Senior Times (November 2018) by Times of Malta

SENIOR TIMES NOVEMBER 2018

Malta’s monthly newspaper for the elderly

SENA MiliEd Iż-żmien biex tarma l-presepju wasal, tgħid Ramona Portelli. SEE PAGES 4 & 5

il-qAddiSiN! Il-qaddisin qegħdin hemm biss għall-festi, isaqsi Dun Jonathan Farrugia. SEE PAGE 8

The thrill of the kiln

ThE MAgNificENT SEvEN

SEE PAGE 6

SEE PAGES 20 & 21

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

EDITOR’S WELCOME

IN THIS ISSUE

Finding inspiration

esign is form and function. Art, on the other hand, is form, simmered in time, spiced with visions, basted with humanity, and leavened with a yearning for the divine. Art is a reflection of nature, of universal and personal truths, of the comfort of a few answers and the uncertainty of so many questions – presented in layers of intertextuality, references and history. Art reflects art itself. There is a beautiful passage in Anthony Doerr’s Four Seasons in Rome, when he turns a tight, motorinipeppered corner in the Eternal City and is met with the sight of the gargantuan Fontana dell’Acqua Paola, known as the Fontanone. “The travertine seems almost to glow; it is as if lights have been implanted inside the stone,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning author writes. There is a double layer of beauty here: that of the fountain itself which, built in 1612, would later inspire the architecture of the Trevi Fountain; and Doerr’s marvellous craftsmanship in using words to convey his loss of words as he stands before the Fontanone. In this issue of Senior Times, Ramona Portelli interviews Mark Scerri, who spends most of the year building his crib. This is a passion he has nursed since he was a boy and developed into a personal art, which he showcases for everyone. Kristina Cassar Dowling visits Villa Bologna in Attard, where the tradition of local ceramics is kept alive through the time, thought and effort invested by Ċeramika’s resident ceramicists, who take raw clay and transform it into elegant forms of local culture. The beauty of art is also in its rarity. Not everyone is – or can be – an artist. Yet everyone can admire and draw inspiration from art.

Stanley

SENIOR TIMES

4. Milied is-sena kollha Il-Milied fadallu ftit. Iżda għal min għandu n-namra għallpresepju, bħal Mark Scerri, iż-żmien biex tarma ilu li wasal, tgħid Ramona Portelli.

NOVEMBER 2018

6. The thrill of the kiln

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Stanley Borg E-mail: seniortimes @timesofmalta.com

Villa Bologna is home to a creative team of ceramicists, artists and artisans who devote their time to the fine craftsmanship of traditional ceramic work. Kristina Cassar Dowling speaks to Lara Camilleri Bunting about the laborious work that goes into keeping local traditions alive.

CONTRIBUTORS Carmel Baldacchino Tonio Bonello Kristina Cassar Dowling Dun Jonathan Farrugia Louis Gatt Ramona Portelli Fiona Vella

8. F’ġieħ il-qaddisin! Il-qaddisin qegħdin hemm biss biex nagħmlu l-festi u nixxalaw u niftaħru, isaqsi Dun Jonathan Farrugia.

9. Franġisku: Aħjar tard milli qatt Id-dinja kollha milquta mill-kariżma eċċezzjonali ta’ Papa Franġisku, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

PUBLISHERS Allied Newspapers Limited Triq L-Intornjatur, Mrieħel BKR 3000 www.timesofmalta.com DESIGN Christian Busuttil SALES & SUBSCRIPTIONS Marion Muscat Tel: 2276 4331 E-mail: marion.muscat @timesofmalta.com © 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publishers is prohibited.

10. Picture perfect You will wish you were here with these historic Maltese postcards. Senior Times and Bay Retro pay postage to history.

14. Gone but not forgotten The Addolorata cemetery brought a change in local burial customs, says Fiona Vella.

16. L-Antikrist Mattew Silta mir-rumanz ġdid ta’ Tony C. Cutajar.

17. Oh no he isn’t… Oh yes he is Louis Gatt listens to the first panto laughter in Malta.

18. The classic match of Mtarfa A great game between St George’s and Floriana attracted thousands and fired up the Maltese imagination, says Carmel Baldacchino.

20. The magnificent seven Jesmond Zahra’s 1934 Austin Seven is not his only automotive passion, Joe Busuttil from the Old Motors Club says.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMBER 2018

NEWS

A stronger and sustainable welfare system

ur elderly have worked hard, not just for themselves and their families, but also for our country. They have shaped and moulded our nation into a stronger EU nation. We owe respect and dignity to all those who worked hard to build this Republic. To the parents who gave priority to their children, many times sacrificing their own needs. To those who, today, are our senior citizens. It is the country’s duty to ensure that each and every elderly person lives with dignity and has a good quality of life. A duty which this Government is fulfilling through the work of the Parliamentary Secretariat for Persons with Disability and Active Ageing. Looking back on 2018, so many initiatives have been held for the benefit of community services. A few highlights include the initiation of a dialogue on the sexuality of the elderly, new digital technology classes – also held in residential homes – and the launch of Silver T, a new transport concept using three-wheel vehicles to

encourage the participation of the elderly in the community. But this Government is also forward-looking. Malta Budget 2019 is a true example of how the successes of the economic growth is being distributed amongst different social groups, including the elderly. The budget allocated for the Department of Active Ageing and Community Care – dedicated for community services and residential homes for the elderly – is of €79 million, and another €65 million being dedicated to the long-term care facility St Vincent De Paul. With such investment, 2019 will witness the start of a new pilot project whereby Active Ageing Centres will also be better utilised and transformed into night shelters, the extension of the Silver T service to other localities and the fourth time increase in the elderly pensions. A forward-looking Maltese Government is driven to bring about a stronger and sustainable welfare system; a more inclusive and supportive society; and an entrenched active ageing community – aimed to enhance the lives of our citizens.

PHOTOS: CHRIS SANT FOURNIER

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018

PRESEPJI

MILIED

is-sena kollha

Il-Milied fadallu ftit. Iżda għal min għandu n-namra għall-presepju, bħal Mark Scerri, iż-żmien biex tarma ilu li wasal, tgħid Ramona Portelli.

l-presepju ħafna jassoċjawh ma’ San Franġisk t’Assisi (qrib is-sena 1223) li fil-verita kien dak li xprunah, pero ħafna snin qabel kien diġa hawn ‘pasturi’ tal-irħam li għadhom jeżistu llum ġewwa Ruma. Hawn Malta ngawdu minn tradizzjoni qawwija tal-presepju, fejn insemmu wkoll limbuttatura qawwija li kien tana San Ġorġ Preca meta kien għamel il-purċissjoni tal-Bambin u kien iqassam grotta lil kull membru tal-Museum. Sirt naf bi presepist żagħżugħ li għal dawn l-aħħar snin ilu jarma presepju ta’ kull sena fit-tieqa tad-dar tiegħu. Qed nirreferi għal Mark Scerri. Tkellimt miegħu sabiex insir naf aktar dwar din in-

namra speċjali li għandu lejn il-presepji. Għandu 38 sena, minn Birkirkara u missier ta’ żewġt t-tfal. Jaħdem bħala accounts administrator f ’kumpanija talavvjazzjoni, jħobb ovvjament il-presepju, u nvolut fil-festa ta’ Santa Liena f ’Birkirkara, kif ukoll iħobb il-futbol, mixi u qari. Jiddeskrivi lilu nnifsu bħala persuna soċjevoli, iħobb ħafna ilkwiet u n-natura, madanakollu impenjat f’ħafna kumitati, dilettant u kritiku tal-arti sagra, jqatta ħafna ħin matul is-sena kollha jaħdem il-presepju u jħobb l-istaġuni tas-sena kollha bid-diversita li ġġib magħhom. Ta’ min jgħid li Scerri involva ruħu bl-ewwel forma ta’ presepju meta kien għadu tifel ta’ madwar tmien snin.

Propjament meta kienu jmorru fis-Sajf jgħinu lissuperjur tal-Museum. “Minn hemm bdiet innamra u dejjem rajt li żvillupajtha. Niftakarni nitlob lil missieri jixtrili sett pasturi li kienu jiswew il-flus u kien ikkuntentani. Minn dakinhar niftakarni aktar rbatt il-presepju għal qalbi u bqajt kull sena nżid u nmur nitgħallem. M’hemmx xi ngħidu dawn il-pasturi għadhom għandi,” beda jgħidli Scerri. Mistoqsi x’ħajjru eżattament jibda jaħdem il-presepji u x’ressqu li jibda jippreżenthom għall-pubbliku, Scerri stqarr miegħi li n-namra għallpresepju hija xi ħaġa naturali għalih, kif ukoll jaħseb li mażżmien baqa jistaqsi lilu nnifsu

kif fil-kobor ta’ Alla ċċekken u sar Tarbija għalina. “Norbot dan mal-fatt li n-natura taffaxxinani u ttini ċertu kalma. Kull arti fiha l-element tagħha. Lili jaffaxinani l-presepju. Nippreżenthom għall-pubbliku mhux bi ftaħir, imma sabiex tassew filMilied naqsam ma’ kulħadd ilpreżenza ta’ Ġesu Bambin li huwa l-vera raġuni. Nemmen li meta tippreżenta biċċa xogħol tajba din tolqot l-għajn anke ta’ dawk li ma jkunx jinteresshom is-suġġett.” Kollox beda bil-ħila tiegħu waħdu, billi josserva n-natura u jipprova jirreplikaha. Ridt inkun naf minn fejn akkwista ssengħa li jagħmel presepji. Filfatt kif kien diġa spjegali qabel kollox beda bil-ħila tiegħu waħdu, billi josserva n-natura. “Matul is-snin attendejt korsijiet Malta u l-Italja ma’ presepisti ta’ fama mondjali bħal Antonio Pigozzi, Claudio Mattei, Francesco Farano, Antonio Floris u oħrajn. Ovvjament dejjem tapplika s-sistema tiegħek u tipperfezzjona minn sena għal oħra. Li tesperimenta huwa essenzjali biex dejjem tipperfezzjona xxogħol,” tbissem jgħidli.

