The author summarises the different stages of his continuous research on the 5th session of ISTA in Salento (1987) that he began in 1997. The text throws light on the ISTA participants’ group dynamic during the ‘closed’ part of the session, the variety of ‘dialogue- performances’ (barters) with the local population during the ‘open’ part, and quotes several observations by cultural anthropologist Piero Giacchè during his field work which lasted several months.