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Il-Birżebbuġin - The people of Birżebbuġa, Birzebbuga (2026)

22/03/2026

Sa minn meta kont żgħir kelli n-namur fija lejn dan id-delizzju. Trawwimt il-mużew, dejjem niżbgħu l-pasturi u nagħmlu l-presepji. Wara għamilt żmien twil f’każin tal-banda fejn tgħallimt nagħmel kollox, minn injam sa ġibs u dawl. Imbagħad għamilt diversi korsijiet fejn tgħallimt ħafna affarijiet relatati ma’ dan ix-xogħol. Fil-każin tal-banda konna nagħmlu diversi wirjiet ta’ presepji u għal madwar ħmistax-il sena konna narmaw wirja tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira. Imbagħad xtaqt li jkolli l-wirja personali tiegħi. Din is-sena hija t-tnax il-sena li qed narmaha hawn. Il-bidu kien ftit biered minħabba li s-sett tal-istatwi kien qed joħodli ħafna spazju u niftakar li kont armajtu fil-każin ta’ Santa Katarina taż-Żurrieq u ktibt ‘for sale’ fuqu sabiex ineħħih. Però l-bambin ried li jibqa’ għandi u fis-sena ta’ wara ommi qaltli sabiex narmawhom fil-garaxx. Għall-bidu kont se nagħmel erba’ mwejjed però spiċċajt bnejt din il-knisja. Niftakar li kien għeni ħafna l-artist Renzo Gauci (RIP) li kien issuġerieli kif għandi niżviluppa din il-knisja. Id-dawl hu l-ikbar uġigħ ta’ ras li fiha din il-knisja però l-affarijiet li tgħallimt meta kont il-mużew sibthom illum. Il-knisja fiha sett ta’ pittura tal-artist Marioric Mifsud, sett statwi ta’ Pawlu Aquilina komplut biċ-ċena fin-nofs u diversi fided u xogħlijiet oħra.

Jien propja minn Bir id-Deheb imma ġejna noqogħdu hawn meta kelli sitt snin, għalhekk jien trabbejt hawn. Niftakar il-bajja mingħajr ramel. Illum il-ġurnata Birżebbuġa m’għadhiex post ta’ villeġjatura imma post residenzjali s-sena kollha. Personalment, nippreferi l-Birżebbuġa fix-xitwa għax tkun iktar kwieta. Nixtieq nara iktar indafa fir-raħal, mhux għax ma jsirx, imma la tiżdied il-popolazzjoni ikun meħtieġ iktar xogħol. Birżebbuġa fiha diversi rikezzi naturali u storiċi li l-Birżebbuġin għandhom ikunu iktar konxji tagħhom.

Ludwig N. Desira

Since I was little, I always loved this hobby. I was raised at the Museum, painting the figurines and making the cribs. After, I spent a long time in a band club where I learned to do everything, from wood work to plaster and electricity. Then I made a lot of courses where I learned a lot of things related to this work. In the band club we used to do several crib exhibitions and for about 15 years we used to the Good Friday exhibition. Then I wished I had my own personal exhibition. This is the 12th year that I am doing it here. The beginning was a bit mild because the set of statues was taking up a lot of space and, I remember, I had put up the exhibition in St Catherine’s Band Club Żurrieq, and I wrote ‘For Sale’ on it because I wanted to get rid of it. But I was meant to keep it and the next year my mum told me to put up the exhibition in the garage. At the beginning I was going to put four tables but then I ended up building this church. I remember that the artist Renzo Gauci (RIP)had suggested how I should develop this church. The lighting is the biggest headache that this church has but I found useful the things I had learnt at the museum. The church has a set of paintings from the artist Marioric Mifsud, a set of statues of Pawlu Aquilina, complete with the Last Supper in the middle and several silver and other works.

I am originally from Bir id-Deheb but we came to live here when I was six years old, so I was raised here. I remember the bay without sand. Today Birzebbugia isn’t a plce where people come for the summer only but a residential place all year round. Personally, I prefer Birzebbugia in the winter because it is quiter. I wish to see more cleanliness in the village, not that it’s not being done, but since the population grows, more work needs to be done. Birzebbugia has several natural and historical riches which the people of Birzebbugia should be more aware of.