Ma jemminx li hawn presepju li jista jkun aħjar jew agħar minn ta’ ħaddieħor

Miegħu ddiskutejt ukoll dwar il-qisien li normalment jaħdem presepju, u jekk ta’ din is-sena hux jiġi maħdum bl-istess qisien, jew akbar. Filfatt ikkonferma miegħi li l-problema dejjem tkun l-spazju. “Il-presepju tiegħi jkun armat ġewwa t-tieqa tad-dar tiegħi ġewwa l-pjazza ta’ Santa Liena Birkirkara u għalhekk l-spazju huwa li hu. Pero matul is-sena naħdem diversi presepji ta’ qisien differenti lil xi ħbieb tiegħi, dejjem oriġinali u fuq stil Bibbliku.” Komplejt billi staqsejtu wkoll jekk normalment jidħolx għal xi kompetizzjonijiet, jew sempliċiment iħallihx għall-wiri biss. Filfatt skoprejt li ma kienx jidħol fil-kompetizzjoni nazzjonali organiżżata minn Arts Council Malta għas-sempliċi raġuni li ma jemminx li hawn presepju li jista jkun aħjar jew agħar minn ta’ ħaddieħor. “Pero dawn l-aħħar sentejn qed nieħu sehem għaliex tiġi ppublikata lista ta’ fejn wieħed jista jara l-presepji u allura nkun fil-lista jiena wkoll. Li jkollha ssir biss il-lista nkun aktar kuntent inniżżel ismi,” żvela miegħi. Ta’ min jgħid ukoll li Scerri ħoloq presepji minn kull tip ta’ materjal bħala kartapesta, żrar, xemgħa, foam u materjali oħra, pero l-preferenza tiegħu tibqa l-jablo li huwa materjal artab biex taħdmu, jobdih u jżomm matul is-snin. Din issena filfatt il-presepju li ħadem ukoll maħdum mill-jablo. Konxja mill-fatt li kull presepju jkun differenti minn ieħor, staqsejtu kif normalment isir it-tfassil f ’moħħu ta’

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018

kull presepju ġdid li joħloq – fis-sens il-kmamar u passaġġi. “L-importanti li qabel tibda proġett ġdid jkollok f ’idejk ilpasturi. Dan minħabba l-proporzjon ta’ kif għandu jkun ixxogħol u anke sabiex tfassal il-pożizzjoni li fiha ser tuża dak il-pastur partikolari. Meta jkollok il-qies, it-tfassil isir b’ċertu sengħa li tvarja minn presepist għal ieħor. Hawn min ipenġi jew iħażżeż u hawn min bħali li permezz ta li jaraw għajnejn fin-natura jfassal l-ambjent li jrid joħloq. Dejjem irid ikun raġunat u b’sens. “Eżempju jekk ħa tagħmel passaġġ jrid jkun jinfed ma’ x’imkien u mhux fl-arja u jekk ser tagħmel dar tuża l-proporzjon t-tajjeb. “Importanti wkoll li millbidu taħseb fil-veġitazzjoni għax dan huwa li jagħlaq ilpresepju. Mingħajr veġetazzjoni x-xogħol ma jkunx komplut,” spjegali Scerri. Tkellimt miegħu wkoll dwar it-temi li jħobb jagħti lill-presepji tiegħu. Filfatt it-tema tiegħu tibqa dejjem l-istess, ċioe t-twelid ta’ Ġesu Bambin. Fil-preżent jkollu mal-25 pastur, pero anke permezz ta’ kif tuża d-dwal l-attenzjoni tibqa dejjem fuq Ġesu Bambin. Ridt inkun naf ukoll dwar ilkalkoli tiegħu ta’ spejjez fuq kull presepju. Filfatt l-ewwel reazzjoni tiegħu kienet li kollox spejjez. Fi kliemu l-agħar spiża huma l-pasturi u d-dwal għax il-bqija jablo, ġibs u kuluri ma jiswewx il-mijiet jekk ma jkollokx proġett kbir. “Kull sena nagħmel wieħed ġdid u jintrema ta’ qabel. Problema ta fejn ser terfgħu apparti li hu jkun maħdum mill-faċċata

biss, peress li ser jidher minn quddiem biss. Ħafna jarawha ħasra, pero presepisti bħali filmaġġoranza jifmuna li issa dak għadda u nridu noħolqu xi ħaġa oħra u esperjenza ġdida, bħal ma jsir eżempju mal-karristi tal-karnival jew meta jittella xi dramm partikolari.” Matul din l-intervista, skoprejt ukoll li sabiex jaħdem fuq presepju, jaħdem is-sena kollha u jieqaf ftit f ’Diċembru meta kollox ikun lest u armat. Għandu garaxx għal dan l-skop mgħammar b’kull biċċa għodda li jkollu bżonn għall-ħidma. Presepju jeħodlu siegħat, ġranet, u xhur. “Huwa xogħol metikoluż u trid il-paċenzja biex tirfina x-xogħol.” Ridt inkun naf dwar ilkonkorrenza tan-nies, jekk tattendix bi ħġarha, jew jekk linteress sar jonqos minn sena għal oħra. “L-interess żdied għall-grazzja t’Alla u żdied sew. Ikolli attendenza u kummenti sbieħ ħafna u l-ors tiegħi meta nara t-tfal jinteressaw rwieħhom. Nieħu gost u napprezza wkoll kummenti ta’ nies il-bogħod mill-knisja li pero fihom forsi għadhom jaraw tfulithom fil-presepju, meta d-dinja kienet xorta oħra. Peress li l-presepju jkun armat fit-tieqa tad-dar tiegħu, normalment Scerri jagħmel estenzjoni tat-tieqa minn ġewwa fejn jarma xkaffar apposta biex ifondi. Kollox jinħadem f ’ biċċiet żgħar ilgaraxx sakemm mbagħad għal Novembru jgħaqqad fuq il-post. Żied jgħidli li minn dak li jinnota, hawn ħafna min hu kapaċi anke aktar minnu u hawn ħafna min hu interessat li jitgħallem. Matul is-sena jorganiżża korsijiet hu stess għal min ikun irid ikun jaf aktar ilmetodu tax-xogħol tiegħu blgħajnuna tal-Kunsill Lokali ta’ Birkirkara. B’hekk fl-opinjoni tiegħu t-tradizzjoni qed terġa tieħu ir-ruħ. Peress li huwa missier, immaġinajt li qed jipprova jgħaddi din it-tradizzjoni u sengħa lil uliedu. Filfatt ikkonferma miegħi li t-tifel tiegħu li għandu seba’ snin ukoll jagħmel presepju u jħares il-quddiem jkollu jgħid li ser ikollna presepist ġdid. Minn naħa l-oħra għandu t-tifla li ma taħdimx presepju, pero t-tnejn li huma jafu li eżempju fis-Sajf jekk jaraw ħaxixa niexfa jew xi zokk li jkun waqa għandna jerfawh għall-presepju. “Is-sengħa tgħaddiha, imma n-namra trid tkun fik. Ngħallem t-teknika, imma l-passjoni trid tkun fik”, saħaq miegħi.

Għal dawk interessati li jmorru jżuru l-presepju li ħadem din is-sena Scerri, jistgħu jmorru sa 54, Pjazza Santa Liena Birkirkara, ftit ‘l isfel minn dolċerija fil-viċin. M’hemmx ħinjiet għall-presepju għaliex ikun wara il-ħġieġ miftuħ il-ħin kollu, madankollu jissuġerixxi li l-aħjar għalih ikun filgħaxija meta jkun id-dlam u allura jkun jista jitgawda d-dawl tal-presepju. L-istedina għall-wirja talpresepju ta’ Scerri hija miftuħa għal kulħadd, pero kellu żjajar distinti li ma joqgħodx isemmi għajr waħda partikolari li baqgħet f ’qalbu tal-Eċċellenza tiegħu Mons. Pawlu Cremona Arċisqof Emeritus fejn kienu tkellmu fuq din il-ġrajja tant importatnti għalina l-Insara. Fl-aħħarnett Scerri għadda l-messaġġ tiegħu lill-qarrejja. “Messaġġ sabiex jibqgħu jarmaw il-presepju ġo djarhom, ikun kif ikun. M’hemmx għalfejn tkun professjonali, iżda l-importanti li fost il-ħafna affarijiet materjali ta’ dawn iżżminijiet nsibu wkoll ħin u rokna għal din it-Tarbija. IlMilied it tajjeb u grazzi tal-ħin li qrajtu din l-intervista. Naprezza lil kull min jiġi jarah jew jkun għaddej u jieqaf, mhux għal orgolju, imma għax b’hekk nkun tassew wassalt jiena wkoll il-messaġġ tar-raġuni talMilied,” temm jgħid.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018

CRAFTS

The thrill of the kiln Villa Bologna is home to a creative team of ceramicists, artists and artisans who devote their time to the fine craftsmanship of traditional ceramic work. Kristina Cassar Dowling speaks to Lara Camilleri Bunting about the laborious work that goes into keeping local traditions alive.

ocal practices in the artistic sphere help to keep trade, culture and traditions strong. Villa Bologna, a stately home found in the village core of Attard, was built in the 18th century, as a showcase of lavish baroque architecture, formal gardens and a working ceramics factory. This iconic building once acted as a backup location for the Times of Malta, with its stables appointed to serve as a printing press for the newspaper. This was done in fear of the Valletta base being bombed during the World War II. Lord Strickland’s daughter Mabel Strickland, apart from taking on political responsibilities, also led the national newspaper. Mabel’s sister, Cecilia, took the artistic direction. The 1920s and 30s saw a surge in the creative flair of the palace with the opening of St Mary’s Ceramics Factory – under Cecilia’s guidance. Currently know as Ċeramika, the in-house workshop strives to produce some of Malta’s most-loved pottery. Meeting Lara Camilleri Bunting for an interview on the

ceramic work at Villa Bologna, developed into a tour of the ceramics and painting workshops where artists Aldo Cremona and Ira Perederiy work on their masterpieces. The ground on which Cremona and Perederiy’s works come to life is meticulously set by Camilleri Bunting, one of Ċeramika’s resident ceramicists who takes the raw clay material and elegantly transforms it into a priceless piece of local culture. It all starts with the clay, imported to Malta from Stoke on Trent due to the inconsistency of supplies found locally. Camilleri Bunting stated that in its heyday, Ċeramika had 50 members of staff working on their 1950s designs, producing artefacts that were local and functional. “In previous years the ceramicists used to go out on a boat to source clay, hoping not to overfill the boat in fear of sinking out at sea.” Nostalgia soars through the factory with old posters and moulds scattered around the area. But probably the most valuable treasure within the building is 83-year-old

PHOTOS: MATTHEW MIRABELLI

Cremona, a spectacular artist who endures the toil of the process to continue his trade. Cremona is deaf and dumb and communicates with the other artists in his own form of sign language, seeing as he never learnt the official gestures – but all seems to be working, the result of his artistry is sheer proof. Camilleri Bunting moved on to explain the procedure adopted in creating her pottery. This studio runs like clockwork, with two kilns firing the previous week’s production, allowing Camilleri Bunting to get cracking on a fresh batch. Most of the forms used in the olden days are still around and in use, so depending on stock, Camilleri Bunting pours the prepared liquid clay into plaster moulds to create a structure, such as the popular pineapple lamp. These moulds are left to set and are then sent to the kiln for their first visit – they are then cooled and underglazed with intricate designs and vibrant colours followed by a second firing in the kiln. The baked ceramic pieces are then sanded, tested, priced and taken to the retail section of the estate where locals and tourists alike take their pick of the artefacts on display.

Nostalgia soars through the factory

All the ceramic items on display at the Villa Bologna gift shop are carefully manufactured items that maintain old techniques but are produced using improved equipment – most importantly though, every item is locally made and not a single ceramic item is imported into the studio. This industry in Malta is highly undervalued due to the mass production of ceramics. Camilleri Bunting stressed that there is a huge lack of appreciation for the work, effort and time that goes into every displayed item. Pride in owning local products is overshadowed by the commodity of consumerism, the attraction of low prices and readily-available storebought pottery. Ċeramika artefacts, on the other hand, are individual – for instance, decorative ornaments and other functional items such as candles, soap bowls and lamps can be personalised upon the patron’s instruction. Supporting local produce encourages traditions to live on, gives our local artists a platform in which to create and encourages creativity within the country. Keeping Villa Bologna alive is a local responsibility and turning to local artisans for domestic supplies is the only way of allowing our craft and trade industry to survive. The heritage and cultural worth of establishments such as Villa Bologna are in danger of being lost due to the lack of awareness infused into our modern society. Should artisanal production begin to dissipate, what will remain of local artistry?

