As a Sardinian, I grew up surrounded by stories and boasts about D. H. Lawrence's journey through Sardinia.
“Sardinia, which is like nowhere. Sardinia which has no history, no date, no race, no offering.”
A tale of cultural neo-colonialism. This podcast is inspired by my personal experience, as someone who grew up in Sardinia surrounded by stories and boasts about the journey of the famous English writer D.H. Lawrence, and his wife Frida through Sardinia.
Lawrence visited Sardinia in 1921, after becoming bored with rainy Sicily. He spent just over a week there, during which time he wrote a book in which he described the island and its people. I find Lawrence's portrayal of Sardinia and its inhabitants myopic and insensitive, as he was unable and unwilling to understand or engage with anything that was different from the reality he was familiar with.
Despite these criticisms, I embarked on a journey to retrace Lawrence's footsteps through Sardinia, exploring the breath-taking landscape of vineyards, pioneers, and love for the soil. Along the way, I encounter Stefano Soi, who demonstrates an awe-inspiring dedication to the land and an ability to embrace old traditions while planning and creating a sustainable future.
And following Lawrence's traces, in the Nuragus area I met Stefano Soi and I was captivated by his awe-inspiring dedication to the land as he showed me a way of embracing old traditions while planning and creating a sustainable future.
