Luzzu tal-Wahx
(Feature bil-Malti dwar it-Tragedja tar-'Royal Lady')

“Il-bahar zaqqu ratba u rasu iebsa hatba.” Dan il-qawl joqghod tajjeb ghall-fliegu ta’ bejn iz-zewg gzejjer, li f’nofsu jbennen bhal zewgt itrabi, lil Kemmuna u Kemmunett. Billi l-Fliegu fuq in-naha t’Ghawdex hu idjaq minn siehbu fuq in-naha ta’ Malta, aktarx li hu eqqel, meta jigi mnaffar mill-Punent-lbic, li hu r-rih li l-aktar jaqbel.  more

The last of the Gozo Boat builders
(Dghajsa tal-Latini Restoration Feature)

It is in the living memory of most of our elders, vividly still catching the winds, gathering speed and riding the swell.   Anton Buttigieg and Gorg Pisani gave it a place in our literature, whereas Sammy Bartolo extolled its virtues through his song.   We recall the 1977 lyrics "Mewweg mewweg dghajsa taghna, fuq bahar kahlani, nir".   You have got it right.   I am referring to the Dghajsa tal-latini, the Gozo lateen boat. In a discrete corner of Mgarr harbour, Gozo, a restoration project is being undertaken.  The craft, or could we be so audacious to call it an objet d'art, is the hulk of one such exemplary, the Sacra Famiglia. This project is being overseen by Wirt Ghawdex [WG], a non-governmental organisation that was founded in 1996 in order to preserve Gozo and Comino's natural and cultural heritage.  more