Roots tourism: «Sardinian towns that are forgotten, let's turn the spotlight on the internal areas»
The focus of Marisa Fois, researcher at the University of Geneva, included in the "Italians in the World Report". The island's riches and great potential: stories of former emigrants
Eighteenth edition of the "Italians in the World Report" of the Migrantes Foundation, presented today in Rome.
As usual, there were many authors who, from Italy and abroad, worked on various essays to arrive at the collection of socio-statistical analyzes from the most accredited official sources on mobility from Italy.
This year the theme is that of roots tourism, that is, that type of tourism for which emigrants and their descendants return to visit and experience the places of their ancestors. The document contains an initial part with the various statistics and then a monographic part with chapters for each region. For Sardinia, the one drawn up by Marisa Fois , a researcher at the University of Geneva originally from Busachi , who focused on the Barigadu area.
«On the island - he explains - Oristano is the province that, perhaps more than the others, suffers from a demographic malaise, a 2013 study on the island already highlighted that half of the municipalities are at risk of disappearing and a quarter of these are located precisely in the Oristano area. Four in particular: Ardauli, Nughedu Santa Vittoria, Sorradile and Ula Tirso . Three others recorded significant depopulation: Busachi, Fordongianus and Neoneli ."
But Fois goes beyond the "harshness of the data" and talks about those who work to reverse the trend of flight and, on the contrary, asks to return to investing in the territory starting from the places where they previously emigrated : "Especially northern Italy, Rome, and abroad in Germany, France, Belgium and Switzerland".
What are the stories included in the “Italians in the World Report”?
«One is that of the mayor of Neoneli, Salvatore Cau, and his attempt to leave a mark, to enrich the town not only from an economic point of view, with tenders and other incentives, but also from a cultural point of view. “Cultural impoverishment is worse than demographic impoverishment” was one of his phrases that struck me the most."
What does this commitment consist of?
«In encouraging that reality with events, festivals, every way to network with emigrants too. For example, it had already included the concept of roots tourism in its 2020 administrative program."
Concretely?
«Among the projects, one is particularly interesting: reconstructing the family trees of the inhabitants so as to involve the different generations, taking inspiration from the municipal archive, which will be transferred to the Casa Cultura centre. It was inaugurated in 2022 in a historic building and hosts the library and various events. They would like to make it a garrison that fits into the context of various festivals such as Licanìas, whose theme for the next edition will be the freedom to leave and return. This year, however, there was a meeting with young entrepreneurs who talked about their experience: those who returned to the town and decided to invest locally."
Feasible goal?
«Unemployment in these areas reaches high rates, but we need to have foresight. There is an economic system that is very tied to the land and those who move are unlikely to return unless they find their "dream job". But there are also companies and investments that work."
Any examples?
«The mayor himself and two of his friends founded an agricultural company and a winery, they currently produce wine, they recovered some old vineyards and then rented the vineyards from the elderly. And so a second winery was born and a third is on its way. For Cau, in fact, we can also start from the land, in this way the countries will be able to stay alive, and solicit the return of some of their emigrants".
Other experiences included in the Sardinia focus?
«That of Aldo Uselli, 39 years old from Ula Tirso, who deals with communication and talks about brands of companies operating in the catering sector including the Neoneli cellars. After an international education (Estonia, Brazil, United States), he realized that he could find a job with salaries impossible to imagine in Italy but he didn't want to stay abroad forever. After returning to Cagliari, he left for Milan, graduated and prospects opened up outside Sardinia. But he "suffered" the call to return. Many advised him against it: “Why are you leaving Milan? – they told him – It's a city that offers everything".
And he?
«"There may be everything in Milan – he replied – but a few things are enough for me to be happy"».
Other stories?
«One that comes from Bidonì and stars Marcello Contu, a 37-year-old originally from Cabras who trained abroad and who has been living in Sorradile for three years. He created a production laboratory that I believe is unique in its kind, probably the first in Sardinia. It's called "Veghu", it produces and sells 100% vegetable cheeses. Marcello chose to return to the island after an experience in Australia. His company was first a start up, now he has two other partners: it is a challenge, a dream. Also because they hold training courses, sell kits for producing homemade vegetable cheeses, in short they want to share their "mission", and the particular choice was to operate in an internal and rural area. A bit like two other former emigrants."
Who I am?
«Matteo and Michele, one originally from the province of Southern Sardinia and the other from Cagliari. They both spent fifteen years in London then, thanks to Brexit, they decided to return to Sardinia. A choice that was certainly thoughtful but which turned their lives upside down: in a small inland village they purchased a property, it will be called "Casa M" and it aims to offer history, art, experiential tourism, create networks of people and a certain sustainable economic development circulate, thus putting their experiences abroad into practice. They would like to act as an intermediary, also thanks to the English they speak very well, between foreigners and the island. They fit perfectly into the "fil rouge" with which I begin and end my essay because they weave relationships and "create a network". They also refer to the importance of memory by referring to the work of Maria Lai, whose motto was “to be is to weave”. She reviewed typical tools of female life, such as looms but not only, and revisited them to tell them in a different way. She too had returned to Sardinia driven by the search for the past as a key to understanding the future."
Are we capable of "capitalizing" on the beauties of the island or not?
«Much more could be done, especially for internal areas, small municipalities, "broken" territories, places of departure that are often not able to turn on the spotlight but are in reality rich in history and culture, in possibilities to do".
Any examples?
«I'm thinking of the dam and Lake Omodeo, which could be exploited, not just like a Swiss lake, but with more "aggressive" and interesting tourism. Unfortunately, there are few agritourisms that offer visits. This is why I talk about areas that are forgotten or are being forgotten."
Why all this?
«There are many answers: there is a lack of funding, the desire, the enthusiasm, the fresh energy that perhaps is going away. Mine is obviously not a criticism, but rather it should be read in the opposite sense. Food for thought because the potential is all there. Roots tourism could be a good opportunity for all of Sardinia, up to Baradili, its least populated town."
