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Minn Charles B. Spiteri

Fis-snin 50, Laurence Mizzi u Carmen Spiteri ltaqgħu fil-Pjazza ta’ Raħal Ġdid, li b’paragun mal-lum setgħet b’xi mod titqies bħala l-Paceville ta’ dawn iż-żminijiet. Kienu jippassiġġaw, ġuvintur għalihom u xebbiet għalihom. Raw lil xulxin u Laurence inġibed lejn Carmen. Peress li t-tnejn kienu għalliema, u kien se jkollhom social fl-iskola primarja tal-Furjana, Laurence waħħalha f’rasu li jmur u jiżfen magħha, minkejja li għadu ma jafx jiżfen sal-lum. ġara li lil Carmen stedinha ħaddieħor qablu u kellu jistenna sa ma mbagħad qabad magħha hu u baqgħu jiżfnu flimkien.

Qabel is-social, għal darbtejn fuq xulxin kien bagħat jistaqsiha ma’ xi ħbieb xtaqitx tkellmu u t-tweġiba tagħha kienet id-darbtejn ‘le’. Fl-aħħar iltaqa’ ma’ ħabiba tagħhom it-tnejn, li kienet sejra għand Carmen biex tagħtiha ktieb li kienet silfitha u Laurence talabha tgħidilha tisilfu lilu. Carmen, ħasset li ma kellhiex terġa’ tgħidlu le u allura silfithulu minkejja li lanqas kien tagħha. Wara t-tislif tal-ktieb, Laurence ġie f’kuntatt dirett ma’ Carmen biex irritornalha l-ktieb, u meta staqsieha riditx toħroġ miegħu, aċċettat.

Għall-bidu kienu jiltaqgħu bil-moħbi fid-dar ta omm Laurence u wara kienu jmorru passiġġata qasira. Carmen kienet beżgħet ittarraf lil ommha bin-namrat tagħha, peress li kienet mara stretta ħafna.
Laurence hu t-tieni tifel fil-familja ta’ sebat itfal – sitt subien u tifla, waqt li Carmen hi l-kbira minn sitt aħwa.

Kellem lil missierha

Darba, Carmen ħeġġet lil Laurence imur ikellem lil missierha. Hu aċċetta bil-qalb u meta rah għaddej mit-triq, resaq fuqu u kellmu. Missierha ħares lejh u qallu “mela le, kollox sew, mhix problema”. Naturalment induna li kien ġuvni serju u bi ħsieb ġenwin.
Ladarba ommha saret taf bl-aħbar minn żewġha, Laurence beda jidħol għandhom ukoll. Il-ħruġ ta’ nhar ta’ Ħadd ma naqasx, iżda dejjem bix-chaperone, bil-għassa magħhom. Fix-xitwa kienu jmorru l-Belt f’xi ħanut tal-kafè u fis-sajf għal xi ġelat f’Wied il-Għajn. Iżda dejjem bl-għassa magħhom.
Kif jirrakkuntaw Laurence u Carmen, id-dixxiplina fl-antik kienet fl-aqwa tagħha. Jiftakru meta attendew għall-kors tat-tħejjija għaż-żwieħ, mill-Moviment ta’ Kana, għand l-Agostinjani f’Ħal Tarxien. Naturalment weħidhom – ħaġa li lil omm Carmen ma għoġbitha xejn.
Biex kollox jagħqad, fl-aħħar tal-konferenzi, Dun Charles Vella kien għażel lil Laurence biex jagħmel erba’ kelmiet għan-nom tal-koppji għarajjes, u għalhekk damu ftit aktar mis-soltu. Meta waslu d-dar, ommha tatha ħasla liema bħalha. Iżda dawn kienu affarijiet komuni, tista’ tgħid mal-għarajjes kollha.
L-għerusija ta’ Laurence u Carmen ħadet ftit snin u dan minħabba li dak iż-żmien, għalliema mara riedet taħdem għal mill-inqas sentejn, inkella teħel multa. Barra minhekk, jekk għalliema mara taħdem ħames snin, kienet tingħata l-gratuity meta tiżżewweġ u għalhekk qatgħuha li jistennew sa ma jieħdu din is-somma.
Iċ-ċrieket tal-għerusija berikhomlhom ħu Laurence – Patri Massimiljan Mizzi ofm conv., assistit minn Patri Innoċenz Delia, Kapuċċin, li kien ħabib tal-familja Spiteri. Wara t-tberik taċ-ċrieket kellhom festin familjari ċkejken fid-dar tal-ġenituri tal-għarusa.

‘Kaċċa’ ghal dar

Mal-għerusija bdiet il-‘kaċċa’ għad-dar tal-koppja ġdida. Jirrakkuntaw li kien diffiċli ferm issib fejn toqgħod. Iżda bil-ħniena ta’ Alla, ħabib ta’ Laurence qallu b’appartament vojt fl-Isla. Laurence fittex lis-sid, li kien joqgħod Qui Si Sana, sabu, u dak aċċetta li jikrihulu. Dan l-appartament kien fir-raba’ sular, iżda peress li kien twaqqa’ fil-gwerra reġa’ nbena mill-ġdid u kważi kważi żanżnuh huma.
Biċ-ċavetta tal-post fejn joqogħdu f’idejhom, Laurence u Carmen taw id-data taż-żwieġ. Kienet it-22 ta’ Settembru tal-1957. Il-knisja għaċ-ċerimonja kienet il-parroċċa ta’ Kristu Re, f’Raħal Ġdid u ċ-ċelebrant reġa’ kien ħu Laurence. Ix-xhieda tat-tieġ kienu 

Lewis Portelli (illum mejjet, u li kien jaħdem ma’ Laurence fid-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni) u Victor Attard (mejjet ukoll).
Laurence u Lewis kienu ħbieb kbar, għax mhux biss kienu jiltaqgħu fuq ix-xogħol normali tagħhom, iżda t-tnejn kienu dilettanti tal-isport. F’dan il-qasam, Lewis ta sehem fix-xandir bir-Rediffusion u t-televiżjoni.
Wara l-quddiesa tat-tieġ, li saret filgħodu, il-miżżewġin friski kellhom riċeviment fir-Reġina Hotel, Tas-Sliema. Hemmhekk sabu tilqagħhom lill-orkestra ta’ Vinnie Vella (il-missier) li dik il-ħabta kien jaħdem ukoll mad-Dipartiment tal-Informazzjoni.
Wara r-riċeviment bdew il-qamar il-għasel billi għal-lejl marru f’lukanda Għajn Tuffieħa u l-għada siefru bl-ajruplan għal Katanja. Minn hemm għal Ruma, Venezja, Innsbruck u Vjenna fl-Awstrija.
Interessanti li fl-istess jum, iżżewġet koppja oħra minn Wied il-Għajn, Lino u Rose Debono, li mhux biss kienu ħbieb ta’ Laurence u Carmen, iżda bħalhom kellhom lill-istess patri Karmelitan, li kienu jqerru għandu u jieħdu l-pariri mingħandu. Għalhekk meta ż-żewġ koppji siefru għal qamar il-għasel, il-Patri tela’ magħhom ukoll. Iżda ladarba waslu fl-ewwel destinazzjoni, kulħadd mar għal rasu.

Tilfu r-‘rapido’

Wara madwar 20 ġurnata barra, lil Laurence qabditu l-influwenza u xtaqu jiġu lura malajr. Għalhekk, l-aħħar vjaġġ bil-ferrovija riedu jagħmluh bir-rapido u ħallas aktar għalih. Iżda bi żball qabdu ferrovija b’oħra u ħadu l-qatgħa ta’ ħajjithom, għax beżgħu li se jitilfu l-ajruplan għal Malta. Dak iż-żmien, l-ajruplan minn Katanja għal Malta kien jagħmel it-titjira tiegħu kull tlett ijiem.
Għalhekk, xħin waslu fl-istazzjon tal-ferrovija, Laurence sab tassist u qallu jwassalhom l-ajruport fl-inqas ħin. Dan mhux saq bihom, iżda tar. Meta mbagħad Laurence ġie biex iħallsu, sab li ma kellux flus Taljani biżżejjed, u t-taraġ tal-ajruplan telgħuh imbuttati b’kantaliena ta’ kliem ‘aktarx mhux xieraq’ bl-Isqalli. Fl-ajruplan sabu lill-passiġġieri kollha marbutin biċ-ċinturin. Kienu qed jistennew lilhom u kienu diġà sejħulhom xi darbtejn. Il-Bambin reġa’ daħal għalihom.
Lura Malta, Laurence u Carmen bdew jaħsbu għall-familja u wara sena u xahrejn, fl-Isla, twelditilhom l-ewwel tarbija tifel – Alex, illum direttur tal-HSBC, li hu miżżewweġ lil Marlene u għandhom tifla jisimha Carole.
Tliet snin u nofs wara, il-koppja Mizzi saret taf b’dar li tbattlet f’Raħal Ġdid, irsistiet kemm felħet u spiċċat marret toqgħod fiha. Aktar tard, fl-istess lokalità Laurence u Carmen xtraw biċċa art u bnew darhom. Ftit wara twelditilhom it-tifla – Joanna, li hi direttriċi fl-Uffiċċju tal-Prim Ministru. Hi miżżewġa lil Noel Genovese u għandhom żewġt itfal: Jamie u Colleen. B’hekk, Laurence u Carmen huma nanniet ta’ tlieta.

