July
THE FESTIVAL IN TORTOLI AND ARBATAX
Situated
in the centre of Ogliastra, in the south-east of Sardinia, Tortolì is easily
accessible both from Cagliari and Nuoro and is only 3 kilometres far from the
coast. Its landscape is characterised by the beautiful coast, with the impressive
red porphyritic cliffs and the white beaches, among which the beach of Orrì
is doubtless the one with the finest sand and the most trasparent sea. Not far
from the town, there are some interesting archaeological sites: the most important
is situated in the area between the road n° 125 and the beach of Orrì. Near
Mount Terli, on the left side of the road leading to the beach, there are some
“domus de janas”, which date back to 2700-1800 B.C.; these tombs are excavated
in the rock, and are made up of semicircular cells communicating by means of
quadrangular doors. On the right side of the road, in the area known as “S’Ortali
e Su Monti”, and at about 400 metres far from saint Salvatore’s Church, there
are the ruins of a nuraghe, a “Tomba di Giganti” (Tomb of Jiants) and two menhirs.
The
ruins of a village, dating back to the Roman age, are situated near the country
church of Saint Lussorio, at about 3 kilometres far from the town. The woods
of the mountain area, the lakes of the High Flumendosa and the “wedges” of Ulassai
and Jerzu can be reached in a few minutes from Tortolì, either by car or with
the famous “Trenino Verde” (Green Train). Everyday, comfortable motor-ships
leave from Arbatax at 8.30 a.m. and from S. Maria Navarrese at 9.00 a. m.; they
go up the coast and rech the beatiful beaches of “Cala Mariolu”, “Cala Sisine”,
and “Cala Luna”, where a tourist can either spend a day on the sea-side or visit
the Caves of Bue Marino, which are accessible only by sea. On the 2th Sunday
of July, in Arbatax there is the festival of the patron, Madonna Stella Maris;
towards sunset, after a procession in the town, the statue of the Madonna is
carried on a fisghing-boat, followed by a number of boats, wich go round the
harbour letting their sirens play happily. Since a few years a number of folklore
meetings and events have beeen organised during the festival. An example is
the “Festival of Fish”, during which the fish is given to the fishermen for
free, and many games and competitions take place. At midnight, when the ship
to Civitavecchia leaves from Arbatax, there is a great pyrotechnic display.
On the 26th of July, there is the festival of Saint Anne, protectress of the
women in childbirth. In the past, even the pregnant women of the nearby villages
took part to this festival; in the morning they went to the mess and offered
bunches of basil to the saint. In the afternoon, after the mess, there is a
procession starting from Saint Anne’s Church: the people wear the typical dresses
and clothes of the town and follow the statue of the saint. The following day,
the festival takes place at the beach of Orrì: the people spend the whole day
on the seaside, aeting the typical ravioli with potatoes and cheese, known as
“culurgionis”.
THE ROUTE:
MASUA, BUGGERRU, FLUMINIMAGGIORE
This
month’s route starts from Masua, wich is situated in Iglesiente (an area in
the south-west of Sardinia) and is famous for the hanging port of the mine of
“Porto flavia”. This complex of galleries, representing a unique example in
Europe, extends for 800 metres and ends on the coast, just in front of “Pan
di Zucchero”, a white rock of 132 metres in height, which is the oldest cliff
in Italy. From Masua, a steep road leads to a plateau and to the loop road to
“Cala Domestica”, a beautiful beach situated at the end of a fjord and characterised
by a Spanish tower. Once back on the main road, go through the tableland of
“Pranu Sartu”, where you will see the remains of the homonymous mining town
and of the “Henry” gallery. The latter, crossed by the railway, was once used
to carry the minerals and is now under renovation. After a few kilometres you
will get to the end of the ta
bleland,
which overlooks the bay of Buggerru-Portixeddu. in the past, Buggerru was a
thriving mining town. This village is characterised by sloping houses overlooking
the sea; a beautiful beach where the surfers go all over the year; and, finally,
a smalla but well-organised harbour, wich has been just widened and is situated
next to the remains of a mining washery. After you have passed Buggerru, go
along a wide sandy beach, which is two and ½ kilometres long and is surrounded
by the old dunes of Saint Nicolò, characterised by an impressive pine-wood.
