22 May 2014

Moments in Matera


The light in this town changes from moment to moment, transforming it from an impossible stack of stone houses to a fairytale of light and shadow. Hundreds of hawk nesting boxes have been installed to encourage the local raptor to raise families here as they have for many generations.  Seems the bird favors snacking a particular cricket that is deadly to the grain crop.

At dawn and dusk, the tiny rondine (starlings) swoop and call, catching bugs and generally goofing around.  And a particular walk up behind the Piazza Sedile will reward you with musicians practicing in the music school; soft tones of violin and piano gives a sense of the longevity of this city.

The local residents all seem to understand and appreciate the historical value (a UNESCO site) as well as the fragility of her resurgence. When you see the condition of the cave dwellings from as little as fifty years ago to the immaculate city of today, it is a marvel of collective will and effort.