Ludwig Noel Desira

22/03/2026

Jien inħobb dak kollu li għandu x’jaqsam ma’ Birżebbuġa. Għandi għal qalbi ħafna l-festa. Sa minn eta` żgħira kont involut fil-knisja bħala abbati u kont anke ngħin lil Ċikku (Schembri) s-sagristan. Dan id-delizju beda meta kelli biss tliet snin. Missieri kien xtrali statwa ta’ San Pietru u minn dak inhar ’l hawn l-imħabba lejn dan id-delizzju baqet dejjem fija. Għandi kollezzjoni ta’ statwi ta’ San Pietru, diversi statwi oħra titulari Maltin kif ukoll għandi wirja tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira. Niftakar fil-ġimgħa tal-festa kont nagħmel wirja fil-garaxx ta’ fejn kont noqgħod, fi Triq San Mikiel bl-istatwi ta’ San Pietru anke peress li l-purċissjoni tgħaddi minn hemm. Imma mbagħad kienet nanti li kienet ħajritni sabiex nibda narma wirja tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira minħabba li sa dak iż-żmien l-istatwi kont narmhom id-dar u kont nieħu xi ħbieb jarawhom. Niftakar kont ħdimt minjatura ta’ knisja fejn inkun nista` narma l-vari. Dan id-delizzju għeni nitgħallem ħafna affarijiet f’dak li għandu x’jaqsam ma` xogħol tal-injam, induratura, ġibs, eċċ. Ilni narmha għal dawn l-aħħar disa’ snin. Din il-wirja fiha ħafna affarijiet interessanti, pero` l-iktar artifatti li jispikkaw huma l-kurċifiss kbir u antik tal-artist ċelebri Wistin Camilleri u s-sett tal-vari minjatura li huma maħduma fuq is-sett l-antik ta’ Ħal Qormi u għandhom ’l fuq minn mitt sena sew.

Il-familja tiegħi, iktar magħrufa bħala ‘Tal-Baksi’, minn dejjem kienu dilettanti kbar tal-festa. Għalhekk jien trabbejt f’din il-kultura. In-nanniet, missieri u z-zijiet kollha kienu jerfaw f’San Pietru u għalhekk madwar 25 sena ilu, mesni ‘lasta’ taħt San Pietru u bdejt nerfa fih jien ukoll. Iktar ma kbirt dejjem bqajt ngħin fil-knisja u anke fil-każin tal-‘Banda Birżebbuġa’ fejn kont bandist u servejt f’diversi kumitati. Jien inħobb dak kollu li jifforma lil Birżebbuġa u dak kollu li jagħmlu t-tfal ta’ Birżebbuġa. Għalija Birżebbuġa ma nbiddilha ma xejn u ma mkien. Jien nirraġuna li jekk tkun toqgħod Birżebbuġa ma jkun jonqsok xejn għax f’Birżebbuġa għandna minn kollox; baħar, widien, festa, attivitajiet matul is-sena u oħrajn. Birżebbuġa għandha storja tant rikka li kull Birżebbuġjan għandu biex jiftaħar. Birżebbuġa sabiħa wisq!

Jurgen Camilleri

I love everything that is connected to Birżebbuġa . The feast is very close to my heart. From a young age I was involved in the church as an altar boy and I even helped Ċikku (Schembri) the sacristan. This hobby started when I was only three years old. My father had bought me a statue of St Peter and from that day on the love for this hobby always remained. I have a collection of statues of St Peter, several other titular Maltese statues and I also have the Good Friday exhibition. I remember in the feast week I used to make an exhibition in the garage where I used to live, in St Michael’s Street, with the statues of St Peter, also because the procession passes from there. But then it was my grandmother who had told me to start making the Good Friday exhibition because till that time I used to make it at home and some friends used to come and see them. I remember I had made a miniature of a church where I could assemble the statues. This hobby helped me learn a lot things regarding woodwork, gilding, plastering, etc. I have been making this exhibition for the past 9 years. This exhibition has a lot of interesting things, but the atrefacts that stand out the most are the big and old crucifix from the famous artist Wistin Camilleri and the set of miniature statues that are similar to the old set at Ħal Qormi and are older than a hundred years.

My family, more known as ‘Tal-Baksi’ were always big enthusiasts for the feast. So, I was raised in this culture. My grandfathers, my father and my uncles all used to carry the statue of St Peter, and so around 25 years ago, it was my turn to start carrying it too. As I grew older I still helped in the church and also in the Birżebbuġa Band Club where I was a band player and I also served in several committees. I love all that forms Birżebbuġa and all that is made by the people of Birżebbuġa . I won’t change Birżebbuġa with anything and anywhere. My reasoning is that if you live in Birżebbuġa you don’t need anything because we have everything in Birżebbuġa : the sea, valleys, the feast, actvities during the year and other things. Birżebbuġa has such a rich history that every person should be proud of. Birżebbuġa is too beautiful!