Imġiegħel jitlaq mix-xogħol

Laurence għandu kliem ta’ tifħir għal martu għax kellha ssofri miegħu d-diffikultajiet kollha li għaddew minnhom tul ħajjithom miżżewġa. Isemmi s-seba’ xhur sospiż fl-1977 għax kien obda direttiva tal-Unjon; il-MGCU (illum UĦM). Iżda l-agħar esperjenza li kellu, kienet li kien imġiegħel jitlaq għaxar snin qabel it-tmiem tal-impjieg tiegħu minn mal-Gvern, fl-1983.
Fl-1986, wara li l-Awtorità tax-Xandir twaqqfet mill-ġdid, Laurence inħatar membru tagħha u tliet snin wara ngħata l-kariga ta’ Chairman fejn dam erba’ snin. Dawk kienu l-aktar snin ibsin għall-Awtorità. Fl-ewwel snin għax kienet ġejja l-elezzjoni u kulħadd kien taħt pressjoni qawwija u mbagħad, meta laħaq Chairman, daħal il-pluraliżmu fix-xandir. Kien hu li f’isem l-Awtorità ħareġ il-liċenzji lill-istazzjonijiet Radio 101, Super One Radio u lill-RTK.
Illum il-ġurnata, minn fuq Laurence u Carmen għaddew 50 sena ta’ żwieġ. Ħamsin sena bis-sabiħ u l-ikreh tagħhom, iżda kif wiegħdu dakinhar li ngħaqdu bħala koppja, kienu lesti għalihom u ħaduhom b’sabar li saħħaħhom u wettaqhom aktar f’imħabbithom. Għal dan kollu kemm Laurence kif ukoll Carmen, jirringrazzjaw lil Alla, li żamm idejh fuqhom u seddaqhom bil-barkiet, lill-ġenituri tagħhom u lil dawk kollha li b’għemilhom tawhom il-formazzjoni Nisranija.
Għall-56 sena anniversarju kellhom quddiesa għand il-Klarissi, San Ġiljan, fejn qaddsilhom Patri Victor Spiteri, ħu Carmen, peress li Patri Massimiljan, kien indispost. Wara, flimkien mal-familjari marru f’lukanda u kellhom pranzu.

Il-valuri morali

Mitlubin jagħtu l-fehma tagħhom fuq il-valuri morali tal-antik, il-koppja Mizzi qalet li dak iż-żmien tant kienu qawwija, li jmorru fejn imorru qatt ma abbużaw. Jemmnu li l-valuri ħadu daqqa ta’ ħarta bit-teleserials Amerikani fuq it-televiżjoni, fejn jippruvaw juru li xejn m’hu xejn. Kienu huma li daħħlu l-libertinaġġ. Imbagħad ġie kollox ma’ kollox. U fejn dari konna nidħlu d-dar fid-disgħa, iż-żgħażagħ tal-lum ikunu għadhom lanqas biss ħarġu.
Semmew ukoll il-valur tal-onestà, fejn dari, jekk issib xi flus jew affarijiet oħra, kont tmur dritt tagħtihom lill-kappillan.
Għall-mistoqsija fuq x’jaħsbu għall-ħafna żwiġijiet qed jaslu għal separazzjoni, Laurence u Carmen jemmnu li dan kollu hu riżultat tan-nuqqas tal-valuri Nsara. Fi żmienhom, il-Kmandamenti kellhom il-valur tagħhom. Valur li ma jinbidilx. Illum, minn stħarriġ li sar fost l-istudenti universitarji, numru kbir minnhom qalu li ma jsibu xejn Ħażin is-sess qabel iż-żwieġ. Fi żmienhom, din l-affari lanqas kienet tgħaddi minn rashom.
Laurence qal li kull żwieġ ikollu l-problemi għax raġel u mara mhumiex identiċi, lanqas fil-fehma, iżda koppja għandha tilħaq il-kompromessi u tfittex il-komprensjoni, mhux tieħu r-raġun parzjali u egoistiku.
Carmen hi tal-fehma li fin-nuqqas ta’ qbil, koppja għandha tirrikorri għall-pariri, speċjalment ta’ saċerdot, għax meta sija r-raġel kif ukoll il-mara, jiftħu qalbhom ma’ konfessur, diġa’ jkunu qed itaffu mill-istress li jkunu għaddejjin minnha. Il-verità hi li llum, ftit huma ż-żgħażagħ li jemmnu f’din it-terapija.
Interessanti wkoll li dari, rari kont tisma’ b’separazzjoni jew b’xi xbejba b’tarbija barra ż-żwieġ. Fl-antik, f’Raħal Ġdid kollu jiftakru b’persuna waħda biss li kien se jkollha tarbija hekk. U kulħadd ilissen il-kelma ‘miskina’. Jiftakru wkoll li biex dawn in-nisa jwelldu, kienu jintbagħtu Għawdex. Illum il-ġurnata, f’pajjiżna, terz tat-trabi qed jitwieldu barra ż-żwieġ. U dawn l-affarijiet saru qishom m’huma xejn, għax il-valuri ttappnu.

Sess qabel iż-żwieġ

Laurence jirraġuna li s-sess qabel iż-żwieġ hu ħażin mhux għax ma jridux Alla, iżda Alla ma jridux għax hu ħażin. L-istess id-divorzju. Hu ħażin mhux għax ma jridux Alla, iżda Alla ma jridux għax hu ħażin fih innifsu. Jaf kif ikisser is-soċjetà kullimkien.
Fl-Amerika hemm aktar min-nofs iż-żwiġijiet li jispiċċaw f’divorzju, u hemm min jiżżewweġ tlieta u erba’ darbiet.
Bħala messaġġ lill-koppji żgħażagħ, Laurence u Carmen huma tal-fehma li dawn għandhom jirrispettaw u jħobbu tabilħaqq lil xulxin, iwarrbu l-egoiżmu, li hu l-għadu taż-żwieġ. Apparti dan jisħqu li l-valuri Nsara huma l-garanzija tal-kuntentizza. Ħadd m’għandu jħares lejn dawn il-valuri bħala jasar, iżda bħala sinjal ta’ gwida għal ħajja hienja.

‘True Love Waits’

Semmew ukoll li ftit snin ilu, fl-Amerika, grupp ta’ żgħażagħ reġgħu bdew jirrestawraw il-valuri. Semmew il-grupp tagħhom: True Love Waits. Jintrabtu li ma jagħmlux sess qabel iż-żwieġ. U fih hemm eluf ta’ membri żgħażagħ li kapaċi jagħmlu wegħda.
Carmen iżżid tgħid li meta koppja taqa’ fis-sess qabel iż-żwieġ, iż-żwieġ bħala Sagrament ma jibqagħlu xejn x’joffri. Terġa’ llum, il-materjaliżmu għolla ferm rasu u ż-żgħażagħ qed jippruvaw jagħmlu affarijiet li ma jifilħux għalihom. Dan qed iwassal biex koppja miżżewġa friska jintefgħu għal xogħol wara ieħor bla ma jiltaqgħu u ma jdumux ma jfeġġu quddiemhom bosta problemi li jheżżulhom iż-żwieġ tagħhom.  

How can I forget that day? It was the 1st of July, a Friday. I was returning back from work with the wage packet in my handbag. I was having a ‘cappuccino’ at Café Nero in the town square. It was then that I saw him – coffee cup in hand, coming over to my table. He was a hunk of a man with film star looks. “May I?” he said. “You’re welcome” I replied.

“It’s my first time here, the place is full,” he said. “I’ve never been here myself,” I replied. First impressions are important and my first impression of Jim, there in that crowded coffee shop, was wonderful and absorbing, both at the same time.
We were two persons finding ourselves around one small table. We could not but strike a conversation. I studied him between words and sips of coffee. He had startling green eyes set wide apart, curly black hair, an aristocratic high-bridged nose, a beautifully modeled mouth and lovely artistic hands with long tapering fingers. I was hooked at first sight.