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

NEWS

Cognitive stimulation therapy at Jasmine Nursing Home

eniors and elderly patients, especially those in assisted home care facilities, need time for leisure. Leisure time promotes seniors’ well-being as they need mental, social and physical stimulation to stay sharp despite their age. This strategy is also effective in preventing depression-related problems that may arise from a sense of isolation and disconnection from the society. Jasmine Nursing Home has introduced cognitive behaviour therapy which is a highly structured and interactive form of psychotherapy. The patient and therapist work together to identify and achieve concrete goals for the therapy. These goals are established collaboratively and are

designed to reduce the patient’s symptoms and associated suffering. Cognitive behaviour therapy focuses on the interplay among people’s thoughts, feelings and behaviour. It primarily focuses on the here and now, is highly collaborative and aims to identify personalised, time-limited goals and strategies that are put into practice between sessions (‘homework’). There is robust evidence that CBT is an effective first-line strategy for anxiety in general adult populations and for cognitively intact older people. The specific goals that arise in any particular course of therapy are highly individual and are determined by both patient and illness-specific characteristics. For example, the goals for a depressed patient might be to

increase exercise, increase social activities, and reduce negative rumination about past life events. Jasmine Nursing Home is the first to enhance cognitive stimulation therapy wherein activities take place on a weekly basis. Among the therapies are physiotherapy group sessions, old photos therapy, psycho-drama , story listening therapy and dog petting. During their stay at the nursing home, elders can become vulnerable to experiencing lower self-esteem. This is particularly true with elders who used to live an independent life at home. At Jasmine Nursing Home, caregivers and nurses will attend to their every need. Dog petting gives elders the opportunity to have freedom

PHOTO: MARK ZAMMIT CORDINA

and responsibility. Pets can give them more purpose and inspiration. These have become a weekly benchmark at the home. The development of ‘ageless’ mental health services means that an increasing number of carers are now required to work with older people. Cognitive behavioural therapy is recognised by all recent meta-analyses as the most effective therapy, yet few carers are trained specifically in its usage with the elderly, for this reason at Jasmine Nursing Home we are training our staff on how to carry out these therapies. Visits to and from prominent people is also an approach of senior citizens being motivated for something to look forward

to. The residents of Jasmine Nursing Home were visited by His Excellency the Tunisian Ambassador Zyed Bouzouita (where a typical Tunisian meal was cooked by the ambassador’s chef), visited the President of Malta and were also paid a visit by Parliamentary Secretary Julia Farrugia who launched the ‘Adopt a Granny’, scheme where people come and visit senior citizens in the home who have no relatives. The method this home has adapted in these therapies is the KISS method – Keep it simple and slow. For more information visit www.jasminenursinghome.co m.mt and the Jasmine Nursing Home Facebook page.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018

RELIĠJON

F’ġieħ il-qaddisin! Il-qaddisin qegħdin hemm biss biex nagħmlu l-festi u nixxalaw u niftaħru, isaqsi Dun Jonathan Farrugia.

ovembru jiftaħ bittifkira solenni talqaddisin kollha – mhux biss dawk għandhom xi artal bi stampa tagħhom jew dawk li mmorru nċapċpu quddiemhom filfesta, imma dawk kollha li wara li temmew il-vjaġġ tagħhom f ’din il-ħajja marru jingħaqdu ma’ Alla fil-ferħ ta’ dejjem. It-tifkiriet tal-qaddisin nistgħu ngħidu li huma antiki daqs il-Kristjaneżmu nnifsu, għalkemm il-qima lejhom inbidlet ħafna. L-eqdem tifkira li nafu biha – apparti ovvjament it-tradizzjonijiet marbutin mal-appostli – ġejja millbidu tat-tieni seklu. F’kitba mibgħutha mill-komunità Nisranija ta’ Żmirna naqraw ir-rakkont tal-mewt tal-isqof tagħhom, Polikarpu, u kif ta’ kull sena l-insara kienu jinġabru madwar il-qabar tiegħu fl-anniversarju ta’ mewtu biex jaqraw mill-ġdid il-ġrajja u jitolbuh. Din it-tip ta’ ċerimonja saret popolari ħafna wkoll filPunent f ’qasir żmien fejn insibu r-rakkonti ta’ nsara li jinġabru madwar l-oqbra talmartri tagħhom ta’ kull sena jaqraw il-ġrajja tal-mewt vjolenti li ġarrbu u tax-xhieda li taw u jitolbu l-interċessjoni tagħhom biex jieqfu magħhom fil-mument talprova. F’Ruma żviluppat ukoll id-drawwa li l-insara jkunu jridu jindifnu qrib il-qabar ta’ xi qaddis sabiex waqt ilġudizzju universali dawn jidħlu għalihom għax ikunu “ta’ ġewwa”. Jekk nieħdu l-kult tal-qaddisin u ninterpretawh minn lenti letterarja u antropoloġika nistgħu ngħidu li dawn ħadu post l-eroj tal-miti klassiċi. Firreliġjonijiet tal-qedem il-bnedmin kienu jagħtu qima lil oħrajn li għexu verament u li matul ħajjithom għamlu xi ħaġa kbira, tant li kienu jemmnu li wara mewthom

kienu jsiru kważi allat. Erakle u Akille huma fost l-aktar magħrufa fosthom. Huma kienu jagħmluha ta’ intermedjarji bejn l-allat u l-bnedmin u kien għalhekk li l-kult tagħhom kien kbir ħafna. L-istess nistgħu ngħidu għall-qaddisin: spiss aktar (kien) faċli li n-nies jirrikorru lejhom fi bżonnijiethom għax huma kellhom l-esperjenza tal-ħajja u għandhom ukoll aċċess għall-kunfidenzi ma’ Alla. Jekk indawru ħarsitna ftit lejn Malta kważi nistgħu ngħidu li l-qaddisin – b’xi mod jew b’xi ieħor – huma minsuġin fl-istorja ta’ ġensna. San Pawl ġab il-fidi, San Publju baqa’ jmexxina, Sant’Agata u Santa Venera ġew sar-Rabat biex jaħarbu mill-persekuzzjonijiet, San Korradu mar il-Mosta minn Sqallija u mbagħad qasam il-Fliegu fuq il-mantell sal-Qala, ruxxmata qaddisin interċedew għallMaltin kontra t-Torok. Imbagħad nafu b’xi qaddisin eqreb lejn żmienna li żaru pajjiżna: Santa Emilia de Valiar għamlet żmien tgħix il-Birgu f ’dar li llum jgħidu li fiha l-ħares, Santa Tereża ta’ Kolkata ġiet s’hawn ukoll, San Ġwanni Pawlu II ġie darbtejn. Hemm ukoll il-qaddisin Maltin ta’ żmienna San Ġorġ Preca, il-beati Adeodata u Nazju u l-oħrajn li qegħdin fit-triq. Imma jekk inkunu onesti magħna nfusna kemm għadhom jagħmlu effett fil-ħajja tagħna l-qaddisin illum? Ftit snin ilu niftakar kien hemm programm fuq it-televiżjoni fejn ġew intervistati xi nies waqt il-festi tal-parroċċi tagħhom. Persważ li d-diretturi tal-programm għażlu lintervisti li riedu biex ixandruhom, imma niftakar sew li kien hemm numru allarmanti ta’ nies miżbugħin bil-kulur tal-każin tagħhom – mhux li ma marrux għall-quddiesa

Għadu jiswa li nqimu l-qaddisin illum?

Għadni niftakar kumment partikulari ta’ raġel mill-Marsa li qal illi s-Santissima ‘Tirnità’ hija “xi qaddisa kbira ħafna” nhar il-festa ħabba l-marċ – imma li anqas kellhom idea min kienu l-qaddisin li jiċċelebraw u x’għamlu matul ħajjithom. Għadni niftakar kumment partikulari ta’ raġel mill-Marsa li s-Santissima ‘Tirnità’ hija “xi qaddisa kbira ħafna” u wara dik tfejtlu. Sfortunatament lil dawn ilmudelli – li fl-imgħoddi kellhom rwol daqshekk ħaj fil-ħajja ta’ kuljum ta’ missirijietna – illum irriduċejnihom għal statwi li noħorġu fit-toroq kemm-il darba huwa possibbli jekk itina permess l-Isqof biex niftaħru li kellna festi kbar jew pellegrinaġġi f ’ġieħhom. L-idea li nfakkru l-ħajja ta’ persuna bħalna li tat xhieda għal dak li emmnet fih u li l-

‘festa’ hija estensjoni ferrieħa u devota ta’ din it-tifkira llum prattikament qridniha. Biżżejjed niftakru fil-kummiedja li saret fil-Belt f ’April li għadda lejliet li bdew iddiskussjonijiet li wasslu għal liġi immorali li tipperikola ħajjiet umani. Allura għadu jiswa li nqimu l-qaddisin illum? Jekk il-qaddisin qegħdin hemm biss biex nagħmlu l-festi u nixxalaw u niftaħru, mela naħseb li le m’għadux jiswa; nistgħu naqbu u nagħmlu festi daqstant sbieħ u kbar mingħajrhom u ma nużawx maskra reliġjuża biex nagħmlu ċelebrazzjonijiet li ma għandhom xejn x’jaqsmu mal-ħajja li għexu dan-nies u mat-twem-

min li ħaddnu. Jekk millbanda l-oħra dal-persuni għadhom għalina mudelli li minnhom nistgħu nitgħallmu xi ħaġa, mela f ’dak il-każ iva, għad għandhom posthom il-qaddisin f ’ħajjitna. Hemm bżonn ta’ rivalutazzjoni sħiħa fuq x’irridu nemmnu u x’irridu nużaw għad-divertiment biex din ilqima terġa’ tibda tagħmel sens. Persważ li jsir ħafna aktar – anke min-naħa tal-awtoritajiet tal-Knisja f ’Malta – biex dawn l-affarijiet intuhom l-importanza li ħaqqhom u t-tifsira li verament għandhom. Imma dment li kulħadd jibqa’ jieħu li jrid mingħajr xi forma ta’ gwida konkreta, naħseb li fejn aħna se nibqgħu.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

OPiNJONi

Franġisku: Aħjar tard milli qatt Id-dinja kollha milquta mill-kariżma eċċezzjonali ta’ Papa Franġisku, jgħid Tonio Bonello.