Jurgen Camilleri

30/01/2026

Twelidt Birżebbuġa fi Triq id-Duluri. Il-familja ta’ missieri kienu jsibuhom bħala ‘Tal-Forman’. Ftit wara li twelidt, il-familja tiegħi marret toqgħod Triq San Mikiel fejn trabbejt. Kellna ħafna logħob fosthom il-boċċi, niġru biċ-ċrieki u l-passju. Meta kbirna ftit, f’San Pietru konna nagħmlu l-irdieden tan-nar. Niftakar il-ħuġġieġa ta’ San Ġwann f’Ta’ Nagħaġ. Niftakar ukoll żmien l-Ingliżi. Darba nhar il-Milied ħabbat il-bieb u kien hemm baħri Ingliż fis-sakra b’ċangun fuq spaltu u dan ried bilfors jidħol id-dar!

Bħala skola bdejt fejn kien hemm is-Seabreeze, imbagħad l-iskola l-ħamra, mbagħad fejn illum hemm il-każin tal-PL u wara fl-iskola l-ġdida. Bqajt nistudja sakemm ilħaqt għalliem u mort ngħallem fil-Kulleġġ Santu Wistin. Maż-żmien ma bqajtx għalliem u mort naħdem mal-gvern. Nhar is-16 ta’ Novembru 1984 kienet infetħet il-librerija pubblika fl-iskola primarja u jien inħtart librar tagħha fejn għadni hawn sal-lum.

Il-mużika wkoll kienet passjoni għal qalbi u kont kantant ma’ diversi gruppi. Ftit wara li żżewwiġt inaqgħadt ma’ ‘Misty Blue’ u konna nkantaw il-Premier. Konna ħriġna żewġ diski bl-isem ‘Xewqa’ u ‘Imħabbti’. Imbagħad mort mal-‘Flamingos’ u wara ngħaqad man-‘Knights’ li magħhom ħriġt d-diski ‘Isbaħ minnha ma narax’ u ‘Inħobbok’. Konna ndoqqu f’ħafna tiġijiet u f’Birżebbuġa kont indoqq ir-Red Lion Pub. Fis-snin tmenin bdejt inkanta Paceville, però hemm idejjaqt u waqaft.

Fis-snin sebgħin il-ħabib tiegħi Salvu Fenech kien ħeġġiġni sabiex nidħol fil-kumitat tal-Banda San Pietru u ftit snin wara ilħaqt kaxxier. Kont jien li fl-1981 introduċejt lil Mro Frank Galea sabiex jinħatar surmast għaliex dak iż-żmien konna naħdmu flimkien fl-iskola Sekondarja Subien tal-Marsa. Ħdimt ukoll sabiex saret l-ewwel pubblikazzjoni annwali tal-festa bl-isem ‘Leħen il-Banda’. Il-kotba u l-pubblikazzjonijiet minn dejjem kienu għal qalbi!

Kont ukoll membru fil-‘Kumitat Birżebbuġa Maqgħuda’. Fi żmien il-Milied konna nagħmlu ‘presepju ħaj’ u konna niġbru t-tfal biex inkantaw fit-toroq. Ħafna nies kienu jagħtuna xi donazzjoni li mbagħad bil-flus li bdejna niġbru bdejna nżejnu t-toroq fil-Milied.

Fl-2013 kont sirt kaxxier tal-Għaqda Storja u Kultura fejn għadni sal-lum. Kienet saritli ntervista għall-publikazzjoni tal-Kunsill fejn kont għedt li hemm bżonn isir ktieb bl-istorja tar-raħal. U minn hemm spiċċajt dħalt fl-Għaqda.

Issa li kbirt fadalli żewġ xewqiet għal Birżebbuġa. Nixtieq li jkollna librerija ġdida għaliex li għandna saret wisq żgħira, u li jkollna dar għall-anzjani sabiex ma jkolliex għalfejn ninfired minn Birżebbuġa li tant inħobb.

Joe Debattista
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I was born in Birzebbugia in Duluri Street. My father’s family were known as ‘Tal-Forman”. A short while after I was born my family moved to St Michael Street, where I was raised. We had a lot of games, such as boċċi, running with the circle and hopscotch. When we were a bit older, we used to do the firework wheels in the feast of St Peter. I remember the bonfire of St John at ‘Ta’ Nagħaġ. I also remember the British period. Once, at Christmas time, someone knocked on our door. It was a drunk sailor with a boulder on his shoulder and he wanted to enter in our home by all means!

Regarding school, I started where there was the SeaBreeze, then the red school, then where today there is the Labour Party club and then in the new school. I continued studying till I became a teacher and I went to teach at St Augustine College. By time I didn’t teach anymore and I worked as a Government employee. On the 16th of November 1984 the public library in the primary school was opened and I was appointed as its librarian where I am still today.

