Sylvanus
Confessions of a hunter
The following is the text of my interview with Zeppi Xerri Sant, hunter and dedicated conservationist (and all the birds he's dedicatedly conserved are sitting (stuffed) in his cabinet).
I first asked Zeppi for his reaction to the recent judgment by the European Court of Justice regarding spring hunting in Malta.
"You see! You see we is right all the time. We hunters got the right to shoot kemm trid in spring. See, even the Eurovision say so."
"I um... I believe you actually mean the European Union, the EU."
"Ooh eva, Ee you, Eurovision... whatever. They knowed we have the right. So they is scared from us. That is why they say we must got the spring hunting eh!"
"Well, if I read the judgment correctly; what they actually said was, that only a very limited amount of spring hunting could be permitted under strict supervision, if it could be ensured the law is applied correctly."
"Ha! And who is going to say how much she is limited eh? You? Eh? You think now somebody - some big-head is going to come near me in my girna and say me stop to hunt... jew forsi you shoot too much? How will they know how much I shoot? U le gbin, me... I shoot how much I like and nobody, not the Ee you, the gvern or you will tell me how much I shoot... smijd?!"
"So what you are telling me is that you are prepared to break the law, right?"
"Law? What you say? The law says us we must hunt how much we want... even in the spring. Ux law!"
"No, I'm afraid not. What Brussels actually said - "
"Who?"
"The EU."
"Ehe... kompli."
"What it actually said was that hunting in spring would have to be in limited numbers and according to strict rules."
"Ha! Skuzi ta, but who do you think is going to enforce these so-called qanna 'strict rules'. Tell me ghid?"
"There's more. It says: 'Any proposed derogation for spring hunting in Malta would have to be proportionate with the aims of the Birds Directive on the conservation of wild birds, as well as complying with the conditions prevailing under Article 9, subsection 1C of the -'"
"Konservajxin... Of course, that's what we is doing eh.
Konservajxining these birds. Like I tell you... the Eurovision x'ghidulu make us the permess to hunt how much we want... u daqsekk!"
"I think you'll find it's a little more complicated than that. And I also think that all you ahem... hunters will be subject to very stringent supervision during any spring hunting window."
"Ehe, by whom?"
"Well, by the police, whose job it is to supervise these things."
"U le! They is too busy booking all of us who parks our trucks illegal eh? They make nothing."
"Lissin, hunting is my hobby, not game. And nobody qanna gonna stop me from it. You hear me? X'afarijed dawn!"
"Excuse me Mr Xerri Sant but... isn't that just the sort of irresponsible attitude that has got the members of your fraternity such a bad name in the local media and among the vast majority of the population?"
"Lissin... I don't care what nobody say, I am hunter OK, so I do what I want from my hobby u daqsekk."
"And to hell with authority, is that it?"
"Azgur! H'anghidlekk sinjur. This gvern she is not stupid ta. She knows she must have the votes from us hunters when comes it the elekxin. So bilfors they don't do nothing and they stay quiet. Ha! You think is the gvern that runs this country?"
"Well that is what they were elected to do."
"Hallini gbin, they know nothing... xejn! It is we hunters who is the gvern here; everybody knows it. And if we want to make something the spring hunting xghidulu... we make it and not you, nor il-gvern, nor Euro xissmu is gonna stop us... u daqsekk! So pass me that mist net, then get out of my girna.
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D. Fenech
Sep 28th 2009, 15:03
Sylvanus? Are you for real?!
An illiterate person shouldn't be a hunter to be illiterate, and you know this. I know many hunters who have studied abroad, and some of them have Masters in Management and other subjects like computing.
Also, do you know how to build a girna? Do you know the difference between a girna and a dura? Do you know how to build a rubble wall?
... This article doesn't make any sense. How can you keep something dead in a cabinet? haha, even a small rat would smell really bad let alone the 'birds stuffed in his cabinet'! Listen, loyal hunters eat what they hunt. Irresponsible hunters hide what they hunt, and they hide it somewhere difficult to find... not in a cabinet... and they won't tell anyone about it, forget it.
