The sound of memory

This artwork represents a traditional mortar and pestle, an everyday object that carries deep cultural meaning. More than a kitchen tool, it symbolizes family, women's knowledge, community, and the transmission of traditions across generations. The sound of the pestle striking the mortar evokes memories of home, shared stories, and the resilience of women who keep cultural heritage alive through daily practices.

STORIES FROM ITALY

6/24/20261 min read

I chose to create a mortar and pestle.

When the teacher gave us the modeling clay, many people started making houses, trees, or animals. I closed my eyes for a moment and thought about the sound I miss the most. Not a song. Not a voice. A rhythm.

So my hands began to shape a round, sturdy mortar and a long pestle, worn smooth by the imagination of all the hands that had used it before me. I painted them bright orange; the color of the sun setting over red earth, the color of the fabrics women wore during celebrations, the color of the fire that lit up the courtyards in the evening.

When I was asked to associate a sound with my creation, I did not hesitate.

Tok... tok... tok-tok... tok...

The sound of the pestle striking the bottom of the mortar.

For some people, it is only a noise. For me, it is a memory.

As a child, I would wake up before sunrise. Still half asleep, I could hear that rhythm coming from the courtyard. It was my mother. Sometimes it was my grandmother. Other times it was the neighboring women. Each had her own way of pounding millet, spices, or yam, yet they all filled the air with the same music.

Tok... tok... tok-tok...

That sound told me the day had begun. It told me that someone was taking care of the family. That food would soon be on the table. That I was not alone.

HERS

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

Contact

hers@odyssea.com