Music was also a passion of mine and I was a singer with several groups. A little after I got married, I joined ‘Misty Blue’ and we used to sing at Premier. We had released two songs named ‘Xewqa’ and ‘Imħabbti’. Then I went with ‘Flamingos’ and after I joined ‘Knights’ with whom I released the songs ‘ Isbaħ minnha ma narax’ and ‘Inħobbok’. We used to play in several weddings and at Birzebbugia I used to play at The Red Lion Pub. In the 80s I started singing in Paceville, but I didn’t like it there and I stopped.

In the 70s my friend Salvu Fenech had encouraged me to join the committee of St Peter’s Band and after some years I became the cashier. I had introduced Mro Frank Galea in 1981 so that he’d become the conductor of the band, because at that time we used to work together at Marsa Secondary School for Boys. I also worked so that the first feast annual ‘Leħen il-Banda’ was published. I always liked books and publications.

I was also a member in the ‘Kumitat Birżebbuġa Magħquda’. At Christmas time we used to make a ‘live crib’ and we used to get children to sing in the streets. A lot of people used to give us donations and with the money we used to decorate the streets for Christmas.

In 2013 I was appointed the cashier of ‘Għaqda Storja u Kultura’ where I still am today. I was interviewed for the Council’s publication where I had said that there is the need for a book about the history of our village. And from there I ended up in the group.

Now that I’ve grown older I have two remaining wishes for Birzebbugia. I wish we have a new library because the one we have has become too small, and that we have a home for the elderly so that there won’t be the need to separate myself from Birzebbugia which I love.

Joe Debattista

Grazzi lil / Thanks to

Brian Agius Photography
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa

20/11/2025

Magħrufin bħala ‘Tar-Ratal’, laqam li ġej min-naħa ta’ missieri li kien Bormliż però wara l-gwerra familtu niżlet tgħix Birżebbuġa. In-nannu kien jaħdem Kalafrana però filgħaxija kien jagħmel xi xogħol ta’ tiswijiet fid-dgħajjes. Għalhekk missieri kiber f’din in-namra u ta’ disa’ snin kien bena l-ewwel opra! Jien il-kbir mill-aħwa u meta bdejt nikber kont inkun dejjem ma’ saqajh sakemm spiċċajt naħdem miegħu. F’nofs is-snin tmenin beda dieħel il-fiber glass li fuqu ma konna nafu xejn. Ma stajniex ma nimxux maż-żmien u flimkien ma’ ħuti Charlie (RIP) u Jesmond konna bdejna naħdmu fuqu.

Iktar ‘l quddiem jien dħalt fix-xogħol tal-opri tar-regatta. Dan seħħ fl-2004 hekk kif reġa twaqqaf id-Distrett tar-Regatta f’Birżebbuġa. Niftakar kienu talbu lil missieri jagħtihom stima għal sett, però missieri kien miet ħabta u sabta. Sena wara dħalt fil-kumitat fejn kont id-Direttur tad-Dgħajjes u bqajt fil-kumitat sa Settembru li għadda. Is-suċċessi ma damux biex ġew, infatti fl-2005 intrebaħ l-ewwel palju u maż-żmien anke shields intrebħu, fosthom f’Marzu li għadda. Għall-bidu kont nagħmel biss xogħol ta’ manutenzjoni sakemm minn jeddi ddeċidejt li naħdem u nirregala kajjik u frejgatina li semmejthom għal ġenituri tiegħi. Imbagħad il-kumitat talabni sabiex naħdem dgħajsa tal-pass u minn hemm ma ħaristx lura.

Niftakar meta kienu ġew il-qniepen fl-1969 u anke meta ġie ndurat San Pietru. Niftakar Kalafrana fi żmien l-Ingliżi fejn il-baħar kien ċar qisu l-Blue Lagoon, għax l-Ingliżi ma kienux ċwieċ! Qabel sar il-moll ta’ San Ġorġ, niftakar l-alka li kienet titla’ flok fejn illum hemm il-ġnien, u f’Ġunju kienet issir il-ħuġġieġa ta’ San Ġwann.

Ilħaqt ukoll il-kompetizzjonijiet tad-dgħajjes tal-Latini. Tul is-sajf kien isir league bit-tiġrijiet kull nhar ta’ Ħadd u kienet issir ukoll ir-Regatta ta’ San Pietru. F’Birżebbuġa minn dejjem kien hawn baħħara ta’ stoffa fejn jidħol ibburdjar. Fi żmieni nista’ ngħid li kellna żminijiet sbieħ, b’dgħajjes differenti minn ta’ qabilna.
Fi tfuliti Birżebbuġa kienet għadha naturali ħafna. Konna ngħixu f’ġenna fejn il-Port Ħieles ma kienx jeżisti, u l-bini kien ferm inqas. Ma nistax ngħid li llum hawn kollox ħażin, biss jekk ikolli ċ-ċans li nreġġa l-arloġġ lura, żgur li nieħdu dak iċ-ċans!

