«Fortezza Europa». Ernesto de Martino e il mal d’Occidente

The relationship between the «presence» and the world is the linchpin of De Martino’s thought. He calls the man «Atlas», since he must support the vault of the heavens with the techniques offered by culture. This is the idea behind his research and its main characters: from the shaman, described as a «psychotherapist» and a «magical Christ» (1948), to the mythic-ritual devices observed during the dive into the magical South. The shaman is a Titan, placed at the beginning of history as its founder. In the 1960s, however, tarantism and ritual lamentation will be considered as anachronisms and wrecks. The direction to follow is now indicated by the «ethos del trascendimento». The late De Martino opposes to relativism a ‘critical ethnocentrism’: European civilization is sick. But it is precisely Europe that is ultimately entrusted with the task of redemption. The ‘West Blues’ of the title thus has a double meaning. On the one hand, it is the crisis of Europe. On the other hand, it is the nostalgia for a home in danger of collapsing. De Martino refers to it with a strong expression, taken from the lexicon of war, and historically not neutral: «Fortress Europe».