Tabarchino: Genoa to Tunisia to Sardinia

In the sixteenth century, families of coral fishermen left Pegli for the islet of Tabarka, off the Tunisian coast. They stayed two centuries, speaking Genoese. In 1738 part of the community landed on San Pietro island, Sardinia, and founded Carloforte; Calasetta followed in 1770.

Almost three centuries on, Tabarchino is still there: children and adults speak it, schools teach it, a Sardinian regional law protects it. A Ligurian twice transplanted – and today the variety with the liveliest family transmission of all.