Episode Eight: BREAD The Wells of Tanit

If we go in search of the original bread of Ibiza, what will we find along the way? No doubt, following the trail of flour, water and masa madre will lead us back to the authentic, ancient culture of the island and tell us about the profound relationship the Ibicenco people had with their land and their soil until the arrival of mass tourism about fifty years ago.

Join me today at the Font d'Atzaró spring, a hidden gem deep in the countryside of San Carles, North East Ibiza, where we explore that humble, universally-recognised food staple of bread as a symbol of sustenance, community, fertility... and man's timeless relationship with the cycles of nature, of life and death.

Travelling backwards we voyage from the loaf to the wheat-sheaf to the seed, visiting the traditional Ibicencan restaurant Es Pins, in San Lorenzo, which has been serving its local community with bread baked in a wood-fired oven since the 1970's. From there we explore the mysteries and sacred nature of Ibiza's circular threshing floors, where the island's farmers would separate their wheat grains from the husks at harvest time. Finally, we head south to the Finca Ecologica Can Puvil, where I talk to Ibicencan farmer Marina Cardona about her passion for conserving, and reviving, Ibiza's most ancient wheat, the 'xeixa' grain. This conversation continues a theme first raised in The Gang of Witches Ibiza podcast about Ibizan female farmers and seed sovereignty, 'The Rise of the Rural Women' (link below).
 
With a humble loaf in our hands, we are searching for clues to the origin and roots of Ibiza's rich, complex and many-layered culture and, as always, it reveals itself to us in unexpected ways. Come with me again to the ancient life source of Eivissa... to the Wells of Tanit... I hope you enjoy the adventure.

Mentioned/featuring in this episode:
- 'When I was Furthest from Water' poetry-photography book by Joanna Hruby and Michaela Meadow, published by Hedgespoken Press (https://hedgespokenpress.com/)
- 'De Cuando el Pan era Sagrado en Ibiza' (When Bread was Sacred on Ibiza…” Miguel Angel Gonzalez, Dec 2020, Diario de Ibiza
- Es Pins restaurant, San Lorenzo, Ibiza (https://www.ibiza5sentidos.es/restaurantes/es-pins/)
- Voice over for the Es Pins interview with Kati is provided by Karen Killeen, actress, activist and founder of Exctinction Rebellion Ibiza
- 'De la Siega y la Trilla', Miguel Angel González, July 2016, Diario de Ibiza
 - Bread and Puppet Theater, Vermont, USA (breadandpuppet.org)
- Finca Ecologica Can Puvil, San Jose, Ibiza (https://ibizaproduce.org/can-puvil/)
- Jo Youle of Reset Rebel Productions's original interview with Marina Cardona of Can Puvil in 'The Rise of the Rural Women' for the Gang of Witches podcast: https://podcast.ausha.co/gang-of-witches-ibiza-podcast/2-the-rise-of-the-rural-women
- Voice over for Marina Cardona provided by actress Ali Gray (find her new podcast project on Instagram at @offmytitspodcast)
- Featured in this episode are audio clips of the 'xacoters' of Sa Torre des Puig d'en Valls performing the 'Caramelles de Pascua', an ancient ibizan chanting tradition performed in the island's churches every Easter.

Written, presented and edited by Joanna Hruby, artist, puppeteer and founder of Theatre of the Ancients(www.theatreoftheancients.com)
Theme music: 'De Jo Et Vas Despediguent' by Uc (released by Produccions Blau, Mallorca)

Instagram: @wellsoftanit
Facebook: The Wells of Tanit

If you appreciate this podcast please leave us a review on Itunes as this helps the podcast reach a wider audience.