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Meta qorbot lejn tmiemha s-sena skolastika, l-għalliema tad-drama, Miss Borg, ħasbet biex bħal kull sena, ittella’ reċta. Fiha dejjem kienu jieħdu sehem għadd ta’ tfal minn klassijiet differenti. It-tfal l-oħra, li ma kinux jingħataw parti, kienu jsegwu r-reċta minn fuq is-siġġijiet tas-sala tal-iskola flimkien mal-kumplament tal-għalliema u l-Kap tal-iskola. Il-ġenituri ma setgħux jattendu minħabba li r-reċta kienet tittella’ waqt il-ħin tal-iskola.

Din is-sena, Elise kienet se tieħu sehem fir-reċta għall-ewwel darba. Anki Emma u Danica, li kienu fl-istess klassi tagħha, intgħażlu minn Miss Borg. It-tlieta li huma ngħataw parti żgħira fir-reċta u ma xxennqux għal xi parti prinċipali għax daqshekk kien biżżejjed għalihom biex ikunu kuntenti. Ir-reċta kienet se tkun dwar x’jagħmlu l-għalliema u l-istudenti tagħha waqt il-lezzjoni tal-Matematika; u Elise, Emma u Danica kellhom ikunu tliet studenti minn fost grupp ta’ ħmistax. Għaldaqstant, il-kostum ma kienx se jkun problema għalihom għax kienu se jitilgħu fuq il-palk bl-uniformi tal-iskola stess. Miss Borg tathom l-iskript, li kienet kitbet hi stess bil-Malti, u indikatilhom liema linji kellhom jistudjaw. Fil-brejk bdew joqogħdu ġewwa fil-klassi biex jgħinu lil xulxin jistudjaw il-linji sew.

Ma ridux jaqgħu għaċ-ċajt ħalli darb’oħra Miss Borg terġa’ tagħżilhom għal reċta oħra. Saħansitra, meta Elise kienet tasal lura d-dar mill-iskola, kienet terġa’ tirrevedi l-linji mal-papà, li meta kien għadu tifel, kien l-għors tiegħu jieħu sehem fir-reċti tal-iskola u tal-Mużew fejn kien jattendi. Elise kienet tgħallmet il-linji tagħha kollha bl-amment f’qasir żmien, u meta marret għall-provi tar-reċta, Miss Borg kellha kliem ta’ tifħir lejha, u l-istess lejn sħabha.

Iżda bħal sajjetta fil-bnazzi, jumejn biss qabel ittellgħet ir-reċta, Elise qabdet tagħtas waħda f’waħda, kellha wġigħ ta’ ras taqsam u telgħalha d-deni wkoll. It-tabib wissieha biex tibqa’ fis-sodda sakemm jgħaddilha għalkollox. Kienet belgħet riħ mat-taqlib tal-arja mid-dehra. Sa mnalla kienet laħqet lestiet mill-eżamijiet għax li kieku falliethom kien ikollha tagħmel sajf tistudja biex tagħmilhom f’Settembru qabel is-sena skolastika li jmiss. Xorta ddispjaċieha bil-kbir talli kienet tilfet ir-reċta. Imma ma kienx hemmx x’tagħmel. Anki l-mamà u l-papà xtaqu li Elise ma marditx lejlet ir-reċta, iżda qalulha li aħjar tieħu ħsieb saħħitha, u ma tgħaddasx rasha u tmur l-iskola, ma jmurx ikollha konsegwenzi agħar.

Il-linji tagħha qasmuhom bejniethom Danica u Emma bejn għax kienu jafuhom fuq ponot subgħajhom u bejn għax Miss Borg ma kellhiex żmien biżżejjed biex tqabbad lil xi ħaddieħor minflokha. Però, lil Elise wegħditha li s-sena ta’ wara żgur kienet se tagħtiha parti f’reċta oħra, grazzi għall-entużjażmu tagħha. Għalkemm kien fadal ftit żmien mhux ħażin, it-tifla diġà ħassitha timtela bil-kuraġġ u bil-ħerqa. Fir-reċta li kien imiss, Miss Borg tatha l-parti prinċipali, li daħlet għaliha b’ruħha u b’ġisimha. Tgħidx x’applaws u prosit kbira qalgħet mill-udjenza għaliex ħarġet bl-unuri fuq il-palk daqs l-aqwa attriċi!

