Lajme flash
"Cyclops Cave" in Himara, between Nolan's film and the car wash
2026-07-19 12:31:00 / IDE
By Auron Tare
The release of the film "Odysseus" by director Christopher Nolan has opened a wide debate on both sides of the Atlantic about one of the most defining works of world literature, Homer's "Odyssey".
In the most popular podcasts, world-renowned researchers and experts have brought interesting and original perspectives on this artistic project based on ancient mythology.
Of course, there has been no shortage of debates in modern Greece, where many voices have opposed the film, arguing that it does not reflect a strong connection to Hellenic culture.
Without wanting to join this debate, which ultimately does not concern me, I can only add one remark: according to many of the most important Homeric scholars, the events of the "Odyssey" are related to the populations of the Late Bronze Age and not to classical Hellenic culture.
It was the ancient Greeks who preserved, transmitted, and spread this extraordinary work throughout the Mediterranean, but the poem itself does not portray the world of classical Greece, it describes a much earlier universe, of pre-Hellenic tribes, as the author himself identifies.
But let's get back to the reason why I am writing today.
In the heated debate about the film, sounds from antiquity, which are so carefully preserved by Albanian artists, have also found a place. Gramsh's fiddles, the fiddle of master Vendim Kapaj, and Albanian polyphony have aroused great interest and constitute an extraordinary artistic discovery in this production.
As the film is being shown in American and European cinemas, it is clear how great the world public's thirst for such stories is. Works of this level not only bring ancient literature and mythology back into the spotlight, but also give space to the sounds that originate from our lands. These are sounds that present Albanian culture on the highest stage of world culture.
It is for this reason that last summer's debate about the Cyclops Cave in Himara came back to mind. A place of importance not only for local tradition, but also for the cultural imagination associated with the Homeric world. To imagine that on our shores there exists a place that, for generations, has been associated with Odysseus, the Cyclops, and Homer himself, is an extraordinary treasure.
No one can claim that the myth of Odysseus belongs to only one country. It is part of the heritage of the entire Mediterranean. But the fact that to this day, in Himara, the toponymy and tradition of the Cyclops' Cave are preserved, gives this place a special value.
It is a bridge that connects our heritage with one of the founding myths of Western civilization and an extraordinary opportunity for the development of cultural tourism.
And what do we do with these rare values? How do we treat them? What can we do better with a place that could be a cultural landmark with international resonance? The answer, unfortunately, is disappointing.
A car wash is being built next to the Cyclops Cave. Instead of building an interpretation space, a cultural itinerary, or a worthy welcome point for visitors, we have chosen to trivialize an asset that many countries would have turned into a national symbol.
Mr. Minister of Culture, Perhaps it is time to understand that cultural heritage is not simply a memory of the past. It is an investment in the future, a source of identity and economic development.
Because a country that does not know how to value its history and myths can hardly make them worth it in the eyes of the world.
No matter how many other "Kenos" come to this country of ours to please the crowds, Albania went to the world's top cinematography halls, fortunately with the sounds of flutes forgotten by official indifference.
Therefore, men, take care of the Himara Cave so that it does not continue to be a car wash that shames us all, even more so today when the Odyssey and Albanian sounds are being seen all over the world.
Po ndodh...
Rama's government no longer has enough Berisha!
Nga Indrit Gjyzeli
ide
top
Wall Street Journal: Gangsteri që ka futur në telashe dhëndrin e Trump me marrëveshjet në Shqipëri
Eliot Brown, Vladimir Karaj
TRENDING 
shërbime
- POLICIA129
- POLICIA RRUGORE126
- URGJENCA112
- ZJARRFIKESJA128