Step by step - Cultural exchange

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All the work we have been doing allowed us a comparison between the two countries, in order to focus our attention on their similarities. Both are wild and enchanting countries, the Mediterranean Sea washes their shores and the climate is very mild, its overgrown lands smell of the Mediterranean bushes. 20th High school of Patras Secondary School “Lamarmora-Canelles” Iglesias

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Greece , the cradle of western civilization, has left on Sardinia a permanent footprint, their history, myths and legends link together. That is why we wanted to tell you about our myths, legends and traditions which are handed down through many generations. These information will make more interesting visiting our countries. We found, selected and organized the material surfing on the Internet and reading specific books in the school library. We brainstormed our ideas and prepared PPt drafts, drawings and music to show each other. We decided what to write and chose the pictures to illustrate the ideas expressed in the texts.

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Among the first settlers in Sardinia there are the Boeothians, they arrived in Sardinia with Iolaos and colonized it. They taught farming to the local people and Iolaos was celebrated as a divine hero. After the Trojan war a lot of Greek fugitives found shelter in Sardinia and they mixed well with the rest of the people living in it. All these lead to our present collaboration between Iglesias and Patras. So myth changes into history and more concrete facts.

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Daedalus, the famous inventor and scientist is said to have fled to Italy when Minos, the king of Crete, turned against him. He had to flee to Italy to save his life. We have all heard the word “labyrinth” and how he managed to fly with his son Icarus. He was so inventive! They say he was the creator and builder of the “nuraghi”. Greek civilization spread all over the island and, it means that since the proto-sardinian time there was a link between the two countries. It can also be noticed in the Sardinian language.

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The first dwellings of the Sardinians were caves buried in the ground, only lately the mound which covered the cave was replaced by a megalithic construction: the “Nuraghi”. Prehistoric stone structures dated back to the 2nd millenium b.c. The historians say that the “nuraghi” were built for different purposes: the simple ones were built as dwellings, the most complex ones were also used as temples and for other uses.

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The Greeks knew the “nuraghi”, we read from the works by the old Greek writers that the “nuraghi” were called “dedàlia” (Daedalus’ work) or “tholoi” (cupola). The origin of these megalithic constructions and of the burial structures (“tombe dei giganti”) testify to contacts with the Aegean People. It is known that the Sardinians had already contacts with the Mycenaeans who traded with the western Mediterranean Countries. It is confirmed by the finding of Mycenaean potteries in the nuragic complexes.

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We found out that not only The megalithic constructions have a link But also our myths and legends

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The first inhabitants were hunters. Only afterwards they devoted their time to sheep farming. They worshiped forest because of its mystery and unknown. The forests gave them food, fire and balmy remedies for their diseases and wounds. Some stories provide a mythological explanation for peculiar things in nature of which the origin has long been forgotten.

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This plant belongs to the Mediterranean bush and its name comes from a nimph’s name, Philira. Cronos, Zeus’s father, fell in love with Philira. He did not want his wife to find out so he changed into a stallion. She had a baby, the centaur Cheiron. She was scared of him and asked the god to turn her into a plant.

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It is one of the most beautiful scents of the Mediterranean bush. On the Greeks’ opinion Mother Earth turned the nymph Daphne into a laurel tree to escape Apollo’s love. Apollo was the god of medicine and knew the virtues of all healing plants. Since Daphne couldn’t become his wife, the god turned the laurel tree into an evergreen plant which became sacred to him and he always wore a laurel’s leaves crown.

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Small Mediterranean evergreen bush with small blackish berries and glossy aromatic leaves used for flavoring in cooking. The ancient Greeks used to crown victors. In Sardinia they used to burn the branches to call forth good omens and predictions for marriages.

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All over our territories there are a lot of big stones which take different strange forms. To give a meaning to the work of nature, people gave life to different legends and stories. The two main themes of these stories are: the divine punishment and the sorrow. We will tell you the legend of Luxia Rabiosa. Luxia was rich but ungenerous with her possessions.God punished her and converted her into a stone with all the things that belonged to her. In the Greek mythology, Demeter, the goddess of agriculture turned into a stone because of the loss of her daughter, Persephone. Her loss was a great grief for Demeter.

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We want to suggest you two comparable tours in order to enjoy the better of our Countries even if they refer to different historical times. “The Tour of the Sardinian Royal Cities” and “The Tour of the Main Greek Poleis”, all of them belong to the cultural and archaeological heritage of the two Countries.

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Cagliari, Iglesias, Alghero, Bosa, Castelsardo,Oristano and Sassari were named Royal Cities. Their nomination dates back to the time of Catalan-Aragon domination and it was due to the fact that they had their own laws. They were no longer under feudal system, but autonomous municipality under the control of the royal government. They used to rule the citizens’ life and the town economy with laws gathered in a book called “Statuto”. Nowadays, these cities are still important as capitals of their Provinces or as touristic places. IGLESIAS CAGLIARI BOSA ALGHERO SASSARI CASTELSARDO ORISTANO

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This is Bosa , it is situated in the north-west of Sardinia. The river Temo flows through the town, it is navigable for a long length. The old town centre is very interesting, the streets and sidewalks paved with granite and coblestones. The windows and the main entrances of the houses are enriched by architectural pink trachyte patterns. Bosa is well-known for its filet embroideries.

