The traces of journeys and migrants’ perspectives: The knots of memory and the unravelled plans

Abstract

The migration choices generate uncertain borders. The death’s journeys to arrive in Lampedusa tell us about violated space, itineraries of trampled life and hopes laid in the sea. The places of migration become life stories crossing unforeseen routes and leave humanity traces made of screams, silence, tears and hugs that exceed the cruel night of trafficking in migrants who are welcomed in the suburbs of the reception centres. The sea stories become stories of land lost in the tangles of an underground immigration. We cannot remain silent in front of these tragedies and we need an intercultural approach based on acceptance, confidence, reciprocity, solidarity and proximity in micro contexts, compared with the macro dynamics of power and conflict with which we have to deal.