italy's Abruzzo region, a 94-year-old woman named Margherita Ciarletta is affectionately known as 'L'Ultima Regina,' or 'the Last Queen,' by tourists and locals alike. Born in Scanno, a picturesque town nestled in the mountains, Ciarletta has lived in the same stone house since 1950.
For centuries, Scanno's women have maintained two wardrobes: a somber everyday dress for fieldwork and chores, and a more elaborate, embroidered costume reserved for Sundays, church, festivals, and religious celebrations. Ciarletta is the last person in Scanno who continues to wear the traditional everyday attire daily, a dark wool gown with long black sleeves and a cotton headband that she has worn since she was 18.
Ciarletta's life has been marked by physical hardship, involving tending sheep, collecting firewood, sowing seeds, tending crops, and collecting harvests in the pastures high above Scanno. However, she enjoys her life as a grandmother and considers herself better off today than she was yesterday, with more leisure time and fewer physical hardships. She has never expressed any nostalgia or sadness about the passage of time.
Local officials are lobbying to have the traditional Scanno costumes recognised by UNESCO as examples of intangible cultural heritage. Organisations approached for this recognition include local cultural associations, regional heritage offices, and Italian cultural ministries.
Ciarletta's voice and speech are clear and sharp, and she speaks in standard Italian rather than the local dialect. Despite the loss of family, friends, and a way of life, Ciarletta appreciates the modern conveniences and the more comfortable life that progress has brought her.
Ciarletta's daily life has been influenced by significant changes in Scanno over the years, including depopulation that has reduced the town's population from over 4,000 residents in the 1920s to about 1,600 today. Many families left Scanno for cities and abroad in search of jobs and a better life.
Tourists often seek out Ciarletta for selfies and encounters. However, Ciarletta has a complex relationship with her newfound tourist status, turning away television crews and occasionally chasing away day-trippers who intrude on her privacy.
When her grandchildren visit, Ciarletta cooks local specialties like handmade sfoglia pasta and gnocchi with turnip greens. She misses the deep sense of community and neighborhood ties that have disappeared over time, as well as her husband and some lost traditions.
Despite her secluded life, Ciarletta has only ventured outside her village a couple of times in her entire life, for special occasions, and never abroad. She continues to be a living testament to the rich history and culture of Scanno, a place where tradition and modernity coexist in the most unexpected ways.
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