Mario Aquilina (r-Ratal)

Known as ‘Tar-Ratal’, such nickname comes from my father’s side who was from Bormla but after the war his family came to live in Birzebbugia. My grandfather used to work in Kalafrana but in the evenings he used to do some work reparing the boats. So, my father grew up with this passion and when he was nine years old he had built his first boat! I am the oldest from my siiblings and when I started growing up I used to be always with him till I ended up working with him. In the mid 1980s fibre glass started coming in and we knew nothing about it. We couldn’t not move on with the times and together with my brother Charlie (RIP) and Jesmond we had started to work on it.

Later on I started working on regatta boats. This happened in 2004 when the Birzebbugia Regatta District opened again. I remember they had asked my father to give them an estimate for the set, but my father died unexpectedly. A year after I joined the committee where I was the Director of the Boats and I remained in the committe till last September. Success didn’t take long to come, infact in 2005 the first banner was won and in time even shields were won, among them last March. At first I used to do only mainetenance work till I decided, on my own free will, to work and gift a ‘kajjik’ and a ‘frejgatina’ which I named after my parents. Then the committe asked me to work on a ‘passenger boat’ and from there I never looked back.

I remember when the bells came in 1969 and also when St Peter was restored. I remember Kalafrana during the time of the British where the sea was clear like the Blue Lagoon because the English weren’t idiots! Before the quay of San Ġorġ, I remember the seaweed used to come up till where there is the park, and in June there used to be the bonfire of St John.

I also recall the competitions with the Latin-saled boats. During the summer there used to be a league with races every Sunday and also there used to be the Regatta of St Peter. In Birzebbugia we always had good strong sailors where rowing is involved. In my time I can say that we had good times, with different boats than before.

In my childhood Birzebbugia was still very natural. We used to live in a paradise where the Freeport didn’t exist and the buildings were fewer. I can’t say that today everything is bad, but if I had the chance to turn back time, I would surely take that chance!

Mario Aquilina (r-Ratal)

Grazzi lil

Brian Agius Photography
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa

25/07/2025

Aħna tewmin u għandna 20 sena. Il-ġenituri tagħna Rachel u Simon huma minn Birżebbuġa wkoll. Min-naħa tal-mama’ jsibuhom ta’ Francalanza u min-naħa tal-papa' jsibuhom Tas-Sur Anġ. Bħalissa qegħdin inkomplu l-istudju tagħna ġewwa l-Università ta’ Malta fejn qed nispeċjalizzaw fil-farmaċewtika u l-kimika. Ilna tnax-il sena nipprattikaw l-Ispirit Combat.

Minn età żgħira konna nħobbu l-festi kif ukoll il-parroċċa u l-għaqdiet soċjo-reliġjużi ta' Birżebbuġa. Konna abbatini għal 10 snin u għadna nagħtu s-sehem tagħna fil-laqgħat ta’ formazzjoni għall-abbatini preżenti. Fil-parroċċa aħna nagħtu sehemna bħala Fratelli. Aħna wkoll membri attivi tas-Soċjetà Filarmonika San Pietru Banda Birżebbuġa speċjalment fil-Grupp Teatrali 14 ta’ Jannar. Ilna 3 snin bħala voluntiera mal-Grupp tal-Armar 1 ta’ Awwissu tal-parroċċa tagħna. Din in-namra ġejja mill-papa' li minn mindu kien żagħżugħ kien jinvolvi ruħu fin-nar, armar u aspetti oħra tal-festa u għadu s'issa attiv. Għalhekk kienet xi ħaġa naturali għalina li nibdew nagħtu daqqa t'id fl-armar tal-festa. Niftakru l-ewwel darba li morna l-maħżen meta kienet għaddejja l-maratona tal-liedna fl-2015. L-armar huwa aspett sabiħ kif ukoll impenjattiv tal-festa li jassigura li r-raħal ikun imżejjen u mlibbes kif għandu jkun ghall-festa tal-patrun tagħna San Pietru. Dan ikun possibli biss permezz tal-voluntiera kollha li jaghtu sehemhom fl-armar. Ma ninsewx li wara li tgħaddi l-festa jkun għad fadal biċċa xogħol oħra iebsa għax inkunu rridu nżarmaw kollox u nerfgħu kollox f’postu fil-maħżen tal-armar.

