In Sardinia, in the heart of Barigadu, Carnival is not a celebration, but a rite of possession and rebirth. This photographic and video reportage explores the Carrasegare di Ula Tirso, one of the most authentic and archaic moments of the entire island, where myth merges with earth and water.
At the center of the visual narrative is the figure of S’Urzu, the zoomorphic mask representing the victim deity, and its ruthless tamers, Sos Sos Tintinnatos. Through my lens, I documented the eternal struggle between man and feral nature, in a succession of cowbell sounds and ritual gestures that break the silence of the village.
The Personification of the River: One of the most singular aspects I wanted to capture is the visceral bond with the Tirso RiverIn the masks and movements of the performers one can read the respect and fear for the river that skirts the town, a natural element that becomes the very protagonist of the photographic story.
Details and Symbolism: The photography lingers on the wooden masks blackened by burnt cork, on the sheepskins and on the use of the “tintinnu” (the cowbell). Every shot is a study of texture and the strength of a tradition that needs no filters to appear powerful and dramatic.
Aerial Perspectives and Video Storytelling: The use of the drone made it possible to set the rite within the rugged landscape surrounding Ula Tirso, offering an overview of the procession winding through the stone streets of the historic center. The video completes the work, conveying the hypnotic rhythm of the steps and the metallic clatter that accompanies the dance of S’Urzu.
Documenting the Carrasegare of Ula Tirso means preserving a fragment of intangible heritage. As a documentary photographer, my commitment has been to translate the primordial energy of this event into images, offering a testimony that is both artistic and documentary, able to speak to the world about the cultural depth of the truest Sardinia.
