June 1 Orgosolo - city of murals and bandits

 

Breakfast was a sumptuous spread daily

Breakfast with a glorious view - Lindsay too!

Our last day in this lovely hotel started with a brief walk to look at the natural springs nearby, Sorgente Su Gologone. a karst spring in the Supramonte Range. It is a veritable flood at times pouring water into the Cedrino River at an average flow of 500L per sec but can reach 8000L per sec when there has been a lot of rain. Astonishing! 

A few of us chose to stay ‘up top, and visit the wee chapel.

But today we were aiming for Orgosolo in this mountainous region. Orgosolo is known also as the ‘City of Murderers’. This quaint mountaintop village was the site of strong protests mainly about a military presence that was being established near the town. It was a quiet but persistent resistance with all residents, children included, involved. The spirit of that protest materialised into huge murals throughout the village expressing concern, anger and disapproval. The painted scenes, people and events are quite revolutionary artworks with portraits of saints and sinners, dictators and world events, oppression, horror and humour.

Some of the murals honoured people who contributed to the life of the village. One woman was revered because she made the bricks for the stoves, another raised silkworms then gathered and spun the silk to make head scarves for the women of the village. She is still doing it today. 

Some of the murals 

More murals which included written accounts 

City of murderers? Until only a few decades ago this was the home and refuge for the region’s notorious kidnappers and bandits (mostly shepherds) who lashed out at restrictions and the political regime which ignored their needs. In the powerless position they found themselves in they reacted in the only way they knew how - stealing and demanding ransom. In 1975 Francesco del Casino engaged his students in painting murals. Among the very first murals to appear was one painted to commemorate the Pratobello revolution of 1969 when residents came together to stop the creation of a military base on common land used by local shepherds. Now the village is peaceful but that fighting spirit lurks beneath the surface I suspect. In the simplest of terms, the village is a social-political history museum, and is one which still lives according to its own rules, customs, and traditions.

Street views of Orgosolo

The village square where we lunched

After a guided tour of the village we stopped for a simple lunch - Sardinian sandwich with beer and wine.

Back at the hotel at the end of the day, we were treated to tastings of local wine. We were supposed to also learn how to bake the local bread, pane carasau , a flat bread with a crisp, flaky texture which is sometimes seasoned or served with oil. The bakers' oven however was outside and it was raining so we just got to eat it - deliciously light. This delicious brad was served as an apéritif dînatoire to another very large dinner.

Wine, bread and artwork