L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 4 A month ago, the newspaper La N u o v a S a r d e g n a r e p o r t e d t h e death of Mr. Bonino Lai at his home in Perdasdefogu, in the province of Nuoro. The e l d e r l y g e n t l e m a n , w h o would have turned 105 on December 22nd, was one of the eight centenarians in the town that holds the world r e c o r d f o r l o n g e v i t y . M r . B o n i n o ' s s t o r y i s o n e o f many — 121, to be precise — that can be found in the book Chentannos: Testimoni- a n z e e I m m a g i n i d i Longevità dalla Provin- c i a d i N u o r o b y L a u r a Mele, published this year by L a Z a t t e r a E d i z i o n i o f Cagliari. As the author explains in the preface, her work is part of a photographic project launched in 2017, which also includes an exhibition and a dedicated website, focusing on the theme of Sardinian longevity. Its subjects are i n d i v i d u a l s o v e r 9 5 f r o m every municipality in the province of Nuoro. The book features an introduction by Dan Buettner, a renowned j o u r n a l i s t , e s s a y i s t w i t h n u m e r o u s i n t e r n a t i o n a l bestsellers, and National Geographic researcher, who was one of the first to publi- cize the so-called Blue Zones — five areas of the world w h e r e p e o p l e l i v e t h e longest and healthiest lives, including a vast region of t h e p r o v i n c e o f N u o r o . These areas were identified through research conducted in the early 2000s by Gianni Pes, a professor of Nutri- tional Science at the Univer- sity of Sassari, and Belgian d e m o g r a p h e r M i c h e l Poulain. Chentannos is more than a collection of photographs o r a n i n v e n t o r y o f f a c e s marked by time. It is a jour- n e y i n t o t h e h e a r t f a n a n c i e n t a n d m y s t e r i o u s land, capturing the lives of those who have witnessed a century pass with stoic calm a n d r e s i l i e n c e . T h r o u g h L a u r a M e l e ' s l e n s , w e uncover not only the secrets o f l o n g e v i t y b u t a l s o t h e complexity and beauty of t h e h u m a n c o n d i t i o n . Although Mele is a dentist by profession and not a pro- fessional photographer, she skillfully opens a window into a past marked by sacri- fices, sweat, and smiles. Her images are powerful por- traits and authentic works of art, honoring these extraor- dinary people by highlight- i n g t h e w r i n k l e s o f t i m e , wise gazes, and hands that have worked the land for decades. She conveys the dignity and beauty of aging with each shot. "My interest i n t h e e l d e r l y h a s d e e p r o o t s , d a t i n g b a c k t o m y c h i l d h o o d . I r e m e m b e r e n j o y i n g l i s t e n i n g t o t h e conversations between my g r a n d p a r e n t s a n d t h e i r friends," Laura recalls. "I was particularly fascinated by the women who wore the mucadore (headscarf) and sa vardetta (skirt), which are now becoming increas- ingly rare." W i t h t h e i r s t o r i e s , t h e centenarians of the province of Nuoro become witnesses to a larger history, that of a Sardinia that has endured hunger, war, and the diffi- cult transition to modernity. Take, for example, the story of Bonino Lai, who sur- vived World War II and nar- rowly escaped execution due t o a t r i v i a l t y p o i n a telegram. Or consider two other citizens of Perdasde- fogu: Antonio Brundu, born in 1918, who escaped the bombings of Cagliari on March 30, 1943, because he had a fever and left the bar- r a c k s f o r a s h e l t e r ; a n d A d o l f o M e l i s , b o r n i n 1 9 2 3 , a m e m b e r o f t h e world's longest-living fami- ly, which was awarded the G u i n n e s s W o r l d R e c o r d with nine siblings totaling 837 years. Each story is compelling for its own reasons. "Each of them taught me a great deal and holds its own special significance," explains the author. The elderly intervie- wees never come across as mere survivors but as living witnesses of a constantly changing world, carriers of an unwritten wisdom that defies time. They convey a sense of authenticity to the reader, thanks in large part to the author's empathetic skill in making them feel at ease during interviews. Of course, some portraits stand out more than others for their human, historical, and anthropological impact. Among the centenarians of Perdasdefogu, one cannot f o r g e t t h e w o m a n w h o inspired Laura's project and appears on the book's cover: tzia Anna Soddu of Fonni, b o r n i n 1 9 2 1 . T h e y o u n g author noticed her always sitting on the steps in front o f h e r h o u s e , n e a r t h e Church of the Martyrs, pray- i n g w i t h a r o s a r y i n h e r hands. From there, Laura writes, "it was as if she had traveled the world, for she The art of aging well: Chentannos and life beyond 100 in Sardinia FRANCESCA BEZZONE SEBASTIANO CATTE NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Tzia Anna Soddu, born in 1921, inspired Laura Mele to begin the Chentannos project. Hers is the only picture in black and white in the entire collection (Photo courtesy of Laura Mele)

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