Għalkemm ir-raħal tagħna għandu ċertu limitazzjonijiet, nistgħu ngħidu li għandna festa sabiħa. Nixtiequ nappellaw biex aktar voluntiera jibdew jagħtu daqqa t’id fl-armar. Dan għaliex bħalissa l-Grupp tal-Armar jikkonsisti minn grupp żgħir ta' nies li mhuwiex sostenibbli biex jibqa' jintrama l-armar kollu meħtieg għall-festa. Nappellaw ukoll għall-kollaborazzjoni tan-nies meta nkunu qed narmaw fit-toroq tar-raħal tagħna. Għalkemm l-armar fis-sajf mhux daqshekk faċli, meta naraw ir-raħal tagħna mlibbes għall-festa ninsew is-sagrifiċċji li nkunu għamilna u nieħdu gost naraw ir-riżultat tal-ħidma kollettiva tal-Grupp tal-Armar.

Andre u Luca Galea
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We are twins and we are 20 years old. Our parents, Rachel and Simon, are also from Birżebbuġa. On our mother’s side, we are known as ta’ Francalanza, and on our father’s side, we are known as Tas-Sur Anġ. We are currently continuing our studies at the University of Malta, where we are specialising in pharmaceutical and chemical sciences. We have been practising Spirit Combat for twelve years.

From a young age, we loved the village feasts as well as the parish and the socio-religious groups of Birżebbuġa. We were altar servers for ten years and we still contribute by helping in the formation meetings for the current altar servers. In the parish, we also serve as Fratelli. We are active members of the San Pietru Philharmonic Society in Birżebbuġa, especially in the 14th January Theatre Group. For the past three years, we have also been volunteering with the 1st of August Parish Feast Decorations Group. This passion comes from our father, who from a young age was involved in fireworks, decorations, and other aspects of the feast—and he is still active today. So, it came naturally to us to start lending a hand in the feast decorations.

We remember the first time we visited the warehouse, during the "liedna" marathon in 2015. The decorations are a beautiful yet demanding part of the feast that ensure the village is properly adorned and dressed up for the celebration of our patron saint, Saint Peter. This is only made possible thanks to all the volunteers who give their time and effort to the decorating process. We cannot forget that once the feast is over, there’s another tough job left to do—everything must be taken down and stored properly in the decorations warehouse.

Although our village has its limitations, we can proudly say that we have a beautiful feast. We would like to appeal for more volunteers to start lending a hand in the decorations. This is because the Decorations Group currently consists of a small team of people, which is not sustainable to continue setting up all that is needed for the feast. We also appeal for cooperation from residents when we are setting up in the village streets. Although decorating in the summer is not easy, when we see our village fully dressed for the feast, we forget the sacrifices we made and take joy in seeing the result of the Decorations Group’s collective effort.

Andre & Luca Galea

Grazzi lil/Thanks to
Brian Agius Photography
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa

20/06/2025

Imwielda u għext Birżebbuġa. Fi tfuliti Birżebbuġa kienet wisq sabiħa. Trabbejt il-Bajja s-Sabiħa viċin il-pixxina. Fix-xitwa konna nkunu ftit residenti però fis-sajf kien ikun hawn attività ferm ikbar. Jien ilħaqt l-inħawi ‘Ta’ Nagħaġ’ kollu blat qabel ma nbniet il-pixxina. Hemm konna nqattgħu ħafna mill-ħin, tant li konna ffurmajna tim tan-nisa tal-waterpolo. Konna nittrenjaw u l-kowċ kien Lawrence Balzia (Ta’ Fażolu).

Niftakar Kalafrana fejn kien hemm grownd tal-futbol u konna mmorru naraw il-logħob. Kalafrana kellek żona magħrufa bħala ‘Big K’. ‘K’ għal Kalafrana. Din kienet il-bajja li kienet riservata biss għall-Ingliżi. L-Ingliżi kienu jieħdu ħsieb l-ambjent u għad li aħna l-Maltin writna ħafna affarijiet mill-Ingliżi, però minn dan l-aspett ma ħadna xejn! Meta żżewwiġt u ġejt noqgħod hawn kien beda x-xogħol fuq il-Port Ħieles, xogħol li kien iqajjimli ħafna mistoqsijiet ta’ x’ġej!

Meta kont tqila bit-tifla niftakar li kienet sabitni ic-Chief Commisioner tal-Girl Guides u talbitni l-għajnuna. Kelli t-tifla u issa ilni fil-Guides għal dawn l-aħħar 39 sena. Il-Guiding inħoss li ffurmatni bħala mara, li tkun assertiva u jekk tħoss li għandek raġun, irrepeti l-argument mingħajr ma tkun pastaża.

