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Maurice Cauchi (Ed),
The Gozo Observer, No. 31
University of Malta, 2015. 40 pages

While Malta is busily recalling the events of 450 years ago and the Turkish siege of the harbour cities, few may stop to think about how Gozo itself was affected in the immediate aftermath. The smaller island had suffered a cataclysmic assault only 14 years earlier which had left it practically depopulated and was slowly attracting Maltese settlers again, drawn no doubt by the ease to acquire or lease property there.

In this issue of The Gozo Observer, Mariana Grech, a history graduate, analyses the acts of Notary Tomaso Gauci for 1566–68 which throw a most interesting light on this little-known aspect of our history.

Agricultural land seems to have been the most desired property, as can be attested by the frequency of recorded deals, with some deals being made by procurators of people still unransomed.

Cotton and cumin were Malta’s predominant cash crops. In 1565, the grain harvest had not been completed by the time the Turks arrived who stole all they could and devastated the rest. Gozo seemed to have recovered fairly quickly, however, and deals started to recover, with many Maltese buying cereals there.

There was a good trade in animal husbandry especially in donkeys and mules who account for 30 per cent of the deals in the records reviewed. Animals were also frequently used as part of the dowries. Grech’s paper is an interesting example of how much still lies undiscovered in the notarial archives which can be used to widen and deepen the knowledge of our past.

In the editorial, Maurice Cauchi discusses some interesting facts about the island that emerge for the recent publication Gozo in Figures 2012 by the National Statistics Office. The overall picture compares fairly well with the larger island, especially in cultural matters, with Gozitans borrowing twice the number of books per capita from the Public Library compared to Malta.

The lessons have even attracted a male lace-maker to a world which has hitherto been considered as exclusively female

The CEO of the Gozo Tourism Association, Joe Muscat, analyses 2013 tourist statistics for the island which saw 4.3 million passengers crossing the channel. Determining the actual number of tourists will be improved thanks to the opening of a branch office of the National Statistics Office in Gozo.

Joanna Grima discusses the potential of the beautiful Wied il-Mielaħ and Wied il-Għasri areas for rural tourism, which has got both its positive and negative points.

Wied il-Mielaħ had, up to a few years ago, been suffering great ecological damage, while Wied il-Għasri and its Qbajjar foreshore have retained a more pristine appearance and which, in Grima’s assessment, deserves better promotion, starting with a wide educational programme among the local residents.

Grima goes into careful detail as to the approach necessary to maximise the valleys’ potential without sacrificing the invaluable natural characteristics.

On the night of August 27, 1964, Gozo was hit by a devastating storm with six solid hours of torrential rain. Fr Geoffrey Attard recalls that night that made havoc of Xlendi and Marsalforn especially. The storm even claimed a man’s life with the lifeless body being carried from Kerċem out to sea off Xlendi and was only found quite a few days later.

Philip Vella, the mayor of Sannat, writes about the geography and the history of his village, until recently quite famous for its globigerina stone and the production of lime. There are even some notable archaeological remains from the Mġarr phase of our prehistory to classical times. The village had the largest number of casualties in Gozo in the Second World War.

Joseph Calleja, the administrator of the Gozo campus, provides a round-up of the activities at the centre which is veritable hive of learning every weekend with more and more courses being offered, some in video-conferencing.

And the male lace-maker? The art of lace-making is experiencing a notable renaissance in Gozo inspired by renowned lace expert and teacher Consiglia Azzopardi, who organises a popular three-year programme at the Gozo campus. The lessons have even attracted a male lace-maker to a world which has hitherto been considered as exclusively female. Paul Giordmaina eagerly crossed the channel every week to follow the course and he persisted in spite of his initial difficulties with handling the bobbins. He has succeeded in making some truly exceptional exhibition pieces, even winning first prize in a competition organized by Casa Rocca Piccola.

The Gozo Observer, the journal of the Gozo campus of the University of Malta, provides an excellent means for the publication of ongoing research on the sister island. Very professionally produced, it is available on request from ugc@um.edu.mt.

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