Sardegna Archives - Ben House Oristano

Feast of Santa Severa

Leave a Comment / Luoghi da visitare, Tradizioni Locali / By Roberto Rampone

The third Sunday of September occurs the Feast of Santa Severa. Feast which starts at the morning with a usual procession through the country town and finishes to the namesake Church located almost the exit of the country town on the way for Cagliari, in Via Giovanni XXIII, where mass is celebrated. At the end of the mess long ago people moved on the back of the Church going on with celebrations, but the state of the archeological site have led to move celebrations to the center of the country town, in front of the Pond and behind the Municipality, where the feast goes on with the fair of Is malloreddus a sa Campidanesa where one can freely taste exquisite Sardinian dumplings with tomato sauce, more often than not homemade, matched from bread and good wine, all local products..

Feast of Santa Giusta

Leave a Comment / Luoghi da visitare, Tradizioni Locali / By Roberto Rampone

The Feast of the country town Patron occurs on the days when She died a martyr, that is on the 13th of May. The Feast was extended to the 14th to contemplate Saints Giustina and Enedina too. Feast preparation start some weeks before: women are assigned to the cutting, the gathering and working of small palms which the afternoon of the 13th of May have to bring in every house of the country town; while it’s costume that men still today go to the Monte Arci’s slopes to chop wood which will be then used to prepare many carts – in the past they were ox-carts and donkey-carts, today substituted from modern agricultural machines – and light in the evening the big bonfire in honor of the Saint. But before of it, in the morning starts the longest procession of the year, which passes through all country town saying the rosary in Sardinian language. Ballus Tundus, songs, poetry slams, folk music, matched from several stalls where is possible eating excellent local food and have fun in carousels for childs and adults, the rest of the evening goes on in the large square behind the Municipality. Until the 60’s It occurred at the foot of the Basilica of Santa Giusta, afterwards was moved in the actual place. The night finishes with a pyrotecnich display which shines the lagoon sky. The day after generally there are some Sardinian bands or, as in the latest times, cover bands of famous artists too. Every year the main feast of the country town registers more than 6.000 attendance.

Feast of San Giovanni Battista

Leave a Comment / Luoghi da visitare, Tradizioni Locali / By Roberto Rampone

In the quarter Is Concias, which overlooks towards the countryside of Oristano, on the 24th of June occurs the Feast of San Giovanni Battista. It starts with a procession from the Basilica of Santa Giusta till arrive to the small chapel recently erected in honor of the Saint, close to which is celebrated the Saint Mess. At the end of religious services occurs the fair of stewed sheep. Probably, since the times of the Seventeenth century Black Death, which interested the whole island, a custom has remained impressed into the people of the country town: in the night preceding the feast, or better that one between the 23 and 24 of June, are lighted small fires upon which the younger have fun hopping on them. Anciently it wasn’t an enjoyment, and this has surely mutated the custom and has lessened the belief of this act. As clothes, animal and human plague-stricken corpses were burned into the flames, in order to eradicate the Black Death, and was custom make the rite to hopping on and over these flames and come out unhurt.. According to steady popular beliefs of the times, an act avoiding the contagion.

L’Anguilla di Marte (The Mars Eel)

