"Il futuro ci sta alle spalle" (Hannah Arendt)

Sambiase, where every stone has a story, has for too long a time, like other Calabrese towns, forgotten, neglected, or repudiated its own historical memories. Cutting ties with its own roots, its historic-cultural inheritance has remained unknown and undervalued not only by its inhabitants but also by the governing class.

 

In fact, distinctive corners of its historic center have been dismantled without any scruples. Old doorways have been taken away, as well as roofs that were made of local tiles, to make way for iron grates and carcinogenic asbestos roofs. From the characteristic alleys of Sambiase and from the common areas where houses and workshops of craftsmen had spread out, the typical pavements made of local stone were removed to make way for disgraceful asphalt. Even when rebuilding old houses, local characteristics have been abandoned for the sake of elements brought in from abroad: reinforced concrete, plastic, and so forth. The abandonment of the historic center, and the indifference towards it, like the loss of our memories, are typical examples of a rejection of our very past, of a negation of our very identity, of our very growth, of our the very ethos.

Sundial on the De Medici Property
Suvaru Mpisu – Sambiase. Zaffina Collection

 

It is not right that Sambiase should become a town without memory, where what is dead is dead forever, a town without a past, which does not collect nor remember anything, where each generation not only buries the previous one but erases it as well.

The “Luogo della Memoria” (or Place of Memories), which Professor Umberto Zaffina created 10 years ago, with a great sense of history and love for the land and its farming culture, represents a fundamental salvage of the most typical traditions of Sambiase. Photos, books, appliances, and home environments that are faithfully reconstructed give back life to the past, to a community that has left indelible imprints on the evolution of the town. .

Inside the “Luogo della Memoria” – Sambiase

 

The “Luogo della Memoria” is not a simple display of museum products, but a real vision of life in past times, a complete identification of a cultural model. A precious resource and reference point for students and for schools, the “Luogo della Memoria” is a common possession which should not be dispersed, but instead should be justly valued as part of the cultural program of the community.

Inside the “Luogo della Memoria” – Sambiase

 

Ecomuseo - Luogo della Memoria
Largo Ferruccio n. 3 Sambiase di Lamezia Terme
To visit, telephone Prof. Umberto Zaffina 0968/436765

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