According to a short news item in Gallarija, (TMIS, 18 December 2005) Toni Camilleri sive “It-Tommi’’ of Naxxar is “Malta’s last exponent of tanbur playing”.

For your information and the information of your readers, there are at least two other tanbur exponents and performers, a father and son from Mosta. They participated in international cultural events in Majorca (November 2004) and in Messina (September 2005), as well as in the last two editions of the Malta Folk Singing (Ghana) Festival.

It should also be noted that Guzi Gatt, an active founder member of Etnika, contacted the above-mentioned folk players on 7 July last year, five months before the publication of your news item, and a month prior to Etnika’s performance in August near the former Barrakka lift at Lascaris Wharf in Valletta. So there is at least one member of this group who knows that these performers do exist in Malta.

I have admired It-Tommi’s talents since I interviewed him for my ethnographic television series Fuq Ghajnejk some years ago. However, the existence of other tanbur performers should not be ignored.

Gorg Mifsud Chircop

MOSTA