An 'Elsewhere' Exists

Mysterious words

Once you enter the Valle dei Mòcheni, you will hear words and sounds that come from afar. 

If you know German, greetings such as Guatmorng and Gèltsgott, or small talk, will sound somewhat familiar. 

Some words are the result of contamination over time between the ancient Bavarian German language, Italian, and the Trentino dialect. 

During his time in the Valle dei Mòcheni, Austrian author Robert Musil was so impressed by the Mòcheni language that he considered its words, some of which he found mysterious and magical, to be a gateway to another world.  

Living the forest

Lem der bòlt means 'living the forest'.  

The Mòcheni people have always lived in close contact with the woods. They foraged for mushrooms, went hunting and took walks to reach the mountain peaks, as well as collecting wood.  

The woods also provided the roofing – s dòch – of the maso – heff – made of sturdy larch shingles – de schintln – cut straight and knot-free, and fixed with beams and stones to prevent them from being blown away by wind and snow. The 'dalmedre' shoes - kospm - were also made of wood with larch or spruce soles, with hobnails to help them grip ice and grassy slopes. 

A giving place

The forest has always been and continues to be a giving place, a lived-in space, capable of regenerating itself and providing man with vital materials. These materials are still evident in the dwellings of yesteryear — the masi, that preserve the region's traditional rural architecture.

Here in the Valle dei Mòcheni, details still reveal the community's profound connection to the forest. They tell of industriousness and imagination, and of a language that preserves the memory of those who, centuries ago, found their own 'elsewhere' in these mountains.