Islas Lípari / Eólicas

Hi there!!

Today we are back to the “General Part”. We have just a few days left at the Eolian Islands and, during these last days, we have devoted some time to some pending points.

FISHING: Spadon

Yesterday we had the chance to get into the Spadon fishing boat. It has 24 metres and it is constructed in wood.

The captain told us that the tour has 35 metres, and the structure place on the boom has 50 metres!! Imagine when the sea is not perfectly flat …

They fish spadon but also tuna and other minor species. The arpoon with one pointer is used for the spadon; the ones with two pointers, for the tuna fish; and the ones with three, for other types of fish.

The fishing method used is traditional and the boat appears in some of the touristic guides as an example of respect of traditional methods.

The movie theater seats, placed in front of the main cabin, are used by the guests who, from time to time, are invited for a fishing day.

ARQUITECTURA: The house that the Archduk wished to buy

Some days ago, when we also devoted the Bolg to the “General Part”, we showed the actual form of the house at Pignataro that the Archduk wished to buy; now converted into a restaurant bar.

Yesterday we had the chance to talk with the Family Raffaele who lived in the house for many years. Now the Familiy runs a traditional litlle bar on the same beach of Pignataro, the Giovanazzo.

They kindly brought for us some books and photographies of the old house before it was refurbished.

They also brought a little drawing that was made many years ago. We can see there that the original colour of the house was pink.

CULTURE AND HISTORY: Professore Giuseppe Iacolino

Most of the people that we interviewed during these last weeks adviced us to talk also with Professore Iacolino. The Professor, more … than 90 years old, is a specialist in History and the Eoalian Islands.

Thanks to the librarian of Lípari, Silvana Sodeti who helped us to contact him, yesterday we could at last listen, with great attention, to the Professore.

In a fist moment he centred hi speech on the origin of the name of Basiluzzo. Elsbeth Calabresi had already told us that Basiluzzo means “The king” or “The island of the king” or “The big island”; whereas Panareas stands for “What was left”. For some time Basiluzzo, Panarea and the rest of the islets were a large and unique island, and formed a huge volcano.

The Professor indicates the “Bassilisco” stands in fact for the son of the king. We mentions also a mythological figure who is the son of a “Gallo” and a Python. Thus, the head of the “Gallo” coincides with the islet of Espinazzuola and the rest of the body with Basiluzzo.

Then he explains a little bit about the Archduk. He says that his works are those of a geniuos. To the excellent written part, he adds all the marvelous graphics. And to the original exploratory work, he adds a deep social research (illnesses, costums, gastronomy, etc.)

Lastly, and with the idea to complement the work of the Archduk, he advices us to read the book of Spalanzani, an explorer who in the 1700’s did a wonderful work on the Eolian Islands and their volcanoes.

Secondly he indicates the importance of the works of the archeologist Luigi Bernabò Brea and he points that we have to visit his Museum.

And when it is time to go, and to the desperation of the lady taking care of him who waits with his lunch, he places a little challenge on us …

THE CHALLENGE OF THE PROFESSOR

We have to find a picture devoted to Nostra Signora del Rosario situated in the Cathedral of San Bartolomeo at Lípari.

In the picture we will find the Pope Pius V, Juan de Austria and the “Vescovo” of Lípari at that moment, Martino d’Acuña.

The picture celebrates the victory in the battle of Lepanto; which the Pope attributed to Nostra Signora del Rosario.

¿Who was Martino d’Acuña? ¿Where couls we find some historical documents that tell us about his life? … This is our little challenge!

Il Professore believes that Martino d’Acuña was original from Sevilla and he could have met San Juan de la Cruz, and Santa Teresa de Jesús.

It is know that he was “carmelita descalzo” and that he wrote a book, “De Arte Divini Amoris”.

Taking advantage of our age of internet, I ask you to launch the challenge to your contacts and your discussion forums. The objective is to find any historical documents, they have to be ORIGINAL (with greater likelyhood you may find them in documentation centres or in large public libraries), in reference to the life of Martino (or Martín) d’Acuña, make a xerox copy, and send it to his postal address (He has no e-mail):

Professore Giuseppe Iacolino

(Ref. Martino d’Acuña)

Via Vittorio Emmanuelle, 60

Lípari, ITALIA

Had you seen the light in the eyes of the Professore (may we all have the same spirit at his age, close to 100!), you would have been witness of the potential happiness and satisfaction that he would experience if his dilema was solved.

Best wishes!

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