Pantelleria || Daughter of the Wind

In the summer the population of the island goes from around 8,000 people to 50,000 or more.

The architecture is quite unique. The homes, called Damussi, are made from the volcanic stones of the island. many of them are 300 years old, some 600 years old or more. They have gigantic domed celings, which are a marvel from the inside. The ceilings gather water and funell it to cisterns. The only fresh water, historically, has been rain water. Every building is set up to be a rain collection system. This was originally the architecture of Arabic residents who dominated a long epriod of the island's ancient history. Today there is desalinated water from the sea and tons of bottled water carried in by ship. However, rain water remains the single most important and reliable source of fresh water for Pantelleria.

The traditional population of Pantelleria persons, called Pantsche, number about 2,000. They are a unique people with great alertness, natural intelligence and a proud disposition. They are very attractive and robust. Their hereditary bloodlines includes strong Arabic influence, as well as the Greek, Tunisian and other typical races that adventured and occupied the Mediterranean Sea region.

The author has been living on Pantelleria Island for four years as of September 2008.

I have come to know the Pantesche people as a unique culture, a sub-culture within the sub-culture of Sicilia in Italia. From a retired General of the Italian Army, to our family doctor, Pantesche people have created in many cases lives of real excellence.

Very few of the local people make their living from the sea. Capers, Zibibbo Wine and services to the many rich tourists who travel to the island in summer are the main industries. The capers and the grapes are harvested entirely by hand and grown on small farms. The Pantelleria Caper and the Pantelleria Passito DOC are two of the most unique and rare products of the Mediterranean culture.

I love these people. This tiny island is very friendly. As I write this I am in Cicci's bar. A bar in Italy is not like a bar in AmeriKa. There is food, endless cups of espresso and very little drunkenness. Cicci's is a social center. I have free wireless fast internet on my laptop here. Everyone says hello. everyone is friendly. the standard of living here is very sweet. Our vegetables are some of the best I have eaten anywhere in the world. Everyone knows who I am. I am a topic of news. Their patience while they wait for me to learn the Italian language is very sweet. My work with the language is going very slowly. this does not stop people from embracing me or accepting me.

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The Seise || Ancient burial mounds made of black obsidian. recently one was discovered undisturbed. It has yielded mummified remains and some interesting jewelry.

The ceramics || Ceramics from Pantelleria have been found from ancient Egyptian periods to more recent times everywhere in the mediterranean region. Pantelleria ceramics were well respected for their tolerance to heat. The clay for this wide ceramic trade comes from near the house of the author.

Julius Caeser || One of the best sculptures of the emporer maximus was unearthed in an old cistern.

Temple of Venus || What may arguably be the most ancient Temple to Venus is near the salt-water volcanic lake of Pantelleria island. the group in charge of the study is lazy, poorly funded and often confused.

Future updates will include detailed links about these developments as they become available.

Sweetness. I moved here four years ago from the United Sates. Today I had lunch and broswed the internet for free on a fast wifi at CiCCi's bar, my favorite bar in the world. I watch the people. the Mayor comes in for his lunch. We are all satisfied with him, he is doing a pretty good job. The people are so sweet and kind to one another. Good manners prevail throughout the island. After four years I realize I have never know so much sweetness, so many agreeable people. My life in the USA was mostly one of avoiding the hordes of angry assholes and uptight people that make up the new American World Order. I had been living in Taos, New Mexico. Though it is a small and beautiful village, the violence and racism there is staggeringly rampant. It had been a long dream of mine to live there. After five years of experiencing the viscious and corrupt under-belly of this town I was ready to kill someone myself. Pantelleria rescued me from the violent, indifference and rage/fear that seems to me to be the new life-style in America. I was one of those people who said he would move out of the country if george bush, that stupid fucking asshole, was elected, and I did.

Sorry for the rant. In my Taos all the women were fat cows, the men pretentious and false-hearted--to a man. Here on this tiny island we have a population of breath taking beautiful women, relaxed men with nothing to prove, and a healthy economy and clean, sweet air. Daily life here is like a dream. Though it is a small island, it is really diverse.

We eat the finest and freshest food here. Our local wines are legendary in Italy and come to us at a price that is to low to even mention. Here good wine is cheaper than water. good local wine. Organic and pure and easy. We all enjoy seeing each other, eating together and working together.

