'Triqat iz-Zejtun'

Author: Can. Joe Abela

Publisher: Zejtun Local Council / 1997

Pages: 102

As the third Sunday of June and Fathers' Day come around, even though I now live far away, I know that a special excitement comes over Zejtun.

The much-loved church has been cleaned and bedecked.

And a special festive air comes over the twisted alleys of the village core.

At least I can still follow what's going on by accessing the internet links to the parish.

The book I am reviewing today has long been out but I know of no other that captures the feeling you get when you read it and roam around. 

When we came to live in Zejtun we were unprepared for all those twisted alleys, blind corners and lack of parking spaces. Then, slowly, you adjust and adapt.

Zejtun is unique: there is a town with the same name, Zeitouna, but this or what's left of it, is near Gaza City. Probably the two get their name from olive trees. 

Like that other historical village Zebbug and others, Zejtun is a conglomeration of smaller hamlets that time and progress have merged together.

I don't know if this has been researched, but the inner core of most of the old villages such as Qormi and Birkirkara, could well predate the Great Siege. One reason for the narrow and twisted streets and alleys could have been for defensive reasons since it is easier for a small group to defend against a larger group of invaders especially if the defenders know the area but the attackers don't. This special townscape can be found in other Mediterranean old towns as well and for the same reasons.

Basically Zejtun is composed of the Rahal t'Isfel and the Rahal ta' Fuq. When the 1565 Great Siege was over and they wanted to build a bigger church they could not agree on the location until they finally settled on a location midway between the two main hamlets. There they built the monumental church.

The Rahal t'Isfel is also known as Bisqallin, maybe because a number of people coming from Sicily settled there.

I remember roaming around its alleys and unexpected squares (not really squares, more like open spaces) on a walking tour organised by Wirt iz-Zejtun, coming upon old chapels not used anymore today except rarely.

What I'm going to say is valid for most of Zejtun - there is an abundance of old, stately, well-planned houses of character going for a song even today.

The problem is finding the adequate people to do the maintenance that would be required and getting used to operate from tiny, twisting, alleys.

This slim book, written by a priest from Zejtun, my colleague from the Pastor days, tells the story and the history of most of the streets of Zejtun plus some maps of the locality.

Zejtun must be a world-beater for the number of streets named after saints and priests - three for bishops, 12 for priests, two for grand masters, and no less than 35 for saints, many from the St Catherine of Alexandria story.

Zejtun may be thought today to be a working class town but it includes aristocratic enclaves - the huge Testaferrata Bonici palace (Aedes Danielis) that faces today's entry; the rich Basilica next to it; the Strickland house; and so many more.

Apart from the De Rohan and Perellos palaces, one can also find buildings harking back to Vilhena (Ta' Tavlin) and a unique palace of a bishop, Villa Cagliares for the only Maltese bishop during the Order's rule.

And quaint names - the very narrow but central Triq Habel ix-Xghir, the former Strada Giardino Botanico, today Triq Luqa Briffa.

This booklet is a valuable companion as you roam around where fancy takes you: it is the streets and the buildings that are the best introduction to the most extensive of Malta's older villages.

It's probably not advisable to venture to explore Zejtun today on the feast day because many streets in the centre will be blocked because of the festa celebrations. But once the excitement dies down and Zejtun reverts to normal mode that is probably the best time to roam around. The book will be a great help then.