From that day on we met regularly and got to know each other – our likes and dislikes, our jobs and work habits, our expectations from life, our exhilarations and disappointments. We had so much in common. Our education had been the same; we both had the same propensity for talking our heads off about anything and nothing. It seemed that after we finished chatting, the world was a better place to live in, in theory of course!

As days, weeks and months rolled by, our friendship grew into love and our love into a romantic roller coaster which left us breathless. Isn’t strange, the way two people manage to find each other out of all the other men and women in the world? Somehow, someway, they get thrown together and that’s it, there will never be anyone else. Isn’t that how real love works? If I had to pick out a word to describe the first months of my relationship with Jim, it would be ‘gasping’. That’s the romantic word for it anyway.
“You’re the person I thought I’d never find. Now I’m afraid I might lose you,” he said. “But you won’t lose me. I’ll always be by your side,” I replied. He cupped my face in his hands. “I hope not, but hope seems a little flimsy sometimes. Hope is not so reliable.”

I had, by then, moved to his apartment. It made more sense in our torrid relationship. We were engaged, promised to each other. We were sure of our love but thought it wiser to get married when our financial position would get better. One day in the dusk evening of a cold February, I came home to see Jim sitting in the dark on the sofa. “Why are you so early?” I asked while switching on the lampshade by his side. He buried his hands and slowly shook his head. “What’s happened? What is it? Did someone you know die?” I asked once again. “No, No,” he replied. “What? What then?” I pressed seeking an answer. I saw tears running down his face. “I’ve been going to the hospital lately. I’ve been tested. They gave me the result today. I’m HIV positive!”

Suddenly, a lump of dread lodged stubbornly in my throat. “You’re what??” “It’s the virus that causes AIDS. I have it!” he said resignedly. I felt like reeling, feeling as if I was falling from a high place, as if the earth had been pulled out from beneath me, sending me into a freefall with no probability of stopping. “No!” I cried. “It cannot be true.” “You need to get tested”, he said. “Me? You mean ………..” I responded angrily. He looked sad. “I was informed by the hospital that any partner I had needed to be tested”. His eyes filled with tears and he shook his head. “My life would be ended if I infected you.” “You don’t think that I ………..?” I exclaimed. “I don’t know”, he said while he took my hands in his. He began to cry – “I love you”. I was silent, weeping, as we stood clinging tightly to one another.

Jim kept going to hospital for treatment but it was evident that his health was deteriorating fast. I was, by then, practically living in his hospital room. I remembered our promise – to love each other for ever. But forever does not exist for any of us. It’s infinity, it’s intangible and it’s unreachable. Forever sounds a long time but in reality it is such a short time. We can only live one second at a time. Take what we can from life. We cannot live in the time that passed or in the time that’s ahead. I recalled Dolly Parton’s song, “One day at a Time” which we both loved to listen to. But even with his illness, Jim was a pillar of strength. It was I who was weakening. “Dying is not as bad as everyone thinks”, he told me. “After a while you accept it. The worst part is realizing that you’ll be leaving everyone and everything you love. It is then when you realize that you’ll be slipping into the unknown.”

Jim was always theorizing, trying to understand what cannot be understood. “But then that passes and you get a little curious,” he continued. “People spend their lives pondering what’s out there beyond death – heaven, hell or nothing at all! But I’ll now know.” A smile covered his face. There, by his hospital bed, I let tears slide freely, slipping over the bridge of my nose, down the side of my face and into the pillow I held in my hands. I wondered then, how many tears that hospital pillow’s life had already seen and how many more yet it would see. I don’t know exactly when it changed from morning to night. I didn’t turn on the lights and I didn’t note the time. I moved my mouth against his cheek and kissed him. I put my lips to his ear and whispered –“Jim. I love you. I love you. I need you.” I took hold of his hands and caressed his fingers.

I prayed for a miracle to happen. But there were no miracles. Jesus had used them all up in Galilee. My Jim died as the early morning light began to filter through the half-opened window. Ten days after the funeral, the phone rang. “Hello” I said. “This is Dr. Helen Marsden from St. Barth’s Hospital,” was the reply from the other end. “Are you Ms Olivia Jones?” she continued. “Yes. Yes.” I answered. “I understand that you had to call the hospital for tests,” said the stern voice. I had completely forgotten that Jim had asked me to get tested. He must have given them my name and phone number. He had said that if diagnosed early and treatment started immediately, the HIV sufferer may not necessarily become an AIDS victim.

The day after, I called at the hospital, asked for Dr Marsden, made the necessary blood tests and was requested to call for the result the following week. These were seven nightmare days for me. I was nervous; afraid; panic gripped me; I did not know what I was doing. Am I positive or negative? That question was on my mind all the time. I could not sleep. The nights, when your mind is at its most fertile, were terrible. After the week passed, I went to the hospital early in the morning. I must have been the first one there until people started coming in and sat in chairs besides me. I looked around and saw people waiting, like me, for their results. The handsome young man next to me – was he ………..? The blonde girl facing me on the chair opposite, so young and beautiful – was she …………? The mother holding her ten year old son by her side – who …………?

Then the nurse called me. I stood up and followed her through the corridor. She ushered me into a small room where another woman in a blue uniform was seated behind a desk. As she looked directly at me, I knew that my life would forever be measured against the moment I was told this result – the before and after. “Good morning Ms Jones. I’m Dr Helen Marsden. We spoke last week on the phone,” she said. “Yes, yes,” I replied timidly. “I’m here to give you the results of your tests,” she said. “Yes, yes”, I replied once again, words failing me. “Why did you feel that you wanted to do this test?” “Because my boyfriend had been diagnosed with AIDS.” “Do you know what HIV means?” “Yes.” “Do you know what a positive or negative result means?”
“AIDS,” I stammered. “Not exactly, it depends” said Dr Marsden. “Positive means that a person is infected with the virus that causes AIDS; negative means ……………” My world was silent after these words. It was also crumbling. I must be HIV positive .My life was over; declared so by simple blood test. “Are you listening to what I’m saying,” she said.

I started to stand up mechanically. “That’s it,” I murmured. “But just because you’re not infected does not mean that you should not …………” said the doctor in front of me. “Not? Not infected you said?” I replied. “You are not infected, I just told you. Are you OK?” “I’m negative? I’m negative?” “Yes. Negative. Look, here are the results of your blood test.” Suddenly everything was beautiful and colourful. Time was suddenly a gift. It made me feel generous. I wanted to sing, hug someone, dance and tell the whole world. I closed my eyes briefly, bringing my hands together, my fingers pointing upward under my chin, and mumbled – “Thank you God, thank you so much!” Dr. Marsden stood up; looked at me, puzzled; then she smiled and opened the door indicating that my appointment was over. I looked around. There were others waiting for their results. And hoping.  

Għalqet is-sena u bdiet oħra. Mingħajr ma rridu nħarsu u niftakru, jew ninsew x’għamilna jew xi xtaqna nwettqu. Insibu li ħarbulna xi ġrajjiet, ħidmiet li ma għamilnihomx is-sena ta’ qabel u ta’ qabel, nixxennqu u nixtiequ u nibqgħu fl-istess ilma.

Meta ndaħħlu f’rasna li jekk niktbu u nagħtu ħin insibu li nlaħħqu u jibqgħalna ħafna ħin: ġrajja lanqas biss titwemmen. Dak li tagħmel sew u bir-reqqa m’għandekx għaliex terġa’ ddurru, għax wettaqtu sew u mill-ewwel.

Hekk ħu ħsieb saħħtek: tibżax mit-tabib, idħollu l-mixi. Xi darba se tmut, xi darba timrad, imma tistedinhomx b’idejk. Żur il-ħbieb u l-qraba, siefer, kul, għożż li għandek madwarek biex xħin tkun marbut ġo sodda jew mifxul min moħħok, dak li kellek tagħmel għamiltu u sew, u s-sena il-ġdida ma’ ġġiblekx uġigħ tal-qalb, imma tressaqlek ħidmiet ġodda.

Is-Sena t-Tajba.  

Minn Charles B. Spiteri

Għas-sajf, il-familji Grech u Busuttil kellhom dar kull wieħed maġenb xulxin qrib il-bajja ta’ Birżebbuġa. F’waħda kien joqgħod John iben Vincent u Marija, li fix-xitwa kienu joqogħdu fil-limiti ta’ Ħal Luqa, u fl-oħra Frida, bint George u Ginnie, li bid-dar residenzjali kienu joqogħdu Raħal Ġdid.

