It Happened in Gozo 2 - Murder for Money

The story of Salvu ta' Grabiela (grah-bee-lah), poor guy a victim of greed. It happened many years ago. 'Ta' Grah bee lah' was his nickname. Many of the families in Gozo and Malta were more commonly known by their nickname than by their surname. This is part of the folklore of the Maltese Islands and is still in some use to this day. The nicknames sometimes generated from the trade of a particular family like 'Tony of the blacksmith' or 'George of the Sailor'. Other nicknames were derived, strangely enough from colours, 'of the yellow', or 'of the black', others from nationalities such as 'of the Italian', 'of the English', 'of the Russian', 'of the Turk' while others ring with a sense of humour like a nickname of 'Fred the Giant' for a man of very short stature.

This man Salvu (Sal-voo) lived in Victoria, in an open terraced house a few meters down from the city centre. His house like many of the houses in those days had an open central courtyard with rooms opening onto it. He used to frequent a certain wine-shop in the evening after work, where he used to sit for hours with his friends munching peanuts and drinking a glass of Gozo wine or two. This was a common habit among low-class labourers who after dinner made their way to one of these wine taverns to spend time with their friends. Some people even took their food with them wrapped in a piece of cloth to eat in the shop. As we know, wine loosens the tongue and in his happy moods, Salvu used to brag a little bit about how much money he had stashed away. He even carried some gold coins in his belt and it was not the first time that he showed the gold to the men in the shop. Well the sight of gold is a temptation for some and it proved more so in those hard times.

It so happened that one dark night two men planned to rob Salvu. They broke into his house by climbing a low wall and waited for him in an upstairs terrace overlooking the courtyard. When the poor man arrived home somewhat late and a little tipsy, the two men murdered him in cold blood by dropping a stone slab on his head. He was killed instantly and was found in the morning by his neighbour in a pool of blood. Tragic and very sad. Nobody knows how much money the murderers stole. Was it true that he had a hoard of money or was Salvu only bragging about his wealth? One thing is certain, that his murder remained unsolved because the police could not prove anything. Poor Salvu, may God rest his soul in Peace.

It Happened In Gozo 1 - Rape and Murder

The Mysterious Disappearance and Murder of a Young Girl

This is the tragic story I heard many a time in my young days. Her name was Cenca (Chencha), a beautiful girl of 13 who disappeared mysteriously one evening way back in the early 1900's.

Her mother sent her to the grocer on an errand and she never returned home. The general opinion was that she was kidnapped and carried to a house not far from her home where she was murdered. In those days the streets of Victoria were lighted by a few kerosene lanterns which only produced a small circle of light directly beneath them. It was easy for a man to hide in a doorway and remain unseen as long as he wanted. Furthermore the streets were deserted in the evenings since the locals were accustomed to stay in and sleep early so as to wake up with the lark in the morning fresh and ready to attend to their chores at home before going out to work. Life was hard in those days. For many the early morning house chores were related to the few animals they kept at home, like chickens, rabbits and maybe a few goats and sheep and the occasional cow.

The murderer had another factor in his favour. About 80 years ago, the women-folk in Malta and Gozo wore the 'ghonella' (on nel lah) whenever they went out. Also known as a 'faldetta', it was generally made of black satin and was a kind of a veil-cloak garment that covered the body from head to below the knee. It was open at the front but could be kept closed at will. It was very unwieldy especially in a breeze when it acted like a sail. They wore it in the morning and in the evening, when they went to church and to the market and on special occasions such as a wedding or a baptism they wore a more elaborate silk 'ghonella'. The murderer could have deceived Cenca, poor girl by putting on an 'ghonella' to make her think that she was approaching a woman.

The man (many believed it was a man) probably took her by surprise as she passed him, easily overpowered her, covered her mouth and ran to his house with her. What happened there one can only imagine but since her body was never found nothing is certain. However, the man must have killed her in the end and buried her in his own house, maybe in a cellar or behind a wall. Who knows, maybe one day some evidence of her ordeal would be uncovered and the tragic story of Cenca would be a mystery no more. God rest her soul in Peace.

