Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1541798
7 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 5 DECEMBER 2025 CULTURE A special exhibition based on Veronica Veen's book The Mal- tese Cinderella and the Women's Storytelling Tradition will be held at the Xewkija Windmill from 17 December to 29 January 2026. The book, which was awarded a Malta Book Fund grant in 2017, explores a rare Gozitan variant of the Cinderella tale known as il-Germudija, or the Sooty One, discovered by Veen in 1992. Un- like classical Cinderella stories, the heroine of il-Germudija is an independent and self-conscious maid who wins the heart of a tim- id son of the house without mag- ical assistance, offering a strong female perspective that resonates with contemporary audiences. As there is no established visual tradition of il-Germudija, the exhibition will contextualise the story alongside her famous clas- sical sisters. It will feature mainly the oldest, authentic, and remark- able Cinderella images, telling their own story from their time. This approach aims to avoid the sweetness and conditioning ef- fects of "Disneyfication" and the current "Princess craze," which, although appealing to young girls and adults, can distort the origi- nal narratives. In the author's own words: "It was the end of 1991 when I met the last genuine storyteller of Malta: Marija of Xewkija, as I called her. She was the last one in a family line of storytellers and must have had at least as many stories in her repertoire as father Magri had published. However, since then about half of the folk- lore studies happen to be based on his collection. Upon that she told them from a female point of view. Her dearest story was called il-Germudija by her, the Sooty One or The Maltese Cinderel- la. This is for sure a very special variant, also cleverly construct- ed, and with a very strong main character. Unfortunately, I could collect only three and a half sto- ries from Marija, but her niece Gianna, to whom she endlessly told stories from her childhood onwards, could give me some ten stories more. Also, she became a good storyteller in the process and could help me very well with aunt's treasure trove." From this material, combined with international Cinderella var- iants, Veen wrote a book of some 120,000 words, which could have become her third dissertation. She also created an exhibition with different, more internation- al and visual Cinderella materi- al, titled The Maltese Cinderella and her sisters. In addition, she collected a wide range of "prin- cess material" suitable for young girls and developed educational resources for workshops lasting around two hours, allowing par- ticipants to write their own fairy tales. The exhibition will showcase not only international Cinderel- la editions but also the Maltese Cinderella and the educational material, making it a compre- hensive display for visitors. Veen said that hosting the exhibition at the Xewkija Windmill, the home village of both her storytellers, allows her to bring il-Germudi- ja "home again," celebrating a unique piece of Maltese folklore while providing an engaging and educational experience for all. Xewkija Windmill to host exhibition on Maltese Cinderella fairytale Excerpts from Maltese Cinderella fairytale