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Like Bosa, Alghero is situated in the North-West of Sardinia. The town is affected by the Catalan language, culture and traditions. The old town centre is really beautiful, with the old towers, old buildings and the churches in Catalan gothic style, the unique in Italy. Alghero is a multicultural town.

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Castelsardo is a small town situated in the North of Sardinia. It is peculiar for its geographical position, its history and medieval district. It is also well known for its peculiar local handicrafts, as the baskets weaved with vegetable fibers.

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Sassari is the second city in Sardinia because of the number of its inhabitants and importance. It is characterized by a lively economy based on service sector. It looks as a modern city even if its old town centre has narrow streets and old fashion houses. The city was surrounded by walls till the end of 19th century. There are important churches and monuments such as the Rosello fountain which dates back to 1606.

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Oristano is built on the banks of the Tirso river, and the plain Campidano. Situated only a few kilometres from the seaside it is surrounded by acres of mixed farming. It has a farm economy and is the fourth city on the island. Very well known is its Carnival with the traditional “Sartiglia”.

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It is our town! It is a medieval town. Its name means “town of churches”. Its economy was caracterized by the work in the mines, but now it evolved into service sector. In Iglesias there are a lot of old churches, peculiar its historical centre still surrounded by the old Pisan walls. The religious rites of the Holy Week call for tourists from all over the world.

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Important mining sites, now closed down, are in the outskirts and neighbourhoods of the town. Now they belong to the archaeological heritage of this area.

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It is the capital and a seaport of Sardinia. It is a fenicio-punic town situated in the south coast, in a good position in the centre of the “Golfo degli Angeli”. It has an interesting old town centre situated in the high part of the town, surrounded by walls and bastions. It is also a big and modern town, full of monuments and old churches.. The traditional harbor and the “porto-canale” are central points where ferries can take on or discharge cargos and people to and from the Italian Peninsula and the rest of Mediterranean Countries.

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The Greek word referring to the city or city-state and its citizens. It developed as an idea during the archaic period and persisted through the Roman times. Its upper part is called “acropolis”. On the acropolis they used to build their temples dedicates to their gods.

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Is the largest city and capital of Greece. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world with a recorded history of at least 3,000 years. Center of the arts, learning and philosophy It is widely referred to as the cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of Democracy

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Is a city in southern Greece In antiquity it was a Dorian Greek military state, originally centered in Laconia. As a city-state devoted to military training, Sparta possessed the most formidable army in the Greek world, and, after achieving notable victories over the Athenian and Persian Empires. Have you seen the film “300”?

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Thebes played an important role in the fabric of Greek myth, being the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus, and others. Home place of Hercules and Iolaos. People from ancient Boeotia are believed to have settled in Sardinia.

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In the second millennium BC Mycenae was one of the major centres of Greek civilization, a military stronghold which dominated much of southern Greece. The period of Greek history from about 1600 BC to about 1100 BC is called Mycenaean in reference to Mycenae. The archaeological site which was discovered 90km south-west of Athens and is visited by thousands of tourists every year, is supposed to be the palace of Agamemnon, King of the Achaeans.

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One of the most famous city-states on the Isthmus of Korinth. On its acropolis there was the temple dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite. The city had two ports in order to serve the trade routes of the western and eastern Mediterranean Sea. Ancient Korinth was destroyed in 1858 by an earthquake, the new city was rebuilt on the coast of the Gulf of Korinth

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Patras is our town, but never was a polis in the old days. Nevertheless, it has its importance as the capital city of Achaia. It is situated in the north of the Peloponnesus peninsula. It has its old acropolis from which we overlook the town. In 2006 it was the European Capital of Culture, Patras had the best chance to promote its cultural life and show the world. Never forget to take part in the Patras Carnival, one of the biggest in Europe. In Patras there is a port which is a central point for trade and communication with Italy and the rest of western Europe.

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The source of the Carnival goes back to the celebrations in honor of the god Dionysus. This is what all the Mediterranean Countries have in common about carnival before Jesus Christ. Carnival is the personification of the earth that starts waking up after the winter. The Italian word “carnevale” comes from the latin “carnem levare” and has the same meaning of the Greek word “apokreo”, take away meat. Carnival season precedes the 40 days of fasting that leads up to Easter

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Nowadays the floats in the Carnival parades are made of paper pulp and people procede in procession along the town streets wearing fancy dresses. The common theme of the Carnival processions is satire of national or international current affairs. PATRAS IGLESIAS

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In both countries carnival starts on 17th January, when people go out in the streets wearing masks and fancy costumes. It also ends in the same way: In Sardinia we burn a figure made of straw and wood which is the personification of the Carnival. It takes a different name dipending on the place where it is burned. In Iglesias we call it “Norfieddu”. In Greece we burn the King of Carnival which has the same meaning.

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He wears a woody mask on his face, his body is covered with a sheep skin and on his shoulders carries a lot of cowbells. He wears a black cloak, a pair of traditional white trousers and two or three lines of cowbells around his waistline.

