"I was born in Sardinia, my family is made up of wise people, but also violent and productive artists". Grazia Deledda, the only Italian to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1926 , presented herself like this in Stockholm during her inaugural speech of thanks for winning the Nobel Prize. She, the small poet from Nuoro, is the most striking example that describes the real world of Sardinia , that of culture and tradition , in the best of all worlds. The long and different dominations in Sardinia have contributed to creating a complex, rooted, original and conservative culture in the Sardinian population.
Sardinia is shown continuously for the sea and the magnificent beaches, it is what makes the most gluttony. We, of Travel Planner Family, on the other hand, in our small way, continually strive to direct and make travelers fall in love with the real Sardinia , the one made above all of traditions that are still deeply rooted in the millenary culture of the local people.
TRADITIONS OF SARDINIA
INDEX
1) COSTUMES OF SARDINIA
Sardinian costumes represent the casket of ethnographic and cultural traditions with very peculiar characteristics. Although the basic model is homogeneous and common throughout the island, each community and country has its own traditional clothing, both for men and women, which differentiates it from the others. They are all particularly elaborate, those of women are very colorful and multicolored, while those of men are less evident.
In the past, the clothes performed a real and precise communication function as they immediately made clear the personal status and role of each member in the social sphere, the historical region or country of origin, a particular marital status. The materials used for the creation of these wonders are among the most varied from linen to leather passing through the fine linen and the orbace of silk. But let's find out the details:
Women's Clothing
Women in Sardinia cover their heads with caps, handkerchiefs, shawls and capes or lift one of the skirts on their heads. The chest is covered by the ensemble consisting of shirt, bodice and jacket , garments in which refined embroidery and rich ornamentation are concentrated. Skirts are typically full, mostly pleated or pleated. Finally, the socks , in white cotton thread, colored or dark in relation to the age, the areas, and the occasion of use, are worn both with shoes and with ankle boots and studded boots. The clothes are embellished with beautiful gold or silver jewels, with coral and pearls, such as filigree buttons, religious medals and brooches.
Men's clothing
"Sa berritta" is by far the most widespread male headdress, it represents a red or black sack cap of various lengths, but caps, tambourine and brimmed hats are not rare, even accompanied by handkerchiefs. The shirt is wide and white with a fine fabric jacket on top. Also part of the costume are the jackets or coats, in black orbace but vary in relation to the class and profession.The trousers are generally long, with socks mostly handmade with white wool thread. Studded boots are the most popular footwear, but lighter shoes are also used, laced up and sometimes decorated with silver buckles
In relation to the costumes, in addition to the events and festivals known in Sardinia as "La Cavalcata Sarda" we suggest you discover a small museum located in Tresnuraghes , in the province of Oristano. Voluminous mid-19th century crinolines, sumptuous and refined Belle Epoque dresses, sober and elegant lines from the 1920s. What you can do at the Casa Deriu Museum is an authentic journey through styles and trends through thirty original dresses and garments on display and representative of the history of overseas fashion in Sardinia between the early nineteenth century and the first decades of the twentieth.
2) THE SARDINIAN LANGUAGE
The Romans conquered Sardinia, like most of the West and for this reason they brought numerous influences to the island, giving the origins to the Sardinian language . Sardinian is a language that derives from Latin and after the fall of the Roman Empire it spreads throughout the island, becoming a fundamental element of Sardinian identity . Despite the conquests, and therefore the entry of external languages which took place in Sardinia over the following centuries, the Sardinian people, mainly due to their isolation , have preserved their Latin originality.
Different types of Sardinian can be distinguished in relation to the place and its geographical position, and today it is considered an autonomous language, with its own grammar and completely separable from the Italian language. This represents an authentic wealth that deserves to be safeguarded as a linguistic tool and cultural heritage , which is why it has become a subject of study in several schools on the island. It is ensured that the new generations of Sardinians do not have to lose the charm and beauty of their language.
3) THE MUSIC OF SARDINIA
Many Sardinians continue to communicate through musical forms inherited from the tradition of the past simply because they find in them a suitable means to express themselves within their contemporary reality. It is one of the main reasons why traditional Sardinian music , both sung and instrumental, has been handed down over the centuries and represents one of the oldest and richest in the Mediterranean.
