Nuorese Cultural District
Mamoiada
Description
Mamoiada is famous for its traditional culture and in particular the Barbagia Carnival characters Mamuthones and Issohadores.
During the festival, the Mamuthones parade through the streets of the town in a kind of ritual dance: their faces covered with a wooden mask and wearing black sheepskin, they jump around and shake their shoulders to ring the heavy bells they carry on their backs.
Meanwhile, the Issohadores follow the parade, carrying lassos that they suddenly throw out to catch unsuspecting spectators. Traditionally, they caught girls or landowners, who would then have to ‘pay off their debts’ by offering a round of drinks.
The Museo delle Maschere Mediterranee tells the story of this fascinating tradition and its link to other Mediterranean cultures. The museum’s exhibits include a peerless collection of European and North African Carnival masks.
Another unique attraction is the Boeli Stela, known as Sa Perda Pintà (the painted stone), a pre-nuraghic menhir decorated with spirals and other symbols, on view in the courtyard of a private home. If you want to find out more, stop by MATer, where a fascinating multimedia installation by Studio Azzurro introduces visitors to local archaeology and history.
Good wine is Mamoiada’s other draw: the Cannonau vineyards have been there for centuries, but local winegrowers, banding together to form the Associazione Mamoja, have stepped up production in relatively recent years, making Mamoiada a destination for fine food and wine, complete with charming wineries, restaurants and inns.
At the Museo della Cultura e del Lavoro you can discover how winegrowing and sheep farming have shaped the town and its residents over the centuries.
In September, a few kilometres from the town, the sanctuary of Santi Cosma e Damiano fills with pilgrims from all over the island, who come to spend the novena in its cumbessias, from the 18th to the 26th, or for the actual festival during the three days that follow, which mixes spirituality with dance, song, entertainment and food.