Ġappuniż ta’ 80 sena sar l-ixjeħ raġel li tela’ fil-quċċata tal-Muntanja Everest

Xi żmien ilu, Yuichiro Miura rnexxielu jitla’ fuq nett tad-29,035 pied, u kiser ir-rekord li kien wettaq ir-rival tiegħu ta’ 81 sena min-Nepal, Min Bahadur Sherchan.

Snin ilu, Yuichiro Miura tela’ l-istess muntanja, iżda ma rnexxilux jegħleb lil Sherchan, sal-quċċata, li meta wettaq ir-rekord, kellu 76 sena.

Mill-quċċata tal-Everest, Yuichiro u ibnu Gota, ikkuntattjaw lit-tim tal-appoġġ tagħhom, biex ħabbrulhom l-aħbar. Yuichiro qal “qed inħossni l-aqwa fid-dinja, iżda għajjien totalment.”

Meta tħabbret l-aħbar, Min Bahadur Sherchan kien qed iħejji biex jipprova jerġa’ jikseb rekord għalih.

Għeluq snin in-nanna kien jaħbat nhar il-festa ta’ San Pawl, fl-10 ta’ Frar. Iżda, ommha u missierha kienu semmewha Marija minħabba li kienu Mostin u lil Santa Marija kienu jħobbuha wisq. Elise u Luca kellhom lill-ħabib tal-qalb tagħhom, Gordon li kien jiċċelebra għeluq sninu jumejn biss qabel in-nanna, jiġifieri fit-8 ta’ Frar. Billi dik is-sena kellu l-lucky birthday, il-mamà tiegħu ħasbet biex torganizzalu festin żgħir u tistedinlu erbat iħbieb minn tiegħu.

Xi jiem wara li rċivew l-invit id-dar, Elise u Luca marru l-Belt mal-mamà tagħhom biex jixtru rigal għal Gordon. Xtrawlu ġakketta u qalziet blu tal-jeans għax żgur kienu jogħġbuh daqskemm kien iħobb jilbes il-ħwejjeġ tal-jeans. Kif kienu hemm, xtraw dublett iswed għan-nanna ħalli jagħtuhulha rigal ukoll f’għeluq sninha. Imbagħad la rritornaw id-dar, il-mamà kebbet iż-żewġ rigali fil-karti bojod irrigati bl-aħdar ċar, li kienet xtrat mill-Belt ukoll, u qegħdithom fuq il-pultruna tas-salott b’tali mod li setgħet tagħrafhom minn xulxin. Poġġiet ir-rigal ta’ Gordon quddiem ir-rigal tan-nanna billi huwa kien se jirċevih l-ewwel. Imma r-rigali ma baqgħux f’dik l-ordni għall-ħin twil għax malajr ċaqalquhom minn posthom Elise u Luca meta daħlu jilagħbu fis-salott bil-moħbi tal-mamà.

Dakinhar tal-festin, Elise u Luca marru xi ftit kmieni għand Gordon għax il-mamà tiegħu, li kienet tħobbhom daqslikieku kienu wliedha, riedet tagħtihom ftit ikel u ħelu żejjed qabel jaslu l-mistednin. Fil-fatt, wara li lestew il-homework, libsu, ħatfu wieħed mir-rigali bl-addoċċ mis-salott u telqu bil-pass lejn id-dar ta’ ħabibhom li kien joqgħod ftit bibien ’il bogħod mid-dar tagħhom. Peter ma kienx mistieden u baqa’ d-dar mal-mamà jara l-cartoons.

Hekk kif messew il-qanpiena tal-bieb ta’ barra, il-mamà ta’ Gordon marret tiġri tiftħilhom. Daħħlithom fil-kċina u hemmhekk sabu lil Gordon jistenniehom b’dik is-soltu tbissima fuq wiċċu. Kantawlu Happy Birthday u tawh ir-rigal. It-tifel fetħu f’kemm ilni ngħid, iżda nħasad xħin sab dublett iswed. Ommu riedet tmut bid-daħk u Elise u Luca ħmaru nar bil-mistħija. Kienu tawh ir-rigal tan-nanna Marija bi żball. Bla telf ta’ żmien, marru lura lejn darhom biex jeħdulu r-rigal li kien verament tiegħu. Il-mamà riedet tikolhom bl-għajjat malli saret taf  x’kien ġara. Mill-ewwel indunat li din il-balbuljata kienet saret għax l-għorrief uliedha ma kinux ħallew ir-rigali fejn qegħdithom hi.

