Of wolves and men

Feared and persecuted, they howl, defending their territories. Bound by an indisputable hierarchy, they are as blindly loyal to their chosen family as they are hostile to those on the outside, ready to protect the pack that gives meaning to their entire existence. According to a recent study, in Italy, there are currently 386 organized Ultras groups which, combined, could form an army of over 41,000 people. I visited the Gradinata Sud Albenga, a small but well-established tifoseria in the Ligurian Riviera to learn more about the rules of the pack. I immersed myself in their culture, and began to live the Gradinata as a protagonist. I witnessed them clashing with the police, sharing in their jubilation when they came through victorious and commiserating together for charges for disrupting public order. Throughout this journey I came face to face with the very essence of human nature. The rage, loneliness and frustration felt by many were often the result of unstable and violent family lives and yet are the very thing that lead most youths to join the group, sparking a hunger for rebellion and a yearning to belong; the very lifestyle offered by the Ultras. Anyone can find their place and be respected for their contribution to the cause. And while some focus on more administrative aspects, others are foot soldiers, fuelled by chauvinism and ready to fight in the name of their city. In the tense moments leading up to a violent clash, individual members abandon their ego in favor of a collective ideal, the so called “Ultras mentality”. Usually Wednesdays and Fridays, meetings are held in a tense and hierarchic atmosphere where the group’s leader teaches the younger members what it means to be an Ultras. For many, football itself is of little to no interest, a side effect of belonging to their chosen tribe. Amongst known subcultures, the Ultras stand out as an explosive one; a melee of youthful rebellion, violent instincts and unwavering, all-consuming love and dedication.