Minn tfal ċkejknin kienu jiltaqgħu għat-tliet xhur tas-sajf fil-villeġġjatura rispettiva tal-ġenituri tagħhom, li mhux biss kienu saru ħbieb ta’ xulxin, iżda b’uliedhom imorru wieħed għand l-oħra u viċi versa. Kien minn ewl id-dinja, li l-laqgħat għal tliet xhur sħaħ fis-sena, rawhom jikbru flimkien u jinġibdu lejn xulxin. Dan kien fil-bidu tas-snin ħamsin.

Frida tirrakkonta li meta ommha rat li bintha nisslet ċerta ġibda lejn John, żammitilha, minkejja li issa kellha 19-il sena. Kien żmien l-ubbidjenza u d-dixxiplina, tant li tiftakar li dak iż-żmien lanqas lipstick ma kien permess fuq ix-xebbiet. Allura, lanqas għall-quddies ma kienu jitħallew imorru weħidhom. Dan kollu kien iseħħ għat-tliet xhur sajfin.

Twassil ta’ messaġġi

Fix-xitwa ma kienu jiltaqgħu xejn, iżda qlubhom xorta sabu lill-kupidu li kien iwassal kull messaġġ ta’ mħabba lil xulxin. Dan peress li John kien għadu jattendi l-Kulleġġ San Alwiġi u hemm kien imur ukoll wieħed minn ħut Frida, iżgħar minnha. Kien hu li minn darba għall-oħra kien iwassal l-ittri minn dar għal skola u minn skola għad-dar. Jgħaddu d-disa’ xhur tax-xitwa u l-qlub safjin ta’ John u Frida, jerġgħu jitħeġġu għal xulxin hekk kif iż-żewġ familji jħejju biex jitilgħu fil-villeġġatura. Iżda l-ħruġ weħidhom ma kien permess qatt.

Huma għadhom jiftakru li biex darba marru jaraw filmat, marru magħhom il-ġenituri tiegħu u tagħha. Kienu jieħdu filliera sħiħa, u John kien jidħol l-aħħar wieħed, fid-dlam, biex joqgħod f’xifer ta’ filliera, ħalli meta jasal l-intervall joħroġ l-ewwel wieħed biex jiltaqa’ għal ftit sekondi max-xbejba tiegħu.

Frida għadha tal-fehma li s-sikkatura ta’ dari hi bżonjuża, għax minn kif qed naraw illum, mingħajrha jsaltan id-dnub u l-libertinaġġ, li qed jisfaxxa lil numru kbir ta’ familji.
Mitluba tgħid xi ħaġa fuq kif ħaduha l-ġenituri tagħha meta saru jafu li tixtieq tkellem lil John bis-serjeta’, Frida qalet li għall-ewwel ma tantx ħadu gost, peress li John kien għadu l-iskola, iżda ladarba temm l-istudju tieg[u u kellu mpjieg fis-sod, allura aċċettawh bil-qalb.

Min-naħa tiegħu John jirrakkonta li qabel l-għerusija tagħhom, u minkejja li l-familji kienu jafu lil xulxin, dari xorta waħda kienu jindagaw fuq xulxin, anki biex jaraw l-istat ta’ saħħa u jekk hemmx xi mard. Iżda fil-każ tagħhom, baqgħu għaddejjin bl-għerusija.

Riċeviment kbir

L-għerusija ta’ John u Frida saret fid-dar tal-ġenituri tagħha f’Raħal Ġdid, li kienet waħda enormi, peress li missierha kien neguzjant. Berkilhom iċ-ċrieket Dun Pawl Micallef, li jiġi minn Frida u wara kellhom riċeviment kbir fil-ġnien, li għalih kienu mistednin ħafna familjari, għax ħbieb ma kellhomx. Sa qassmu s-souvenirs u kellhom fotografu għall-okkażjoni li ġibdilhom album sħiħ tar-ritratti li għadhom jgħożżu sa llum.
Ta’ min isemmi wkoll li John u Frida kienu koppja minn tal-bidunett li bdiet tattendi l-laqgħat ta’ Kana. Jiftakru li l-ewwel laqgħa kienet saret f’Palazzo Caraffa. Wara, il-Moviment ta’ Kana beda jorganizza l-laqgħat tiegħu fid-djar tal-membri, f’kull pajjiż, iżda dan ma baqax isir.
Il-koppja Grech qaltli wkoll li xi snin ilu, il-Moviment ta’ Kana tahom tifkira peress li kienu minn tal-ewwel li attendew dawn il-korsijiet.
John u Frida damu għarajjes sentejn. Meta missier l-għarusa ra li kienu mexjin b’serjeta’ u rettezza, xtralhom dar fi Triq Żabbar, Raħal Ġdid, kif wara għamel ma’ kull wild ieħor mill-ħamsa li kellu. F’dik id-dar, il-koppja Grech damet tgħix 25 sena.

Iż-Żwieġ

Iżżewġu fid-19 ta’ Mejju, 1957, fil-parroċċa Kristu Re. Żewwiġhom il-Kappillan, Mons Francesco Xuereb, li kien jaf lill-ġenituri ta’ Frida mindu kienu għadhom tfal. Wara ż-żwieġ kellhom jistenniehom riċeviment mill-aqwa, fil-ballroom tal-Lukanda Phoenicia, il-Furjana.

Fis-sular ta’ fuq tal-Lukanda, intramaw xejn inqas minn 14-il mejda biex fuqhom jitqiegħdu r-rigali. Dari kienet id-drawwa li l-koppja ġġorr ir-rigali li tkun qalgħet fis-sala, biex il-mistednin jarawhom. Allura dan il-ġarr kien jippreżenta biċċa xogħol kbira għall-familja. Kellhom iqabbdu wkoll pulizija biex joqgħod għassa mar-rigali tul il-lejl.
Fost ir-rigali li qalgħu kellhom washing machine, makna tal-ħjata bil-cabinet, senduq, diversi oġġetti tal-fidda kif ukoll frames. Dawn kienu skjerati fis-sala ta’ fuq u jidhru fir-ritratti tal-album tat-tieġ li għadu jġedded il-memorja ta’ John u Frida.

Isfel, fil-ballroom sar ir-riċeviment, li għalih kienu mistednin aktar minn 800 ruħ. Iddoqq kellhom lill-orkestra ta’ Vinny Valente u l-kejk tat-tieġ kien oriġinalissimu. John, li hu dilettant ħafna tad-disinji, kien mar għand id-dulċier Carmelo Borg Bonaci u ordnalu kejk forma tal-knisja li tidher fis-santa ta’ Kana. Dak għamilhulu kif xtaq u kien tabilħaqq għaxqa fuq il-mejda tar-repo’.
Fit-tieġ qassmu wkoll is-santi ta’ Kana bit-tifkira taż-żwieġ tagħhom fuq wara u wkoll is-souvenirs.

Meta wara nofsinhar intemm ir-riċeviment tat-tieġ, John u Frida rħewlha għas-Seabank Hotel u l-familjari kellhom biċċa xogħol iebsa, jittrasportaw ir-rigali kollha fid-dar tagħhom!
Aktar tard filgħaxija, il-koppja miżżewġa friska kellha żjara mill-familjirispettivi u meta telqu, huma qattgħu l-ewwel lejl tagħhom fil-lukanda. L-għada niżlu fid-dar ġdida tagħhom mnejn bdew iħejju għas-safra ta’ qamar il-għasel.

Marru ġimgħa Napli u wara telgħu ġimgħa Ruma, fejn marru l-Vatikan. Ftit qabel xtraw kwadru tal-Qalb ta’ Ġesu’ u l-Qalb ta’ Marija. Kellhom udjenza mal-Papa Piju XII, li mhux talli berkilhom il-kwadru talli tahom ukoll rigal. Il-kwadru għadu mdendel fil-kamra tal-ikel, fid-dar tagħhom t’issa, f’Birżebbuġa.

It-tfal

Wara sena żwieġ kellhom lill-ewwel tarbija tagħhom Marika, illum miżżewġa lil Frank Gauci. Huma għandhom żewġt ibniet, Alison u Bernice. Tliet snin wara twieled Noel, li hu miżżewweġ lil Marthese nee Cassar u għandhom żewġ subien, Ryan u Ian. Wara tliet snin mit-twelid ta’ Noel kellhom lil Josiah li żżewweġ lil Lilian nee Balzan u għandhom erbat itfal Juanita, Andre’, Stefan u Philip. L-aħħar tarbija tifel tal-koppja Grech twieldet tmien snin wara l-aħħar wild u dan kien Bernard, li hu miżżewweġ lil Anne Marie nee Micallef u għandhom żewġt itfal; Maria u Neil. B’hekk, John u Frida huma nanniet ta’ għaxar neputijiet.