Wara ftit, reġgħu marru għand Gordon u l-mamà marret magħhom ukoll. Skużat ruħha miegħu u m’ommu f’isem Elise u Luca. Sa mnalla ħadd mill-mistednin ma kien għadu wasal għax min jaf kemm kienu jaqgħu iżjed għaċ-ċajt dawk iż-żewġt itfal imqarbin! Il-biċċa malajr mietet fuq ommha għax malli ra dik il-ġakketta u dak il-qalziet tal-jeans li tawh Elise u Luca, Gordon kien pront tefagħhom fuqu u tgħidx kemm iddandan bihom waqt il-festin quddiem il-mistednin. Kien jaf li Elise u Luca kienu jħobbuh u li ma kinux tawh rigal b’ieħor apposta. Imma kien jaf ukoll li l-praspar kienu jikluhom bil-ħobż u issa kien drahom sew dejjem joħorġu b’xi waħda ġdida.

Charles B. Spiteri

Biċċa papiru użata biex issir il-maskra ta’ mummja, jaf fiha l-eqdem kopja ta’ vanġelu.

Il-materjal reċiklat fih parti mill-Vanġelu ta’ San Mark, li kien miktub fl-ewwel seklu u, skont l-esperti, hu eqdem minn dak misjub, b’madwar mitt sena.

Il-kitba, li aktarx tkun pubblikata, ħarġet fid-dawl mill-ġdid permezz ta’ teknika li ntużat u li tippermetti li l-kolla użata għall-infaxxar iddub mingħajr ma tagħmel ebda ħsara lil-linka fuq il-papiru. Madankollu teqred l-artifatt oriġinali.

Waqt li l-Faragħuni kien ikollhom forom tad-deheb, kienet ħaġa komuni għall-Eġizzjani fi grad inqas li jindifnu b’maskra tal-papiru, żebgħa u kolla – speċi ta’ papier-mâchè.

Peress li l-papiru kien jiswa l-flus, in-nies kienu jerġgħu jagħmlu użu minn dawk il-papiri li jkollhom il-kitba fuqhom.

Xjenzjati fil-Kulleġġ Acadia Divinity f’Wolfville, Nova Scotia, neħħew il-kolla biex wettqu s-sejba.

Craig Evans, professur tal-Istudji tat-Testment il-Ġdid, qal lil LiveScience: “Qed niksbu dokumenti qodma mill-ewwel, it-tieni u t-tielet seklu, li ntużaw biex jagħmlu l-maskri tal-mummji.” Żied jgħid li s’issa nstabet ukoll kitba  Griega klassika, fosthom poeżiji ta’ Homer, dokumenti bibliċi u karti ta’ negozju li jmorru lura eluf ta’ snin.

A characteristic of the Maltese Islands is the pealing of bells. These are heard in old parts of towns and villages especially when one is passing by a major church. The visitor may wonder at the different peals and frequency of ringing.

The best two localities, famous for ringing bells, are Ħal Qormi (St George’s) and Birkirkara (St Helen’s). Their bells have kept the traditional rule of informing the faithful of events occurring in the locality.

The bells start the day very early. At around 4.30 am the ‘Pater Noster’ is rung with 33 strokes. 33 stands for the number of years Our Lord spent on earth. The other three main ringing times are at 8.00 am, midday and sunset. Many people associated these ringing times with a prayer called ‘Angelus’. The day ends with the ringing of the last bells an hour after the evening ‘Angelus’. This is referred to as ‘De Profundis’. In some localities, their bells ring again another hour after ‘De Profundis’ to remind the faithful that the first hour of the night had already passed.

The celebration of Mass has its particular pealing. Mass is announced by a few strokes of a bell fifteen minutes before it starts. This gives enough time for the faithful to leave home and gather in church. Another particular pealing occurs when a church is elevated to the dignity of a Collegiate. In this case the bells ring a two-toned peal for fifteen minutes to inform everyone that the members of the church’s Chapter will gather for matins and vespers.

In former days, the church bells used to peal to announce that someone in the parish was dying. This started by nine strokes which were followed by three strokes every hour until the passing bell was rung. The passing bell was followed by the death bell. These last two types of bells are still very common in old towns and villages. There was also a special bell peal called ‘Gloria’ when an infant died.

Feast days and sermons had their special pealing. On a festive season, before High Mass and vespers of the titular feast the church bells ring in four periods. When the feast is of secondary importance, the bells ring in three periods of ringing. When there is a special sermon the church bells ring a few minutes before it starts. 