har it-Tnejn, 17 ta’ Diċembru, Papa Franġisku se jkun qed jiċċelebra l-eta sabiħa ta’ 82 sena. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, ismu proprju ġej mir-reġjun ta’ Flores, fi Buenos Aires l-Arġentina. Kien maħtur Kardinal 17-il sena ilu, eżattament nhar il-21 ta’ Frar 2001. Beda l-papat tiegħu 12-il sena wara, jiġifieri nhar il-13 ta’ Marzu 2013. Jitqies fil-Knisja Kattolika Rumana bħala d-disa l-ixjeħ Papa li qatt ġie elett meta diġà kien għalaq 76 sena u kważi tlett xhur. L-ewwel Papa ġej mill-Ordni tal-Ġiżwiti, ordni aktarx magħrufa għal reliġjuni intellettwali, b’għarfien kbir u abbiltajiet f ’dik li hi metodoloġija (il-metodu ta’ kif persuna jgħallem persuni oħra). Franġisku hu magħruf għal ħidma ntensa li wettaq tul il-ħajja vokazzjonali tiegħu, kemm meta għex u ħadem f ’art twelidu, pero’ wkoll aktar tard meta sar Kardinal u eventwalment intgħażel bħala l-Papa attwali. Illum, kemm ilu Papa, iddinja kollha saret taf xi jsarraf Papa Franġisku. Id-dinja kollha intlaqtet mill-kariżma eċċezzjonali li dan il-bniedem jipposiedi. L-eposidji, ġrajjiet, waqtiet straordinarji u mill-aktar umanitarji, intimi li dan ilPapa wettaq f ’ħidmietu bħala mexxej tal-Knisja universali huma rekord f ’kull sens ta’ dak li għamel jew seta’ għamel kull Papa ieħor. Aktarx dawk ta’ qablu, aktar iffukati dwar it-tagħlim proprju tal-knisja f ’kuntest testwali, aktar milli forsi fil-prattika ta’ x’inhu permess jagħmel Papa! Ġieli sibnih jiekol mal-fqar. Joħroġ barra tard filgħaxija jara min seta’ jinħtieġ l-għajnuna. Juża vettura mill-aktar komuni bħal bqija tal-popolin. Jitkellem u jikkonsla l-aktar nies imġarrba, f ’xifer ta’ kriżi, fil-mument fejn tassew kienu jinħtieġu dik l-ispalla biex magħha jżommu. U dan kollu, f ’persuna anzjana ta’ 82 sena. Nista’ nikteb kemm irrid kotba dwar Papa Franġisku u ma jkunx biżżejjed biex tiddeskrivi, tiddefinixxi, twassal

Papa Franġisku hu magħruf għall-ħidma ntensa li wettaq tul il-ħajja vokazzjonali tiegħu. RitRatt: ReuteRs

tfiehem id-diversità ta’ abbiltajiet, talenti, intelliġenza, u flistess ħin, umiltà indeskrivibbli, ilkoll jinsabu mwaħħda f ’dan il-karattru uniku li d-dinja qed tgawdi minnu bħalissa. Bla dubju, il-Knisja Kattolika Universali, f ’kull żmien, jista’ jingħad kellha Papiet kbar.

Il-qawwa, is-saħħa morali, il-fibbra lejn is-sewwa

Papiet li bid-deċiżjonijiet li ħadu, b’dak li kitbu, b’dak li għamlu jew b’għemilhom kienu ta’ ispirazzjoni biex ilfidi kattolika setgħet tkompli u tissaħħaħ seklu wara ieħor. Ma ninsewx fis-snin reċenti lfamuż Ġwanni Pawlu t-Tieni (il-vjaġġatur) li kien dikjarat Qaddis proprju ftit snin wara mewtu. L-artiklu tal-lum qed inwasslu b’messaġġ sħiħ. Lewwel, kemm hu dgħajjef ilbniedem, kemm xi drabi jkollu bħal għamad quddiem għajnejh li ma jarafx mill-ewwel b’nies kbar b’daqstant karatteristiċi ta’ mexxejja uniċi, tant li fil-każ ta’ Papa Franġisku, kellu saħansitra jagħlaq l-eta ta’ 76 sena biex ilKardinali kollegi raw fih li dan jista’ jkun il-Papa attwali! Qed inwassal dan l-artiklu, anke f ’kuntest ieħor. Kemm hu aħjar tard milli qatt! Fejn xi ħadd basar li Kardinal ta’ aktar minn 76 sena kellu diġà Alla jagħtina l-grazzja li jservi

diġà għal sitt snin f ’papat li hu meqjus u magħruf xejn anqas minn straordinarju. Tassew, mhux l-eta li tgħodd, iżda l-qawwa, is-saħħa morali, il-fibbra lejn is-sewwa, il-ġustizzja, l-impenn, il-fqir li tista’ tagħmel dik id-differenza kollha. U forsi dan hu l-messaġġ ewlieni li rrid inwassal illum b’dan. Kemm għandna persuni anzjani fostna, anke forsi ġirien tagħna, jew saħansitra jiġu minna li aħna, il-bravi, dawk li ħadd ma jista’ għalina, il-massa, jew il-merħla, ħafna drabi nagħmlu dak li l-Ingliżi jgħidulu, nagħmlu ‘underestimation’ tal-individwu. Fejn mhux talli napprezzawh, mhux tali nippruvaw inressquh lejn pożizzjonijiet ta’ ċerta statura biex ikun ta’ dawl għal ħaddieħor, iżda, anzi bil-kontra. Kemm anzjani, anke f ’dawn il-gżejjer, waslu lejn tmiem ilħajja kważi mejtin bil-ġuħ, imneżża minn kull ħjiel ta’

rispett, ġieħ, unur u aktar, iżda li ħallew din id-dinja għonja fl-ispirtu, fil-kuraġġ, fl-għerf, fl-ambizzjoni, ilkoll imgezza flimkien f ’dawn in-nies kbar, daqstant ieħor tant iżolati u mwarrba, kemm mill-popolin u kif l-istess minn dawk filpoter tan-nazzjon. Ħasra. Ħasra tassew. Allura aħjar tard milli qatt bħal filkaż tal-Papiet Ġwanni Pawlu u Franġisku milli qatt, bħal mijiet – biex ma ngħidx eluf – ta’ anzjani b’għarfien straordinarju li ta’ kuljum iħallu din l-art bla ma d-dinja ippruvat tifhem, tanalizza, tapprezza dawn min kienu. Ħasra tassew. Tonio Bonello hu l-editur media kif ukoll information and communications executive responsabbli mill-corporatewide media and communications fl-Uffiċċju tas-Segretarju Permanenti fi ħdan il-Ministeru għall-Familja, Drittijiet tat-Tfal u Solidarjetà Soċjali.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

PHOTOS

St Paul’s Bay’s pretty postcard past. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

Picture perfect You will wish you were here with these historic Maltese postcards. Senior Times and Bay Retro pay postage to history. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAY RETRO A rare 1930s postcard of the Maltese Islands circulated in Italy. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

A postcard of the Sliema Ferries – with Bonello’s Kiosk on the corner – in 1959 before the pontoon into the sea was removed. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

Xlendi in Gozo is unrecognisable in this early 1970s postcard. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

An early colourised postcard mailed from Malta to Shropshire in 1906 shows Kingsway in Valletta in all its glory. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

A rare postcard from 1903 shows a boy leaning on the fence next to the sea at the Sliema Ferries. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

Families sit in the shade under colourful umbrellas in Paola Square in this 1970s postcard. PHOTO: BAY RETRO A 1935 postcard shows a couple sitting on the wall at St Barbara Bastion overlooking Grand Harbour. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

A beautiful postcard of Xlendi in Gozo from the 1960s. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

A postcard sent from Malta to Scotland in 1906 shows Selmun Palace and St Paul’s Island in stormy weather. PHOTO: BAY RETRO

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEM BER 2018

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 1

33. Bird of prey (5) 34. Begin again (6) 35. Gents’ clothing (8) 36.Irritable (6)

7 8

EASY CROSSWORD

15 17

26 32

23 26

34 35

ACROSS 4. Generous with French wine during a performance (6) 7. Deliver for the festival (8) 8. Name a trio composed by a top journalist (6) 10. Something to do for dinner? (5) 13. To restrain is far different from “refrain” (4) 14. Item of attire in the window? (4) 15. Vessels in battle at Preston (4) 16. Clever, but coming to a grisly end (3) 17. To be frank, there’s nothing to write (4) 19. Can notes be blown out of it? (4) 21. Like a splinter group taking a little holiday somewhere (9) 23. Famous show with new cast (4) 24. Fish for £1 to no good end (4) 26.To start the year, something amusing (3) 27. At the time, the capital of Norway (4) 29.Certain days are for women (4) 32. A live wire, this conductor! (4) 33. The mutineers thought him a bit of a blighter (5) 34. Concealed too much in court (6) 35. Garment knitted for the caring D.A. (8) 36.Murphy’s main dietary ingredient (6) DOWN 1. Stripped of their jackets, they get a bashing! (5) 2. A woman’s reminders of past warmth (5) 3. Cries, upsetting the boss (4) 4. Being new, makes a grand change for Rene (5) 5. It’s no good just being one in front (4) 6. Fathead collecting no dole (6) 9. Refuse to acknowledge there’s a female in the racket (6) 11. Light dramatic piece with a happy ending (3) 12. In brief, it can blow a fuse (5) 13. The new leader stupidly larked about, which was annoying (7) 15. Green variety of ape (3) 16. Boy’s rhyme for “sauce” (3) 18. Trouble to look around the street (6) 20.Endless source of nourishment (5) 21. What a hound might do for a horse (3) 22. Scots own part of Aintree (3) 23. Military body right behind a business house (6) 25. She may be hanging on the line (3) 28.Hole in the wall where you check your titfer (5) 30.Celestial sign of a big break? (5) 31. Car crash to avoid at a road junction (5) 32. Real new role? (4) 33. Litters the county (4) OCTOBER ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 1. Sprat 6. Tamed 9. Gradual 10. Glory 11. Lends 12. Cedes 13. Accedes 15. Era 17. Deed 18. Stones 19. Flies 20. Idlers 22. Mere 24. Too 25. Aspirin 26. Slice 27. Cacti 28. Purse 29. Acrobat 30. Verbs 31. Needy. DOWN: 2. Palace 3. Agreed 4. Try 5. Edges 6. Talents 7. Ales 8. Endure 12. Cells 13. Admit 14. Cello 15. Enter 16. Aspen 18. Sense 19. Frolics 21. Donate 22. Minute 23. Rinsed 25. Actor 26. Stab 28. Pan.

ACROSS 4. Naturist (6) 7. Divine food (8) 8. Comfort (6) 10. Shut (5) 13. Hypocritical speech (4) 14. Brave man (4) 15. Fifty per cent (4) 16. Bounder (3)

17. Impartial (4) 19. Rowing blades (4) 21. Obligatory (9) 23. Type (4) 24. Appealing (4) 26.Dance (3) 27. Hotness (4) 29.Biblical shipbuilder (4) 32. Eye part (4)

DOWN 1. Trapdoor (5) 2. Detest (5) 3. Pun (4) 4. Of the nose (5) 5. Stupid person (4) 6. For example (4,2) 9. Walking (2,4) 11. Sheltered side (3) 12. As yet (2,3) 13. Venezuelan capital (7) 15. Concealed (3) 16. Weep (3) 18. National song (6) 20.Stadium (5) 21. Cleaning utensil (3) 22. Sound of disapproval (3) 23. Serious (6) 25. Close friend (3) 28.Foe (5) 30.Eyes up (5) 31. Courage (5) 32. Small swelling (4) 33. Gaelic (4)

OCTOBER ISSUE SOLUTIONS: ACROSS: 1. Essay 6. P-O-pp-y 9. Ber-tram 10. Chest 11. Rails 12. Spear 13. Son-nets 15. Des(-pots) 17. Plot 18. Co.-gent 19. Gruel 20. D-rear-y 22. Do-pe 24. So-t 25. Liberal 26. Man-ia 27. Ab-b-ot 28. G-IV-en 29. Old boys 30. Weedy 31. Meaty. DOWN: 2. School 3. AB-sent 4. Ye-T 5. St-ops. 6. Paras-ol 7. OM-ar 8. Pollen 12. Story 13. Spuds 14. Nonet (tenon) 15. D-E-cor 16. St.-eel 18. Celia 19. Gre-atl-y 21. Rouble 22. Devise 23. Pa-rent 25. Limbo 26. Moo-D 28. Gym.