The police were unable to solve the crime. What drove the man to murder? The motive was not vendetta or revenge since the father and the mother were simple people and had no enemies. It was not for money either, because the parents were poor like most of the other families, so many are of the opinion that the murder was in all probability a sex-driven one. Would it have been avoided if Cenca's mother had not sent her out alone that night? Who knows?

Gozo Carnival 2010

I have produced here some photos shot during one session of the activities organized by the Carnival Committee, the official Carnival so to speak. This year more than the years before we saw a couple of magnificent dancing companies that were in a class of their own. One company was made up of 70 dancers, all women and girls except for 4 male participants. It was clear that they were very well prepared. They executed the longish dance so gracefully, perfectly swinging to the tempo of the well chosen playback music that they received ear-splitting applause from the appreciative spectators. Our congratulations go to the organiser, the choreographer, the designer of the wonderfully coloured and original costumes and last but not least to the graceful dancers themselves. Well done!!

ThePhotos of the spectacular dance company executing their splendid dance were taken at Victoria, Gozo on Tuesday evening, the last day of Carnival 2010.

Very different from the organized Carnival parade is the spontaneous Carnival at Nadur, Gozo. The pictures were taken on Carnival Monday night at 11 o'clock. The weather was perfect, a little cold perhaps but there was no wind or rain. There were quite a few spectators who came to Nadur for the occasion. Some people even crossed over from Malta to enjoy this bizarre spectacle. Many folks put on some old clothes grab a stick or unbrella or anything that comes to hand put on a mask and step outside to parade. The more bizarre the outfit the more attention it draws from the onlookers and from the people taking photos. It was not raining but these guys even managed to make some rain fall on their unbrellas. Some of them improvise and invent things and are really funny while others put on such ugly masks that they make some of the onlookers nervous to say nothing of frightening the children. Well anyway, I do not think that the Nadur Carnival is the ideal place for small children.

Playing with Hoops

Back in the late 1950's there were not too many cars in the streets of Victoria, Gozo. In fact I remember the time when only the doctor had one, brown and shiny (if my memory serves me well). I remember this car only too well because one evening I had a narrow escape when he almost hit me when rounding a corner at some speed. At about 4.30 pm I was on my way to the Oratory a sort of Catholic Youth Club and as I rounded the curb, there he was missing me by inches.

We played simple games, almost always in company with other boys, running around barefoot most of the time. We wore shorts in those days supported by braces. The braces were part of the trousers made of the same cloth and attached at the back to the waist. We wore them crossed at the back and buttoned them in front. Young boys used to wear short pants above knee length up to age 12 or 13 and then as we came into our teens we changed over to long trousers. At first we were a little shy to appear in public in long trousers, but eventually we got used to them.

In the quick sketch above the 3 boys are seen playing with hoops. We used to drive them or control them with a wooden stick with a bit of bent wire attached to its end. We ran races and became quite experts swerving and rounding corners. The hoops were sometimes of thick solid iron about 12 inches diameter and sometimes less and were probably part of the hub of a large cartwheel. At other times the hoop was made of sheet-metal like tin or zinc and these came perhaps from broken wine casks or were discarded by the coopers.

In the old days, children had much more fun. The games were more enjoyable since children played together, competed, shouted and screamed and learned to live with each other. They played in the open air and spent their energy in a healthy manner unlike the children of today who spend hours on end huddled over a computer keyboard.

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Note: Hoops are used by a cooper (a skilled tradesman who makes casks) to hold the numerous staves of a cask pressed tightly together.

New Luxury Townhouse in Victoria, Gozo up for Rent. Long and Short Lets. See Video below. 3-storey house with 2/3 bedrooms, large internal yard, basement and well, 4 terraces, etc. Built to high standards and designer finished. Sleeps 8 people easily. It is situated in the city core in the vicinity of St. George's Square and the market. Parking is no problem and is right outside the house or a few paces away in St. Augustine Square. A good question to pose here is whether one even needs a car in this neighbourhood.

