It was a normal evening on 3 March at Qala when the news that Bernard Curmi had passed away shocked the village population and Qalin around the world. To properly understand who Bernard Curmi was to the village of Qala, one has to understand that he was its mascot. Whoever knew Bernard knew the village and the people of Qala.

Bernard was a family man who I have known since I was a child. He had told me that he had held me in his hands when I was just a year and a half in 1971 at the St Joseph feast. His home was the Qala square and he travelled on his famous bike for most of his life. He liked hopping from one bar to the other meeting people and telling jokes.

He was a pioneer in establishing an organised football team in Qala in 1968 and remained active up till a few years ago. Bernard was a major contributor to the feast of St Joseph at Qala and particularly to the ground and sky fireworks, for which Qala is famous. The appreciation to this man ran to the extent that a special kind of ground firework, depicting a man on his bike, was created and dubbed “the Bernardu”!

Bernard was a person of the people; everyone knew, liked and respected him. Above all, he taught me and many Qalin how to love our village and its people. I can comfortably say that Bernard was one of a handful of people who shaped and influenced my passionate love for Qala, for its people, for St Joseph and for the Immaculate Conception. His simplicity, his strong but humorous character and persistence in promoting Qala was impressive.

Last December the Qala local council recognised his lifelong work by decorating him with “Gieh il-Qala”. Bernard was passionate in seeing Qala progress and emerge on the forefront of many areas, especially in firework displays at the two Qala feasts.

Bloqq, (as he used to call his friends), thank you for all you have done with and for me, for Qala and for the Qalin. You were my father’s best friend, and always at the core of the village. Qala will not be the same without you and you will be dearly missed.

Bernard, your family will remain in our prayers and will be assisted in whatever is needed by us all. What is certain is that your lifelong work and your memory will not be forgotten and will live on in the history of our village – Qala.

May the Lord grant you peace.

Dr Raymond Xerri

Qala