Christmas traditions in Malta seem to be a combination of lay and semi-religious manifestations. The crib is one of the main semi-religious activities. Some folklore writers think that the first crib was introduced in Malta in 1617/18 by Blackfriars in their Rabat church. This crib was lit up on Christmas Eve with earthenware lamps burning inside paper lanterns.

Cribs were later introduced in state hospitals. Then the locals started producing their own for their homes. Maltese crib figures started to be made out of clay. Only the figure of the Infant Jesus and sheep were made out of wax. The Maltese created two types of cribs – small ones (know locally as ‘il-grotta’) and bigger ones. One of these crib makers was Maestro Saverio Laferla. His fame was widespread all over the islands, so much so that an eighteenth-century diarist entered the following comment for the 19 January 1761: ‘the death has occurred of Maestro Saverio Laferla, a barber, acclaimed for his skills in making cribs and statues of papier-mâché.’

In the 1870s we come across a large-scale mechanised crib at Ħal Qormi. It seems that this crib created such a sensation that 7 years later there was another one at Tas-Sliema. By the turn of the twentieth century the large-scale cribs became so popular with the Maltese that we find several references to them in the local press.

Nowadays we find cribs in many Maltese homes. Schools and other public institutions such as old people’s homes and hospitals also have their own crib. The crib’s popularity increased due to the activities of two crib clubs – one in Malta and another in Gozo. Both clubs organise a crib exhibition a few days before Christmas Day.

Clay crib figures have become popular again. We find two types of crib figures – the Maltese and Palestine types. The Maltese figures are dressed up in local costumes while the Palestine type wears biblical attire. The main figures of the Virgin and St Joseph as well as the three Magi (sometimes referred to as ‘kings’) are always dressed up in biblical style. Many Maltese open their crib to the public. Some of theses cribs are exhibited in garages and small chapels. The local press usually features some addresses to help both locals and tourists visit these cribs.

Floriana, Valletta’s suburb, is full of public gardens and memorials. The main memorials are assembled along the main route – Floriana’s St Anne Street – and before Valletta’s entrance area.

As you pass by Porte des Bombes on your right you will find the Dante Alighieri memorial. This was erected on the initiative of the Società Dante Alighieri. The monument is based on the winning design of Vincent Apap. It shows this Italian poet standing on rocks while in deep meditations. The pedestal is a rarity as it consists of 3 roughly cut boulders, symbolising Paradiso (paradise) Purgatorio (purgatory) and L’ Infermo (hell) the three ‘divisions’ of Dante Alighieri’s greatest literacy work – La Divina Comedia.

A few meters away along the same street, there is the Manoel de Vilhena Memorial. This monument was originally placed in the ‘Piazza d’Armi’ of Fort Manoel on Manoel Island. The monument was erected on the initiative of Fra Felician de Mont Savasse, a knight of the Order of St John. The figure was cast in bronze in the Order’s foundry by Aloisio Bouchut. The monument was relocated first in Valletta in ‘Piazza Tesoreria’ and later at the entrance of the Maglio Gardens. In 1989 it was relocated again to its present location in Pope John XXIII Square to make way for the Independence Monument.

At the end of St Anne Street there is the War Memorial. It was erected according to the design of Louis Naudi. This square-faced obelisk was constructed in Maltese lower globigerina limestone. At the bottom there are 4 commemorative plaques. The obelisk is a good example of British pre-war military and colonial art.

The Air Force Memorial is found at the left of the War Memorial. It consists of a column which is topped with a gilded eagle. At the bottom of this monument, there are circular plaques bearing the names of the fallen Air Forces heroes. It was designed by Charles Wheeler and Hubert Worthington. This monument is reminiscent of the pro-Anglican post war period. It is worthwhile to mention that every year wreath laying ceremonies takes places in front of these two memorials, in the presence of the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.

Next to this monument there is the Christ the King Memorial. Designed by Antonio Sciortino to mark the beginning of the 20th century, the 1900 Holy Year dedicated to Christ the Redeemer and the Eucharistic Congress of 1913. This congress was held in Malta. The bronze works were cast in the Rome Buongirolami foundry. The central figure represents Christ in a moving pose while the other figure represents Malta, in a veneration act. In former times this monument was the starting point of pilgrimages which used to end at St John’s Co-Cathedral. 

In front of the Maglio Gardens’ entrance there is the Independence Memorial. It was erected in 1989 showing a female figure representing Malta being unwrapped from a big, long bandage.