September
CUGLIERI
Cuglieri
is situated in the area of Montiferru, which is named after the fertile volcanic
cone it lies on. The town, surrounded by olive trees, orchards and vegetable
gardens, lies on a hill, 9 km from the sea, overlooking a territory of great
natural and panoramic interest. The territory of Cuglieri stretches from the
highest peaks of Montiferru up to the high coast of Cabu Nieddu, from the white
limestone rocks of Santa Caterina and S’Archittu to the low sandy inlets of
Is Arenas. In the territory, the presence of l
andingplaces,
perennial streams and prosperous flora and fauna has encouraged the settlement
of man since the oldest times. Fragments of obsidian testify the presence of
man since the Early Neolithic. Several «ĘDomus de JanasĘ» (= fairy houses),
such as the one found recently in Santa Caterina di Pittinuri, or the more renowned
ones of “Serruggiu”, “Franne Massa” and “Pittudi” date back to the Late Neolithic.
Nuraghi, too, are interesting and numerous; most of them are to be found in
the area of “Sessa”. There are also important findings dating from the Phoenician-Punic
Age, such as the remains of the ancient town of Cornus, not far from the seaside
village of Santa Caterina di Pittinuri. Of the acropolis, situated on the “Corchinas”
hill, one can see the boundary walls, the foundations of a few limestone buildings,
and the remains of a Roman aqueduct. The Castle of Montiferru, better known
as Casteddu Etzu, dates back to 1160. The town, too, preserves the evidence
of a significant pastime, among which the Cathedral of S. Maria della Neve (=
S. Mary of the Snow) stands out, overlooking the town from the top of hill Bardosu.
The to-day appearance of the church is due to the recent restoration of 1932.
Another worth visiting monument is the XVII century ex Capuchin convent. Cuglieri
also preserves millenary traditions, which are mainly present in the rituals
of popular feasts, in the bonfires devoted to San Sebastiano and San Giovanni,
in the ceremonies of Santa Caterina di Pittinuri, in the feast customs of Madonna
delle Grazie (8th September). Extraordinary are also the natural beauties of
the area, both the mountain landscape one can admire from the road to Santulussurgiu
rising through splendid holm-oak woods up to the area called La Madonnina, and
the more renowned coastal landscape where the erosive action of sea and wind
have created spectacular natural masterpieces: one can admire a number of inlets,
high cliffs dropping vertically to the sea, rocky arches and caves; let us mention
the marvellous and famous coasts of Santa Caterina, S’Archittu, Torre del Pozzo.
Anyway, we are going to reach the Montiferru beauties even later, through the
pages of this journal…
SELARGIUS
TRADITIONAL WEDDING
The commemoration of the
ancient Selargius wedding is a great folk festival: it is actually a return
to the oldest Sardinian traditions. The ceremony starts
with the bless
ing
that bride and bridegroom receive from their parents on their homes’ threshold,
before relatives and neighbours. Here, in turn, parents sprinkle with corn and
salt the head of their kneeling children, wishing them (using an ancient-wisdom
set phrase) prosperity and high moral standards. Then, kissing them before they
leave their paternal home forever, mother and father address their children
some last advice. In the second part of the ceremony the processions of the
two fiancés, still “bagadius” (= unmarried), move on to meet in the church courtyard.
During this long and joyous procession along the streets the two fiancés, arm
in arm with their fathers, receive the wishes from their fellow villagers; a
few women hold a plate full of corn and salt, recite set phrases of blessing
and give the couple more wishes and advice. Finally, provoking the applause
of bystanders, these women drop the plates to the pavement, breaking them, thus
performing an oldest magic propitiatory ritual intended for those preparing
to form a new family. The two processions, reunited in the church courtyard,
enter the church, welcome by the solemn music of organs and “launeddas”. Here,
according to the rites of the Roman Church, the wedding is celebrated (in Sardinian
language); bride and bridegroom are tied up one another with a chain, “sa cadena”,
which is the symbol of the everlasting bond of matrimony. Now the newly-married
couple (“cojaus”), protagonist of the great feast, bursts once again into the
square, welcome by applauding and shouting people dressed in traditional costumes,
and makes for their new house, where their mothers have been waiting in order
to say goodbye (“s’adiosu”) and give the couple (the fruit of their nuptial
bed, of whom more lives will be born) the last moving blessing. “Potzŕis bivi
medas annus con saludi e trigu” (= Live long in good health and prosperity).This
final wish, pronounced by the dispersing crowd, opens the last act of the Wedding:
the banquet with the guests and the dances till late in the night.