Cantu on Tenore
Let's start with one of the most popular songs in Sardinia. Thanks to the commitment of groups such as the Tenores di Bitti and Tenores di Neoneli, canto a tenore is known all over the world, so much so that in 2005 it was recognized by Unesco as an oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The canto a tenore is a polyphonic song without the aid of any musical instrument. It is characterized by a quartet composed of sa boghe (solo voice that conducts the song), sa contra and su bassu (accompanying voices), sa mesa boghe (half voice, amalgamates the choir). Search among the multitude of videos on youtube, the canto a tenore is an authenticity of the Sardinian tradition.
Cantu A Chiterra
It is a particular type of song born from the contact between the Aragonese and Spanish musical traditions, and the Sardinian-Logudorese ones. It is widespread above all in Logudoro and Gallura.
Known musical instruments
The diatonic accordion (organittu or su sonu) is a small accordion used to accompany the monodic song and represents the main instrument for su ballu tundu (the round dance), the most characteristic of Sardinian folk dances. Another noteworthy instrument is Sa Launedda , a polyphonic wind instrument dating back to the Nuragic age that still retains its original structure, consisting of three pipes of different lengths
Take a 2 minute break and imagine your holiday in Sardinia .....
.... we can make it a reality!
4) SARDINIAN CRAFTS
Considering the exchanges due to the numerous peoples who arrived from the sea, the craftsmanship in Sardinia has taken on characteristics of uniqueness compared to that of any other Italian region. It is not unique only for its consistency , diffusion and its incredible creativity but its uniqueness concerns the functional form characterized by the same decorative forms, an ABC of all Sardinian craftsmanship which in a certain sense underlines the attachment to Sardinian culture.
Craftsmanship in Sardinia was born above all to satisfy daily needs such as domestic use and work. We highlight the weaving, the working of metals and wood, the intertwining of the baskets up to the creation of objects handed down over the centuries for the value of their sacredness (see jewels, and jewels).
The Weaving
The excellence of Sardinian craftsmanship. Traditional textile production in Sardinia is closely connected to the main productive activities, namely breeding and agriculture. Do you think that from the Roman age onwards, historical sources speak of a growing artisan activity, especially widespread at family level. The techniques used for weaving are Vertical (present in a few centers), Horizontal (widespread throughout the region) and oblique and the main raw materials are wool, cotton, linen and silk.
The main function of the textile artifact was originally that of a chest cover , decoration of the austere chest depository of the bride's dowry and of the small domestic treasure. Starting from here, we moved on to the production of blankets, tapestries and carpets . Other textile artifacts were the saddlebag (carried by all men on the shoulder or on horseback) and the rich collars for the festive harness of horses and oxen. The textile production was then enriched with several other pieces for furniture: curtains, fabrics, cushions and tablecloths. In all cases, as we mentioned before, the decoration is the main element that allows the preservation of the Sardinian tradition.
Among the countries that boast a centenary tradition in weaving we can mention Aggius, Nule and certainly Samugheo , with its traditional carpets.
The plot
It is a sector that is now represented almost exclusively by the trash can, and once this activity was carried out at a family level to create different containers , each different in shape and size depending on the use it was intended for. For example, men produced baskets aimed at harvesting especially in the agricultural and fishing sectors. Women destined their baskets for domestic use. Now the baskets are produced mainly for decorative purposes in terms of furniture and are constantly in demand on the market. Also in this case, as in the weaving, there is no lack of decorative elements and geometric motifs predominate (checkerboard, concentric circles, rays of triangles), but also floral and faunal ones (bird, peacock, horse).
The raw materials used change according to the area, as they are collected in the countryside or in the surrounding ponds: they are reeds, dwarf palm, asphodel, reeds, willow, myrtle, mastic, straw and hay . In Castelsardo raffia, rush and dwarf palm are used. In towns like Tinnura, Flussio, Montresta and Ollolai, the asphodel. Speaking instead of San Vero Milis and Ottana, rushes and marsh grasses are generally used. In Sinnai, in central Sardinia, rushes and wheat straw collected after the harvest are used. Scholars have even approached the artifacts produced in Sinnai to those found in Egyptian tombs , once again highlighting their highly functional character.
