Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/413175
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 9 NOVEMBER 2014 35 THIS WEEK What kind of research led you to discover the Malta-Pachino con- nection? It would be presumptuous of me to say that I discovered the link. A number of Sicilian writers had already written about this connec- tion when writing about the history of Pachino, but this was very little known in Malta, even though peo- ple like Joseph Bezzina, Frans Ciap- para and Ray Bondin have shown interest in the Malta-Pachino con- nection. As for myself, my curiosity was aroused by the co-author of the book, Silvio Aliffi, who is himself a Pachinese of Maltese origin, his mother being a Mallia. How did you discover that the Maltese were "warmly welcomed" in Pachino, as you conclude in your research? Pachino was founded and built on a former swamp and marshland in 1760. Although legally and techni- cally it was only Illirian, Albanian and Greek Catholics who were sup- posed to populate the new land, after a few months the presence of Maltese and Gozitans is already re- corded there. Indeed, the Prince of Giardinelli had sent over to Malta some men, including a certain Si- natra and a certain Andrea Grech, in order to encourage the Maltese to settle there. The promise of free land and the possibility of work in the new land proved to be quite at- tractive in a period where the econ- omy was not always flourishing in Malta. What kind of time period does your research cover? Why did you decide to focus on this particular period? As mentioned, we are talking here mainly about the period 1760-175. I focused on this period because I was interested in how the Maltese got there, what were the most com- mon means of transport to get to Marzamemi (the port of Pachino), what jobs the Maltese were involved in, where they lived in Pachino and so on. Where did the Maltese who moved to Pachino come from, and how many generations of them re- mained there? A good number of them seem to have come from Gozo, since the Gozitans are given a particular mention with regard to the setting up of the cotton industry in Pachi- no. But recent research by Sicilian scholar Rosa Savarino shows that many also hailed from Haz-Zebbug and Casal Pinto (Qormi). The Maltese were mainly involved in the cotton industry, the making of cheeselets and in the building industry. Today about 30% of the Pachino population still carries Maltese surnames. So the Malta- Pachino link is still alive and kick- ing. What are some of the most com- mon 'remnants' of the Pachino con- nection in contemporary Malta? Well, as a result of the publication of our book, a twinning process be- tween Pachino and Xewkija in Gozo has been started. The link between the two, established also thanks to Ray Bondin, is the veneration of Saint Elias. A statue of Sant'Elia was brought over from Malta to Pachino by some of the first Maltese inhab- itants in the 18th century. It was Xewkija that venerated this saint in this period. But it would also be interesting some of the old buildings in Pachino that bear a very strong resemblance to some buildings in 18th century rural Malta. With the documented presence of Maltese builders in Pachino, it is very plausible that the Maltese and Gozitan masons took their building practices with them to the new Sicilian town being built. What do you think this says about our current attitude towards mi- grants who come to Malta? Do you think Maltese people will ever wake up to this double-standard? Indeed, I hope that this publication will not only provide contemporary Maltese with new insights into Maltese migration abroad in olden times, but will also raise awareness about the fact that the Mediterra- nean sea – which today has become a veritable cemetery for thousands of people – has always been a route utilised by migrants to travel from one place to another in order to find a better future. Arnold Cassola and Silvio Aliffi will be discussing the book at the Common Area of the Natioanl Book Festival at the Malta Mediterrane- an Conference Centre, on November 14 at 18:00. The book is published by Morrone Editore The Malta-Pachino connection TEODOR RELJIC speaks to Arnold Cassola about 'Malta-Pachino – ritorno alle origini', which is co-authored with Silvio Aliffi and which he'll be discussing at this year's edition of the National Book Festival Merlin launch picture dictionary by Trevor Zahra ANOTHER milestone in Maltese books has been reached recently, with the publication of the first pic- ture dictionary in Maltese to fea- ture an extensive list of words and pictures totally localised and firmly planted in the Maltese reality, culture and environment. Stampakelma, the result of years of research and plan- ning, is the work – both words and illustrations – of Trevor Żahra, and published by Merlin Publishers. Stampakelma is unique in its genre, having in excess of 1,000 words and pictures, all grouped thematically: the human body, family, clothing, various rooms in the home, and many other themes. It includes words and pictures naming locally-found birds, animals, fish, flora, herbs, trees, fruit and vegetables, and sections on Mal- tese traditions and folklore. The dictionary also has an alphabet- ical index, in both Maltese-to-English and English-to-Maltese, as well as a section with brief background infor- mation on a number of topics covered in the book. Uniquely to this kind of picture dictionary in Malta, Stampakelma is divided into two sections: one for younger children, one for older chil- dren. This ensures that the book is a worthwhile investment that will last a family for many, many years. Stampakelma is sorted themati- cally. It includes pages covering the human body, family, gardens, toys, fruit and vegetables, hit, birds, in the classroom, musical instruments, vil- lage feast terminology, opposites, transport, weather, and many others. Both everyday words from children's realities, as well as other less common words, are covered. Localisation to the country where it is being used, is crucial to a picture dictionary. And in fact Żahra has tak- en great care to ensure Stampakelma is full of words relating to the Maltese environment, culture and traditions: for example, one can find words used in festas, words relating to Maltese tradition and folklore, Church termi- nology, as well as our natural habitat. The picture dictionary was launched by Merlin at Palazzo De La Salle, Valletta, where author Leanne Ellul and Olvin Vella, President of the Akkademja tal-Malti, spoke about the dictionary's contents and its possible uses in classrooms and at home. Stampakelma is available from all bookshops, and directly online from www.merlinpublishers.com Arnold Cassola