W Galea
Sep 27th 2009, 21:22
Sylvanus - you convince me you have never ever spoken to a real person who has hunting as a hobby.
I am not a hunter myself and I'll never shoot a bird but I have spoken to many hunters and their logic and knowledge is much more than you ever imagine.
Sorry - your article does not convince me, nor did it make me laugh...just a space filler....
D Camilleri
Sep 27th 2009, 18:35
childish
Antoine Grima
Sep 27th 2009, 18:26
This is another case which proves how the so called envirementalists have lost the plot.
godfrey pisani
Sep 27th 2009, 18:24
your humor of the maltese illiterate is very good , directed at politicians who abuse it might be great , but trying to use it to hijack a true and genuine tradition ,now that legally and scientifically it has been proven that sustainable hunting has a place and can be practiced by genuine maltese hunter , is this too much for you to handle ?, well throw the muck and play your games , the truth and the right will always win , it is not a matter of votes for when the goverment needed to act he did even on the eve of the election , he was not affraid . Its a matter of right for the true maltese hunter and nothing more , that is what the goverment wants to protect , we are not affraid to work with the police or any one that has his interest to protect birds shot illegally by a few poachers that don t have a life . but for you it seems we are all in that boat , well luckly for us now most people and the goverment are seeing things different .
Jake Sammut
Sep 27th 2009, 18:03
At least this hunter knows how to write and where to write the most IMPORTANT NUMBER.
The number ONE.
censu attard
Sep 27th 2009, 15:45
@SYLVANUS,
I think that You must really have found a very,very stupid hunter,by the way did he show you his BOW and ARROW,he must have come from the bush or from behind the mountains ,maybe you are trying to pull our leg,OK pull the next one,how funny.
Sylvana Zarb Darmanin
Sep 27th 2009, 14:54
Shame on you Sylvanus for depicting the hunters in such a way!! Well it takes one to know another! I assure you Sir/Madam that the hunters I know are well-educated and will never stoop so low as to make fun and be insultive towards others.
Maybe, your next article should be about the disgraceful way in which BLM and Co are trying to tarnish Malta's reputation! The brainwashing of the gullible few! Maybe also about the many personalities who decided to sport BLM's t-shirt with the non-factual statement of "No to illegal Spring Hunting"!! Well, readers could really have a good laugh at these facts!!
"It is we hunters who is the gvern here". Maybe you should regale us with an article about who is the real 'gvern'. Maybe the VAT personnel?? Those evading payment of tax and getting an amnesty?? I look forward to such articles!!
F Theuma
Sep 27th 2009, 14:53
Ha ha, an excellent piece. Let us see how many of the indignant replies will have a similar syntax and (lack of) logic. Come on Mr Mifsud Bonnici you do not need to get your knickers in a twist if Sylvanus's piece does not reflect reality. Or does it?
David borg Cardona
Sep 27th 2009, 12:55
Sylvanus,
Do I take it that by your writings you are insinuating or trying to depict the Maltese hunter as being illiterate, ignorant and not fully conversant with the current state of affairs ???
May I remind you that hunters in Malta come from all walks of life ranging from painters, builders to lawyers and members of the medical profession. Your seemingly subtle way of making fun of the hunters at this particular time is indeed of bad taste and totally misplaced...
You stoop so low due to the fact that you put pen to paper hidden by the thinly veiled disguise of a nom de plume !! Alas, you should know better my dear "Sylvanus"....
J. Borg
Sep 27th 2009, 12:46
Ooooh....how touchy and sensitive my dear....
something more social and cultural please!
MARK MIFSUD BONNICI
Sep 27th 2009, 11:04
How terribly funny.
Your mockery of the Maltese is a far as your "space" in the Times has ever achieved. If ever your intelligence can achieve better writing your articles might be worth reading. However, It seems your level of humour can reach no higher level.
Indeed make fun of the hunter, depicting him as an ignoramus. but really to ever come up with what you write you must really be an expert at being one yourself.
And To make matters worse. the Times concedes you a pen name to hide your true identity when for all other contributors it demands that they write under their own name.
So SYLVANUS if you would like to insult why not tell us who you are.