WORD SEARCH

Acres Actors Affronts Alkali Anyone Armament Brass Cackle Careful Dissipates

Eight Empty Endear Fabric Fried Gaits Glads Grower Gusts Humid

Incites Keyed Knock Logic Mashed Perch Piers Quits Razor Renew

Rented Scarf Short Skunk Streaks Strode Surly Tandems Tours Upend

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMBER 2018

Ngħidu kelma

COMPETITION

QWIEL MALTIN U XI JFISSRU Għal min hu baħħ, aħjar iff inkella aħħ. For he who has nothing, the heat of summer is preferable to the cold of winter.

Previous Convictions by A. A. Gill

La tiddinx qabel tarah jisbaħ. Do not crow before dawn. Li għadda nafuh, li ġej nobsruh. We know the past, but can only guess the future. Jekk tħares lejn il-qamar u tmiss il-flus, tul għomrok dejjem tbus. If you look at the moon while touching money, you will kiss for all your life.

The Leader by Guy Walters

Historic Times This month, we are giving away three bestselling paperbacks. To win, tell us the date when this Times of Malta front page was published. Send your answers via e-mail to seniortimes@timesofmalta.com or by post to ‘Senior Times Competition’, Allied Newspapers Limited, Triq L-Intornjatur, Mrieħel BKR 3000. The first three correct answers that we receive win a paperback each. Last month’s winners are Marlene Lautier, who wins a copy of LImnara – Folklor minn Malta Vol. 10 by BDL, Henry Cost-Chritien, who wins a copy of Biża’ u Kuraġġ by Karmenu Mallia and Angela Dimech, who wins a copy of L-Imnara – Folklor minn Malta Vol. 11 by BDL. The correct answer to last month’s question was December 14, 1974.

SUDOKU

7 5

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9

3 9 7 5 1 2 8 4 6

4 1 8 9 6 3 5 2 7

5 2 6 7 4 8 3 9 1

2 6 1 3 5 7 9 8 4

7 5 3 8 9 4 1 6 2

9 8 4 1 2 6 7 5 3

8 4 9 2 3 1 6 7 5

1 7 2 6 8 5 4 3 9

6 3 5 4 7 9 2 1 8

2 5 1

1 3 9 4 5

B’sold wieħed fil-but ma tagħmilx ħoss. With one coin in your pocket, you won’t make much noise. The Lie by Oliver Friggieri

3 8

7 9 2 7 5 2 8 9 9 3 4 8 1

Aħfer biex Alla l-imbierek jaħfirlek. Forgive so that God can forgive you.

Qabbilli waħda Mamma Mia Mamma mia pulizija, tiħux lili, ħu lil ħija! Nannakola Nannakola mur l-iskola, aqbad siġġu u ibda ogħla! Banni bannozzi Banni bannozzi, ġejja n-nanna Nozzi. Nozzi ta’ ħdejna, biċċa ħobż bil-ġbejna. Ċuff ċuff il-baħar Ċuff ċuff il-baħar, ommi mir-raħal. Missieri miż-Żejtun, għandu baqra u karettun.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018

INTERVIEW

The original residence and office of the cemetery's custodian. PHOTOS: CHRIS SANT FOURNIER, FIONA VELLA

Gone but not forgotten The Addolorata cemetery brought a change in local burial customs, says Fiona Vella.

“S

t George Preca used to say that the cemetery is the biggest book and I had the opportunity to confirm that,” revealed a Capuchin friar who served as a custodian of the Addolorata cemetery for some years. Living among the dead, day and night, served him to learn much about humanity and its weaknesses.

“The Capuchin friars were selected by the British authorities to administer this cemetery because they were loved by the locals. They had always stood by the people during the worst moments and in situations which others avoided,” explained researcher Eman Bonnici. “The British authorities hoped to attract people to

bury their dead at the Addolorata cemetery. One of the best architects, Emanuele Luigi Galizia, was chosen to design this magnificent cemetery which took seven years to construct at the expense of £33,000. However, a careful strategy was also required since this necessitated a considerable culture change within Maltese society. “Around 150 years ago, no one was buried in a cemetery except for those who died of contagious diseases or prisoners who were hanged. People buried their loved ones within the churches, chapels and crypts of their towns and villages to keep them close and within sacred grounds. Yet authorities considered this

The friars who acted as custodians were expected to spend the night at the cemetery

custom as a time bomb for some epidemic catastrophe. From time to time, outbursts of plague and cholera appeared on the islands, and it took days before the malady was identified. For instance, the first plague victims of 1675 and 1813 were buried at Ta’ Ġieżu in Valletta, right at the capital city which was densely populated. “Initially, the Addolorata cemetery was intended to serve as a burial site for Catholics who were from Cottonera, Floriana and Valletta. As an incentive to start a new chapter in burial custom, those who had a private grave in any of these areas, were offered the possibility to choose a space in this cemetery and their grave would be dug for free. They were also given the privilege to use the cemetery’s church for burial rites and prayers before their loved ones were laid to rest. A further benefit consisted of a daily mass which was celebrated in this church and dedicated to all those who were buried within the cemetery. “Although a new law passed in 1863 prohibited further burials within churches, and the Addolorata cemetery was blessed and consecrated in 1869 to be ready for use, it was not that easy to convince the local population who had very strong beliefs related to death and burial customs.

“No one wanted to bury their dead in the new cemetery. Until one day, a poor woman from Naxxar who lived in Mosta, 64-year-old Anna Magro, died at the general hospital, and since she had no relatives, she was the first one to be buried at this cemetery. Some time later, a number of people from Cospicua decided to accept the offer to have their own graves at the Addolorata, and from then, things moved on.” The custodian’s role of the Addolorata cemetery was quite challenging. He had the responsibility of all the administration of the cemetery which included the registration of burials, issuing of burial permits, applications for new graves, research for the public about the deceased and their graves, maintenance of the cemetery and its church, management of the workers, distribution of salaries which was still given out in cash, celebration of daily mass, hearing of confessions and spiritual advice. “Originally the friars who acted as custodians were expected to spend the night at the cemetery. I spent around five years living at the cemetery together with a brother who was responsible to cook for me and to take care of the cemetery’s church. Although the brother resided at the cemetery for the whole year,

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

friars alternated every week,” explained a former guardian. “I was shocked when I was requested to become a cemetery custodian. I had studied philosophy and theology, and I had no idea whatsoever about the administration of a cemetery. However, my Provincial promised me that he would provide me with all the necessary assistance and so I accepted the role. “Ironically, this work was a blessing in disguise. I had never imagined that a place connected to death would fill my life with such significant experiences. A cemetery brings you in contact with all the levels of society, from the poorest to the richest, from the average person to the most successful. You learn a lot about humanity’s weaknesses and strengths, love and hate, repentance and revenge, the excruciating suffering of illnesses and death. Ultimately, when the time came, it was actually difficult to leave this role. “Some of my experiences at the cemetery are simply unforgettable. Some of them chill me to the bone, while a number of them remind me of the power of prayer, love, hope and belief. “At times, the pain and suffering which I had to deal with became unbearable and I had to seek out the comfort of the convent. More than the freezing cold of the night which reigned within those historical

rooms, it was the distressed questions which people confronted me with, day after day, which affected me most. “Why is your God doing this to me?” asked a woman while carrying her sixth dead foetus for burial. “Her husband had brought the previous five and I had prayed with him and listened to his suffering. It was the first time that I was facing his wife and the news of yet another miscarriage was intensely sad and shocking. In moments like those, I asked God to guide me and He never failed to assist me. This is not the work of God but of nature, I told her. God would never do this to you. Give a name to each child and pray for each and to each one of them and you will find peace. “Around five years passed from this incident. Then, one day, the brother informed me that a couple needed to speak to me. I went out to meet them and they reminded me of their story. ‘I did just like you advised’, the woman told me. ‘And now we have him,’ she said as she reached out to a pram with a beautiful little baby boy inside.” Stories poured out from the friar. He was still so emotional about them, as if they had just happened the day before.

“On a very cold and rainy day in February, a smart and welldressed man came to knock at my door. He gave me the number of a grave and I informed him that it was located in the common graves area. The man asked me to accompany him with a car to see this grave and I drove him there. “As soon as I pointed out the grave, the man jumped out of the car, fell to his knees on the ground and began to cry out for his mother’s forgiveness. ‘Forgive me mum! It was not my fault!’ he repeated over

I had never imagined that a place connected to death would fill my life with such significant experiences

and over again while the heavy rain rammed on his back. I felt so distraught for him but eventually I managed to pull him back in the car and help him to calm down. “He told me the story of how 40 years before, his mother and his wife had a quarrel, and his wife threatened to leave him if he ever got in contact with his mother again. She even forbid him from going to his mother’s funeral, calling him twice at his office on that day to confirm that he had abided to her rules. ‘We have four children and I did not want to mess up my family,’ he informed me, leaving me dumbfounded.” It was very compelling to witness such hate and thirst for revenge, even after death. “One day I was asked to give advice to a very affluent man who came to buy a plot to build a chapel in the cemetery. He was insisting that only he and his wife, their children and their offspring could be buried in this chapel, leaving out all his sons’ wives, explicitly named in a contract. I told him that this was very uncharitable on his part but he was resolute. I warned him that on knowing about this, his sons would curse him and his wife but he brushed this comment

off, reassuring me that he was leaving them all rich. “The old couple died and they were buried in the chapel. All went well until one of his sons was widowed. He came to us to make arrangements for her burial in the family chapel. As soon as he identified himself, I braced myself for trouble since it was clear that he knew nothing about his parents’ decision. He could not believe his ears when we informed him that he could not bury his wife in the chapel. He got so angry and swore so badly, cursing his parents over and over again, that we had to threaten him with the police. Matters worsened further when he realized that this condition affected also all his brothers. He called them all and they came to the cemetery in a frenzy, infuriated at this unexpected news. “No matter how much they insisted with us to eliminate this condition, there was nothing we could do. The woman had to be buried in a new grave. All the other brothers bought a new grave too. Their parents’ richly adorned and expensive chapel now lies abandoned and in ruins.” Nowadays the cemetery is no longer administered by the Capuchin friars.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018

RUMANZ

L-Antikrist Mattew Silta mir-rumanz ġdid ta’ Tony C. Cutajar.

