In a corner of the woods on the Marche hills, perched among patches of brown and green earth a few kilometers from Ancona, in Cupramontana, the home of Verdicchio, there is a farmhouse that has become the refuge of a community that has followed to the very end the love and respect for the land and for nature and the principles of happy degrowth: the Tribe of the Ringing Nuts, because, as its founder says, “A nut in a sack makes little noise. But many nuts together make a sound.”
And, in fact, this self-sufficient community without electricity or running water, isolated in a farmhouse surrounded by 5 hectares of land, and separated from the "common world" by a kilometer of pathDespite its isolation, it is a welcoming community, ready to welcome anyone who wishes to experience a lifestyle more in harmony with nature, where the day begins at dawn and ends at dusk, people sleep in a tent, wash without running water, and light their rooms with oil lamps. A lifestyle certainly incomprehensible to most, requiring a paradigm shift and a shift in values, a deeper reflection on the meaning of existence. For this reason, many call Fabrizio Cardinali, the hermit of Cupramontana.
His choice has ancient roots: it dates back to the 80s, at the height of the baby boomer generation. Fabrizio, 22, was exposed to the movements of the 70s and their call for a more authentic, mystical, and nature-based life. He had just completed his studies in astronomy and decided to follow the teachings of the Buddha. He decided that the consumerist and wasteful society wasn't for him. Seed by seed, he planted the roots of his tribe, founded on a very specific principle, which he readily explains to anyone who interviews him or tries to understand his choice: "People destroy everything, so I founded my tribe."
The beating heart of this community in the Marche hinterland is Fabrizio, 62, born in Falconara Marittima, with a very clear idea of a happy existence and degrowth: Respect for all life forms, no consumption of meat, homegrown, seasonal fruits and vegetables. What's needed is made, recycled, or bartered at local markets, accessible by bike, on foot, or hitchhiking. On the planet Noci Sonanti, even those who seek hospitality reciprocate with their labor. Everyone lends a hand, as there are many tasks to do for food, bathing, and heating: starting with chopping wood, which is essential, especially in winter. Fabrizio lives in the hills with his 13-year-old son Siddharta, and with his help, along with that of the tribe's guests, they produce oil, honey, fruit, vegetables, legumes, grape juice crushed by foot, and stone-ground wheat for bread and cakes. After the earthquake, they decided to continue sleeping in tents, to feel closer to nature.
Siddharta does not go to school, She studies with him for 4-5 hours a day. Homeschooling, you might say. She takes an exam every year to fulfill her compulsory education: she recently passed the sixth grade exam, with excellent grades.
Siddhartha's life, contrary to what it might seem, is a completely normal one: he has frequent contact with other kids in the neighborhood, and, as his father Fabrizio reveals in an interview with Ancona Today, "he's going through a bit of a rebellious phase." For his part, Siddhartha admits in the same interview that he enjoys this life, but that he wishes he could get around by tractor instead of on foot.
The story of this unique family was so well received that two young directors from Tolentino, in the province of Macerata, decided to dedicate a documentary film to Fabrizio and Siddartha, about the Noci Sononti tribe. Fabrizio, the Ancona hermit of the "Noci Sononti": his life becomes a film.
Damiano Giacomelli and Lorenzo Raponi They lived in close proximity with them in the farmhouse on Via Torre for about a year, without filming, getting to know Fabrizio's lifestyle, not judging him, simply observing without a camera. Then, the actual filming began: two months behind the camera, 330 hours of footage to be organized according to a narrative as little mediated as possible by their opinions. From this creative effort the eponymous “Noci Sonanti” was born.
Photo credits: ABC news
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