L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 6 NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS often says, 'Deo so andada in tottu su mundu' (I have been all over the world) because tourists from various nation- a l i t i e s p h o t o g r a p h h e r a s they pass by." To Laura, tzia Anna is a true institution: "I still remember when I took t h i s p h o t o o n e s u m m e r evening in 2016. I was struck by the fact that just before I pressed the shutter button, she removed her mucadore (headscarf) despite my ask- ing her to keep it on. She told me she did it out of respect." A special mention goes to S e b a s t i a n o M a c c i o n i from Nuoro. Born in 1918, he will reach the milestone of 106 years on November 4th. Holding two degrees, one in m a t h e m a t i c s a n d o n e i n engineering from the Univer- sities of Cagliari and Pisa, Maccioni was still driving until last year and actively participates in the cultural life of the city. Last year, he amazed the audience at the S e b a s t i a n o S a t t a L i b r a r y with a remarkably clear and insightful speech, filled with little-known anecdotes, dur- ing a conference dedicated to l a w y e r L u i g i O g g i a n o , a prominent figure in the Sar- dinian Action Party and a f r i e n d o f E m i l i o L u s s u , a senator in the 1948-1953 leg- islature. "I am an ordinary person who has lived a life without vices," he responds when asked about the secret to his longevity. He adds that he never stays idle, tending to his garden and pruning plants. Early in the morning, after a mandatory stop at the Edicola del Corso to buy two newspapers, he can be found at the historic Bar Cambosu in the city center, where he meets with his small circle of friends to discuss the day's events. I f t h e r e i s a c o m m o n thread among the centenari- ans' stories, it is that most of them remain mentally and p h y s i c a l l y a c t i v e . " T h e majority of men," observes the author, "spend their days tending to their gardens or g r a z i n g l i v e s t o c k , w h i l e w o m e n w e a v e d a i l y l i f e between sewing and cooking. Regarding working in the garden, a Korean broadcast- er once asked tziu Preddanu of Arzana how he managed to hoe at his age (97 years old) without back pain. He replied that his back was f i n e b e c a u s e , b e i n g v e r y short, he had to bend less to hoe." Laura continues by telling us about "Gaspare Mele of Orotelli, who at the age of 108 was still writing poetry and spending his time read- i n g . D u r i n g t h e w a r i n A f r i c a , h e c o l l e c t e d h i s poems in a notebook, almost like a diary, including details of his personal encounter with Princess Maria José. T h e n t h e r e ' s B o n a r i o Todde, who keeps his mind sharp by doing crossword puzzles." The centenarians of Sar- dinia remain active, both mentally and physically, but to what extent? "Certainly m o r e s o i n t h e p a s t , " explains the author. "These are people who lived in a time before machines exist- ed. Women would walk kilo- meters to wash clothes in the rivers or to work in the f i e l d s . M e n d i d t h e s a m e when they went to work in the fields or practiced tran- shumance, moving from one area of Sardinia to another to bring their flocks from colder to warmer regions. Sometimes this would take up to four days of walking. For example, Basilio Carta would walk from Desulo to Teulada with his flock, tak- i n g f o u r d a y s a n d f o u r nights." Spirituality is also very important, as Laura herself notes: "Most women pray a l o t a t h o m e o r s t i l l g o t o church every day at dawn. Many men are religious, too. I remember Ignazio Fal- coni who, during the pan- d e m i c , f o l l o w e d M a s s o n Facebook with his grand- d a u g h t e r b e c a u s e h e couldn't go to church." In fact, when asked about the s e c r e t t o t h e i r l o n g e v i t y , many of Laura Mele's cente- narians candidly respond, "Only God knows." W h a t m i g h t s t r i k e u s individualists of the twenty- first century, accustomed to a semi-vicarious life through myriad screens, is the desire of these wonderful elderly p e o p l e t o b e t o g e t h e r . Healthy and genuine social interaction is also a tool for a g i n g w e l l . " W e m u s t remember that they lived through the war, and many of them fought in it. There are stories of those who were deported to concentration c a m p s o r s e n t t o l a b o r camps in England or Russia. These experiences, whether lived firsthand or by their relatives, leave a mark. The elderly faced life as it came; they did not aspire to grand a c h i e v e m e n t s . T h e y w e r e content to live with what they had. Their sustenance came from chickens in the yard, a few goats, their gar- dens, and a horse or donkey for transportation. But the relationships between rela- tives, neighbors, and friends were stronger than they are now." W h a t e m e r g e s f r o m Laura's words, and the eyes of the people in her beautiful photographs, are simplicity, w i s d o m , s t r e n g t h , a n d resilience. There is a depth of the soul woven from expe- rience—war, hunger, hard- ship, certainly, but also a lightness of spirit that comes from having everything you need close at hand, from the b r e a d t h a t n o u r i s h e s t h e body to the love that makes life worth living. So, it's natural to ask a simple, almost banal ques- tion: what can we learn from the wisdom and lifestyle of S a r d i n i a ' s c e n t e n a r i a n s ? Laura Mele shares what she has learned, which is essen- tially what we all should: "What I have learned and continue to learn from them is that material possessions matter less than values and human relationships. Now, these are being replaced by chats on cell phones... people h a r d l y t a l k a n y m o r e . A n e l d e r l y m a n f r o m F o n n i , Ignazio Garippa, told me he misses the evenings spent with his friends in the neigh- borhood, playing cards or s h a r i n g s t o r i e s f r o m t h e p a s t . H i s f r i e n d s h a v e a l l passed away... He tried to converse with some young neighbors, but they didn't respond because they were always on their phones. So, he gave up. He says every- thing has changed, that true human relationships almost don't exist anymore." This is Chentannos, a pro- found reflection on the nature of time, memory, and identi- ty. Laura Mele invites us to look beyond wrinkles and white hair, to discover the strength and wisdom behind every face. "I have always thought," she explains, "that centenarians and their stories are a treasure and an added value to our island. That's why I decided to tell them, to make them known to those who, now and in the future, will have the pleasure of read- ing them." Chentannos is available for purchase on Amazon, Feltrinelli, and IBS Libri. You can view some of the por- traits and listen to interviews o n t h e b o o k ' s w e b s i t e : www.chentannos.net. "The elderly faced life as it came; they did not aspire to grand achievements. They were content to live with what they had. But the relationships between relatives, nei- ghbors, and friends were stronger than they are now," Laura Mele says CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Giovanni Chillotti shared memories and photos with the author (Photo courtesy of Laura Mele)

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