Leave a Comment / Luoghi da visitare / By Roberto Rampone

L’Anguilla di Marte (The Mars Eel) is a Salvatore Garau’s work of art, 1953 contingent, artist, painter of visible and invisible, sculptor, regist and writer native to Santa Giusta. A man whom has dedicated his life to the art in many ways: as musical artist, arising as drummer in 1977 with the rock political band Stormy Six until 1982, the breaking up year of the band, afterwards reapproached in some reunions which occurred in 1993, 1997, 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2018; as painter, making his debut in 1984, after ten years from graduation atAccademia di Belle Arti di Firenze.. Painter of the visible and invisible, words which can resume with the same words of the author further to the article Pittore del visibile e dell’invisibile, L’assenza delle mie sculture è una presenza che turbahere translated): Who has decided that a shape imagined just in the mind can’t be physically imagined in a space? The boundary between philosophy and work of art can be valicated? «Of course! Maths, for example, can spills over into painting, architecture, physics, poetry, philosophy, sculpture and dance. Anyway, they are processes started in the art since the early Twentieth century, not to mention the 60’s. Enclosing every creative words means confining stupidly the inherent strength which, in contact with different experiences, can generate the unplanned wonder that we were looking for! I decided to make of a title (a micro poem, in a way) a sculpture, but not only one, thousand sculptures which everyone can impress in one’s own mind, striving to reconquer the power of imagination. It requires exertion, of course, but I prefer remember to the people that it can be done, at the cost of going into a crisis, which then, in this case, wouldn’t be other that stepping out in front of some choices and private decisions. People can become owner of a their own idea, in this case of a their own sculpture! It seems to me wonderful! A people which has not more fantasy is a people which is slowly dying.» Some articles and videos about and of Salvatore Garau: https://www.lincontro.news/dipinto-di-salvatore-garau-top-lot-allultima-asta-italiana-di-contemporary-art/ https://www.lincontro.news/lassenza-delle-mie-sculture-e-una-presenza-che-turba/ https://www.lincontro.news/mi-vergogno/ https://www.linkoristano.it/2023/01/11/dopo-12-anni-si-completa-languilla-di-marte-a-santa-giusta-la-testa-e-pronta-lavori-per-il-basamento/ https://www.unionesarda.it/cultura/salvatore-garau-lartista-della-scultura-invisibile-do-alle-persone-il-potere-della-fantasia-n6hm57tm https://artslife.com/2021/02/07/salvatore-garau-buddha-in-contemplazione/ https://lavaligiadellartista.com/2021/06/10/la-scultura-invisibile-di-salvatore-garau/ Salvatore Garau YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@salvatoregarau8949 L’artista delle sculture invisibili (The invisible sculpture artist) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj7BFPEgvMo Scultura nel cielo (Sculpture in the Sky) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqZ8gWIh5EA “Sacro” Caraffa Museum, Cordoba, Argentina Salvatore Garau, Istituto Italiano Di Cultura https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWJtvFkQFos L’anguilla di Marte (coda) (Mars Eel tail) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yen2YVkjtk L’anguilla di Marte (testa pt. II) (Mars Eel head pt. II) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cTLMbYiM4U https://video.virgilio.it/guarda-video/vende-una-scultura-invisibile-a-15mila-euro-lacquisto-incredibile_bc6256431201001 https://video.repubblica.it/tecnologia/tech/genio-o-furbetto-parla-salvatore-garau-che-ha-venduto-una-scultura-invisibile-per-15-mila-euro-si-vede-col-cuore/389406/390123 https://www.repubblica.it/green-and-blue/2022/06/29/news/pini_oristano_museo_salvatore_garau-355795200/ https://www.facebook.com/TgrRaiOfficial/videos/sculture-invisibili-da-santa-giusta-a-new-york/499207071404588/ https://www.expartibus.it/basilica-di-santa-giusta-garau-espone-opera-invisibile-e-pala-daltare/ Let’s go back to the Anguilla di Marte (Mars Eel). This is the third installation of Garau, preceded from two site-specific installationsthe first one of 2006, made in Sardinia, entitled Ichthys Sacro Stagnowhich planned the flooding of three consecrated church with the insertion of lagoonal fishes, and put them again in their own habitat; the second one, Scultura nel Cielo (Sculpture in the sky) an enormous canvas of 200 square meters painted and installed in Milan in Corso Magenta 22, to winds a whole palace of Milan as a sign of provocation and protest to environmental protection. One arrives then to the Anguilla di Marte (Mars Eel), or in Sardinian S’Anguidda, a site-specific installation, material and visible – well visible – high 12m, large 1,10m and heavy 5.000kg, all in wrought iron – first galvanized and then enamelled. Installed in 2010 to the left of Santa Giusta Municipality entrance with the project of making to emerge the fish head directly in the Pond of the country town or – according to someone – probably in another lagoonal country town on the North side of the Gulf of Oristano: Cabras. The work of art represents an alien eel entered into the earth’s atmosphere and casted down remaining wedged to the ground, and so in evidence only its gigantic tail. As for the head, still today nothing is yet known, only that it has been soldered in two different parts by the same blacksmith whom made the eel tail, and that it will be high 7m for a total weight of about 3.000kg. «The eel’s head,» says Garau «has roamed underground for 11 years in a soil rich of history and civilization. Now It comes out nervous, keeping among the teeth traces of our past, almost putting us in face who we have been and remembering us where we come from. Our territory has been a country town of richness and meeting of many people whom followed one another in the Mediterranean Sea. The Mars Eel is a work of art which has the task to remember us that forgetting our origins it’s an offense to our own present which is already becoming future.» Instead, talking about of immaterial works of art, Garau has a plan of 7 works of art to “exhibit” – as points up an article of Stanze Italiane, virtual museum of Istituto Italiano di Cultura di New York – around the world, some of which have already been exhibited. The philosophy upon the invisible concept of the artist, already presenting in his black paintings since the first appearance in 80’s, has emerged more than ever in this period of his life to send a clear message: «When I decide to “exhibit” in a precise space an immaterial sculpture, that place will concentrate a certain amount of thoughts in a precise point, making a sculpture that only by my title will take the most different shapes. My scultures concept totally diverges from Marcel Duchamp’s provocations in the early Twentieth century or afterwards from the 60’s conceptual art. The absence of material for me it’s an action of love towards the unknown and the mistery to which almost the whole humanity relies on.. We are living a moment in which our physicality, our being is replaced by our virtual images and voice (impalpable this one too). This our being flesh and bones, in this time, has to reckon with the real presence.» On 5th of February 2021 Garau has installed in Milan, in

