Su Prugadoriu: Halloween in Sardinia
Sardinia has one of Europe’s oldest cultures; many of its folkloric traditions originated millennia ago. Among the most ancient are those in late autumn, when days grow short, winter chill sets in, and boundaries between material and spiritual realms are thought to be permeable. English-speakers call this time Halloween, a name since adopted in much of the world, but in the remote Sardinian mountain village of Seui it’s known as Su Prugadoriu, Purgatory. On that night, in rituals that evolved from the dawn of European civilization, bonfires are lit and men disguise themselves with animal skins, carved masks or headdresses made of sheep and goat skulls, and belts decorated with large bells. They jump through the fires and enact mock dramas of hunting and animal sacrifice. A few modern revelers join the celebrations. For a few moments on a dark, chilly evening, the world as we know it dissolves, and we are back in a time before history when eerie supernatural creatures walked alongside humans, performing rites full of drama and mystery.
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