Sardinians are among the most welcoming and warm people you will ever meet. Still, you will be expected to follow some unwritten rules. To avoid embarrassment, take note of the most important ones: 

1.  Sardinia is a matriarchal society. Know it, believe it and act accordingly. 

Giuseppe Masia (a Sardinian himself) says about this topic in his song "Donne di Sardegna":

"Donne di Sardegna 
Dove il sole e il mare regna
Come in Africa i leoni
Qui le pecore e i montoni
A volte son la Mecca
A volte peggio della zecca
Donne donne donne..."

2. When being asked how the food you are being offered tastes, "buono" (good) will be considered an insult. "Buonissimo" (very good) will be tolerated, but you should really use "ottimo" (optimal) or "divino" (divine). Warning: no one ever lived to tell what happens if you would answer "non molto buono" (not very good).

3. It is not unlikely that you will be offered some home-made wine or mirto. When being asked what you think about it, answer within a nanosecond "ottimo" (optimal). Not only will it be true, but you will also save yourself from embarrassment. Afterwards, there is still enough time to describe how excellent the drink really is. Resulting advantage or disadvantage (depending on your point of view): you will be offered more to drink.

4. Do not get tricked into learning to play the Mora, a Sardinian version of the rock-sheet-sissors game. First of all it is impossible since it involves counting in Sardinian (four = battoro, five = chimbe and so on). Secondly, you should use Sardinian words to deform these numbers to something funny to deconcentrate your adversary. And then finally, but in my humble opinion maybe, just maybe, the most important  thingie is that if you play the Mora in little Sardinian villages you can get killed if suspected of cheating (this detail is often explained only after you tried in vain to learn the Mora for hours).

5. Sardinian is a language, not a dialect. Unfortunately, the first ones who have to be convinced of this, are the Sardinians themselves.

6. "The best wine is kept in small bottles" might refer to the height of Sardinians. If so, the more you go South, the smaller the bottles are. Still, it is probably not such a good idea to try to be funny about it.

7. Sardinia is a matriarchal society (I know I already mentioned it, but I felt repeating it was important).

8. Traffic rules are just indications.

Example: you are driving on a road where 50 km/h is allowed and you drive 80 km/h. You notice a police car behind you.

In Belgium: you get a 2500 EURO fine and you lose your driving license for two weeks

In Sardinia: the police car ignores you and passes you at high speed.

9. If you are being offered alcohol beverages to drink (see also 3), and you really shouldn't because you have to drive, mentioning this to your host will lead to unexpected results: you will still be offered alcohol to drink, but in addition, your host will now insist that you sleep at his/her place as a concern for your safety. Getting yourself out of this situation proves to be an art.

10. Being in Sardinia is more addictive than one might expect. What are you waiting for ?

Contact address: Jan Bormans
Last update: 2003/03/05