F’għeluq il-25 sena żwieġ it-tfal organizzawlhom festin b’sorpriża. Ħaduhom għal quddiesa fil-parroċċa ta’ Birżebbuġa, fejn qaddsilhom il-ħabib tagħhom Mons Victor Grech. Hemm sabu wkoll lill-familjari, lill-bridesmaids li kellhom, lix-xhieda u liż-żewġt iħbieb li kellhom. Wara ħaduhom f’sala f’Birżebbuġa stess, fejn sabu numru ta’ mistednin oħra jistennewhom.

Kellhom sala armata bi fjuri, waiters iqassmu l-ikel u x-xorb, santi bħalma kellhom fit-tieġ, biex jibqa’ l-istess simbolu taż-żwieġ u souvenirs. Kien qisu tieġ ieħor.
L-istess reġgħu għamlulhom f’għeluq il-50 sena. Krewlhom karrozza bis-sewwieq u wara li ħadu minn moħħ missierhom fejn xtaq li jkollhom il-quddiesa ta’ tifkira, organizzawhielu fil-Kulleġġ San Alwiġi. Il-knisja kienet armata bit-tapit aħmar u qaddsilhom ħabib ieħor – Patri Ugolin Scerri. Jgħinuh kellu lil Dun Vinċenz Deguara u Patri Krispin Tabone. Jiftakru li kellhom quddiesa mill-isbaħ, fejn Patri Ugolin reġa’ berkilhom iċ-ċrieket u talab fuqhom.

Mill-knisja ttieħdu l-Lukanda Suncrest, fejn kellhom ikla familjari. Waqt l-istess festin, uliedhom ippre]entawlhom ċertifikat tal-Papa, imbierek minnu stess u bl-ismijiet ta’ uliedhom fuqu. Kien jum li jibqgħu jiftakruh għal dejjem.

Parir

Mitlubin jgħaddu parir lill-għarajjes żgħażagħ, Frida hi tal-fehma li għandhom ikollhom tħejjija soda, inkella ma jersqux lejn żwieġ. It-tieni; meta jkunu fuq l-artal u jaħilfu mħabbithom lil xulxin għal dejjem, iridu jiftakru li fosthom hemm Alla għal dejjem. Jekk f’kull mument ta’ ħajjithom ma jgorrux lil Alla magħhom, iż-żwieġ ikun impossibbli jirnexxi. Bil-ħila tagħna m’aħna kapaċi nagħmlu xejn. Nimxu biss, bil-ħila ta’ Alla. Barra minn hekk nippruvaw nevitaw dan id-diżastru li għandna bħalissa, fl-ilbies; fit-televiżjoni, li m’hu jagħti ebda tagħlim tajjeb għall-erwieħ tat-tfal.

Min-naħa tiegħu John jgħid li l-miżżewġin għandhom jevitaw lill-ħbieb, għax dawn mhux dejjem ikunu ħbieb. Min se jiżżewweġ għandu jkun jaf li se jwiegħed imħabbtu lis-sieħeb jew sieħba tiegħu għal dejjem, u għalhekk, għal deċiżjoni bħal din bilfors tinħtieġ preparazzjoni qawwija. Jitbiegħdu kemm jista’ jkun mid-dubju, għax id-dubju hu ħabib ix-xitan u kapaċi jħassar familja. Ħafna jistgħu jgħidu li n-nanniet huma antikwati, iżda l-proverbji kienu ta’ tagħlim minn dejjem u jibqgħu għal dejjem.

Finalment, il-koppja Grech tħeġġeġ lill-koppji ta’ llum biex jekk ikollhom xi diżgwid bejniethom, isolvuh qabel ma jidħlu jorqdu, għax jekk iħallu għall-għada, dan jista’ jikber aktar.  

Aħna rridu nibqgħu hawn. Ma rridux ninqalgħu ukoll jekk għemilna bla ħsieb iqarribna lejn il-mewt. Aħna bħal vapur irridu l-ankra biex insorġu, nieqfu, inkunu marbutin għax nafu li rridu nparpru. Għalhekk inħallu tifkiriet.

Il-kittieb jaħseb u jaħseb fuq li jaħseb u jnaqqas u jiġbor u jlaqqam u joħroġ fi ktieb dak li jaħseb jew dak li ma jaħsibx skont il-qarrejja xi jkunu jistennew. Bis-saħħa tal-kittieb għandna tifkiriet u ġrajjiet li kieku ntesew u marru mar-riħ.

Il-kittieb ibati, jgħeja, jitħabat, iħabbat wiċċu ma’ bosta saram biex fl-aħħar joħroġ il-ktieb li fl-aħħar ma jinxtarax mhux għax ma jkunx tajjeb imma għax min jixtiequ, il-but tiegħu ma jasalx.

Grazzi kittieb ta’ dejjem li tħabbatt u ġbart ħsibijiet u kitbiet li bis-saħħa tagħhom aħna aħjar.

Aqra l-kitttieba Griegi, Rumani, Taljani, Ingliżi, Franċiżi, Spanjoli, Russi u ssoff id-dehen mistur u miġbur fil-karti li jferrħu lilek u lili.  

Miktuba minn Fiona Vella

Riċentement, bħala rikonoxxenza għal numru ta’ artikli li ktibt fit-Torċa dwar iċ-Ċina, iċ-Ċentru Kulturali taċ-Ċina f’Malta rrakkommanda lill-Ministeru Kulturali f’Beijing sabiex jistedinni nżur lil pajjiżhom. U f’ħin bla waqt, sibt ruħi naqta’ xewqa kbira li kelli li nara liċ-Ċina u li nsir naf aħjar lil niesha.

Tlajt iċ-Ċina flimkien ma’ erbgħa Maltin oħra: Anna Maria Gilson mid-Dipartiment tal-Edukazzjoni, il-fotografi Wistin Baldacchino u Mary Attard, u l-artista Ray Axiaq. Qattgħajna tnax il-ġurnata mill-isbaħ niskopru l-bliet ta’ Beijing u Shanghai. Il-ġranet għaddew bħal ħolma u mn’Alla li ħadt kwantità kbira ta’ ritratti u ta’ filmati, għax kieku ma kontx nemmen li kont tassew hemmhekk.

Dokumentarju u Esebizzjoni Artistika dwar iċ-Ċina

Meta rritornajna lura Malta, iċ-Ċentru Kulturali taċ-Ċina f’pajjiżna talabna nagħmlu preżentazzjoni lill-membri tiegħu sabiex naqsmu magħhom l-esperjenza tagħna.

Jiena pproduċejt dokumentarju ta’ madwar siegħa bl-isem Travelogue: The Colours of China li issa jista’ jiġi segwit fuq Youtube permezz ta’ dan il-link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlHIDVjYzGQ

Min-naħa l-oħra, sħabi tellgħu esebizzjoni ta’ ritratti u xogħolijiet artistiċi fil-Gallerija tal-Arti taċ-Ċentru Kulturali taċ-Ċina li jinsab f’173, Triq Melita l-Belt. Din il-wirja bl-isem ta’ Chinoiserie II se ddum miftuħa sad-9 ta’ Jannar 2015.

Ħafna minn dawk li jafuni u partikolarment dawk li qatt ma żaru liċ-Ċina, ħajjruni sabiex nikteb sensiela ta’ artikli dwar din l-esperjenza tiegħi. L-Editur Prinċipali tat-Torċa, Sandro Mangion, laqa’ mill-ewwel din il-proposta u għalhekk, minn din il-ġimgħa, se nkun qed naqsam magħkom dak li jiena skoprejt waqt iż-żjara tiegħi fiċ-Ċina.

Id-daħla tal-Belt Ipprojbita

Iddeċidejt li niddedika l-ewwel artiklu lill-Belt Ipprojbita…. Kont ilni s-snin naqra u nara d-dokumentarji dwarha. Imma nassigurakhom li hekk kif sibt ruħi fil-wesgħa ta’ quddiem id-daħla prinċipali tagħha li ġġib l-isem ta’ Wumen jew Il-Kanċell tal-Meridjan, bqajt bla kliem. Għaldaqstant, nista’ nimmaġina x’kienu jħossu dawk il-priġunieri tal-gwerra li kienu jinġiebu f’dan il-post sabiex jiġu ppreżentati lill-Imperatur jew dawk l-imsejkna li kienu jingħataw il-piena kapitali proprju f’dan il-lwog.

L-ogħli tal-binja ta’ din id-daħla jilħaq it-38 metru u infatti hija l-ogħla struttura fil-Belt Ipprojbita. Nistqarr li bla ma trid, tħossok imċekken ħdejn dak il-kobor kollu u hekk kif tibda ddawwar rasek u tilmaħ ħames torrijiet jgħassu fuqek minn kull naħa, bilkemm jagħtik li titniffes. U dan meta għadek barra….