Ceramic
For long centuries, despite the influences of the dominations that followed one another on the island, we were limited exclusively to the manufacture of ceramic objects for practical and functional use. Some examples are the jug for drinking water, large cooking pans , mixing containers, food jars and jars for storing food, while the creation of decorated jugs and vases was reserved for special occasions. The raw materials have always been clays and kaolins which are found in considerable variety and quantity in Sardinia, even if in recent times they are also imported. The clay is worked by hand or on a lathe and then left to dry in the air; in ancient times it was cooked in wood ovens, today almost everywhere replaced with the most modern and functional electric ovens. There can be no lack of decorative elements that distinguish the Sardinian culture, for this reason the decoration was carried out partly in relief and partly in stick.
Currently the major ceramic production centers are concentrated in Assemini and in the Cagliari hinterland . The making of ceramic artifacts is still today a real art in this village, where there are still a dozen families who carry on the artisan tradition of ceramics. Among the other towns that boast the oldest tradition in this field we can mention Oristano (deserves to be explored thanks to the famous Figoli di Oristano) , Pabillonis, Dorgali, Sassari and Siniscola .
The wood
The simplicity of an agro-pastoral society like the Sardinian one was once also reflected in the furnishing of the house, limited to a few but essential pieces of furniture: the bed, the cradle, the chairs and stools, the table and the plate rack , where they found their place. the various dishes for daily use. They were all very modest furnishings, as befits the poverty of the traditional setting. The only exception was the chest , finely carved, which has always occupied an essential place in the house, enclosing the bride's trousseau and all the wealth of the family.
The types of wood mainly used are chestnut , abundant in the Barbagia woods, walnut and juniper with the carving technique. The decorative element has always been generally simple and linear, with motifs of a geometric type or inspired by nature (flora and fauna).
The centers of Barbagia such as Aritzo, Desulo, Tonara, Nuoro, Ottana, Isili, Orani are those that most continue to repeat traditional and symbolic motifs almost intact. However, furniture and carved woods are produced by ancient local tradition also in Santulussurgiu, Buddusò, Sassari, Cagliari and Quartu Sant'Elena and some craftsmen who continue ancient skills of trade can be found in almost all the towns of Sardinia. Other typical artistic expressions are the heavy traditional carnival masks worn by the Mamuthones of Mamoiada and the Merdules of Ottana (take note of Mario Cossu , the craftsman who created the mask of Boe di Ottana), linked to an ancient rite practiced to chase away the evil spirits.
Take a 2 minute break and imagine your holiday in Sardinia .....
.... we can make it a reality!
The Metals
Since the times of the pre-Nuragic civilization, the working of non-precious metals was widespread and this is explained by the extraordinary metalliferous riches present in the subsoil. In ancient times, the blacksmith, in addition to carrying out the shoeing of draft animals, also manufactured other objects such as bolts, lock covers, door knockers and other objects for the fireplace. Currently objects of particular fame and typicality are cowbells for animals , made of hot brass-plated iron sheet. Today the iron craftsmen produce objects of a good artistic level such as traditional equipment, bronzes , artistic metal carpentry, furnishing and copper objects, as well as highly sought-after knives.
Cutlery: A refined production ranging from traditional leppas and resolzas (classic switchblade knives of shepherds and farmers), to collector's knives. They are artifacts that require particular attention both for the tempering of the blades and for the preparation of the handles, made of horn (of mouflon, buffalo or goat). There are many centers that have become famous for the processing of the knife, which have made it take on distinctive names. Pattada for the leaf blade knife called sa pattadesa , Guspini for the pot-bellied knife, said sa guspinesa , Arbus for the so-called switchblade gets upset , Santu Lussurgiu for the so-called Luxurgese knife sa luxulzesa but also other countries like Dorgali, Desulo, Gavoi and Gonnosfanadiga .
Wrought Iron: Visiting certain country churches or ancient noble houses, in the gardens and interiors you can admire gates, railings and gratings, balustrades and railings with complicated doodles, or bizarre intertwining of curved lines made without a precise design. The ancient tradition of wrought iron has remained flourishing especially in Cagliari and Sassari , but also in some other small towns of the island.