At the end of the beach there is Portixeddu, a small village where people go
mainly in the summer, with some resturants and a refreshment bar. From portixeddu,
a road leads to Capo Pecora, and then to Arbus and Fluminimaggiore. Near the
junction for these two towns there is a high “Pinus Pinea”, which is older then
200 years and is the only example of this kind of tree in Italy. Fluminimaggiore
is a former mining town. Now that the mines are closed, this town is promoting
an economy based on tourism, thanks to the sea, the mineral archeology and the
Punic-Roman remains. In the centre of the town, there is the Paleontological
Museum, where one can see many fossil of animals, dating back to 20 Million
years ago; there is also the Ethnographical Museum, built inside a former water-mill,
where one can see how a millstone works, ad well as visit the rooms previously
inhabited by a typical family of Fluminimaggiore. There are also the tools most
frequently used by the farmer and the housewife, such as the cart, the containers
used for the cheese, the sieve and the loom. The Ethnographical Museum is tun
by the co-operative Start-Uno (484 Via Vittorio Emanuele, Fluminimaggiore, tel
num. 0781-580990), which has also arranged more than 50 routes to go on foot,
by bike or on horseback; moreover, it offers a person the opportunity to venture
upon free-climbing or paleo-watching, that is to observe and analyse the fossil
traces, dating back to 590 Million years. These routes give us the opportunity
to know the history of this area - which goes from the Neolithic to the Nauraghic
and Punic-Roman age - as well as the various aspects of mineral archeology,
botany, geology and palaeontology; they also allow us to visit an area characterised
by minerals to collect and in spring by blooming orchids and unusual mushrooms.
MOGORO
THE CARPET AND CRAFT FAIR
Mogoro
is the most developed and populated town in Marmilla. It is situated in the
south of Mount Arci, near the plain of Campidano and the road n. 131 “Carlo
Felice”. This area is famous for the ruins of many nuraghes, in particular the
complex of “Cuccarada”, which is placed on a basaltic spur facing the road n.
131. In the town there is San Berbardino’s church, built in baroque style and
dating back to the XVII century. The inside of the church consists of a nave
and eight lateral chapels, where a little altar- piece built in 1619, a silver
cross dating back to 1603 and other holy relies are kept. Carmine’s small church,
built in the XIV century has a single nave: its facade is in late Romanesque
style, while the later door is characterised by a Gothic arch and ornaments
in Gothic style. Mogoro is famous for the carpet and craft fair, which this
year (the 38th) will run from July 24th to August 8th at the Craft Centre. This
fair represent one of the most important events in the arts and crafts sector;
the main enterprises operating in the textile industry and in the fields of
wood manufacture, ceramics, baskets, leather, wrought iron and jewellery take
part to it. As usual the main role will be played by the craftsmen of Mogoro,
who are very expertised in the fields of textiles and wood manufacture. In the
past, the women of Mogoro wove all the olothes included in the trousseaus, from
the blankets and table- cloths to the tapestries. Today, they still use horizontal
hand looms, as well as natural textile fibres, like wool, cotton or linen; the
only exception is represented by the golden and silvery threads which are used
to decorate the beatiful tapestries. The carpets are made up of Sardinian wool
and cotton, and are women according to the ancient techique “a pibionis” (that
is, weaves composed of superimposed wefts); they are often copies of old blankets
and fit in the classical as well as in the modern furniture. Since generations,
the art of working the wood has been handed down from father to son, respecting
the best Sardinian tradition. The production is generally composed of only copics,
made up of first-rate wood and inlays inserted by hand. The chairs are bottomed
with the straw of sciancia”, a marsh plant, whose leaves are dried in the sun
and then humidified again before being used.
