Mr Ernest Ferrante recently posted two very interesting historical pieces on Facebook. The first was about the Greek Community in our Islands and the second was about the “Tunnara” people, describing how they used to catch the Tuna in Mellieha. I had previously heard about the Tunnara people from an old colleague Mr Joseph Buttigieg, coming from a former Qala Gozitan family living in Mellieha and later residing in Senglea.

I loved reading these two pieces of old local history especially about the Greek community living in Malta which I believe not many people are aware of. Past forgotten history, this also does vary from what I am going to write about local past history. According to an old Survey carried out in 1240 no mention was made of any Orthodox Families living in our Islands.

Former Times

Just imagine how people used to travel. Galleys travelled by two methods, first by sails and when there was no wind, by rowing. The world at that time was mostly about the Mediterranean, which sea is vast and often appeared enormous. The fatigue of rowing from one place to another, especially during winter months, was not only exhausting but hazardous and most definitely dangerous.

These seafaring people therefore sought a haven for shelter and most believed that our Islands situated in the middle of this sea could provide this shelter for a break in their travels and shelter from rough weather.

Did our Islands became indispensable for bigger and stronger nations? Many came and took over the Islands. Malta and Gozo not only served as a sheltering harbour but also as a refitting and supply depot.

Arabs in Malta and Gozo

An Arab Tribe from the Tunis area occupied the Maltese Islands for over 300/400 years. They introduced many of our trees and new methods of farming. Some originated from their own areas and others from China when there existed a huge trade between them.

The Arabs also brought their Islamic Faith with them and many Maltese converted to Islam. Many argue this fact, but it’s the truth.

In 1127, Sultan Ruggieru, son of Count Ruggieru, won again the Maltese Islands from the Arabs. The surrounding conditions imposed on the local Arabs were very generous for those times.

One was that all Christian slaves were to be liberated from slavery. Secondly that the Arabs swear obedience to him with the acceptance that they will not be exiled and still enjoy their property. Lastly that they had to pay a yearly contribution. On acceptance of these conditions they were not exiled, thus remaining here.

For this reason I personally believe that the Arabs staying in our Islands for more than 400 years and that their presence only diminished over time due to the yearly contributions they had to pay.

The Maltese Religious Faith/s

In the year 1240, Fra Gilberto Abate from Catania was commissioned by the Emperor Frederic to carry out a population survey of the Maltese Island’s families, including their Religions.

This resulted as follows categorised by religion:
*                                        Malta         Gozo         Total
Muslims Families:              681            155            836
Christian Families:               47            203            250
Jewish Families:                  25                8              33
Totals:                                753            366           1119

Total families, not individuals, amounted to a total of 1119, out of which there was a huge majority of Maltese families practicing and embracing the Muslim Faith. This faith was in absolute majority in Malta but not in Gozo.

As can be seen from the above population survey, from a total of 753 families living in Malta, only 47 families were Christians, or shall I say practicing the Catholic Religion. The absolute majority practiced the Muslim Faith.

On the other hand, in Gozo, Christian followers were more numerous and in the majority.

This survey thus shows that as always Gozo was left out of the mainstream of events and thus isolated by itself, keeping it’s own systems, habits, customs and faiths.

This also shows the strong hold that the Church always had in Gozo, in the past especially, but not so much at the present.

1551 AD

In July 1551, 140 Turk ships led by Simon Baxa, Dragut and Kambil Bej, landed and disembarked in Mgarr, they landed 9 cannons and several Artillery pieces. When the sole Gozitan Gunner of the only cannon was killed with no possibility of any replacement, the Gozitan leaders decided to surrender. They sent Fra Bartholomew Bonavia, a Maltese Friar living in Gozo, to negotiate with the Turks.

He requested that the Turks leave 200 from the Nobility free but the Turks would only agree to 40 without specifying whom.

The Turks thus entered the Citadel, took over everyone and everything, except for 40 elderly people. All documentations were either burned, destroyed or taken away. All Gozitans were taken as slaves as were 2,000 people, mostly Gozitans who were in Tripoli, as Tripoli was also under the Knights rule at that time.

As Gozo was depopulated, the Knights brought over people from Malta and elsewhere to take over the fields and property vacated by this slavery of the Turks. When after years some Gozitans had their ransoms paid and started returning, acrimonious disputes were initiated over who owned the property, the people brought over by the Knights or the Gozitans taken as slaves.

The Grand Master then sent some old Knights to deal with these issues.

There is no record of these sentences as far as I know, but what is for sure is that the Nobility kept the properties.

Ex-Police Inspector and an avid researcher of history, especially Gozitan, Mr Joe Buttigieg of Xaghra once informed me that in Istanbul National Library there exists documentatiion about Gozo. Unfortunately his request to view these documents was refused.

I approached Dr Vincent Tabone who at that time was Malta’s Foreign Minister and suggested making a formal request to the Turkish Government. I understand that such a request was submitted by him but was refused.

As our diplomatic relations with Turkey are generally favourable at present, historical individuals interested in research should enquire about the possibility of visiting these archives. It would be extremely interesting to learn more about how Gozitans and Maltese people lived, especially in Gozo.

Lino DeBono

Gozo.

Photo by Alain Salvary

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