Copper Objects: This is a traditional production typical of Isili , a small town in the Sarcidano area. The boiler production is explained by the distance of the town from the main communication routes and the proximity to the copper mine of Funtana Raminosa, known since ancient times. We are talking about master specialists in copper working and their history is also pervaded by a certain mystery, in fact it is said that they are descendants of gypsy or Jewish peoples. Such rumors would be confirmed by the use of the curious jargon called su romaniscu and by their somatic features that make them seem more Nordic than Sardinian. Curious isn't it ?! The productions were mainly large boilers for the processing of dairy products, smaller boilers , pans with only one long handle or two ring handles, and much more. We must consider how the color of the wrought copper, combined with the simple but original shapes, gives value to these artifacts, which are still in great demand, especially for ornamental purposes.
Bronze objects: Bronze working was widespread since the times of the Nuragic civilization and in the past tended to create everyday objects, work tools, weapons and above all artistic sculptures. Recently, bronze has been used for the creation of statuettes of Nuragic subjects (the so-called bronzes ): tribal chiefs, matriarchs, commoners, votive boats, animals, etc. All this thanks to the sculptor Franco D'Aspro.
Cork
In Calangianus , a small village of about 5000 inhabitants, in the heart of Gallura, cork plays a fundamental role in the local economy. Industries, small factories and artisans have contributed to making the cork in the area famous all over the world, especially thanks to the production of wine corks. The working of cork for other purposes as an insulating material for building has spread throughout the Gallura (the nuragics already used it inside the nuraghi). But not only that, the shoe factories build us the wedges and the insoles of the shoes, many packages of fruit, eggs or fresh flowers are made up of layers of cork. In Gallura cork is also present in clothing as it is used for garments and accessories such as bags and clutches. The stylist Anna Grindi , of Tempio Pausania, knows something about it, who has patented a cork fabric and called it Suberis . This is a fiber originating from the cork itself cut into very thin sheets and combined with different supports such as linen, cotton and microfiber. Respect the environment, it is waterproof, stain resistant, scratch resistant, soft, malleable and wear resistant.
But where does cork come from? From the cork oak , a native species cultivated in a restricted area of the western Mediterranean. This light gray, spongy and about 5 cm thick rind can be removed from plants with at least 15-20 years of age. The removal takes place by debarking and incision paying particular attention to avoid injury to the phellogen. The characteristics of cork have therefore made it a sought-after and appreciated material in many production activities.
The jewels
Sardinian jewel means ethnic style and a sign of the profound culture of the entire people of Sardinia. These are definitely related to the traditional costume , as they complement the same in its decorative elements. To find the most secret and ancient meaning of Sardinian jewels ( Prendas ), however, we need to go back to the origins of a myth that tells of fairies who, in their enchanted houses ( Domus de Janas ), wove gold and silver threads that became fabrics embroidered with precious stones. Since ancient times the jewel had in fact the function of medium between man and the gods , to invoke their grace or to exorcise the forces of evil. For example, a black stone (obsidian) inside a silver circle (Sabeggia) was used to save the new born from the dangers of the evil eye.
The goldsmith and artisan production of the island is characterized by a multitude of artifacts. The button is the most common element in the different island costumes and together with the cufflinks, generally in pairs, they decorate the collar and cuffs of the shirt and the corset of both male and female costumes. Necklaces are also part of traditional Sardinian clothing and among these stand out su giunchigliu (long gold chain with circular links to be worn with several turns around the neck) and su gaettau where the sweaters are transformed into large spherical vague finished with granulation and filigree. Other jewels include brooches, rings, earrings but also amulets and talismans. Among all it is also important to mention the tradition of Alghero in the creation of various types of jewels from the processing of red coral . Here is a splendid article by Manuela Vitulli about the Sardinian faith, the symbol of Sardinian jewels.
The stones
Sardinia also boasts a number of skilled craftsmen working the stone , especially granite, sandstone, basalt, capable of creating real sculptures respecting the ancient regional tradition. Narbolia , in the province of Oristano, is a place of high tradition in stone processing that dates back to the Nuragic period. Here it is possible to visit the exhibition of some objects, such as tables, floor decorations, mirrors, frames, centerpiece photo frames, clocks. Among the artisans present in Sardinia we like to mention Salvatore Tola and his company Perda'Ia, a master of artistic stone processing.
