Gruppo Folkoloristico Val D'Agrakas

 The Val D'Agragas Folk Group is the oldest continuing running group of this type in Sicily. This past December they came to the Sates and among the places they performed, I attended the show at St, John's  University under the sponsorship of Arba Sicula a Sicilian cultural society whose main goal is to keep alive Sicilian culture and the Sicilian language. A visit to arbasicula.org is worth making. Here the group performed in what was the front of a large lecture hall at the college. They were able to improvise and performed very well.

Val D'Agrakas is the name of the famous valley in modern Agrigento where the renown Greek temples are. It's called la valle dei templi. the valley of the temples. Agrakas was the original mame for Agrigento that for many years was named Girgenti and whose name was changed under the Duce in an effort to add value to the site. No matter what you call it, Agrigento is a wonderful place whose culture dates back to the era before the Greeks and whose temples are the best examples of Greek architecture in all of  Magna Grecia. What is amazing is that they have stood the test of  time better than in any other place. A visit here is a true must.