Currently the house is unfurnished, except for a modern fully-equipped kitchen. However new modern furniture is to be installed shortly. Prospective tenants opting for long lets can also choose to bring in their own furniture.

View more videos about Malta and Gozo here:


Victoria TownHouse Video

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Victoria is the capital of the Island of Gozo. Also known as Rabat, the name Victoria was given to the town in 1887 in honour of the famous British Queen on her Golden Jubilee celebrations. On that day the town was also raised to the status of a city and became then officially called Citta' Vittoria. Victoria embraces the ancient Citadel and the old city of Rabat which means the suburb in Arabic. This name Rabbatum was first documented in 1455 in a notorial deed of Andrea de Beniamin.

The Citadel is undoubtedly of the greatest historical interest, a fortified town built by the Arabs and a visit here is a must. The fortifications house the Gozo Cathedral, the Law Courts, the Cathedral Museum, the Museum of Archaeology, the Folklore Museum, the Citadel Armoury, the Old Prisons and the Natural Science Museum. From the ramparts one enjoys a superb view of the whole island and as far as Malta.

The city centre, Pjazza Indipendenza commonly known as It-Tokk is dominated by the Banca Giuratale formerly the seat of the municipal Government of Gozo built in the years of our Lord 1733 and 1738. Close to this central square is the Market and a number of shops, restaurants and cafes where visitors to the town can have a snack and a coffee while relaxing in the shade.

Gozo, La Destination Ideale Pour S'installer

(Escusez le francais elementaire, s'il vous plait)

Pourquoi est Gozo idéal pour un courte férié d'hiver ou même le meilleur endroit pour y s'installer ? La Malte, Gozo et Comino se forment l'Archipel maltais a situé directement dans le centre de la Méditerranée, soixante miles navals au-dessous de l'orteil de Sicile.

La Malte est le plus petit membre de l'Union Européenne tant pour la grandeur que la population et il y a beaucoup de personnes dans le monde qui n'en ont jamais encore entendu. La Malte et Gozo n'ont pas de ressources minérales, dans le sens strict du mot, comme le gaz, le pétrole et le minerai de fer, pas même assez d'eau.

Quand les Chevaliers de S. John (bénissent leurs âmes) est d'abord arrivé en Malte dans les années 1530 c'était leur première conclusion décevante, aucune eau. Pourtant, le fait d'avoir nul autre choix ils ont fait la Malte et Gozo leur maison et nous ont quittés leur culture et un héritage riche de bâtiments baroques, églises et auberges.

La nature n'a pas pourtant quitté notre nation complètement indigente de ressources. A’ Malte nous avons une main-d'oeuvre flexible, notre environnement naturel qui inclut la campagne, la mer et le littoral et avant tout notre climat, Méditerranée typique avec ses étés chauds longs et hivers courts légers. Le climat maltais est un capital de valeur effectivement qui si exploité ne d'une manière experte devrait contribuer d'aucune petite façon à l'économie d'Îles.

Je continue à me demander pourquoi nous n'avons pas beaucoup plus de visiteurs d'hiver de nos Îles. L'hiver en Malte n'est pas cruel du tout, pas vraiment froid. Les températures vont rarement au-dessous de 17 ou 16 degrés. Les jours plevieux sont peu et rare. En général juste mettant un chandail est assez pour garder chaud. Nous avons beaucoup de jours de soleil toute l'année autour quand le soleil est vraiment chaud et l'accueil. Et ce qui est plus plaisant qu'un jour ensoleillé beau sous un ciel bleu avec juste une brise fraîche en novembre ou décembre ou même en janvier et février qui doivent être nos mois de chute de pluie principaux. Le temps excellent pour aller pour un marche a la campagne ou va biking le long des petites routes de pays.

