“Surfaru e focu”: Music, Myth, and Memory in the Heart of Aidone

Aidone Archaeological Museum, Friday, July 25, 2025

On Friday, July 25, 2025, the garden of the Aidone Archaeological Museum was transformed into an open-air stage under the stars to host the Geo-Event “Surfaru e focu”, organized as part of the Si.M.Geo – Ecomuseum System of the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark and the GAL Rocca di Cerere Geopark area.

The evening opened with institutional greetings from the Municipality of Aidone and the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark, setting the tone for an intense and engaging event where art and identity were deeply intertwined.

The spotlight was on Mario Incudine, one of the most prominent voices in Italian world music, who brought to the stage his theatre-song performance “Surfaru e focu.” This musical and theatrical narrative struck both personal and collective chords, guiding the audience on a journey through mining memories, Sicilian mythology, and rural culture.

A Journey Through Sulfur, Myth, and Grain
“Surfaru e focu” powerfully evoked vivid and symbolic imagery, bringing to life the harsh yet poetic world of sulfur mines, the fertility rituals of the land, the myth of Ceres, and the civilization of grain. These themes, deeply rooted in the Sicilian hinterland, were conveyed with passion, voice, and music, weaving together memory and modern relevance.

Through spoken word, song, and sound, Incudine built a bridge between past and present, between the labor of the young “carusi” in the mines and the symbolic value of cultivated land, between the cultural roots of the territory and the need to keep its memory alive.

An Evening of Emotion and Awareness
The audience, large and attentive, followed each moment of the performance with heartfelt participation, revealing a strong desire to rediscover and celebrate the stories hidden in landscapes, in handed-down tales, and in everyday gestures.

“Surfaru e focu” was not just a performance – it was a celebration of the cultural identity of the Rocca di Cerere UNESCO Global Geopark area, giving voice and visibility to a heritage that lives on through art.