THE WOMAN AT THE END
A gallop through the night to bring death: this was the femina agabbadora, the consoler of the dying in Oallura. The woman would race through the country roads and along seaside paths like a shadow in the night to arrive at the house where someone was dying and give them a sharp tap on the head with the hammer to prevent them from suffering any further - a type of ancient euthanasia. The women were called out by the family of the dying and tolerated by the authorities and by the Church but largely ignored and removed from Gallura history and tradition. Here we find the last remaining mazzolu, the famous hammer of the femina agabbadora. Pier Giacomo Pala, creator and owner of the museum, found it in a sheep pen. It’s made from olive wood and is 42cm long and 24 cm wide with a handle which is designed to give a precise aim. Up until the fìrst half of the twentieth century these women would help the sick avoid a long and painful descent into death and they still hold a grizzly fascination for us. There are also other items on display which are connected with ibis practice. One such item is the su jualeddhu, a little wooden yoke which was placed under the dying person's pillow to symbolise the end of a life. A yoke which was detached from the oxen (the source of strength which pulled the cart and the plough) represented the body of the sick person which was bereft of energy. Franco Fresi, an expert in Gallura traditions, met the ultra-centenarìan grandson of a woman who had helped some sick people to die and who had observed this form of euthanasia taking place. He explained that, whilst it may seem terribly inhumane, it should be remembered that these people were often isolated with several days journey on horseback needed to get to the nearest doctor. These women helped many avoid unnecessary suffering and it was particularly significant that it was always a woman who undertook this role. The femina agabbadòra would always leave without asking for any recompense but accompanied by the gratitude of the family of the deceased. |
FEMINA AGABBADORA 
