To understand this, let's step back into the
socio-economic environment from which she emerged.
Romagna, a region characterized by its vast
plains and rich agricultural traditions, has long been a bastion of rural
society, shaping its culture and traditions for centuries. At the heart of this
society was the peasant family, an extended community often including
grandparents, siblings, daughters-in-law, children, and grandchildren, all
living under one roof. This extended family model was crucial in a
sharecropping agricultural system where crops and profits were split equally
between the landowner and the sharecropper.
Within this socio-economic context, the azdora
stood as a fundamental pillar of the peasant family in Romagna. Typically, she
was the wife of the azdor (the sharecropper who had made the agreement
with the landowner). She lived with her husband’s family, becoming part of a
multi-nuclear household of cohabitation and cooperation.
The azdora was the steward of the house
and the CEO of domestic and family life. In a system where the family was both
a productive and economic unit, the azdora played an essential role that
went far beyond simple housekeeping.
The life of the azdora exemplified
impeccable organization and management skills. Her day began before dawn and
was filled with tasks requiring meticulous planning: preparing meals, managing
poultry, selling eggs and cheese at the market, and purchasing essentials like
oil and salt. Every decision she made had a direct impact on the family's
welfare and the success of the farm.
Managing the household required careful
coordination of daily activities. The azdora oversaw the work of other
women in the household, organizing tasks such as making pasta, doing laundry,
caring for animals, and weaving. She was also the guardian of family traditions
and rituals, ensuring cultural continuity and preserving customs that tied the
family to the land and community.
The azdora embodied a form of female
leadership that we would now recognize as advanced soft skills: the ability to
manage resources, negotiate, maintain harmony among people, plan for the long
term, and handle daily challenges with intelligence and flexibility. She was,
in essence, the beating heart of the family, a figure of extraordinary
competence and authority who ensured the survival and success of the farming
community.
Ancient yet modern, traditional yet
revolutionary, the legacy of the azdora continues to resonate in the
culture of Romagna as a symbol of female leadership and resilience.