-Ordni ta’ San Ġwann ma kellux l-awtorizzazzjoni ta’ Ruma biex jipproċedi kontra l-eretiċi, għalhekk l-Isqof sejħilhom wieħed wieħed u wara li sarulhom il-mistoqsijiet tas-soltu, ħallihom ħielsa għax deher li ma saret l-ebda ereżija fil-beraħ. Imma mbagħad l-Isqof Cubelles tgħallem mill-esperjenza li l-imġiba moderata tiegħu ma kinetx biżżejjed biex huma jiftħu għajnejhom. Infatti huma baqgħu marbutin mal-iżbalji tagħhom. Għalhekk, iktar tard huwa għalqilhom din it-tip ta’ skola fl-Imdina, filwaqt li ġew arrestati u pproċessati, xi wħud minnhom iġġudikati minn Cubelles innifsu. Il-qassis Gesualdo waqa’ f ’idejn l-Isqof, għadda minn numru ta’ proċessi, instab ħati, baqa’ ostinat fit-tagħlim żbaljat tiegħu u ġie kkundannat għall-mewt. Huwa ġie mogħti f ’idejn il-ġustizzja talOrdni biex fis-sena 1546 tiġi esegwita s-sentenza kontra tiegħu. Fit-triq lejn il-post fejn kellu jinħaraq ħaj bħala eretiku, huwa baqa’ jiddefendi t-tagħlim Luteran u fost affarijiet oħra baqa’ jgħid li l-qassisin xejn m’għandu jżommhom milli jiżżewġu bħal ħaddieħor. Ikkundannat miegħu kien hemm ukoll eretiku ieħor bl-isem ta’ Petit. Fil-misraħ tal-Birgu kien hemm folla enormi ta’ nies kurjużi jistennew kollha ħerqana madwar il-ħatab imħejji. In-nar beda jħeġġeġ u jċaqċaq b’mod li jbeżża’ lil kulħadd. L-ewwel ma tfaċċa marbut bil-kajjen kien Gesualdo li flok ma beda jgħid kliem ta’ ndiema u ta’ maħfra beda jgħajjat kemm jiflaħ biex ixandar it-tagħlim żbaljat tiegħu. Is-suldati kienu pronti rabtulu ħalqu b’maktur biex ma jinstamax dak li beda jgħid u hekk tefgħuh ġol-ħuġġieġa fejn sar irmied fost iċ-ċapċip tan-nies fil-misraħ. Kien imiss l-eretiku l-ieħor bl-isem ta’ Petit li wkoll ma wera l-ebda ndiema jew talab għall-maħfra. Deher mixrub u skantat, donnu ma jistax jifhem biżżejjed għaliex hu wkoll kien ġie kkundannat

In-nar beda jħeġġeġ u jċaqċaq b’mod li jbeżża’ lil kulħadd.

għal dik il-mewt hekk ħarxa. Huwa kien kobba u ma għarafx ilissen kelma li hi kelma. Malli l-vampa ksietu, huwa għajjat bħal barri fgat filwaqt li reġa’ kien hemm ċapċip kbir mill-folla. Meta s-suldati waslu b’Andrea Axac, kulħadd beda jgħolli rasu u jitla’ fuq ponot subgħajh biex jarah sewwa. Hekk kif lemaħ il-ħuġġieġa taqbad b’mod feroċi, huwa qabad jitlob kemm jiflaħ biex ikollhom ħniena minnu. Ilkliem ta’ ndiema li beda jgħid qanqal il-qlub tal-folla. L-Isqof Cubelles, li kien preżenti flimkien mal-imħallfin talinkiżizzjoni, ħafirlu iżda kkundannah li jilbes il-libsa tal-penitenza li tissejjaħ ta’ San Benit. Din wara kienet tiddendel fil-katidral tal-Imdina biex kulħadd jibqa’ jiftakar fil-ħtija ta’ min libisha. Wara waslu ż-żewġ qassisin li kienu kisru l-wegħda solenni tagħhom taċ-ċelibat u żżewġu fil-knisja ta’ Santa Marija

Fit-triq lejn il-post fejn kellu jinħaraq ħaj bħala eretiku, huwa baqa’ jiddefendi t-tagħlim Luteran

tal-Imdina. Dawn stqarru quddiem kulħadd u b’leħen għoli l-indiema tagħhom u talbu l-maħfra. Huma ġew maħfura mill-Isqof u ngħataw penitenza xierqa ta’ talb u sagrifiċċju biex ipattu għaddnub tagħhom. Is-suspetti tal-ereżija baqgħu jaqgħu fuq Maltin u fuq barranin, speċjalment fuq dawk tal-iskola li jkunu studjaw u qraw il-kotba li kienu ċċensurati mill-Knisja u pprojbiti. Iżda dawn ma kenux ereżiji li nxterrdu fost il-poplu. Bħala wieħed mill-persuni ta’ pożizzjoni għolja u mill-iżjed għonja ta’ gżiritna li kien involut fl-ereżiji Luterani ta’ Gesualdo kien hemm Mattew Falson, ilĦakem jew il-Kaptan tal-Virga tal-Imdina, u ibnu Mattew magħruf ukoll bħala s-Saħħar Falsun. Iżda t-tnejn li huma kienu ħelsuha ħafif għax urew indiema mill-ħtija tagħhom. Issentenza tal-Isqof kienet li għandhom iżommu ‘l Malta bħala l-ħabs tagħhom, jiġifieri li

ma setgħux jitilqu mill-pajjiż. Iżda s-suspetti ta’ ereżija kontra tagħhom baqgħu anke fis-snin ta’ wara, speċjalment meta liben reġa’ beda jwebbes rasu. Fis-sena 1574 l-Inkiżitur Dusina ma setax jaħrab milleġislazzjoni li kienet tiggwidah f ’każi serji bħal dawn. Din illeġislazzjoni minn Ruma kienet tgħid: Min jerġa’ jaqa’ fl-ereżija jiġi mogħti f ’idejn il-liġi talpajjiż. Anke lil dak li jkun nidem wara li jaqa’ fl-iżball it-tieni darba, il-piena li tiġi eżegwita mill-Istat hija dik tal-mewt. Jekk ikun niedem, l-ikkundannat jiġi pprovdut bis-sagramenti tal-qrar u tat-tqarbin. Imma l-pieni stabbiliti li huma dawk tal-mewt u tal-konfiska tal-ġid kollu tiegħu jiġu eżegwiti bla ma l-ħati jkollu ċans li jinħeles minnhom. Mattew, l-iben, ġie arrestat u mitfugħ il-ħabs. Jekk missieru kien nidem tassew u reġa’ beda ħajja tajba, dan reġa’ waqa’ fl-ereżija. Kemm dam il-ħabs, l-inkiżitur darba minnhom kellu l-mistednin għall-ikel fil-palazz tiegħu talBirgu fejn kien qed jinżamm Falsun fil-ħabs tal-inkiżitur. Fost il-mistednin kien hemm Alessandro Braccelli li kien il-kuġin tiegħu, kif ukoll xi Kavallieri oħra u ħbieb li spiss kienu jiltaqgħu għal xi ikla. Kienu jafu ‘l xulxin jew filLombardija fejn twieled u trabba fi Brescia jew f ’Napli meta kien vigarju tal-Kardinal Carafa, l-Arċisqof ta’ Napli. Bħala studjuż tat-teoloġija u l-liġi ċivili ekklesjastika, li tagħhom huwa kiseb id-dottorati, Dusina kien magħruf għall-għerf u l-għaqal tiegħu kull fejn kien mibgħut biex jaqdi l-Knisja. Kemm dam Napli huwa kellu biċċa nkwiet mal-awtoritajiet ċivili għax ma riedx jagħti d’idejhom wieħed ħalliel li stkenn fil-knisja ta’ San Lorenzo li kienet tgawdi l-immunità. Kull kriminal kellu kull dritt jitlob kenn u għajnuna mill-Knisja. Iżda lawtoritajiet ħarġu lill-ħalliel bil-forza u dan ġie mgħallaq quddiem l-istess knisja. Din is-sena huwa l-40 anniversarju minn meta l-awtur Tony C. Cutajar ippublika l-ewwel rumanz tiegħu, Id-Dubbien lAbjad (Klabb Kotba Maltin).

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

CHRISTMAS

John Crabtree, Bea Dennis and Peter Stace in a slapstick scene from MADC’s Cinderella, 1978.

Nanette Brimmer in full principal boy drag.

Oh no he isn’t… Oh yes he is Louis Gatt listens to the first panto laughter in Malta.

t is an often-quoted misconception that the popular Christmas entertainment, known as pantomime or panto, began in Malta with the MADC in the late 1970s. Well it didn’t. Actually the first record of panto being performed in our islands can be seen in the early years of the 20th century. And yes, it was indeed the MADC that was responsible for this, at the time, innovation. But to be fair, for many years during the 1960s and 70s, the British services amateur company The Aerial Players had staged a panto at the Manoel Theatre. However these always contained, what to a Maltese audience were, somewhat obscure references. Possibly very funny if you happened to know that the station commander at RAF Luqa’s wife had a penchant for wearing knee-length bloomers or that the sergeant major at 41 Commando at Pembroke barracks could shout louder than a Boeing 747 on take-off. But for most of the indigenous punters it was, to say the least, somewhat obscure. What the MADC managed to do, over a number of years, was to make each panto relevant to a Maltese audience. They did this by bringing in more and more local references, lampooning politicians and other so-called celebs and by introducing Maltese language references into the English script. Many people don’t realise that paradoxically Cinderella, the very first MADC panto in 1978/79 was the work of

John Crabtree, a Malta-based employee of the British services radio station BFBS. Crabtree had worked professionally in the UK and had an extensive knowledge of all the ins and outs of the genre. He also gave a superb performance as Buttons. The year 1978 was the last one where the British forces would be present in Malta – they left for good on March 31, 1979. But apart from Crabtree they had two other members of the Brit contingent on stage that year. Peter Stace was a six foot four inch tall RAF policeman who dragged-up to play one of the ugly sisters; then Charlie Lowndes, a colleague of Crabtree at BFBS took the minor part of the royal major domo. The second ugly sister was played by one of the finest actresses ever to grace the stage of Teatru Manoel, Beatrice Dennis. Bea was a classically trained English actress who usually played leading roles in heavier plays, but here she showed she could slum it with the best of them. Maltese performers made up the vast majority of the chorus and also took leading roles. Nanette Brimmer began her protracted love affair with panto when she played Prince Charming’s sidekick Dandini, while the late Kit Ripard was brilliant as Baron Overdraft. Cinderella herself was played by a – then very young – Astrid Vella (Mifsud). Cinderella ran for just 12 performances, but each one played to a packed house. Legend has it that at one matinee performance 26 adults and kids were crammed into one box meant

to hold just four. These were family and friends of one of the theatre ushers. I’m told that a photograph of this very dangerous squeezathon was doing the rounds at the time. If this particular show set a standard, following pantos benefitted accordingly. Panto tickets for 1979/80 Aladdin and further pantos were scarcer than colour TV sets at the time. I understand that people used to camp out overnight in Old Theatre Street the day before panto booking opened. On one occasion a queue for tickets stretching from the booking office right down Old Bakery Street to near Fort St Elmo was observed. Certainly the MADC panto was the one go-to theatrical event throughout the 1980s – and one of the most popular innovations was the scene where a small group of children in the audience were brought onstage to participate

Panto tickets for 1979/80 Aladdin and further pantos were scarcer than colour TV sets at the time

in games relevant to that particular panto. And it is sobering to think that some of those kids who were involved in the 1970s and early 1980s shows would later be bringing their own children to today’s shows. Crabtree was able to advise the MADC writers on some of the more traditional aspects of the staging. For instance, most pantos contain a transformation scene, where the stage set changes before the audience’s eyes from the drab or mundane into a sparkling palace or a land of fantasy. Another vital ingredient is the obligatory slapstick scene. In Cinderella it is the bakery scene involving a radio and changing stations. In Aladdin it is obviously the Chinese laundry. There also needs to be a chase around the theatre stalls, baddies pursuing goodies. And if you are not enjoying the show, if you hang around long enough a small bag of sweets could well be flying your way. The conventions of panto require an awful lot of crossdressing… a female principal “boy” and the dame character, usually played by a man in comic drag. Cinderella does not usually have a dame, unless the script calls for a wicked stepmother. The ugly sisters are not strictly dames and are often played by actresses or comediennes. Most pantos also need panto animals – these are usually an actor inside an animal costume. However Cinderella normally uses a real pony to pull Cinderella’s coach in the transformation scene – and the 1978 show did have such a pony.

