Glossary of Key Terms
Ajaccio: The coastal capital of Corsica, historically a "backwater" but transformed by Napoleon.
Cap Corse: A rugged peninsula in Corsica, resembling an index finger, symbolizing the island's defiance.
Corte: A town in the interior of Corsica, known as the capital of the short-lived Corsican Republic.
De Renava: A contemporary art biennale held in Bonifacio, co-founded by Dumè Marcellesi, focusing on themes like "The Fall of Empires."
Immortelle: A yellow flower found in the Corsican maquis, known for its curry-like smell and use in expensive fragrances.
Maquis: The fragrant, herby shrubland that defines the Corsican interior, characterized by plants like rosemary, sage, and immortelle.
Mazzere: In Corsican folklore, individuals believed to enter the spiritual plane in their sleep, dreaming of hunting a boar whose face reveals the next person in the village to die.
Menhirs: Ancient stone standing stones left by Corsica's mysterious prehistoric people, often bearing carvings of human figures.
Napoleon Bonaparte: Corsica's most famous son, born in Ajaccio in 1769, whose legacy on the island is mixed, viewed as both a symbol of French imperialism and a transformer of Ajaccio.
National Geographic Traveller (UK): The publication that produced the source article.
Pasquale Paoli: Corsican national hero who declared the Corsican Republic an independent state in 1755, creating the world's first written constitution.
Patrimonio: A village in Corsica known for its community spirit and traditional music, home to musician Christian Andreani.
Pétanque: A popular French game similar to bocce, played by old men in Corsican town squares.
Polyphonic singing: A traditional style of singing in the Corsican countryside, characterized by multiple independent vocal parts.
Riacquistu: A Corsican term meaning "reacquisition," referring to the cultural renaissance movement from the 1970s onwards that aimed to rediscover and promote unique Corsican cultural elements like language, winemaking, and folk music.
Saint Martin Pilgrimage Trail: A new island-wide walking route in Corsica, opening in stages since 2024, inspired by Saint Martin of Tours.
Signadoras: In Corsican folklore, white witches and expert herbalists believed to have the power to neutralize the evil eye through specific rituals and incantations.
Strait of Bonifacio: The narrow strait separating Corsica from Sardinia.
Yvan Colonna: A Corsican nationalist controversially jailed for murder and later murdered in prison, who has become a symbol of the modern nationalist movement.
