From Dr A. Grech

One can rarely be more regretful of ignorance than in matters relating to one’s own heritage. Such is the case with most Gozitans. To extol one’s history and heritage would be self indulgent and perhaps childish, but there is one moment of grandeur, one moment of glory, to which Gozitans should never be oblivious, even though everyone else – starting with those who study and write our history – is doing their best to make us overlook it.

The Circolo Gozitano has named 28 October as Gozo Day. For those unfamiliar with local history, 28 October 1798 was the day that saw the liberation of Gozo from its occupation by French forces, 22 months before Malta was liberated, and Gozo was declared a free and independent nation. If you ask the average Gozitan whether they knew that there was a time in history when Gozo was independent, you would be surprised at the lack of awareness. This state of ignorance is, to a large degree, deliberate and hardly any history book includes this event in its chronology.

This is why the Circolo Gozitano has, for some time, taken it upon itself to commemorate this day, in the hope that in the future it will become officially recognised. For a country that boasts no fewer than five national holidays, such a hope can hardly be dismissed as a pipe dream. And in the web of local politics, motives that are difficult to understand are the ones that usually carry the day.

Independent mindedness is valued in politics because it is both rare and useful. That is why a small group of independent minded Gozitans have initiated this move towards the recognition of something that belongs to all Gozitans alike, away from petty party politics. Independent mindedness has the misfortune, or the tendency, to be stranded on the shores of petty party political complications, but this is a risk that we, the independent minded fellows of the Circolo Gozitano, are prepared to take – even if, in the end, political petty mindedness is what matters in practical terms.

You can also equate political understanding with crowd wisdom, which often translates into crowd aberration. This is what makes party politics work to the extent that independent mindedness then becomes a difference to be reckoned with. But then, what turns crowd wisdom into crowd aberration is that independence of mind is so difficult to ensure.

The “Gieh Ghawdex” awards are a partial recognition of this independent mindedness. Gozitans who have distinguished themselves, and perhaps contributed something towards what is called a “Gozitan identity”, are honoured. This year the President of the Republic will present the Gieh Ghawdex awards. Hopefully this will be a significant step towards the eventual recognition of a date of which all Gozitans should be proud and perhaps some Gozitans, if not the majority, will also be proud of a certain degree of independent mindedness.

Alfred Grech

GOZO