#trandition

PrAlthough new Sicilian generations celebrate Halloween nowadays, there’s another upcoming feast that I want like to tell you about: 

The Day of the Dead (U Jornu Ri Morti).

It occurs on the 2nd of November and it is special day in which Sicilian families remember and honour their deceased loved ones. 

On this occasion I will make a vocabulary list about this Sicilian tradition:

Candles: Cannili;

Sugar: Zuccaru;

Sugar Puppets: Pupi ri zuccaru;

Present: Rialu;

Basket: Cannistru;

Marzapan fruit:  Frutti ri martorana;

Bones of the death: Ossa ri morti (Despite their name, they are Sicilian biscuits baked to celebrate the Day of the Dead each year);

Cimitery: Campusantu;

To pray: Priari;

To remember: Arricurdari;

On this occasion the older children used to say a prayer to ask for more present to their deceased loved ones:

"Animi santi, animi santi, Io sugnu unu e vuiautri síti tanti: Mentri sugnu 'ntra stu munnu di guai Cosi di morti mittitimìnni assai."

"Holy souls, holy souls,  I am one person while you’re so many: While I am in this world full of troubles, Therefore, please give me many Day-of-the-dead treats."

My artistic vision has always centred on the belief that design should create meaningful difference. To inspire, communicate, and cultivate authentic connection. In Week 10, I wrote that I want my designs to " make a difference to inspire, communicate and create connections in a meaningful way.” After reading my classmates’ comments, I recognised the importance of expanding this vision. Their feedback encouraged me to consider stepping into larger design environments such as major companies or organisations, where the ideas I believe in could reach broader communities. This pushed me to refine my vision so that it not only focuses on meaningful design, but also on applying my skills with confidence in impactful, large-scale contexts.

To reflect on design lineages and connect with my aspirations, I selected the Rimowa × Robbe & Berking Cocktail Case, featured in the Wallpaper article on the best design-led cocktail shakers. The piece immediately resonated with me because of how it merges craftsmanship, heritage, and modernity. As the article outlines, cocktail shakers have existed since at least the 1500s and have continually evolved alongside cultural practices (“The Best Design-Led Cocktail Shakers”). This case represents a continuation of that lineage: Rimowa contributes its contemporary, travel-oriented aluminium shell, while Robbe & Berking brings its long-standing expertise in handcrafted silverware.

This fusion reflects a key theme discussed in CTS B, the idea that design traditions are never frozen in time. They evolve, adapt, and reinterpret themselves according to cultural, social, and technological shifts. The Cocktail Case is not simply a luxury object; it embodies an ongoing dialogue between past and present. Its form honours the ritualistic history of cocktail mixing, while its design language speaks to today’s culture of mobility, luxury, and experience-driven living.

The object also aligns closely with my own vision. I aspire to create designs that foster connection, and cocktail shakers inherently represent social interaction, hospitality, and shared moments. By elevating a familiar object through thoughtful design, the collaboration turns an everyday ritual into an experience, something I hope to do in my own practice. It communicates a story, preserves tradition, and inspires new forms of engagement, much like what I aim to achieve with my work.

Studying this design allowed me to understand how lineage can be respected without being imitated, and how innovation can still remain grounded in cultural history. As I continue developing as a designer, I want my work to similarly bridge meaningful traditions with contemporary relevance, creating designs that connect people, communicate values, and inspire thoughtful interaction.

(414 words) “The Best Design-Led Cocktail Shakers.” Wallpaper, 2025, www.wallpaper.com/entertaining/best-cocktail-shakers.

For generations, Native Americans have loved and fought for Nihi kayak — our land. They serve five times the national average in the military, shaping the country’s future. Unfortunately, many tribal traditions and Native American culture are in danger. The National Congress of American Indians has declared that Native languages are in an emergency. Let’s take a look at 5 of the most important…