My Sardinia

Take an interesting look at what scholars and travelers have discovered during their visit in Sardinia during the early part of the 20th century. This historical article was taken from an article of the same title in The National Geographic Magazine written by Helen Dunstan Wright, August 1916 Volume XXX Number Two. The article is serialized in parts.

Italy is known for their pasta, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and Leonardo da Vinci, among countless others, judging from their rich history and unique culture. However, rarely would people note to Italy for the distinct and peculiar island far off its coasts called Sardinia. The island sticks out like a diamond in an open sea due to the bevy of beautiful tourist attractions and wonderful cuisine that will fill your heart’s content.

More mysterious than Sardinia itself are its people, who has experienced the good and bad the island had gone back in the day. They have conveniently taken a back seat to the beautiful natural facilities contained in the island, but there is more to Sardinians than meets the eye. Much of the anonymity that shrouds Sardinia and its people can be traced back into history.

Being the farthest island from the Italian mainland, Sardinia is blessed and cursed by its isolation. On the one hand, Sardinians have the luxury of exclusively enjoying the natural beauties of the island, ranging from gorgeous beaches to stunning mountainsides. However, during hostile times, invading countries took advantage of Sardinia’s geographical location as it pillaged and ransacked the island of its organic wealth. Fearing of more attacks to come, people were forced to move out from the shores and retreat behind the mountains for safety purposes. Their move to the mountains also changed the livelihood of Sardinians, as they gave up their reins as fishermen for field work such as farming and sheepherding.

As an effect of the constant invasion experienced by the Sardinians, they generally have remained withdrawn and skeptical whenever people from other countries, with the sole purpose of taking a vacation, visit their island. Although the people are generally well-mannered and good-natured, they will have to prove that the intention of visitors is noble before showing their warmest welcome possible.

The characteristics of Sardinians are mostly defined by the sex. The men are pretty much the breadwinner in the family, similar to the roles undergone by our common conception of the male sex. They primarily work as shepherds and farmers since their move from the shores to the mountain have changed their livelihood to land-based activity.

Their work has also put their ingenuity to the test, especially when it comes to preparing meals. For instance, the men have become adept in hunting down meat and cooking the prized catch in more ways than one despite the lack of proper kitchen wares. Also, since Sardinian men are forced to wander and work far from their homes for days, they only bring with them food and utensils most convenient for traveling. Their creativity and resilience for preparing food have been recognized as the Sardinian cuisine has been highly influenced by how shepherds prepare their food due to the style and flair of the presentation.

The women in Sardinia break the mold of what people come to except from women. First off, the appearance of Sardinian women wearing black clothing and kerchief would suggest that they are pretty mild-mannered and submissive. However, the women are actually assertive and strong as they can be. Their tough personality is caused by the frequent estrangement from their husbands who, as mentioned awhile ago, wander across the land due to their livelihood. Instead of being concerned with fashion and nightlife, women in Sardinia focus on responsibility and hard work, as proved by their rather impressive occupations such as bartenders, restaurateurs, hotel owner, and a lot more. Despite their imposing demeanor, the women still possess a feminine tough with their surprisingly vibrant personality and a radiant smile to boot.

Sardinia is more than just the sights and sounds because the people make it what the island is today. They may have their strange ways, but the experience of traveling in Sardinia is heightened when the elusiveness of Sardinians is unveiled, showing their lives in the comforts of their paradise.