Frégula cun buttàriga (Pasta and bottarga)

Leave a Comment / Sardinian Cuisine / By Roberto Rampone

Other sardinian cuisine milestone, which, even if it’s not suitable for all palate, it has had an amazing success during the time. The pasta with bottarga (eggs of fish) is surely one sardinian cuisine dishes with less ingredients and more flavour yet. This speciality, as most of things which one find in Sardinia, seems have Phoenician origin, but its name come from the arabic word بطارخ (baṭāriḫ) which precisely means salted eggs of fish. In the past the bottarga wasn’t used as we do today, sure enough, expecially in Sardinia and Sicily, it borns as appetizer and was eaten as still today we eat sausage. With time and billions of gastronomy combinations which born by the mind of expert cooks and not they’ve started off to the pasta with bottarga too. There, as well as being already in itself, according to the tradition, a pure and simple appetizer cut into slices and followed from carasau bread, oil and celery cut into slivers, it has born the coupling with pasta, which has a very basic preparation. However, there are some important distictions expecially speaking of sapidity, there is kind and kind of bottarga, exactly! Certainly It didn’t exist of a fish only! Mediterranean bottarga is principally gotten from two known to all and sundry fishes: Mugil Cephalus (the common grey mullet) and Thunnus (namely the tuna). The bottarga of the first one has an amber color, generally weighs between 300-400g amd, as I said before regarding to the sapidity, it’s decidedly less salted than the tuna’s one; this last, instead, in addition to diverge in the weight, because every baffa baffa (half parte of the fish once cleaned up from head, tail and fishbone) weighs about 1kg, it diverges also in the color, which varies between a light and dark rose and it is by far savory than the mullet’s one. Usually there is on market both the bottarga in baffe and the grated one in pots. Traditionally, the pasta which is used for this recipe is the fregola (in sardinian language frégula) which is like to pebbles. But that one which is used par excellence is spaghetti, and in my opinion no other kind of pasta can match it, neither short nor long! Let’s go to the recipe! Ingredients: • Q.s. Water • Q.s. EVOO • 3 Garlic bulb • Q.s. Grated Mullets Bottarga The method for the preparation of this recipe is really, really simple: for first, as usual, one put a pan with water to boil. Meanwhile, if one has the bottarga in baffa must grated it as much as needed according to how much one wants it in one’s own dish. Personally, since the dish one can say that it is simple, I suggest to grating the whole baffa. Otherwise,on market you can find also grated bottarga pots of which I said before, here too once you verified that it’s the flavor which it’s for you, and by this time there won’t be the necessity I say it to you, gorge yourself! But, before to gorge yourself, take a big skillet, fill the skillet bottom of EVOO and start a gentle heat. As soon as it is hot put 3 coffeespoonful of grated bottarga and mix it frequently in the oil so as not parch it nor stick to the bottom of the skillet. Let cooking for few minutes. Afterwards remove the skillet from the heat and if water is boiling put spaghetti and wait for the cooking. Once ready transfer them with the spaghetti ladle in the skillet that you’ll start again a very gentle heat, enough to warm over the oil and the bottarga which in the meantime will have made a little compound extra-savory. Completed the method serve it in the plats and gorge yourself as ever! N.B. Since we’re talking about of a fish recipe it’s more than ever counselled an excellent white wine, possibly a Vermentino of Sinis area, which matches the dish divinely; otherwise, you might match the dish with a rosé wine. At your own choice and discretion! Did it ever occur to you to enjoy pizza with bottarga and artichokes?

