Ciao, ciao… now the darkness will take you

“Ciao, ciao… now the darkness will take you” this is how Sicilian children were warned about the night. But sleep brings another darkness: dreams, imagination, echoes of death. Outside, the wild, mysterious night calls, promising discoveries and secrets.

The phrase „Ciàu, ciàu… ti pigghia u scuru” (“Ciao, ciao… now the darkness will take you”) was used in Sicily as a warning addressed to children before bedtime. It functioned as a gentle yet unsettling reminder to respect the dangers of the dark.

But isn’t falling asleep itself a descent into an even deeper darkness? While children are sent to bed to avoid the dangers of the night, another darkness opens within — that of dreams, imagination, and perhaps the distant echo of death itself.

Meanwhile, the night outside — the night of wild nature and the deep black sky — remains irresistibly fascinating. Its mystery invites exploration and draws one beyond familiar spaces, encouraging the crossing of boundaries despite potential danger. This tension between caution and irresistible curiosity reflects a broader human impulse: the desire to explore the unknown, even when it means stepping into uncertainty.