Il-funzjoni ta’ din il-belt

Il-Belt Ipprojbita kienet tintuża bħala l-Palazz Irjali minn fejn l-imperaturi kienu jamministraw il-pajjiż u wkoll jgħixu flimkien mal-familji tagħhom fi żmien id-Dinastiji Ming u Qing. Infatti, għal madwar 500 sena, hija serviet bħala r-residenza ta’ 24 imperatur sakemm finalment Aisin Gioro Puyi, l-aħħar imperatur tad-Dinastija Qing, abdika fl-1911.

Din il-belt bdiet tinbena fl-1406 mill-Imperatur Chengzu tad-Dinastija Ming u ħadet 14 il-sena biex tlestiet. Ħadmu fuqha mal-100,000 tekniku u miljuni ta’ ħaddiema. Dan il-kumpless inbena mill-injam u huwa l-akbar wieħed tax-xorta tiegħu fid-dinja.

Intuża wkoll għadd ta’ rħam abjad li nġieb minn Fangshan li jinsab fil-limiti ta’ Beijing u anki ammont kbir ta’ granit mill-Provinċja Hebei. F’dawk il-perjodi, ma kienx faċli biex dan il-materjal jitwassal sa dan il-lwog minħabba li ma kienx jeżisti l-makkinarju adatt. Madanakollu, iċ-Ċiniżi rnexxielhom iwettqu dan il-proġett grandjuż billi ġarrew il-ġebel fuq rombli tal-injam matul l-istaġun tas-Sajf, filwaqt li fl-istaġun bikri tax-xitwa, huma ħaffru bjar kull nofs kilometru u minnhom tellgħu l-ilma li kienu jxerrdu mal-art sabiex dan isir silġ u jżerżqu l-ġebel fuqu.

9,999.5 binja

L-art li nbient fuqha din il-belt tkopri l-arja ta’ 720,000 metru kwadru u għandha forma rettangolari. Fuqha nbnew palazzi, paviljuni, pjazez u ġonna mill-ifjen u b’kollox, wieħed isib 9,999.5 struttura fejn l-iżgħar waħda, tesa’ biss taraġ tal-injam.

M’hemmx 10,000 struttura minħabba li f’dak iż-żmien, iċ-Ċiniżi kienu jemmnu li l-imperatur alla Hade kellu dan l-ammont ta’ kmamar fil-Palazz tal-Ġenna u għalhekk l-imperatur ta’ din l-art, li kien meqjus bħala ibnu, b’rispett, ma setax ikollu palazz kbir daqs ta’ missieru. Ta’ min isemmi li dawn il-kmamar kollha kienu maħsuba biex itawwlu kemm jista’ jkun il-ħajja tal-imperatur.

Il-kobor ta’ din il-belt

Matul is-snin, partijiet mill-Belt Ipprojbita ġew restawrati jew mibnija mill-ġdid iżda t-tqassim oriġinali tagħha dejjem inżamm. Fil-fatt, l-istrutturi tagħha nbnew b’mod ordnat fuq ass ċentrali li jaqsam bejn il-parti tat-tramuntana u dik tan-nofsinhar. Dawn il-partijiet jirriflettu il-filosofija tradizzjonali tal-yin u l-yang u tal-Ħames Elementi filwaqt li jindikaw ukoll il-ġerarkija fewdali.

Ħitan ta’ 10 metri jdawwru l-belt kollha u f’kull kantuniera wieħed isib torri tal-għassa. Foss wiesgħa 52 metru mimli bl-ilma, jdawwar dawn il-ħitan fuq in-naħa ta’ barra sabiex b’hekk dan il-lwog ikun protett aħjar.

Mhux ta’ b’xejn li jingħad li dan il-lwog huwa wieħed mill-aktar imfittxija mit-turisti għax qatt ma rajt daqstant nies ta’ kull pajjiż deħlin f’post wieħed f’ħajti! Infatti, f’ħin minnhom saħansitra ltqajna ma’ grupp turisti Maltin. Iżda ħaġa tal-iskantament, din il-belt tant hi kbira, li jirnexxielha tibla’ lil kulħadd ġewwa fiha bla ma tintela’ qatt.

L-akbar pjazza fil-Belt Ipprojbita hija Taihe Dian u għandha arja ta’ 30,000 metru kwadru. Fiha għadek issib ammont ta’ kontenituri kbar tal-bronż li kienu jimtlew bl-ilma bħala protezzjoni kontra n-nar. L-ilma kien jiġi provdut permezz ta’ xmara li ġiet mgħoddija minn naħa minnhom tal-palazz. Fl-istess ħin, din ix-xmara kienet tilqa’ fiha wkoll l-ilma li kien jinġabar fil-post wara xi ħalba xita, apparti milli kienet isservi wkoll bħala dekorazzjoni arkitettonika, l-aktar minħabba l-pontijiet sbieħ li trikkbu fuqha.

Min-naħa l-oħra, fi pjazza magħrufa bħala l-Kanċell tal-Armonija Suprema wieħed isib il-binja li quddiemha l-imperatur kien iħaddem il-poter tiegħu, itella’ ċerimonji u jilqa’ l-ministri tiegħu. Hawnhekk, wieħed isib ukoll l-ikbar statwi ta’ par iljuni fil-belt kollha fejn l-iljun maskili għandu ballun taħt idejh filwaqt li dik femminili tidher tilgħab ma’ ferħ ta’ ljun.

Is-sagrifiċċji u l-pjaċiri tal-imperatur

Fatt kurjuż huwa illi f’din il-belt, wieħed isib ukoll il-Palazz tal-Astinenza, magħruf hekk minħabba li fih l-imperatur kien jinġabar matul il-perjodu meta huwa kien ikollu jsum għal tliet ijiem qabel iwettaq iċ-ċerimonja sagrifikali lis-sema u lill-art.

Naturalment, l-imperatur kellu wkoll lok għall-pjaċiri, fosthom id-dritt għall-ammont kbir ta’ konkubini li kienu jgħixu ġewwa din il-belt. Dawn il-konkubini kienu jkunu tfajliet sbieħ li jintagħżlu biex jagħtu gost bil-preżenza tagħhom lill-imperatur. Iżda mhux kull konkubina kienet torqod b’mod regolari mal-imperatur, tant li kien hemm min minnhom jesperjenza dan darba f’għomru jew qatt! Il-bużillis kien li ġaladarba tfajla tkun konkubina, f’każ li l-imperatur ma jieħux grazzja magħha, din kienet titwarrab f’rokna tal-belt u tiġi njorata, iżda ma titħalla qatt tiżżewweġ lil ħaddieħor! L-uniku skop ta’ dawn il-konkubini kien li jirnexxielhom ikollhom wild mill-imperatur għax b’hekk huma kienu jitilgħu ‘l fuq fil-ġerarkija u jiżdidilhom il-poter tagħhom. Infatti dik il-konkubina li binha jirnexxielu jilħaq imperatur wara l-mewt ta’ missieru kienet saħansitra ssir l-Imperatriċi Armla.

Miljun oġġett prezzjuż

Minħabba l-kobor enormi ta’ din il-belt, mhux possibbli li taraha kollha iżda ċertament għajnejk għandhom biżżejjed fuqhiex jitpaxxew b’dak li tilħaq tara. L-irfinar tad-diżinji fl-injam tal-binjiet u d-dekorazzjonijiet b’kuluri mill-isbaħ huma meravilja fihom infishom. Daqstant ieħor huma sbieħ l-oġġetti li l-kmamar huma mżejjna bihom.

Meta din il-belt kienet għadha tiffunzjona, ħadd ma seta’ jidħol fiha mingħajr permess u għalhekk hija magħrufa bħala l-Belt Ipprojbita. Imma wara li ntemmet id-Dinastija Qing, fl-1925, dan il-lwog ġie stabbilit bħala mużew tant li llum hemm min isibu wkoll bħala l-Mużew tal-Palazz. Intant, minn din il-belt, inġabru madwar miljun oġġett prezzjuz li ġew esebiti fis-swali tagħha. Dawn jikkonsistu f’oġġetti maħduma mill-bronż u mill-fuħħar, arti u tradizzjonijiet tad-Dinastiji Ming u Qing, arloġġi, tpinġijiet, skulturi u teżori oħra.

Fl-1961 din il-belt kienet waħda mill-lwogi li ntagħżlu biex jiġu kkonservati u preservati bħala parti mill-wirt kulturali tal-pajjiż. Fl-1987, il-UNESCO għarrfitu bħala Wirt Kulturali Dinji.

Il-Ġnien Imperjali

Fuq in-naħa ta’ wara tagħha, din il-belt tinkludi wkoll il-Ġnien Imperjali li fih kienu jistrieħu l-Imperatur u l-familja tiegħu flimkien mal-konkubini.