Kont involuta ħafna fil-‘Birżebbuġa Environemntal Action Group’ li kien imexxi ħija. Konna nagħmlu ħafna riċerka speċjalment fejn kien qed jinbena l-Port Ħieles u kellna suċċessi fostom li waqqafna d-dredging milli jsir fis-sajf. Ħdimna sabiex inbidel id-dawl għal total-cut-off u ħdimna ħafna fuq il-ħsejjes tal-port. Kont ukoll involuta fil-‘Federazzjoni Għaqdiet Birżebbuġa’, fejn l-Għaqdiet kollha ta’ Birżebbuġa konna ingħaqadna flimkien. Mal-Kunsill ħdimt fuq l-ambjent u l-edukazzjoni fejn organizzajna diversi clean-ups permezz tal-Guides. Issa pensjonanta u nqatta’ ħafna ħin man-neputijiet. Nifforma parti min-‘National Council of Women’ u nvoluta ma’ grupp ta’ anzjani tal-Girl Guides li għadna niltaqgħu bi spirtu sabiħ.

L-iktar ħaġa li nixtieq nara f’Birżebbuġa hi, li għandna ħafna spazji miftuħa kemm fl-iskola kif ukoll fil-Bajja s-Sabiħa, li però nixtieq nara li ż-żgħażagħ jutilizzaw iktar dawn l-ispazji għaliex hu ta’ benefiċċju għal saħħithom, mentalment u fiżikament.

Marlene Ebejer
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I was born and lived in Birzebbugia. In my childhood Birzebbugia was too beautiful. I was raised at Pretty Bay near the pool. In winter there used to be a few residents but in summer there used to be much more activity. I recall the surroundings ‘Ta’ Nagħaġ” full of rocks before the pool was built. We used to spend a lot of time there, so much that we had formed the waterpolo team for women. We used to train and the coach was Lawrence Balzia (Ta’ Fażolu).

I remember Kalafrana where there was a football ground and we used to watch the games. At Kalafrana there was a zone known as ‘Big K’. ‘K’ stands for Kalafrana. This was the bay that was exclusively reserved for the English. The English used to take care of the environment and although we, as Maltese have inherited a lot of things from the English, but we haven’t inherited this aspect! When I got married and I came to live here, work had started at the Freeport, which work used to raise a lot of questions for me about what’s coming.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I remember that I had met the Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides and she asked for my help. I had my daughter and now I have been in Guides for the last 39 years. I feel that Guiding has formed me as a woman, how to be assertive and if you feel that you are right, repeat your argument without being rude.

I was very much involved in the ‘Birzebbugia Environmental Action Group’ which was led by my brother. We used to do a lot of research especially when the Freeport was being built and we had successes among which we stopped the dredging from being carried out during summer. We worked so that the light was changed to total-cut-off and we worked a lot on the noise from the Freeport. I was also involved in the ‘Federazzjoni Għaqdiet Birzebbugia’ where all the groups from Birzebbugia united together. I worked on the environment and education with the Local Council where we organised several clean-ups with the Guides. Now I’m a pensioner and I spend a lot of time with my nephews and nieces. I form part of the National Council of Women and I am involved with a group of elderly Girl Guides where we meet in a nice spirit.

The thing that I woud like to see in Birzebbugia is that we have a lot of open spaces in the school and also at Pretty Bay, but I would like to see the young people using more these spaces because it’s beneficial for their health, mentally and physically.

Marlene Ebejer

Grazzi lil

Brian Agius Photography
Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa

29/05/2025

Għandi 30 sena u trabbejt in-naħa tal-Papa. Kont nattendi l-mużew l-antik u min jaf kemm lgħabna futbol fil-bitħa. Ilħaqt żmien li konna noħorġu nduru bir-rota mal-akwati, nilgħabu ħarba u l-caps fit-triq meta l-anqas kellha tarmak. Għalhekk nista’ ngħid li lħaqt il-bidla minn li tilgħab barra fit-triq għal li tilgħab ġewwa bil-kompjuter. Attendejt l-iskola ta’ Birżebbuġa, l-Kullegg San Alwiġi u wara l-MCAST fejn gradwajt fuq Graphical Design. Però qatt ma ħdimt fuq din il-linja għax illum jien mużiċist full-time.

