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gozotoday | FRIDAY • 6 SEPTEMBER 2024
CULTURE
Maltese folklore: A celebration of legends,
TERRENCE MIFSUD
UNDERNEATH the surface of
Malta's rich culture is a world
of folklore, stories passed down
through the years about enigmat-
ic creatures, mythical heroes, and
ingrained superstitions.
These tales provide insights in-
to the island's history and con-
tinuing cultural identity, while
also serving as a source of enter-
tainment and reflection on the
Maltese people's collective con-
sciousness.
The Legend of Il-Ggantija
The Ġgantija temples on the is-
land of Gozo are associated with
one of the most well-known tales
in Malta. These megalithic ruins
are thought to have been con-
structed by a race of giants and
are older than the Egyptian pyr-
amids.
Local legend holds that the tem-
ples were built in a single night
by a giantess called Sansuna, who
carried her infant on her shoulder.
The idea that only extremely
strong beings could have built
these temples has been rein-
forced by the size of the stones
and their enigmatic function.
Although historians believe that
primitive humans used simple
tools to build these sites, the my-
thology of Sansuna endures, signi-
fying the wonder and mystery as-
sociated with these ancient places.
Il-Belliegha - A Sinister Well
Old wells dot the Maltese coun-
tryside and are frequently the sub-
ject of spooky tales.
One such tale describes a wick-
ed ghost that dwells in a well and
Ggantija temples