In the same show the tricky business of getting Cinderella out of her ornate ball gown and back into her rags, as midnight struck, was solved by using a body double, which gave Rita Camilleri her debut in panto, albeit a very brief one. MADC’s Cinderella was followed in December 1979 by Aladdin. This presented Nanette Brimmer with her first principal boy role as the eponymous Aladdin. The late Joe Mompalao Depiro was excellent in the dame role of Widow Twanky. He made his first entrance descending from the flies attached to both an umbrella and a rope and it was only after the run of the show that he confessed to an absolute terror of heights. What a trouper! This panto also saw Colin Easton play the principal comic’s role as Wishee Washee. He was to go on to play two more similar parts in the following productions, Dick Whittington and Jack and the Beanstalk, before migrating to Australia, where, I understands, he still resides. I’ve heard it said that the early years of MADC pantos in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, were the most successful and most watched live theatre shows that Malta has ever known. I don’t know about that, but they certainly filled our national theatre for a couple of weeks, including matinees, every year. In the second part of this series, I will move on to panto from the 1990s up to the present day.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

SPORT

Floriana FC 1908-09: Salvu Samuel, Fredu Vella, (L-Ispagu), Pawlu Borg, Fredu Friggieri (Id-Dreadnought), W. Pisani, RA Naudi, A.V. Camilleri (Secretary), J. Jones (President), Ruġġieru Friggieri (Iż-Żibġa), Jack Holland, Manwel Vella (Il-Bażokk), Ġużi Mallia and Salvu Tabone (Tal-Luminata).

The classic match of Mtarfa A great game between St George’s and Floriana attracted thousands and fired up the Maltese imagination, says Carmel Baldacchino.

The classic Mtarfa Cup Trophy which nowadays rests in Floriana. First played for in 1909 between Floriana FC and St George’s the game ended in a 1-1 draw. The replay was played three years later in 1912. Floriana won the second encounter 2-0 and the right to keep the trophy.

n December 1907, Joseph Fearne, captain and secretary of St George’s FC issued a challenge in the local newspapers to all Maltese civilian teams (Malta Herald, December 17, 1907). In January 1908, he issued another challenge, this time to the winners of the Junior Football League. Then, in February of the same year St George’s challenged any ship of the fleet to play against them (Daily Malta Chronicle, February 13, 1908). The Saints were at the time the undisputed kings of Maltese football and few teams if any, were ready to accept their challenge. However, towards the end of the 1907-08 season a threat to the Saints’ domination arose from their old rivals from Floriana. The Greens had never got over the humiliation suffered in 1900 when St George’s had defeated them in the Floriana Cup encounter. Slowly but surely, they were building a strong team and by 1908 they

were ready to face the might of St George’s. Negotiations were opened between the two clubs to stage another match for a silver cup. The negotiations were long and hard but at last they came to a positive end in February 1909. The parade ground at Mtarfa, situated as far away as possible from both districts was chosen as the neutral venue for this great encounter. The publicity given to the game during the long months of negotiations fired the imagination of the Maltese. Hundreds of bets were placed as February approached and the Mtarfa Cup became the only topic of conversation in Malta. Even housewives going about their shopping made sure to tell their neighbours that it was a sure bet that their favourites would win the trophy. The great day arrived. Crammed trains, swaying cabs and a dense mass of pedestrians made the journey. Mtarfa presented an imposing spectacle of sound and movement as the huge crowd jostled for

position. It is estimated that over 10,000 spectators surrounded the square or took other points of vantage to view the game. Most of them were decidedly against St George’s. Nor were they bashful in displaying their sympathies. For them, every one of the Floriana players was a hero, and every Cospicuan a deadly foe. However, despite this charged atmosphere everything was orderly and, although extra police were sent up from Valletta, their services were not required. The game started with St George’s taking the initiative. Floriana were more energetic but they were not as accurate in their passing as the team from Cospicua. The first good chance to open the score fell to St George’s when they were awarded a penalty, but the ball was kicked high over the ribbon. Ruġġieru Friggieri Iż-Żibġa of Floriana and Emmanuel Delia It-Tiċċ of St George’s opened a personal battle between them on the pitch. They were small men, but they

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

Scene from the Challenge Cup match of Mtarfa between St George’s FC and Floriana. The match captured the imagination of the Maltese and on the day of the game a crowd of over 10,000 spectators fought for every inch of space to watch one of the classic matches in the history of Maltese football.

St George’s FC 1908-09: Lawrence Busuttil, Emmanuel Busuttil (Balolu), Salvu Gili, Griffiths (President), P. Mugliett, Josie Fearne, J. Seychell, Ġużê Tagliaferro, Masu Hicks, J. Consiglio, A. Cordina and G. Pisani.

were renowned for the crunch of their tackles. The crowd enjoyed every minute of it. About Friggieri we have already spoken in this series. It is appropriate however, at this point to say something about Emmanuel Delia. ‘ItTiċċ’ apparently was quite a character. He was small but tough as nails and he enjoyed an awesome reputation in Cospicua for his toughness and great physical strength.

Before the game with Floriana he boasted and bragged that he would kick the hell out of Friggieri. ‘Iż-Żibġa’ was no novice in these tactics. He was also renowned for his extraordinary physical strength. He did not fear anybody, and he made it known that he would rattle the bones out of Delia’s body. Before the game reports arrived daily in both camps bearing comments and mes-

sages from both warring parties. This pique which developed between these two great characters of Maltese football added fuel to an already explosive situation. It seems that Delia got the worse of the exchanges because during the game he had to leave the pitch twice to attend to his injuries. Midway through the first half, Masu Hicks sold Friggieri the dummy before shooting in the first goal. A great

commotion erupted from the crowd. Knives, knuckledusters and other implements of war appeared in the hands of some of the best-known trouble makers. It must have been a horrendous situation for a player finding himself in the crowd after a furious tackle especially if he happened to belong to the other team. Punches, scratches and spitting were all in order in those brief seconds that he spent in the enemy’s camp (A Survey of Maltese Soccer II, Daily Malta Chronicle, April 27, 1928). It was not long however, before Robbie Naudi equalised for the Irish. Naudi scored with a tremendous kick which nearly broke the rigging. When the game was restarted Floriana won several corners, but they were badly taken. The minutes ticked by and the Saints’ goalkeeper Neriku Camilleri was kept busy by the Greens’ forwards, but he did his job splendidly. On the half-hour, St George’s pressed forward in a desperate charge on the Irish fort but Pawlu Borg in goal was equal to the occasion and averted disaster for his team. It was now the Irish turn to attack and once more Camilleri was tested with two straight shots at his goal but once again he was not found wanting. At 4.45 p.m. Sgt. Hicks whistled for the end of the game with the score still level at 1-1. A hurried consultation was held, and it was agreed to play another quarter of an hour each way. At the end of this period however the score remained the same, therefore the referee declared a draw (Daily Malta Chronicle, February 16, 1909). After the match St George’s accused Floriana of having broken the pre-match contract. The Saints complained that Floriana FC was really a ‘picked team’ from all over the island. In those days when the registration of players was unheard of, there was an unwritten agreement among teams representing a district that all the players had to come from the place they represented. Floriana did not abide by this rule and therefore St George’s felt cheated. St George’s also claimed that in the incident which led to Floriana’s equalizer the ball was over the line before Mifsud centred to Pisani and that the referee should have

heeded the linesman’s signals for a goal-kick. To draw a conclusion, it is probable that the Saints were a shade better than Floriana on the day, but it is certain that they were surprised by the improvement shown by the Greens who showed that they were on the threshold of great things. In fact, in the next few years they were to dominate Maltese football with perhaps the greatest team of the preWorld War One era. The teams on that historic occasion were: St George’s: Neriku Camilleri, Lawrence Busuttil, T. Camilleri, John Born, Josie Fearne, Emmanuel Busuttil, Ġuże Tagliaferro, Masu Hicks, Emmanuel Delia and P. Theuma, G. Cordina; and for Floriana FC: Pawlu Borg, Ruggieru Friggieri, Fredu Friggieri, Salvu Tabone, Ġużi Mallia, Emmanuel Vella, F. Mifsud, W. Pisani, Ġużi Vella, Salvu Samuel and Robbie Naudi.

Naudi scored with a tremendous kick which nearly broke the rigging The arguments were long and widespread and there was a huge outcry for the game to be replayed but it took the two parties nearly three years before they reached an agreement and the issue was decided. The game was finally replayed on Saturday, February 24, 1912 behind closed doors in the newly-opened Mile End Sports Ground. Floriana won the game 1-0 to win the coveted trophy. That, however, is another story. This contest so fired the imagination of the Maltese that the following season some Maltese gentlemen stepped forward and set about to organize Maltese football by setting up the Civilian Football League. There is no doubt that 1908-09 was the turning point in the history of football in Malta. The spark which was ignited by students of St Ignatius College and the pioneers of Cospicua had by now become a raging bonfire.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

CARS

The magnificent seven Jesmond Zahra’s 1934 Austin Seven is not his only automotive passion, Joe Busuttil from the Old Motors Club says.

y day, Jesmond Zahra is an extremely busy man, working as a purchasing manager with a leading local company. His job involves sitting behind a desk and in front of a computer for hours, dealing with paperwork and phone calls. But in his spare time, he can be found as much as possible seeking refuge tinkering with the passion of his life: a 1934 Austin Seven. “My grandfather Joseph had a bus – Number 7401 – that plied the Żejtun route. He also had a Simca Aronde,” he says. “My father Alfred, a carpenter by trade, also had various vehicles, including another two Simca models, the Ariane and the Vedette, as well as a Hillman Imp. It was only natural that I would have an affinity with my influential male role models, and I spent a lot of my early childhood with both of them.” Zahra went for a technical education, first at the Marsa Technical School, and later at the Malta Shipbuilding. At the former, he studied and qualified in welding, although by the side, when the main work was done, instructors would also show students the ropes of panel beating and spray painting. Armed with this knowl-

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edge as well as his natural aptitude, at the age of 14 he was able to build a fully functional and working go-kart from a Peugeot 125cc scooter. Before he got his driving licence, Zahra had already bought a second hand 1962 Ford Anglia, that he restored to the best of his ability in order to keep it on the road. This vehicle was kept for five years and then moved out when he got married, to be replaced by a modern car. With the priority now being building a family, classic cars disappeared from his horizon for some years. As fate would have it, a close friend of his for many years as well as a neighbour, Anthony Camilleri, had purchased two old vehicles, a 1927 Chevrolet and a 1977 Mercedes. In 2016 Camilleri started to invite Zahra and his family to accompany him on activities organised by the Malta Old Motors

Club, something that went down very well. Once, when Camilleri was in Spain, he called Zahra to check out for him two old vehicles that he had heard were for sale in

I have spent the last couple of years searching high and low for such parts

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

Fgura: a pre-war Morris Minor and a Jaguar Mk II. After a thorough inspection, he told his friend to go ahead and buy them, and later helped him to service them. This close proximity to old cars reignited in Zahra his former enthusiasm in such vehicles, and he was soon searching for something nearest and dearest to his heart – a prewar motor. By sheer coincidence, an old friend from Mqabba had two