The skin and the hide
The leather and hide products are used both for leather goods, therefore wallets, belts, bags and other souvenirs, both for the footwear market such as the famous gambales, and for clothing in particular jackets and coats and finally for horse riding with the production of saddles. Just think that Bosa , in the province of Sassari, for almost a century was the capital of the tanneries in Italy , whose high quality productions were appreciated and sold in the Peninsula and abroad. Over time, slowly, the activity decreased and then ceased in the second part of the twentieth century. By relying on us to plan your travel itinerary in Sardinia, you can request and receive the Discover Bosa Brochure as a gift, which also talks about the magnificent history of the ancient tannery.
The glass
Although the island had gigantic natural reserves of silica sand for glass processing , it has never developed this activity to the point of making it a tradition extended to the entire regional territory. In fact, it limited itself to expressing some realities of a certain importance, especially as regards the objects and glazes used for ceramics. Sassari has always been one of the few centers of excellence for glass and also Oristano , which boasts a great tradition that has now remained in the small workshops that churn out various kinds of products, from colored or sandblasted glass windows to crystal vases and glasses, passing through the glazes used to embellish the ceramics.
Although it is not confirmed, some scholars including Giusi Gradoli (PhD in technologies of prehistoric ceramics) argue that the nuragics knew glass before the Egyptians.
5) TYPICAL CUISINE OF SARDINIA
Sardinian cuisine varies a lot and is based on simple and original ingredients, derived both from the pastoral and peasant tradition , and from the seafaring one. Every town and every area of Sardinia has typical dishes, which can be spread throughout the island, however, assuming different names and sometimes, with some changes of ingredients. Food tells a territory and does it perfectly in Sardinia since Sardinian cuisine is similar to that of a few centuries ago. The Sardinian porcetto is definitely the symbolic dish of the island, a suckling pig cooked slowly on the grill that is tender and crunchy, a delight.
Despite being the most popular typical dish, in Sardinia it is important to know that there are so many delights that it would be impossible to list them all. A We start with bread, for example the coccoi , the civraxu , the pan'e gherda and finally the best known bread the carasau . Some dishes are made from the bread, such as pane frattau and Gallura soup . In Sardinia there are dozens of varieties of typical pasta, for example dry such as fregula and malloreddus , fresh such as culurgiones, filindeu and lorighittas . To continue the main courses of meat, such as roast pork, lamb or kid , cordula , lamb entrails, boiled sheep , and those of fish: shellfish, sea bass, sea bream or grilled eels and tuna cooked in a thousand ways. Impossible not to mention the desserts such as seadas and pardulas .
In this paragraph, however, we would like to focus on some uniqueness of Sardinia on a culinary level, those that have made its history.
The bread
Despite being the most popular typical dish, in Sardinia it is important to know that there are so many delights that it would be impossible to list them all. A We start with bread, for example the coccoi , the civraxu , the pan'e gherda and finally the best known bread the carasau . Some dishes are made from the bread, such as pane frattau and Gallura soup . In Sardinia there are dozens of varieties of typical pasta, for example dry such as fregula and malloreddus , fresh such as culurgiones, filindeu and lorighittas . To continue the main courses of meat, such as roast pork, lamb or kid , cordula , lamb entrails, boiled sheep , and those of fish: shellfish, sea bass, sea bream or grilled eels and tuna cooked in a thousand ways. Impossible not to mention the desserts such as seadas and pardulas .
Do you know the Blue Zones? They identify parts of the world where it is possible to live happily and for a long time, there are only 5 and one of these is our Sardinia, just think that the small town of Seulo is considered the longest-lived in the world . The secret of our grandparents? The environment in which they live, the simple but constant physical activity and a healthy diet based on carbohydrates and few proteins. Among the carbohydrates we find bread and Sardinia is the first in the world for variety of bread.
Since ancient times, bread has been the basic food of the Sardinians, as well as of many other Mediterranean peoples. Essentially, before the advent of electric mills in the 1930s, the milling of cereals took place through 2 systems: the asinarian grinder , a variant of the ancient Roman grinder, present throughout the island at a domestic level, but especially in the southern areas, and the water mills probably introduced in the Early Middle Ages.