The Damussi homes in these photos are 400-600 years old. They have been and are inhabited by the citizens of Pantelleria. Many of them have become the prized possessions of rich Italians and a sprinkle of people from around the world. They are made without mortar (traditionally) of the volcanic stones which make up the terrain of the island, in the thousands. Many of these stones have a very high obsidian content. perhaps the only obsidian homes on earth. they have very high domed ceiling made in a very unique way. the domed roof captures water and directs to an opening which leads to a cistern. Every building that was made in historical times had a cistern. there is no fresh water on Pantelleria. The roof is made of the same stones, fitted together over a wood frame made and then removed. the material of the roofing is natural pumice, pounded by flat, heavy wooden hammers until it makes a sealed roof. the ones in the photos here are worth fortunes.

Damussi was conceived and built by islamic, Arabic cultures in the late 1400s. They are extremely clever. the walls are very thick, with few windows. The Damussi I am renting (and hope to buy) is heated by the volcanic thermal activity under the house in the winter. The engineering magnificence of these structures is equalled only by their relative simplicity. The interiors these days are plastered and the energy of the interior rooms, the details, are magical. The Arabic designers of this garden paradise really knew what they were doing. these structures are truly impressive. 

Beware. The local workers of Pantelleria are very jealous, resentful, exploitive and dishonest in most of their dealings with people from off the island. It is sad, but it is the truth. Many people own property on Pantelleria that they visit one or two times each year. The visitors rely upon the local workers for the services, repairs and other events which happen in normal life. While Pantelleria has many fine people, the basic work ethic is very negative and dishonest. Prices are always inflated for visitors. They become jealous and resentful of anyone who is not a local person doing any kind of work on the island. There is dark shadow over this culture that is very damaging and dangerous and really quite tragic. Visitors to the island should really pay attention to this serious problem. If you own property here or wish to engage the professional workers you need to pay careful attention. There is no recourse or agency that can help you when and if you are cheated, over-charged, lied to or ripped off. If you have a problem with local workers and make a big issue of these problems, the local people can make it impossible to have a normal life on the island. Understanding this dark shadow which overlays the culture of this place is very tricky and a little dangerous. The local ethic expects you to tolerate without complaint the conditions of service which exist here. It is important to remember that Pantelleria has inherited a Sicilian attitude about outsiders, which is anyone who was not born here. I am not talking about the owners of tourist shops and markets. Most of these people are sweet and reasonable. The biggest danger which activates this dark shadow of sorrow on this island comes from the builders, repair people and others who make services to your home. If you are careful to get along with them you may be OK. If you offend them they will hold a grudge against you for seven generations, no matter how slight the offense may seem to you. They are also very secretive, so it is very difficult to address any issue directly in the full light of day. The accepted philosophy for "outsiders" seems to be one of tolerance, patience and low expectations. Any disagreement must be handled with the greatest delicacy to prevent overarching rage from consuming any hope of peace. there are no consumer protections in place on Pantelleria. If you are here, you are on your own.

In a word: disaster. the hospital in Pantelleria is very dangerous if you have a serious medical problem or emergency. It is more like a third world hospital than a real medical facility. With a few exceptions, such as the x-ray department (radiology) and Gynecology, it is a useless place to go. Outdated, obsolete equipment is eclipsed by some of the most poorly trained and dis-interested doctors I have seen in my entire life. Surely we have some of the most useless physicians in all of Italy on our tiny island. I have no idea why it is this way, but it is true. Our hospital is a disgrace, with the few good departments and visiting specialists only emphasizing by being exceptions what a truly horrible hospital it is. It is in fact dangerous to your health to visit this hospital. They seem adequate as far as bumps, bruises and the occasional crash. Even serious cuts are dangerous as the surgeons have very little skill or artistry in the way of sutures.

Armani has donated an MRI and breast cancer x-ray machines, and the staff that operates radiology seems very competent. The emergency room procedures and physicians are barbarians with no grace, poor knowledge and very sloppy methods. The hospital of Pantelleria is a great source of shame and embarrassment to all of us who live here. The only really hopeful sign is that in the event of a serious sickness you can be quickly airlifted to Trapani, provided you can survive long enough.