The Roman Bridge and…

Leave a Comment / Luoghi da visitare / By Roberto Rampone

the wealth of the Pond In witness of the existence of the city of Othoca (ancient name of the modern Santa Giusta) we have the archeologial remains of a bridge of Roman times placed at South of the country town. This one, anciently, bridged a turre karalis, road which started from Turris Libisonis (Porto Torres) till arrive to Karalis, today’s Cagliari. One of the two main road, which joined from North to South of Sardinia, and that they were essential for the trading of goods. Roughly, even if with marked variations, today the ancient road would correspond to the today’s SS131 called “Carlo Felice” which leads to Cagliari. The other road which was a commerce artery was called a tibulas Sulcis, that is very very long road which started from Tibula, going on to Santa Teresa Gallura going along the western coast till arrive to Sulcis and in the end to the Island of Sant’Antioco. Anciently, the bridges which bridge the citadel to the rest of the island were two: the first, which is named after su pontixeddu, that is the small bridge, because it had only one arch, now no longer existing and which was close to the Santa Severa’s Church; the second one, known as ponte maggiore, originally with five arches, built to go beyond the Rio Palmas Rio Palmas – today’s Riu merd’e Cani – of which now at the South exit of the country town remains only the main arch and a minor one, which function as proof for that road. Several amphorae of Phoenician-Punic and Roman ages drop the hint that such were the materials traded at the time, in addition to the very precious Monte Arci’s obsidian. More likely with the near Aristanis (Oristano) denominated in fact city of ceramic. Archeological finds tracing back to the discovery of Othoca started thanks to the expert antiquarian of Oristano Giovanni Busachi, whom made an agreement with the Municipality of Santa Giusta to execute at his own expense the excavations in the municipal territory, on condition that every object which was found was divided up between the Municipality and him. The excavations began in the part behind the Santa Severa’s Church, named Is Forrixeddus (the small ovens) till to reach to the Roman Bridge remains today still standing, where Busachi considered very well what to do: actually, in all that area, anciently, extended a large gravesite. Is Forrixeddus were so called, because, being still in pre-Christian era, the cremation rite was the most popular. He found dozens and dozens of tombs of magnificent craftmanship, from which He got beautiful jewels, but not only: He discovered amphorae of Phoenician-Punic and Roman ages, scarabs, bronze and silver artefacts, and hundreds of ceramics. He died mysteriously in 1875 in the river Tirso’s holm. The excavations went on in 1892 with theLawyer Efisio Pischedda, whom was allowed to do further excavations and enlarge his wide private collection, today well-preserved and viewable at Oristano in the Museo Arborense. The excavations took up again in 1910 and all over the last century finds were not different from what was already found by Busachi. Only one Greek craftsmanship amphora differes, retrieved in the Canal of Pesaria (near the actual industrial Port), which joins the Pond to the Sea, and two Hellenic heads retrieved in 2009 by the archeologists Carla del Vais and Ignazio Sanna. © All rights reserved. No parts of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrivial system or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical or photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the author.