The most common breads in Sardinia are the Spianata di Ozieri, the Zichi bread, the Carasau bread, the Coccoi, the Modditzosu, the Civraxiu. In addition to purely food functions, bread was considered a sacred element and was found on various occasions (weddings, funerals, religious holidays. Among those just mentioned we would like to highlight 2 in particular:
Pane di Ozieri: It is an ancient bread that has come down to our days unchanged in the recipe: it is still prepared as the tradition of the origins dictates and as the old housewives kneaded and baked it in the past centuries. His ability to keep the taste and the fragrance for entire days, they made the Sardinian esplanade , and still make it, the most suitable bread for farmers and fishermen but also for workers in general, who brought it with them to feed themselves and rest between one effort and another.
Pane Carasau: Known to many as "music paper" (probably due to the noise when it is chewed), Carasau bread is by far the oldest in Sardinia. Some artifacts found by archaeologists suggest that the production of this bread was already a custom before the year 1000 BC, or in the so-called Bronze Age . It took a lot of energy to prepare this special type of bread, and for this there were usually at least three women who worked it. Why is this bread so special? Sardinian bread was nourishment for shepherds, who needed a food that could be preserved over time , especially during long transhumances, without losing its nutritional properties.
Take a 2 minute break and imagine your holiday in Sardinia .....
.... we can make it a reality!
The cheeses
They represent another typical uniqueness of Sardinia which among other things offers the largest production of pecorino cheeses in Europe. The most famous and well-known is certainly the DOP Sardinian pecorino which can be of low seasoning, therefore sweet and is one of the table cheeses, or of medium and long seasoning which gives the cheese a strong and spicy flavor. Pecorino Romano DOP is also well known for its use especially as a condiment for first courses, its maturation is not less than 8 months.
Another typical cheese is Fiore Sardo, also DOP and still produced today with the ancient artisan processing techniques of the Barbagia shepherds. The taste is spicy and strong, it is combined with dishes in relation to the seasoning. It is produced only with the milk of native Barbagia sheep, a uniqueness of the area.
Many ask for information about Casu Marzu (Rotten cheese or cheese with worms). We would therefore like to dedicate a large paragraph to this very Sardinian typicality. The forms of pecorino, after production which takes place in the spring months, are left in some open rooms where they are spiked by the cheese fly, the Piophila casei , which lays its eggs. Once hatched, the small larvae with their enzymes transform the pecorino cheese into a soft cream . This maturation process lasts from three to six months and the product is a creamy cheese, excellent to spread on bread and of a very unique goodness. In 2004, to safeguard it, Casu Marzu was included among the more than 4 thousand traditional Italian agri-food products of the Ministry of Agriculture.
However, in 2005, due to the institution's numerous hygiene standards, the European Union banned Casu Marzu from production and marketing. Even in 2009 it was included in the Guinness World Record as one of the most dangerous cheeses in the world . The motivation? "Any larvae that survived the action of gastric juices could cause vomiting, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea." The truth, at the moment, however, is another : up to now there is no evidence of pathologies or disorders directly connected with the consumption of cheese with worms, are we really sure that it is the most dangerous cheese in the world? We at Travel Planner Family have strong doubts.
Wines, Liqueurs and Sweets
As evidenced by some archaeological researches, the cultivation of the vine in Sardinia dates back to the epoch of the Nuragic civilization. This tradition continued with the Romans and then through the various foreign occupations it was still enriched. Red wines include the Cannonau , certainly the oldest, the Monica , the Carignano del Sulcis. while among the whites there are the Vermentino of Sardinia , of Gallura DOCG, Malvasia di Bosa, Nasco, Torbato di Alghero, Nuragus di Cagliari, Moscato, Vernaccia di Oristano. A glass of red wine a day, according to the Sardinian centenarians, helps to live more. Let's drink right ?!
The brandy is produced which is known with the name of Filu'e ferru or Abbardente . Among the liqueurs, Mirto (both white and red) and Villacidro are among the most popular. Desserts, such as Seadas and Pardulas are authentic Sardinian pearls. The seadas is a disc of thin dough that contains a filling of fresh cheese flavored with lemon, fried and covered with melted honey. Always based on cheese, you can taste sas casadinas or pardulas , pasta cakes filled with fresh cheese or ricotta flavored with saffron, vanilla and orange or lemon peel.