Minn ċkuniti kelli ġibda lejn il-mużika. Missieri, li jdoqq il-kitarra, kellu band u kienu jipprattikaw fil-garaxx tad-dar tagħna. Id-drummer ma kien ħadd hlief Joe Caruana minn Birżebbuġa li kien iħalli d-drum kit dejjem fil-garaxx tagħna. Missieri jirrakonta li darba meta kelli tliet snin sfidajt ir-regola li ma nistax ninżel fil-garaxx għax it-taraġ kien għadu mingħajr puġġaman, u bdejt indoqq id-drumms. Meta semagħni niżel, u kif rani fuqu ħallini ftit hemm. Minn hemm beda jniżżilni magħhom għar-rehersals u jien dejjem kont noqgħod wara Joe. Ta’ sitt snin bdejt nattendi l-lezzjonijiet tad-drums u ta’ tmien snin bdejt indoqq mal-band ta’ missieri. Niftakar li fost l-ewwel drabi li daqqejt konna Baystreet u niftakar ukoll il-maratona tal-BeeJays fejn ta’ tifel li kont, daqqejt ma’ mużiċisti kbar.
Ta’ għaxar snin dħalt f’band li missieri ma kienx involut fiha, u wara kont ma’ diversi bands oħra. Ta’ 15-il sena bdejt nisostitwixxi d-drummer tal-Big Band Brothers u fl-2013 spiċċajt id-drummer ta’ din il-band fejn għadni sal-lum. Għamilt ukoll tmien snin ma’ Red Electric u għadni ndoqq ma’ Tribali u Ira Losco. Nista’ ngħid li daqqejt ma’ l-ikbar artisti li hawn fix-xena lokali fosthom Shaun Farrugia, Emma Muscat, u b***a iktar.

Illum il-mużika hi ħajti. Indoqq u ngħallem id-drums ġo skola tal-arti performattiva. F’dan ix-xogħol, il-versatilità, in-network li tibni u l-professjonalità huma importanti immens, probabbilment ferm iktar minn kemm taf iddoqq. Daqqejt f’kull tip ta’ kuntest. Minn ġo bar b’udjenza ta’ 5 min-nies, sa kunċerti b’eluf kbar ta’ nies. M’hemm xejn isbaħ milli taqsam il-palk ma’ nies bravissimi u li huma fost l-ikbar ħbieb tiegħi. Riċentament daqqejt għal 36 siegħa bla waqfien biex niġbor il-flus għal Malta Community Chest Fund, fejn ingħaqdu miegħi iktar minn 100 mużiċist.

Illum m’għadnix ngħix Birżebbuġa però għadni sal-lum ninżel bir-rota u mmur indur diversi postijiet fil-kampanja ta’ Birżebbuġa. Birżebbuġa hemm ħafna postijiet sbieħ li naħseb ħafna m’humiex konxji tagħhom.

Robert Spiteri
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I am 30 years old and I was raised at Tal-Papa. I used to attend the old museum and who knows how much football we played in the yard. I remember a time when we used to ride our bikes in the neighbourhood, play catch and with caps in the street which didn’t even have tarmac yet. So, I can say that I recall the change from playing outside in the street to playing inside on the computer. I attended Birzebbugia Primary school, St Aloysius College and after MCAST where I graduated in Graphical Design. But I never worked in this area because today I am a full time musician.

Since I was young I was attracted to music. My father, who plays the guitar, had a band and they used to practice in our garage. The drummer was Joe Caruana from Birzebbugia who used to leave his drum kit in our garage. My father recounts how, once, when I was three years old, I challenged the rule that I couldn’t go down in the garage because the stairs had no handrail yet, and I started playing the drums. When he heard me, he came down and when he saw me on the drum kit he left me there. From there he started bringing me with him for the rehearsals and I always used to stand behind Joe. When I was six years old I started attending drums lessons and when I was eight years old I started playing with my father’s band. I remember that one of the first times that I played was at Baystreet and I remember as well the BeeJays marathon where as a child, I played with the big musicians.

At ten years old I joined a band which my father wasn’t involved in, and after I was with several other bands. At 15 years of age I started replacing the drummer of the Big Band Brothers and in 2013 I ended up being the drummer of this band where I still am today. I also played for eight years with Red Electric, and I still play with Tribali and Ira Losco. I can say that I played with the greatest artists in the local scene such as Shaun Farrugia, Emma Muscat and many more.
Nowadays, music is my life. I play and and I teach drums in a school of performing arts. In this work, versatility, the network built and professionalism are very important, probably much more than how much you know how to play. I played in all types of contexts. From a bar with an audience of 5 persons, to concerts with thousands of people. There’s nothing better than sharing the stage with highly capable persons who are some of my best friends. Recently I played for 36 hours straight to collect money for Malta Community Chest Fund, where I was joined by more than 100 musicians.

Today I don’t live in Birzbebugia anymore but I still come here with the bike and I go to several places in the countryside of Birzebbugia. In Birzebbugia there are a lot of beautiful places which I think many are not aware of.

Robert Spiteri

Grazzi lil

Brian Agius Photography
Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birzebbuġa

Il-Birżebbuġin - The people of Birżebbuġa

22/03/2026

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