Hemm madwar 20 struttura ġewwa dan il-ġnien, fosthom paviljuni, kmamar, torrijiet u swali. Kollha ghandhom l-istil distint tagħhom u kollha ġew mibnija b’mod simmetriku u f’ordni ta’ ġerarkija.

Għadd ta’ pjanti u siġar tħawwlu f’dan il-lwog, b’uħud minnhom evidentement illum jgħoddu żmien żemżem. Inbniet ukoll vaska sabiex tinħoloq atmosfera ta’ serenità u paċi.

Barra minn hekk, f’naħa minnhom, issawwret għolja artifiċjali bil-blat tal-Għadira Taihu. Fin-nofs tagħha ġie ffurmat għar, mentri fil-ġnub ttellgħu turġien li jwasslu sal-quċċata. Hemmhekk l-imperatur flimkien mal-familja tiegħu kienu jitilgħu waqt ċelebrazzjonijiet partikolari sabiex igawdu x-xenarju mill-isbaħ tal-inħawi li toffri din l-għolja.

(Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fis-sensiela IL-KULURI TAĊ-ĊINA (L-1 Parti) fit-Torċa tal-4 ta’ Jannar 2015)

Betty Parker, now in her forties, had been living in this street for a good number of years. A distinctive character of a woman, she carried her buxom figure majestically. She had left school at a very early age and, as result, she could neither read nor write.

Her family consisted of Bill, her small-framed husband and a brood of five small children whose ages ranged from six months to twelve years. She could outshout any market trader or anybody else for that matter. This notwithstanding, Betty had a heart of gold, always at the front to help anybody in need of any assistance whatsoever.
Mary Simmons was a different woman altogether. For one thing, she was older, past her sixtieth year, and a dedicated spinster. She was an ex-school teacher having dedicated her life to teach the children of the community at the town’s primary and later secondary schools.
As all dedicated teachers everywhere, she had remained a teacher at heart, even after her retirement. Everybody loved Mary, not only because she was often sought by her neighbours to fill in their various forms and read and write their letters, but also because she was a genuine woman through and through.
Although Betty Parker and Mary Simmons appeared to be so different from each other, their willingness to help others and their cordial nature were similar. They had become firm friends since Mary came to live here some ten years ago.

 Betty frequently called at Mary’s place for a fresh cup of tea and to recount news and views as well as the gossip going round the neighbourhood on this, that and the other. But during these visits she also brought two or three of her children along with her. Mary, childless and family-starved, loved these children especially Dennis who, though a bit of ragamuffin who everybody called Dennis the Menace because of his many exploits, had a genial and endearing nature.
One fine day, while Mary was reading the latest Daniele Steel novel, she heard a knock on her front door. It was a hard impatient knock, so she laid down her book and hurried up to open the door. It was Betty with a face as gloomy as an English dark night in winter, holding the youngest of her brood in her arms. “I have been summoned to go to Court Mary! To court!!”
Mary ushered her inside, made her sit down on the chair and tried to calm her nerves as much as possible. “Let’s make a cup of tea, then we’ll see about the problem and what to do about it, shall we Bett?” Bett would never say no to a cup of freshly-made tea, though today there was a more urgent matter to see to.
“It’s my son Dennis, the eldest one; he’s got me into trouble once again; I’ll have to tell my Bill to give him a hiding when he returns from work this evening; he needs to learn his lesson you know,” said Betty obviously agitated and in a state of shock.
Mary did not want to show Betty much sympathy as that would only serve to embarrass her. “But what’s it all about Bett? You haven’t told me why you are going to Court yet,” interjected Mary as she served tea.
“The inspector came to warn me last week that next time I’ll have to be brought to court. Like some criminal! What a cheek!” said Betty as furious as a Spanish bull in front of a matador.
Mary still did not know what the demented soul was going on about. She could not fathom it out at all. So she insisted. “Bett, you’ve mentioned ‘Dennis’, ‘Inspector’ and ‘Court’; what in heaven’s name is it all about? Tell me clearly.”
Bett looked at Mary with a surprised expression. “My Dennis must have missed school again, the rascal. The inspector had warned me that if he does it again, I’ll be dragged to court. That is it Mary. As clear as crystal is it not?”
“But who asked you to go to court Bett? Did the inspector call again to give you the summons for a court hearing?” asked Mary.
“Here, here, see the letter. The postman gave it to me just now. He seemed to sympathize with me, bless him. The school inspector had told me that my boy had missed school. He must have done it again. Now it’s court you see. Court Mary! Like a criminal! What shall I do? I have never been to court in all my life. What shall I say?” answered Betty.
Mary knew how serious the matter was. Her thoughts went back to parents who were slack in seeing their children to school. The authorities took an exceptionally tough line when it comes to children missing their lessons.
But Mary also knew that Betty’s son Dennis was not a bad boy. And he was very intelligent too. He always impressed her whenever he came to her house to assist him with his homework. Maybe he was laid astray by some of his school friends.
Betty sat quiet for a while searching Mary’s thoughtful face. “He’ll not listen to a word I say. Now he’s brought me to this trouble. My Bill will punish him. I’ll make sure of that. I will! Here, read the letter Mary, read it and tell me what to do. Will you come with me to the court? I’ve never been there you know, what shall I say, tell me?”
Mary took the letter from her hands. It had the school mark on the envelope. She opened it and withdrew the official-looking document. She cast a speedy eye along the wording and with each line her heart turned somersaults.
“Mary what is it? Tell me when I have to go?” said Betty now very anxious. Mary gathered her composure and smiled at Bett, a wide grin on her face.
“It’s from the school all right Bett; it says that young Dennis has passed his exams with flying colours and that he has been awarded a scholarship to attend the secondary level at St. Martin’s next term. It says that he’s a very intelligent boy and that the school authorities have congratulated you on Dennis’s success.”
Betty was stunned, could not believe what Mary was saying. She got up swiftly from her chair, embraced her in her arms and said “My Oh my! Thank you Mary! Thank you Dennis! Thank you Lord!”  

minn Charles B. Spiteri

Urna antika Ċiniża, li sidha kien jużaha biex iqiegħed fiha l-‘pot pourri’, inbiegħet f’irkant għal aktar minn €177,085.

Is-sid, li għandu ftit aktar minn ħamsin sena, wiret fan il-vażun mingħand qarib tiegħu snin ilu, iżda peress li ħaseb li ma jiswiex wisq, għal madwar għoxrin sena wżah biex jaħżen fih petali nexfin u jfuħu u qiegħdu fuq gwardarobba.

Kien meta ġie biex jibdel daru u ddeċieda li jbigħ numru ta’ affarijiet li kellu fid-dar il-qadima, li rkantatur qallu li dak l-oġġett, jaf kien artiġjanat tas-seklu 18, meta ċ-Ċina kienet taħt ir-renju tal-Imperatur ta’ Quianlong u jiswa eluf ta’ ewro.

Meta l-esperti komplew jeżaminaw il-vażun tal-porċellana, taħt saff oħxon ta’ trab sabu disinn pinġut bl-idejn, bi fjuri roża, ħodor, blu u ħomor.

Għall-bidu, l-irkantaturi stmaw l-urna għal bejn €1,180 u €1,483, iżda tant ġibdet interess mix-xerrejja potenzjali, li dan l-artefatt Ċiniż inbiegħ għal €18,087.

Sid l-urna, minn Shaftesbury, Dorset kien preżenti għall-bejgħ u ddikjara li dik kienet l-aqwa ġurnata ta’ ħajtu, wara li l-artefatt antik inbiegħ għal 75 darba iżjed mill-prezz stmat.
 

I lived with my grandparents since when I was ten years old when mum and dad had divorced, which makes it more than twelve years now. I loved both grandma and grandpa immensely. They were everything to me throughout my childhood, youth and adult years. But I was especially very close to grandpa in so many ways. We spent so much time chatting and laughing together in the small garden at the back of our house.

“What’s up with you?” grandma used to shout at us, from the kitchen window when she saw us in one of our jolly moods. “It’s grandpa telling me a funny story grandma” I used to reply, without losing concentration to what he was saying. But both of them were good honest-to-God characters who instilled in me the importance of love, of honesty and of religion.

My grandfather was an artist, a painter to be more exact. He was considered to be a fine oil painter by many in our community. He frequented the artistic circle of friends and had known and mingled with some of the famous painters of his day.

Our house, small as it was, was full of his paintings. They covered an entire wall and visitors often mistook our home for an art gallery.