6) PARTIES AND FESTIVALS
All the villages and towns of Sardinia have their own typical festivities. These are splendid events with a resonance also abroad for the importance of the historical event that they recall, but not only for the traditional suggestion they express. It also happens that they have manifestations that almost always concern a patron saint. Let's analyze the most popular and known in Sardinia:
Cortes Apertas - Carnival in Barbagia
During the autumn period in Barbagia magnificent events take place on all weekends from September to December. In fact, every week, in a different municipality, the historic houses of the town open their courtyards and between these you can embark on a food and wine and artistic journey. Traditional crafts such as wool processing and threshing but also wheat harvesting, all while folkloristic shows of dances and popular songs are set up in the town squares. In these countries the carnival is represented by tragic and ancestral figures, dressed in animal skins and with wooden masks with dark and frightening features such as the long-nosed masks of Ottana, the Merdules or the Boes with bovine-like masks and dressed in skins of sheep. A series of magnificent events that highlight another important aspect: Sardinia can be visited not only in the summer, but also in the other seasons.
The Carnival of Mamoiada
Among all the carnival events in Barbagia the one that stands out the most is the carnival of Mamoiada, with the typical masks of the Mamunthones. The Mamuthones are men with faces covered in a black mask with rough features, dressed in dark furs and with cowbells hanging from their backs that parade during the carnival procession. Their rhythmic step is a dance that has apotropaic value as it awakens nature and drives away evil. Isn't this authenticity ?!
The Sartiglia in Oristano
For many compared to the Palio di Siena, the Sartiglia held in Oristano on the last Sunday of Carnival and is repeated on Shrove Tuesday. It is a rite to propitiate the good harvest of the year that has just begun, a large equestrian carousel of Catalan origin that has been running for over five hundred years in via del Duomo, in the historic center of the city. The knights, who have their faces covered by a typically inexpressive mask, launch at a reckless gallop and try to stab a silver star hanging in midair with their sword. From the number of skewered stars will be drawn the auspices for the harvest of the new year. A party that represents an explosion of colors, emotions and ancient traditions.
Holy Week in Alghero
An ancient story that of the holy week of Alghero which has origins even in the early 1600s when Alghero was still a Spanish stronghold and when, in those years, the sea gave the city the wooden Christ of Alicante (the "Sancristus"). Considered a precious gift from God that came from the sea, the "Santcristus" became the object of popular veneration and the fulcrum of the rites of Holy Week. During Holy Week the faithful walk the streets of the city among the sounds and silences of prayers in the ancient language of Catalonia and alongside the "Germans Blancs", of the "Confraria del Gonfalò" of the Fraternity of Our Lady of Mercy, parade in their clothes typical, the brothers of the host Brotherhoods from Catalonia. A sacred, traditional event and at the same time a great celebration in the Catalan city.
Feast of Sant'Efisio in Cagliari
In 1956 Cagliari, devastated by 4 years of plague, expressed a vow to the Saint: he promised a procession to the places of his martyrdom if the epidemic had ceased. The contagion disappeared and the population, since then, has always kept their commitment. The Sant'Efisio festival is probably the most important, popular and sacred in all of Sardinia. The procession accompanies the statue of the Saint on the way from the Church of Sant'Efisio in Cagliari to the village of Pula, the place of martyrdom, 30 km away. The procession is opened by the characteristic traccas, carts pulled by oxen decorated with carpets, flowers and tools; followed by knights and costumed groups from all over Sardinia, who recite and sing traditional prayers. Sounds of launeddas accompany the slow walk of the Saint and petals of red, pink and yellow roses cover the granite slabs of the Via Roma with the characteristic ramadura like carpets.
The Sardinian Cavalcade in Sassari
On the penultimate Sunday of May, the city of Sassari is the scene of one of the most important folkloristic festivals in Sardinia. The event is a precious opportunity to admire, in a path that winds along the streets of the historic center, the magnificent colors of the traditional clothes and jewels of the villages of almost the whole island. It is a different, profane ceremony, where religion is not the protagonist, but the costumes, songs, sounds, dances and above all the knights with their spectacular acrobatics are.
