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Fais-Leutskaja O., Maxia A. Alcohol in the Sardinian Folk Tradition

O. Fais-Leutskaja
Center of European Studies Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology Russian Academy of Sciences
Moscow, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0000-0002-2757-2434
E-mail: oxana-fais@yandex.ru  

 

A. Maxia
Ethnographic Museum of Sardinian Mountain Culture Parco Comunale Pastissu
Aritzo (Nuoro), Italy
ORCID: 0000-0002-2920-6921
E-mail: maxiaarmando@tiscali.it 

 

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ABSTRACT. Drawing on the results of field research conducted during several years in Sardinia, the authors of the article analyze the fundamentals of folk enology in the region, as well as the consumption of alcohol drinking: grape wines, mainly red, and grappa — the result of home distillation. Folk enology in traditional Sardinian society was not previously covered by researchers. The interest in such topics stems from the fact that in Sardinia, which does not belong to the intensive winemaking zones, wine nevertheless acquired a high degree of social popularity and played an important role in the social relations of the population in this predominantly rural region of the Mediterranean. The study examines distinctive features of local enology, the processes of home winemaking and distillation, the characteristics of the alcoholic products obtained, gender-specific features of alcohol consumption, and the specifics of the emic vision of alcohol and its functionality in the region. It also studies customs, rituals, and norms of local morals related to alcohol consumption, cults and taboos associated with wine and moonshine, and the endowment of alcohol with the soul and drinking animatism. The authors discuss the criteria for assessing the behavior of drinkers in the village during weekdays and holidays, rituals of “alcoholic initiation” of youth, and other topics. Attention is also given to the current changes in drinking priorities in Sardinia, bringing beer and high-quality wines to the forefront and creating a new image of “people’s wine”.

 

KEYWORDS: Sardinia, winemaking, rustic wine, moonshine, social relationships, rituals, new alcoholic priorities

 

DOI 10.31250/2618-8600-2024-3(25)-66-87
UDC 663.25:392.86

 

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