(De)Tour to Matera and MOOM
Matera, one of the oldest inhabited cities of Italy, stunned me with its ancient presence of today. I could almost feel the life in the city some thousands of years ago as I walked through it earlier this week; was in some senses capable to imagine the everyday living taking place here through the times of its being [much like I have when walking and working within the ancient olive groves of Apulia].
Taking place Monday this week, my trip here is long overdue. I had actually planned to visit the olive oil museum located here in Matera already during spring, but Covid-19 remained an obstacle with its continuous presence, and so, with partial lockdowns and bans to leave the commune of inhabitation, the trip had to be rescheduled for later on. This ‘later on’ finally happened, and it did so as a detour of sorts, as I momentarily drove out of Apulia on my journey driving through the entire east side of Italy, and particularly so – detouring, that is – for popping by this city located in the region of Basilicata. Now, one may wonder why this particular museum was of interest, and one might do so partly because it is not located in Apulia where my research I located, and partly because there are several like it in Apulia which I have not visited. Well, matter of fact is that I have been recommended, urged even, to visit Matera by several people in Apulia, and by a few been asked whether I have visited this museum yet. Thus, curious to find out, so to speak, all about the fuzz, there stand one reason to pay a visit to the city and to MOOM. Another reason is my interest in getting a contextual understanding for olive oil production also beyond the scope of regions and the borders inherent to them; be they social, material, historical, political or alike. For, while regional borders of current day Italy indeed influence understandings of olive oil production, thus occur vital to explore, so does the flows knowing no such borders. A third reason to make the (de)tour, is my curiosity to experience the surrounding landscapes alongside the sense of ‘local’ also in areas other than where the main part of my research takes place. It is sort of a way to understand — later, theorize — workings of place-making.
I am now back in Apulia — finalmente! — where I once again arrived in Ostuni on the 10th of August, just like last year. Back then, a year ago, I arrived as a novice just about to initiate my yearlong fieldwork; this time around, as a quite well-rounded olive cultivation and olive oil production knower, let alone, as a rather habituated persona pugliese. However my adaption of a Apulian rhythm and lifestyle made itself apparent during the guided tour, I leave unsaid, but considering my achieved skills in terms of olivicoltura, my knowledge made itself apparent quite starkly both to me and the tour guide: me knowing much much more than the regular visitor, me being able to explain details of production and extraction alongside differences between now and then, me having capability to curiously converse about specificities related to the olive oil sold by the owner of the museum and more. That said, the visit was fun in many ways and while I learnt nothing new as such, I expanded the knowledge base already built. Importantly, I realized how much I have learnt by partaking in practices of cultivation, harvest, and production this passed year. I am currently off to Masseria Brancati to meet with Corrado, one of the main collaborators of my research and an utmost important person for my skill advancement. Today marks a year of the beginning of our friendship, and a bit about how it all started may be partaken here.