Take a 2 minute break and imagine your holiday in Sardinia .....
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S'Ardia in Sedilo
Even in this splendid festival the horses are the protagonists. It is considered an equestrian joust that takes place on the evening of the 6th and is repeated on the morning of July 7th every year, in honor of San Costantino. This exciting event attracts faithful from all over Sardinia and, over the years, more and more foreign tourists come to attend this reckless horse race live, also attracted by the rituals that characterize it. Around it, the more than 100 horsemen who participate in it must run at a gallop, according to a precise and well-coded order. The event is accompanied by numerous celebrations and religious rituals, as well as by numerous concerts and shows near the sanctuary
Faradda de li candelieri in Sassari
The Faradda di li candareri is the festival held in Sassari the evening before the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption (mid-August) and is the most important and most felt religious procession by the population and one of the most prestigious events in Sardinia, among other things heritage Unesco since 2013. According to tradition, the festival derives from a vow made to Our Lady of the Assumption, which would have saved the city from the plague of 1652.
The Sagra del Redentore in Nuoro
Its importance is due not only to the spectacular parade of costumes from all over the island (which takes place on the Saturday before the actual party), but above all to the religious part of the event, which is held outdoors: mass, under the gigantic statue of the Redeemer on Mount Ortobene and the procession, which takes place around the top of the mountain and which gives the visitor moments of extraordinary charm, under the gaze of a panorama of indescribable beauty. It takes place in the last week of August.
The Race of the Scalzi of Cabras
A festival that recalls the events that occurred during one of the numerous invasions by the Saracens. It is said that in 1619 the local men, committed to fighting the invaders, asked the women of the village to bring the statue of the patron saint from Cabras to the village of San Salvatore di Sinis, so as to protect it from attacks by the Moors. The women, running barefoot, succeeded in the enterprise and rescued the statue. On the first Saturday of September a group of shoeless young people dressed in the white tunic of the penitents, Is Curridoris, take the wooden statue of San Salvatore to carry it, barefoot and with a 7 km run along the dirt paths of the Sinis, to return to the church of San Salvatore di Sinis in the village of “muristenes”, the typical Sardinian temporary rural houses. On Sunday there is a procession for the village of women in the typical Cabras costumes and accompanied by the sound of the traditional “launeddas” and accordions. At nightfall is Curridoris bring the statue of the saint back to the church of Santa Maria di Cabras. The rite of the Corsa degli Scalzi is also considered a good omen for the harvest, the abundance of fish in the Cabras pond and the fertility of the sheep.
7) SARDINIAN POPULAR MEDICINE
It is really interesting to know that Sardinian folk medicine was practically preserved until the eve of the Second World War, exercising a pre-eminent role, in terms of the diffusion of therapies, in relation to official medicine, which was struggling to penetrate in a capillary way in the communities. . The barriers that prevented the spread of conventional medicine in the agro-pastoral society were of an economic, cultural and geographical nature. These barriers have disappeared with that profound process of economic, social and cultural transformation that has affirmed throughout Europe since the end of the Second World War, for which by now the agro-pastoral society has been supplanted by a completely different model of society, of an industrial type. , within which even the management of the disease has obviously taken on a completely different organization.
However, although official medicine is the dominant one, other medicines also operate within the Sardinian treatment system to a more or less sensitive extent. From a recent research conducted in all the towns of Sardinia, it appears that the traditional healers still in business are certainly over a thousand; that, alongside empirical therapies, magical-therapeutic rites are still widespread; that on some pathologies the empirical intervention produces healing results of considerable interest; that the people who still use this treatment system today are over one hundred thousand.
Of these, over 50% resort to the magical-therapeutic rite against the evil eye (about 36,600). Those who resort to traditional treatments for trauma to the osteoarticular system make up 14.8% of the total of users (about 10,700). The number of those who resort to the therapeutic rite against critical states attributed to fear is also quite high (3650). Other pathologies with a high number of users are: burns (3670); sciatica (2900); leeks (2550); hemorrhoids (2400); Shingles and herpes Zoster (1800); skin diseases (about 1500).
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