Austin Seven models available, one dating from 1932 and the other from 1934. Zahra fell in love with the latter, and after consulting his friend Camilleri, bought it. Taking it home to Attard the next day, he opted to drive it all the way instead of using a loader, experiencing no hiccups along the route. In his enthusiasm to buy the vehicle, he still did not have a garage prepared for it, but once again Camilleri saved the day, until some months

later Zahra could give it its own roof. The Austin Seven was produced by Austin in the United Kingdom between 1922 and 1937. It was one of the most popular models in England, edging out the competition, as well as selling significantly abroad. Many considered it as the British version of the American Ford Model T, but on a smaller scale – in fact it was known as the Baby Austin. The underlying concept was to

realise the dream of many young families who wanted to own an affordable car. Zahra says that his model is an Austin Seven 749cc RP saloon deluxe with sunroof, and that it was in a very roadworthy condition when he bought it. “I was given the original logbook and all other relevant documentation. Obviously, it needed some care, like replacing the wiring near the engine and changing the brakes,” he says. “Although in its original condition, some authentic parts like the toolset, trafficators, mirrors, fuel pump and horn, had been replaced by modern ones. I have spent the last couple of years searching high and low for such parts, which are not easy to dig out – the Ritz horn is one example – but eventually, I got what I was looking for. I have now put it down in the UK Austin Seven Vehicle Surviving Registry with its former and present number plates.” Zahra is proud that he does all the mechanical and engineering work himself, adding that whenever possible, one should try one’s hands at it, as outsourcing tasks to others does not always have or give the desired results. He is currently helping Camilleri in a nut and bolt restoration project on a 1952 Jaguar XK 120. At home, his wife Mariella has also become a classic car enthusiast, and is a constant companion to her husband on drives and events, together with their 13-year-old daughter, Corinne, who loves old cars. In fact, the threesome are just back from an extensive tour of British classic car

oasis, including the Brooklands Museum, the Cotswolds Motoring Museum, the British Heritage Museum, and the Goodwood Revival. Alas, son Gabriel, 18, shows no interest in the four-wheeler, be it old or new. As to the local old motors scene, Zahra says he has heard some complaints from people who have found it difficult to register their car as a classic. He also laments the abuse of old cars being used for commercial purposes without being registered to do so, and thus insists that the classic car number colour, presently available in three types, should be one compulsory not optional colour. He is a strong believer that an old car is there to be harnessed as much as possible, and true to his principles, he makes it a point that he enjoys his Austin Seven at least every weekend. The Zahra clan is frequently seen at OMC activities, FMVA events, as well as occasions like the Malta Classic and the Valletta Concours d’Elegance. What about the future? Zahra admits that although the Austin Seven has taken, and can still take, a lot of wear and tear, he feels he cannot confidently venture overland with it. He is of the opinion that for such an adventure, one needs to strike a healthy balance between an old vehicle and a reliable classic. Consequently he is closely eyeing a 1972 Mercedes W115 which is in his extended family, and which he may acquire for such toiling trips overseas which a small pre-war vehicle would find hard to handle.

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOvEMbER 2018

NEWS

Bżonn urġenti ta’ knisja f’Mabanda Mons Valent Borg, direttur nazzjonali, Missio

adwar 200 familja Kattolika jgħixu fil-villaġġ ċkejken ta’ Mabanda fid-Djoċesi KasanaLuweero fl-Uganda. Ħafna m’għandhom aċċess għall-ebda forma ta’ trasport. Dan ifisser li biex jsimgħu quddiesa nhar ta’ Ħadd, ikollhom jimxu madwar tliet kilometri f ’toroq mimlijin tajn. Ta’ darba fil-ġimgħa, dawn il-familji jkollhom jimxu din iddistanza twila u meta t-temp ikun ħażin, it-toroq isiru perikolużi ħafna. Dan minħabba li bl-ammont ta’ xita qawwija li tagħmel, it-toroq isiru inaċċessibbli. In-nies ta’ Mabanda kienu jafu li kien hemm bżonn ta’ knisja fid-distrett tagħhom. Madwar sentejn ilu huma taw bidu għal din il-knisja. Huma jafu li bl-għajnuna li ser jirċievu mingħand is-Soċjetà tal-Propagazzjoni tal-Fidi fi ħdan Missio, il-bini tal-knisja ser ikun possibbli. Dan il-proġett ser jiġi jiswa ħafna flus. Il-familji ta’ Mabanda bejniethom ġabru s-somma ta’ A$1,200 (€849), li hi somma kbira ħafna meta tqis li f ’sena jaqilgħu bejn A$200 (€141.50) u A$400 (€283). Dun Matthias Jjooga, il-qassis ta’ parroċċa fil-qrib, jisħaq fuq il-bżonn urġenti ta’ bini ta’ knisja biex tilqa’ fiha lil din il-komunità u tiġborhom kollha flimkien. In-nies tal-lokal għamlu millaħjar li setgħu u taw dak kollu li għandhom biex dan ikun possibbli. Minkejja li huma bdiewa foqra, irnexxielhom jiġbru biżżejjed biex jinxtraw 40,000 briksa, 40 xkora siment u 10 trakkijiet ramel. Ħallsu wkoll għax-xogħol, għalkemm dawk li jinqalgħu ma ħas-

Il-MIdalja MIrakoluża

buhiex darbtejn u meddew idejhom għax-xogħol huma wkoll. Joan Nansubuga, anzjana ta’ 92 sena, li tgħix f ’dan il-villaġġ, u li dari kienet bidwija, tifhem u tgħader lin-nies talkomunità u taf bil-bżonn urġenti ta’ knisja. Għalkemm Joan ma tistax tgħin fil-bini, hi xorta għamlet il-parti tagħha u tat b’donazzjoni l-biċċa art tagħha biex fuqha tinbena l-knisja. Minkejja li ma twelditx f ’dan il-villaġġ, Joan rabtitu ħafna ma’ qalbha, sa minn meta marret tgħix hemm wara li miet żewġha. Hija tilfet il-mobbiltà f ’saqajha t-tnejn wara li tatha puplesija, imma bl-għajnuna ta’ infermiera li tgħix magħha, hija jirnexxilha tmur tisma’ l-quddiesa u titqarben. Dun Matthias jemmen li l-bini talknisja mhux biss se jservi biex il-familji jinġabru flimkien għall-quddiesa,

imma l-mexxejja tal-knisja ser ikollhom iċ-ċans li jitħalltu man-nies u jsiru jafuhom aktar. B’hekk ikunu jistgħu jagħtuhom pariri ħafna aħjar. Millbanda l-oħra, in-nies ta’ Mabanda jħossuhom ċerti li permezz tal-knisja, li fuqha jiddependu ħafna, huma ser ikollhom opportunità ta’ aktar servizzi fosthom skola u klinika. Għalkemm il-villaġġ ta’ Mabanda huwa wieħed żgħir, li jgħixu fih mhux aktar minn 700 ruħ, l-istennija tal-bini tal-knisja hija kbira ħafna. Bl-għajnuna u s-sapport ta’ Missio, il-proġett qed joqrob lejn it-tmiem. L-istennija fit-tul ma ddumx ma tagħti l-frott u tagħmel kemm tagħmel xita, il-parruċċani ser ikunu jistgħu jinġabru u jiċċelebraw ilquddiesa tal-Ħadd bla diffikultajiet ta’ xejn.

Kont taf li nhar is-27 ta’ Novembru lKnisja Kattolika Rumana tfakkar ilbidu tal-Midalja Mirakoluża jew kif inhi magħrufa aktar, il-Midalja tal-Madonna tal-Grazzji? Kienet Santa Katarina Labouré, soru tal-Kongregazzjoni Ulied il-Karità ta’ San Vinċenz de Paul, li fissena 1830, kellha viżjoni mill-Madonna fejn tatha struzzjonijiet ta’ kif kellha tissawwar din il-midalja. Il-Madonna kienet talbet lil Santa Katarina biex twassal il-messaġġ li kull min jilbes din il-midalja u jitlob, jaqla’ grazzji kbar. Matul ix-xahar ta’ Novembru tista’ taqra aktar tagħrif dwar il-Midalja Mirakoluża fl-editorjal tal-magażin Malta Missjunarja, li huwa pubblikazzjoni ta’ Missio Malta. F’dan il-magażin, li joħroġ darba fix-xahar, fost ħafna informazzjoni oħra, issib tagħrif dwar il-proġetti li diġà wettaq Missio Malta, aħbarijiet mill-missjoni, l-intenzjoni missjunarja tax-xahar, riċetta tradizzjonali u paġna tal-logħob. Wieħed isib ukoll tagħrif dwar iddiversi attivitajiet li Missio Malta jkun qed jorganizza matul is-sena għall-benefatturi u l-qarrejja tal-magażin. F’wieħed mill-artikli naqraw dwar tliet persuni li ħadmu qatigħ favur il-ħelsien tat-tfal milliskjavitù. Artiklu ieħor ilaqqagħna, permezz ta’ intervista, ma’ Patri Luciano, missjunarju anzjan li għadda l-biċċa lkbira ta’ ħajtu jaħdem fl-Alġerija, fil-Kenja u f’Kuba, fejn għadu jgħix u jaħdem. Għal aktar tagħrif, jew biex tabbona fil-magażin Malta Missjunarja, ċempel l-uffiċċju ta’ Missio Malta fuq innumru 2123 6962 jew ibgħat imejl fuq info@missio.org.mt.

Rescue archaeology sheds light on medieval past

alta’s medieval past is still relevantly unknown due to the scant historical documentation available about that era. However, two rescue archaeological excavations which were carried out in Mdina in 2008, and in Safi in 2015, have contributed considerably to fill some of the gaps. The new exhibition by Heritage Malta, entitled ‘Core and Periphery: Mdina and Safi in the 9th and 10th centuries’ is the first of a series which will introduce this fascinating epoch and exhibit some of these archaeological findings.

It was set up in collaboration with the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage and the University of Malta, and aims to stimulate scholarly discussion about Malta’s medieval inheritance, while also increase public appreciation for this period. Moreover, it intends to acknowledge the strategic importance of the rescue archaeological services, while providing visibility to the results being obtained in the process. For the first time, this exhibition is presenting a ceramic typology for the 9th and 10th centuries – one of the least understood, yet crucial moments of change in the Mal-

tese medieval history. Some of the main economic and social points raised by this new archaeological information is also being shared on this occasion. Both the excavations in Mdina and Ħal Safi have yielded precious archaeological data about Malta’s Dark Ages – a period of dramatic historical change which saw the end of Byzantine domination and the arrival of the Arabs in our islands. These two sites in particular highlight the difference between the lifestyle in the urban community of Mdina and the outlying agricultural settlements such as Ħal Safi.

This exhibition dedicated to medieval Malta is being hosted by the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta and it will be open to the public until January 31, 2019. Admission is free of charge. A new publication by Heritage Malta discusses in further detail these archaeologi-

cal discoveries and includes illustrations and photos of the findings in Mdina and Ħal Safi. The publication is available for sale from all Heritage Malta sites and museums. Further information and details may be obtained from Heritage Malta’s website www.heritagemalta.org.

SENIOR TIMES â&#x20AC;&#x2019; NOvEMbER 2018

SENIOR TIMES ‒ NOVEMbER 2018