Painting was not only my grandpa’s hobby; it was his love and obsession. It helped him express his feelings, his love of nature and his different moods. How I loved to stay by his side while he used the brushes after dipping them in the paints on his slate.
“What are you going to do when you grow up?” he asked me one day. “I’d like to take medicine, become a medical practitioner but …………?” I stopped in mid-sentence, while conjuring all the difficulties that might lie ahead. “There is always a ‘but’ dear. Life is full of buts. But you must have the determination to surmount them” said my grandpa, obviously speaking with the experience of his years.

But our house was too small for the three of us and for his many paintings. He was always saying that now, that he was getting on in years, we have to move to some other larger place where he could enjoy life more and he could indulge in his favourite art.
I was fifteen years old when my grandparents finally decided to move to the little town of San Giminiano, in the beautiful Tuscan hills of Italy. Apparently grandad had an old friend living in that area, another painter no doubt, who encouraged him to move there where several foreign painters were located.

Both my grandparents had always wished to retire in the sun and my grandfather enthusiastically anticipated painting the lovely hilly countryside so famous in Italy and all over the world. “It would inspire my creativity and imagination!” he told me.
All the arrangements for our transfer and of the furniture and belongings were completed in a short time. As our furniture was being packed, we watched grandpa’s paintings being taken down and carefully placed into crates, which were then nailed down and stored in the basement, ready for the shipping.

As one particular painting, which my grandfather was still working on, was being put into the crate, grandpa said to me – “I know that you like this painting very much Carol. I will therefore dedicate it especially to you. It will be yours!”
It’s true. I liked this unfinished painting. It showed the portrait of a craggy old man, weather-beaten and wrinkled but a charming face all the same. Although still unfinished, it looked to be a beautiful painting. I loved it and anxiously awaited grandpa to complete it and hang it in my room.

“The first thing I will do when we get to Italy is finish this painting. Before I start another one” my grandfather told me, as we looked at it being patiently crated by the removal men.

But a week before our departure, tragedy struck. He was involved in a horrific road accident and lay in a coma at the local hospital. Grandma and I were at his bedside every day and as often as we could. He was all we had.

I did not believe, as the doctors assured us, that he was unconscious, not knowing what’s happening around him. I strongly thought that although he could not move a muscle, or murmur a sound, he was still conscious of us and what we were saying. I was firm in my belief and I spoke to him as I used to do in the garden at our home. I also mentioned his paintings, as I knew that he would love that.

I prayed fervently to God that he would live. My faith was strong that the good Lord would hear my prayers. However he died six months after the accident and I was bitterly disappointed that my faith had let me down.

It was some months after his death that grandma made the decision that, in the circumstances, we should not relocate to Italy but should remain in England where we were born and bred. After this decision was taken, the cases of all our belongings were brought back from the basement. They were unpacked and silently restored to their old places in our house, where they had been before grandpa had decided to transfer our family to the Tuscan hills.

It was after some time that grandma engaged some experienced workmen to open gently the crates where grandpa’s paintings were packed. We both stood by them supervising the unpacking to ensure that no damage whatsoever was done to any of the paintings.
“What are you going to do with them?” I asked grandma as we stood watching the men remove the nails, open the tops of the crates and gently uplift the paintings one by one. “We’ll hang some in the house certainly, they will then always remind us of grandpa” she said “but I am afraid that there is no room for the others. We’ll have to donate them to the art gallery where the curators will look after them.”

Then grandpa’s unfinished painting was removed from the crate and the workmen asked grandma – “Where shall we put this painting Madame?” We both looked at it at the same time and were utterly astounded and stunned speechless.
The painting, which grandpa was to finish in Italy, was now completed and, what’s more, at the bottom right hand side of the canvas, was grandpa’s distinctive signature and, in small words – ‘To my lovely Carol’.

“How was that possible?” was the only thought that passed through our minds at that surprising moment.  

Is-sajf kien ilu li beda ġmielu. Luca u Elise kienu tassew ħerqanin biex jibdew igawdu l-btajjel. Darba fost l-oħrajn il-mamà ddeċidiet li teħodhom il-baħar. Wara li libset il-malja, Elise ħejjiet il-basket tal-baħar u poġġiet fih il-brieret, in-nuċċalijiet tax-xemx, il-ballun, it-tajers, ix-xugamani u s-sunblock. Iċ-ċkejken Luca qagħad attent li oħtu ma tinsa xejn warajha. Sadanittant il-mamà kienet qiegħda fil-kċina tlesti basket ieħor mimli bl-ikel u x-xorb. Ir-riħa tfuħ tal-ħobż bil-kunserva u ż-żejt taż-żebbuġa kienet taqsamlek qalbek. It-taħlita ta’ kuluri tal-insalata tal-frott, li kienet tinkludi dulliegħ, bettieħ, ħawħ u ċiprisk kienet tagħti dehra tassew sajfija. Qabel għalqet il-basket, il-mamà qiegħdet ukoll żewġ fliexken kbar bil-meraq tal-larinġ imħallat bl-ilma.

Kienu għadhom kif daqqu d-disgħa xħin il-mamà telqet lejn il-bajja tal-Ġnejna ma’ Luca u Elise. Fi triqithom għaddew għan-nanna Marija u n-nannu Ġużi għax kienu miftehmin magħhom li jqattgħu ġurnata l-baħar flimkien. Malli waslu, in-nanna ramat l-umbrella l-kbira tax-xemx u s-siġġijiet tal-injam u n-nannu għen lill-mamà toħroġ il-basktijiet mill-karozza. It-tfal bdew jiġru fuq ir-ramel. Kienu fuq ix-xwiek sakemm il-ommhom dilkithom bis-sunblock u libbsithom it-tajer tal-għawm.

 Sa fl-aħħar kulħadd niżel iċafċaf fl-ilma baħar frisk, iżda n-nannu baqa’ bilqiegħda taħt l-umbrella jaqra ktieb oħxon. In-nanna u l-mamà qagħdu jilagħbu bil-ballun ma’ Luca u Elise. Xi kultant kienu jgħajtu lin-nannu biex forsi jinżel ħdejhom, imma huwa kien ixejrilhom filwaqt li jerġa’ jilbes in-nuċċali tal-vista u jkompli jaqra l-ktieb.

Xħin saru nofsinhar beda jagħfas il-ġuħ u l-kisra ħobż bnina għoġbithom ilkoll. L-insalata tal-frott niżlet għasel ukoll, iżda Luca u Elise riedu ġelat. Il-mamà malajr qatgħetilhom xewqithom u xtratilhom ġelat kbir tal-vanilla kull wieħed bil-gallettina fin-nofs mingħand tal-gabbana viċin il-bajja. Luca, li kien aktar żaqqieq minn oħtu, ried ġelat ieħor. Iżda l-mamà qaltlu li ġelat wieħed kien biżżejjed għax ħafna zokkor jagħmel il-ħsara lis-snien.

Wara l-ikel it-tifel kien għajjien u qagħad bilqiegħda ħdejn in-nannu. It-tifla qagħdet tagħmel il-kastelli tar-ramel bil-pala u l-barmil. In-nanna u l-mamà ħarġu jgħumu fil-fond. F’ħin minnhom Elise niżlet il-baħar bil-ballun f’idejha. Riedet taqdef mhux ħażin biex tasal fejn in-nanna u l-mamà. Il-ballun beda miexi ġmielu ’l quddiem qisu riħ, u Elise ħaffet sew warajh. Iżda l-għeja bdiet tagħmel tagħha wara ftit, u bdiet tħossha bla saħħa. Infexxet tgħajjat għall-ajjut, u n-nanna u l-mamà ħadu l-qatgħa ta’ ħajjithom meta sabuha qiegħda tgħum f’dak il-fond kollu. Qabadhom paniku qawwi għax it-tifla qabdet tistordi. Fil-pront tfaċċa raġel li tahom l-ewwel għajnuna. Huwa refa’ lil Elise sax-xatt, u meddha fuq xugaman tal-baħar. Wara huwa taha tazza luminata friska li għamlitilha tajjeb, u qalilha biex tistrieħ għax kienet ħadet kedda kbira fil-baħar. Il-mamà u n-nanniet ma damux ma saru jafu li dak ir-raġel li għen lil Elise kien infermier.

Kulħadd baqa’ miblugħ wara din il-ġrajja, u fi ftit tal-ħin il-mamà, in-nanniet u t-tfal irħewlha lejn id-dar. Malli l-mama fetħet il-bieb tad-dar, sabet lill-papà ferħan se jtir għax kien rebaħ ġita għal erbgħa persuni wara li kien ħa sehem f’kompetizzjoni fuq ix-xogħol. Din l-aħbar niżlitilha għasel, u l-inċident tal-baħar malajr intesa. Issa bdiet taħseb biex tibda tipprepara l-bagalji ħalli fi ftit ġranet oħra tieħu lil Luca u lil Elise għall-ewwel btala tagħhom fl-Italja.