mondina

A mondina (Italian: [monˈdiːna]; pl.: mondine; from the verb mondare, meaning 'to peel', 'to husk', 'to clean', or 'to weed') is a seasonal rice paddy female worker, especially in Italy's Po Valley from the late 19th century to the first half of the 20th; though this practice traces back to about 600 years. The work of monda (weeding) was widespread in northern Italy in that era. The work consisted of removing the weeds growing in rice fields that hindered the healthy growth of young rice plants. It took place during the flooding of the fields, from the end of April to the beginning of June every year, during which the delicate shoots needed to be protected, during the first stages of their development, from temperature differences between the day and the night. It consisted of two phases:...