Siligo. The parade of flag-wavers from the Castello district of Iglesias, followed by an evocative reenactment of the story of Julia Carta – “whose fate has been lost in the mists of time”, as was recalled – staged by the performers of Herbariae Lunae, opened the second edition of the Ammajare Festival.
The only way to save oneself before the tribunal of the Inquisition was to recant, confessing a fault never committed. A dark page of our history, which still fascinates today for its haunting echoes but continues to recall injustices not so distant. The show was dedicated to all the women and men persecuted and tortured, who in the name of God lost their lives crying out their innocence, unheard.
Wild herbs – often called “magical” for their properties – were the common thread of the aperitif curated by Roberta Cucciari and of the essay presented by Rita Nappi. The scholar recalled how in Sardinia the figure of healers has always been central: «It is a presence that has never died out – she explained – and that continues to pass down knowledge tied to the land and plants». «They were important figures for communities, then turned into witches and persecuted. In reality they guarded precious knowledge, often anticipating a holistic view of medicine», Rita Nappi stressed.
The monologue “My mother: Julia” traced the life of Julia Carta through the words of her son Juan Antonio Nuvole Carta. The text, written by Giampaolo Cassitta, was made especially engaging by the skill of the Clip Collective – Luca Fancello and Roberta Campagna – and by the musical accompaniment of Beatrice Melis (harp), Francesca Fadda (violin) and Valentina Capasso (voice). Actors and musicians evoked a dreamlike atmosphere, able to immerse the audience in the story’s evocative power.
The presentation of the book “Aria mossa”, by Giampaolo Cassitta and Pier Luigi Piredda, closed the first day of Ammajare, drawing a thread linked to the persecution and harassment of the weakest, which from the Middle Ages reaches the 2000s, when, in the Sassari prison of San Sebastiano, reports told of shameful beatings.
Today’s program, Saturday 23 August, opens at 6.00 pm with the opening of the festival and the stands, followed at 7.00 pm by the presentation of the book “Julia, the witch of Siligo” (Mauri Spagnol, 2024) by Antonietta Uras, with Paolo Bellotti. At 8.00 pm, theatre takes the stage with The trial of Emilio Lussu, taken from the volume “The indomitable knight” (Abbà Edizioni, 2025), performed by Gianluca Medas, actor and director among the most active in promoting the Sardinian narrative tradition.
The evening will continue with the community dinner organized by the Pro Loco of Siligo (9.00 pm) and will end at 10.00 pm with the concert-show The witches are back, featuring on stage Rita Casiddu, Mauro Cossiga, Valentina Capasso, Peppino Anfossi, Cosma Cossiga, Roberto Poddighe and Salvatore Delogu. On the setlist, a musical journey ranging from Branduardi to Mia Martini, from Mercedes Sosa to De André, from Tenco to Patti Smith, up to songs of Sardinian tradition and pieces linked to Maria Carta.
All festival events are free of charge.
The festival is organized by the Municipality of Siligo together with Intrecci Culturali, Fondazione Banco di Sardegna, Regione Sardegna and the Chamber of Commerce of Sassari, with the collaboration of the cultural association CLIP – Collettivo Letterario Informale Performativo. Artistic direction is entrusted to Giampaolo Cassitta.
The full festival program is available on the website www.intrecciculturalisardegna.it and on the official social pages.
