Does anyone know the origin of the village of Morinesio in Northern Italy?

Question

I am trying to find data about the origin of the founders of the village of Morinesio, in the Val Maira, in the region of Piemonte, Italy.

Thank you

Answer 1

Morinesio lies nestled high in the mountains bordering France and Italy. Although only two hours from Turin, the village of Morinesio seems removed from the world. From an altitude of 4500 feet (1450 m) it offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the Val Maira valley, one of the wildest of the Piedmont region, virtually untouched by development.

Morinesio is in one of the few pockets of Occitan in Italy. This distinct culture that spreads from northwestern Italy, through Provencal France to Catalan Spain has its own language, the Langue d'Oc, still spoken by 2 million people. Predating Italian or French, Langue d'Oc is the oldest written Romance language. It was used by the troubadours for their lyric poetry from the 11th to the 13th centuries, after which it was repressed by the northern political powers. Occitan culture and language are now regaining recognition. Langue d'Oc is now being preserved in local schools, in the occitan menus of certain restaurants, and in the local musical traditions, where the legacy of the troubadours lives on.

During the last century, life in the remote villages was no longer sustainable and many villagers moved to the valley cities. Morinesio was nearly abandoned. An interest in preserving the medieval villages and an appreciation for the wild landscape has inspired many of the old families and new settlers to revitalize Morinesio and create a new community. Our Midsummer Festival, while celebrating the ancient return of the Sun, celebrates as well the modern rejuvenation of Morinesio.