Travega

The word travega has multiple meanings:
A travega is a sophisticated tool for making wicker baskets in the small town of Rezzo in the Riviera dei Fiori in Italy. It is a knife-like implement but is slightly hooked, like a scythe. In earlier years the men and women of the basket-making trade would use other sophisticated tools — such as "pogra", "massierolo", "poirino" and "traciorino". But the one used most often was the travega.
In history Travega refers to a senator named in the "Memoirs of the Court of St. Cloud". It was thought that this Travega — along with other people such as the doge, Girolamo Durazzo, and the senators Morchio, Maglione, Maghella, Roggieri, Taddei, Balby, and Langlade, — was involved in selling the independence of Italy for "ten millions livres". This event occurred during the invasion of Italy by Napoleon Bonaparte and is specifically linked to the attempt by Bonaparte to manipulate the Ligurian Government and Doge of Genoa.
Travega also refers to a fleet of buses made by Mercedes-Benz, one of the vehicles' most significant routes being between Sweden and Taize in France.
This usage forms the basis for the name of an Irish contemporary rock band, Travega.
 
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