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To Know our traditions and to keep them for the future we learnt how to make some typical carnival pastries and cakes: “zippole” and “currixionis”. In the school we celebrate carnival with parties in which we wear fancy dresses or we have some theatre acts.

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Our Easter is characterized by the religious processions which take place during the Holy Week. The Holy week starts after Palm Sunday The first procession, on Holy Tuesday, is called the “Sette Misteri”. It proceeds along the narrow streets of the old town with the statues of Jesus’s Passion and the Lady Of Sorrow. On Thursday the statue of the Lady of Sorrow visits seven churches looking for Jesus.

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On Friday there are two processions, one in the morning which takes place in the high part of the town (“Sa Costera”). It simbolizes Jesus’ ascent to the Calvary, where He was crucified. Late in the evening the procession represents Jesus’s funeral

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The statues of the Virgin Mary and the Risen Jesus meet in the central street of the town. When the procession passes by, people offer Them “coccoi de Pasca” (special decorated bread made for that occasion) as a good omen.

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On 28th April we celebrate “Sa Die de Sa Sardigna” (Sardinia day). It recalls the historical event when the Sardinian population rose against the Piedmont domination. On this day in the St. Remy bastion, in Cagliari, they perform the drama of that day. It is a public holiday on the island

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It is an international celebration of the social and economic achievements of the working class. In Italy it is a national holiday and we celebrate Labor Day with parades and free concerts. On 1st May we start celebrations of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will not forget to mention the important town festival of “Saint Efisio” which take place in Cagliari. It started in1657 when the inhabitants of the town asked the saint to save them from the bubonic plague.

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In August in Iglesias we have two important dates: 13th and 15th. On 13th August it takes place the Medieval parade with men and women wearing traditional costumes which date back to the medieval period.

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On 15th August takes place the procession in honour of our Blessed Virgin Mary, called “Vergine Dormiente” (Dormant Virgin”), from the Greek-Byzantine tradition. In the Iglesias Statuto, “Breve di Villa di Chiesa”, it was called feast of “Sancta Maria del Mezo di Gosto” and its origin dates back to the pagan festivity in honour of the god Consus protector of grains. With the arrival of Christianity this pagan festivity was replaced with the Virgin Mary worship.

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The guilds which represent the arts and trades take part in the procession. They proceed along the streets of the town carrying the heavy “Candelieri” (candle holders). Both celebrations call forth a lot of tourists.

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In October a lot of folk, cultural and religious celebrations take place in our town, in honour of our “Madonna del Buon Cammino”. The most important for the inhabitants of the town is the religious torch-light procession to the “Buon Cammino” hill.This cult dates back to 1700.

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Greek Easter is rich of traditions. It lasts a week called “Great Week”. It starts on Great Monday with the celebration of Christ ‘s passion, on Thursday we paint the eggs red. Red like Jesus’s blood, the egg symbol of a new life. On Friday we decorate the coffin of Jesus with flowers and take it along the streets. On Saturday we light candles and after the midnight mass, Jesus Christ’s resurrection, we break the fast having the “magjritsa” (Easter soup) and the red eggs. On Sunday we have roast lamb and celebrate translation of Jesus to heaven. In Greece we have so many delicious cakes and pastries, but we do not usually have after a meal.

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In Patras the 1st May is celebrated with a feast on the evening of 30th April first, which takes place at Psila Alonia square, where florists sell flowers and hundreds of people buy them for their beloved ones. The following day people take to the fields and pick up wild flowers and make wreaths with them in order to decorate their houses. Also it is considered a labourers’ feast and people demonstrate for their rights, in the streets and a central square.

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In Greece on 15th of August there is also a big event. It is a public holiday and we celebrate our Virgin Mary. Throughout Greece in churches and monasteries worshippers follow the procession and faithfully pray to our Madonna, which we believe will stand on our side for any problems we might have. The biggest procession takes place on the island of Tinos, where the miraculous icon – believed to have been painted by the Evangelist Marcos – was found.

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St. Andrew is the patron Saint of Patras. It was here that Apostle Andreas was crucified and to the memory of his sacrifice our town still commemorates his crucifixion on 30th November.

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There are two churches on the spot where Apostle Andreas was crucified. The old one dating from 1835 A.D. and next to it the new cathedral which was built in 1974 and is one of the biggest in Europe. Here one can see part of the cross on which the Apostle was crucified and his holy skull which was transported from Italy, where it was being kept, in 1964.

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The Italian and the Greek students thank all the people that helped to complete the project: eTwinning which made easy to find a school partner; our teachers who helped us; our parents who allowed us to partecipate to the project; all the school staff that collaborated with us making everything easier; the “Regione Autonoma della Sardegna” and the local Administration which gave us the fund; the sponsors : Portovesme Srl; Dentis Fabrizio Carrozzeria; Technochem; L’Oasi di Orlandini Alessandro & C.SaS L.S. Forniture Termoidrauliche Color Piu’ ; Giannoni Giampiero; Ok Cane Esse Auto di Sedda Antonio Gavino 2007