Paper short abstract:

The paper explores the multiple levels of meaning of Sa Murra Game in Sardinia, experiencing renewed interest and diffusion. It's a traditional game, fast and competitive. We present a cross-disciplinary research on the anthropological, bio-physiological and cognitive processes it activates

Paper long abstract:

Sa Murra is an ancient hand game still very popular in rural Sardinia, Italy. The game is fast, highly competitive, and currently it is considered by many Sardinians as a part of their core traditions and identity. This paper presents an ethnographic reflection on a cross-disciplinary research connecting cognitive neuroscience and humanities.

Formerly played by inland shepherds, therefore mostly by men, sa Murra has been often stigmatized because of its connection with “balentia”, a traditional form of bravado that can sometimes assume aggressive manifestations. Sa Murra was labelled as illegal gambling and prohibited by law for centuries. Nowadays, we see a rediscovery and a sort of rehabilitation of the game. For example, we assist to the blossoming of cultural associations and Murra tournaments in public events and more involvement of female players. It seems that sa Murra is progressively losing its stigma of an uncouth game to become a way to promote local communities and face-to-face encounters in a world of dis-embodied globalized relationships. Sa Murra fosters Sardinia’s identity by renewing agropastoral traditions from the rural internal zones often presented as the “true Sardinia” and the affirmation of an independent culture emerging from a post-colonial context. 

Our research is conducted in collaboration with local communities and cultural associations, who recognize the value of exploring the psychophysiological and cognitive processes involved in the game. Indeed, the fast fetaures of Sa Murra makes it an ideal testbench for the study of decision making, working memory, development of mathematical skills and artificial intelligence.