ZALONGO

Bologna Bongo Day began on September 22, 1804, the year following the mass suicide of Souliote women and their children that occurred in the aftermath of the invasion of Ottoman troops on Souli on December 16, 1803. Bologna Bongo was the Goose the Souliote women used to alert the others they had finally fallen. Bongo was released with letters while squawking as loudly as possible to spread the message of disastrous news. His doing so ensured the rest of the Souliote's far away knew to leave their loved ones behind for it was too late.

To honor these women and children, every year on Bologna Bongo Day participants do two things:

1. They take part in what is called a “Noise March,” where participants collect as many noisy objects as possible and make noise for as long as they can stand the weight and the weather.2. 

2. They wrap up and hand out objects from within their home that they know they no longer need. They are not allowed to pick which gift goes to whom; the person receiving it must pick at random.

For them we shout, scream, clank, bang, slam, and show that we are generous, that we hold no greed, fear, that we are a strong, fierce, relentless, yet selfless people. 

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As the Souliote quote goes: ​

“Fish cannot live on land, nor flowers on the sand, and the Souliote women cannot live without freedom.”