L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano S a r d i n i a u s u a l l y conjures images of Mediterranean beach vacations, where blue-green waters lap at shores and cele- brities float their yachts along the harbor of la Costa Sme- ralda. While that is a part of the island scene, it's not the reality for most Sardinians, and certainly not what life is like in Barbagia, the moun- t a i n o u s i n t e r i o r r e g i o n southwest of Olbia. At its highest point, Punta L a M a r m o r a r i s e s u p t o 6,000 feet, where there is plenty of snow during the winter. At any time of the y e a r , t h e G e n n a r g e n t u m o u n t a i n s m a k e f o r a n impressive backdrop while driving between villages like Mamoiada, Orgosolo, Oliena, Gavoi and more. With a cli- mate and scenery far remo- ved from the glitz and gla- m o u r o f s u n - d r e n c h e d beaches, these towns guard long-standing cultural and culinary traditions that can be explored simply by hea- ding up into the hills and interacting with the people. Like the rest of Sardinia, this region was once home to the Nuragic people, a civi- lization dating as far back as 1800 BC during the Bronze Age. While the iconic Nuragic archaeological remains inclu- de circular stone dwellings that are found throughout the Sardinian countryside, important remnants of these mysterious people can be found in the mountains as well. Notably, in the village of Teti, where i bronzetti sardi, o r b r o n z e s c u l p t u r e s a n d tools, were discovered. Other Nuragic remnants can be found at archaeological sites like Meana Sardo, with its remaining towers, or Madau- Gremanu, in the woods near Fonni, at the site of an aque- duct and an ancient, pre- nuragic cemetery. Discovered in the 1950s, Su Tempiesu, in Orune, is a sacred well dating back to the Nuragic civiliza- tion, where smart hydraulic engineering stands out in what was once a sacred tem- ple. There are plenty of living traditions taking place in B a r b a g i a t o d a y a s w e l l . In Mamoiada, home to just over 2,000 people, Carnival is celebrated with an unusual ritualistic procession known a s t h e " D a n c e o f t h e Mamuthones." Its origins are unknown, but thought to be derived from a Nuragic tradi- tion. This somber event sees men cloaked as Mamuthones and Issohadores—the former sport heavy and elaborate fur c l o a k s a n d c o w b e l l s a n d cover their faces in grim, dark masks, while the latter adorn signature red jackets, w h i t e p a n t s a n d w h i t e , e x p r e s s i o n l e s s m a s k s . Although the exact origins of t h e d a n c i n g r i t u a l a r e u n c l e a r , i t i s t h o u g h t t o honor the animals and to usher in a good harvest sea- son. Murals depicting the Mamuthones on local buil- dings and a museum in town d e d i c a t e d t o t h e a f f a i r remind passers-through that this is a serious local tradi- tion. In nearby Orgosolo, the fighting spirit of the local people is made clear in over 150 murals decorating the buildings. At various times during the 20th century, and most recently in the 1960s a n d 7 0 s , t h e t o w n f a c e d upheaval in the form of ban- ditry and kidnappings. The murals depict social and poli- tical issues, as the locals were spurred on by frustration over the general neglect of t h e t o w n b y t h e I t a l i a n government. Many of the murals were spearheaded by F r a n c e s c o D e l C a s i n o , a Siena-born artist and teacher who in the 1970s was inspi- r e d t o t a k e a p o s i t i o n i n Orgosolo after watching Vit- torio De Seta's film, Banditi a Orgosolo. The Barbagia region is also k n o w n f o r i t s a u t h e n t i c culinary specialties. It's impossible to travel through the mountain towns and not c o m e a c r o s s s i g n s advertising la purpuzza, a p o r k d i s h m a d e f r o m t h e thigh of the pig, cooked in wine or mirto, the Sardinian liqueur, and seasoned with s p i c e s l i k e w i l d f e n n e l , thyme, pepper and salt. This simple meat mixture could easily satisfy shepherds stuf- f e d i n t o a b r e a d r o l l a s a panino, but today can just as often be found in the clas- sic malloreddus alla campi- danese. Another meat dish that was historically favored by mountain shepherds (though it might be more polarizing with tourists today) is su zur- rette, or sheep's stomach s t u f f e d w i t h b l o o d , l a r d , onion, pecorino, pane cara- sau (the Sardinian cracker b r e a d ) , t h y m e , m i n t a n d cheese. Several towns are known for their production of the local red Cannonau wines, and in Oliena, it's the vino Nepente that reigns supreme. The tiny village of Gavoi is home to the famous DOP fiore sardo pecorino cheese, and further south in Tonara, the production of torrone, the Italian nougat, has made the town popular. For both Carnival and the now-annual autunno in Bar- bagia fall festivals, deep-fried fare that is generally known a s z i p p u l a s o r z e p p o l e sarde appear under various guises. They might show up under names like gatzas, or hatzas, gathas or cattas, depending on which village they are prepared in, but they are all usually variations on flour-based donuts contai- ning lard, and possibly ricot- ta or potato to make them even softer. While not sweet on their own, they can be ser- v e d a s a d e s s e r t w i t h a s p r i n k l e o f s u g a r o n t o p . Another popular fried food on offer during festival days is origliettas, or orillettas, whose shape (and name) will vary depending upon which town they are made in. In Orgosolo, the simple flour and lard-based dough is sha- ped into long braids and then soaked in honey before being served. Finally, a one-of-a-kind citrus fruit known as sa pom- pia makes for the most all- natural Barbagia dessert. Thought to be a hybrid of either a citron and a lemon, or a citron and a grapefruit, this wrinkly, grapefruit-sized fruit comes from the Sinisco- la region in the Nuoro pro- vince. Up until 2015, it had no name and was referred to by scientists as citrus x mon- struosa, or monster citrus. The fruit grows only in this p a r t i c u l a r s e c t i o n o f t h e m o u n t a i n s a n d h a s b e e n around for two to three cen- turies. The long-standing local tradition is to make sa pompia intrea, a laborious recipe that involves peeling off the skin but leaving the white pith of the fruit, then poking a hole into the citrus and forcing out all of the fruit a n d j u i c e w i t h i n . T h e s e empty fruit "balloons" are then candied after being boi- led in water and honey for hours, and eventually jarred with additional honey to pre- serve them. So…sand, sun and cock- tails? That's only to be found at the edge of Sardinian sho- res. A venture further inland and uphill reveals so much more about real Sardinian culture worth exploring and experiencing. Barbagia: Sardinia's mysterious mountain villages A village in Barbagia (Photo: Andrea Sirri/Shutterstock) and, bottom right, a woman wearing traditional Barbagia clothing (Photo: Massimiliano Cugudda/Dreamstime) JESSICA S. LEVY ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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