Et Gozo est spécial, la plus petite Île de soeur de la Malte juste 8 kilomètres de distance par le Bac. C'est cette petite étendue de mer qui donne son attrait à Gozo et son caractère spécial. C'est plus robuste que la Malte, plus verte et plus primitive sous certains aspects - - comme vous arrivent en voiture dans un des plus petits villages à 8.30 le matin et vous ne voyez pas celui vivre l'âme dans l'opposé carré principal l'église de paroisse. Pas un son n'importe où. Et cela un jour parfait, non pluvieux ou venteux du tout. Où d'autre dans le monde vous peut s'attendre toujours trouver de tels environs pacifiques et silencieux!

Aussitôt que l'on met les pieds sur Gozo, on est immédiatement conscient de la gentillesse des habitants. Quelqu'un peut vous le dire. L'atmosphère propre qui prévaut et l'air vivifiant frais doivent devoir tout d'abord à l'absence complète de fumer des cheminées d'usine et deuxièmement à la petite grandeur de l'île. Gozo est seulement 9 miles par 5 et une brise faible peut balayer l'île d'un bout à l'autre ainsi dégager l'atmosphère et renouveler constamment l'écoulement d'air.

À mon opinion, les conditions météorologiques excellentes d'hiver ensemble avec l'atmosphère vivifiante fraîche entourant l'île, font Gozo la destination idéale pour ces personnes du troisième âge qui préféreraient qu'un long s'absente à partir des hivers amers froids d'Europe septentrionale et pour beaucoup d'autres qui rêvent d'un séjour dans les environs pacifiques et silencieux.

More Ancient History

Phoenician History & Culture

Between the period of 1200 B.C. and 900 B.C. there was no major military power in Mesopotamia. Therefore smaller states like Phoenicia and the Hebrew kingdom were able to prosper. These kingdoms especially the Phoenicians started to trade throughout the Mediterranean region.
Phoenicia is the Greek name for the country and people living on the coast of Syria in ancient times at the east end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is believed that economic opportunity and population pressures forced them out into the seas. The Phoenicians colonized many areas
along the Mediterranean Sea. Areas where their colonies have been found are Sardinia, Cyprus, Malta and Carthage, the most important and lasting colony. They were superior by far to all the peoples of that time in seamanship.

Legend has it that an Egyptian pharaoh hired a band of Phoenicians to map and circumnavigate the coast of Africa. They are best remembered for their contributions in the establishment to trade with the many peoples living along the Mediterranean Coast line. The Greeks received their alphabet from them between the 15th and the 10th century B.C. The shape and make of the Maltese Luzzu is said to have been coming down from the time of the Phoenicians and the same can be said of the wooden boat-building craftsmanship still practiced today. Other antiquities attributed to the Phoenicians include carved ivories to be used in furniture, metalwork, and especially glassware.

Tyre was the major region for the purple dye industry, which probably began as early as the 18th century B.C. The dye was carefully extracted, a few drops at a time from the murex, a shell-fish found in the waters of Tyre and Sidon. The process used to extract the fluid was so difficult and so expensive that only the rich could afford to buy the dyed fabric. It is because of this Phoenician fabric that we still use the expression "born in the purple" to mean one who is born rich.
The Mediterranean Sea allowed the Phoenicians to wander, to explore, and to discover. It was their link to a world that awaited their skill and their art. These fine merchants brought their dye, fabric, ceramics, glass, metals, wine, crops, and oil from port to port. They became the world's finest maritime nation. The Phoenicians were not only adventurous merchants but expert sailors and navigators as well. They colonized parts of Cyprus, Rhodes, and the Aegean Islands. Phoenician sailors journeyed east to the Black Sea and west to places such as Corinth, Thebes, Sardinia, Palermo, Marseille, Corsica, and Malta. They were known to have gone as far as Gibraltar and Cadiz in Spain. By about 1000 B.C., they had finally reached the Atlantic Ocean. The Greeks were influenced in their navigation by the Phoenicians, who taught them to sail by the North star. The Greeks have designs on their ships similar to those from Phoenician models.