The advantages due to the physical and geographical positioning of both Malta and Zebbug, have been thoroughly exploited by the population. In fact, Zebbug was known, and referrred to, about two centuries ago, as a highly industrialised centre due to a variety of commercial, agricultural and industrial considerations.
But let's start from the beginning. Bronze tools, such as spearheads, cutting instruments and other implements, were discovered in the peripheries of Zebbug, consolidating the theory of very early prehistoric settlements dating as far back as two or three thousand years BC. Therefore, it can be safely stated that the earliest known inhabitants living on site date back to a fairly long span of time. Historians refer to that period of Maltese prehistoric times as the "Zebbug Bronze Age.’
With the passing of time and the open-ended process of cultural and social developments, the Islands were exposed, due to their central geographical position, to a long series of historical events leading to present day political nationhood. The history of the Islands, and of course of Zebbug, follow a history of colonization, the masters being the most powerful naval power that prowled the Mediterranean Sea at any given time. The list is too long to go into any detail. It may be enough to at least list the powers that dominated the Islands: Phoenicians and Carthaginians (BC on the history time-frame); Greeks and Romans during the first centuries of Christianity, Arabs (1050); the feudal regimes of the Castillians, Angevins, Aragonese, The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and in more recent times the Knights Hospitallers of the Gerosolmitan Order of St. John the Baptist (1530), the Napoleonic French domination (1798); and the British (1814, Treaty of Amiens and Paris).
It was only in 1964 that Malta gained its political independence from Great Britain, which was consolidated by the total breaking away of all political ties with Great Britain in 1974, when the Maltese Legislative Assembly declared Malta a Republic. It however kept its status in the British Commonwealth of Nations. Malta is now a fully fletched member of the European Union since 1st of May, 2004.
This background is very important to be noted because it influenced the lives of all the inhabitants of the Islands, including those of Zebbug.
More particularly, Zebbug enjoys a significant relevance in the local historical background. From time to time, many Maltese heroes, artists and writers, all hailed from the town. To mention a few: Mikiel Xerri was executed by a firing squad by the French during their domination for conspiring against their regime; Pelagio was the first local scholar who attempted the writing of the Island’s history from a scientific standpoint; Karm Psaila is the National Poet – he also wrote the lyrics of the National Anthem, besides having many of his works translated in many other Eurpean Languages; Antonio Sciortino a world famous sculptor; Francisco Saverio Caruana who is considered as one of the most notorious characters in the local history and Mikiel Anton Vassalli, the father of the Maltese Language as we know it to-day.
The native language spoken in Malta is Maltese. This is perhaps the only language that still exists and which is spoken by only a fourth of a million people! Maltese is a language on its own merits. A wide discussion about its origins is a permanent fixture of discussion . At best we can say that its origins are semetic, with a high dose of other mixtures. As all other modern Euopean languages it is nowadays exposed to foreign influences, mostly from the Englsih speaking world. Though this may be somewht damaging to the very original lexicon, however, the new words blend reasonably well with the vernacular and together adulterate new formats in phraseology, and the spoken day to day language. Malta, with a colonial tradition of over two centuries under the British, and with both English and Maltese entrenched in the Island’s constitution as the official languages, make the future of the language a fertile ground for further study, research and development.
The languages spoken at Zebbug and in Malta during the eighteenth century was a serious bone of political contention. Italian was the language spoken by a discreet section of the population, even though the other larger portion did not make heads or tails of that language. So much so that respondents during law court cases who did not speak or understood Italian had their sentences passed without being aware of what was taking place during the proceedings!
Zebbug was the leading producer of cotton during the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth. Besides it had other prosperous industrial activities, the main one of which was agricultural products. Cotton was in great demand at the time, not only for its clothing value, but also for the manufacture of sails. The grand natural harbours at Valletta were permanently packed up to capacity with the British naval vessels, all of which used the old-fashioned cotton for their sails. Therefore, the demand for cotton was always very abundant. The brand of cotton grown in the fields of rural Zebbug, and later manufactured in the same place was considered of high quality, hence industrial prosperity.
To-day, Zebbug offers much ground for research as it offers unique demographic curiosities. Leaving apart the residential modern accommodation consisting of housing estates, situated in the peripheries of the town, the historic centre core has seen very little changes. The village core was built centuries ago for the then very modest vehicles of transportation, namely horse-driven carts. To-day, the same dimensions must cater for monstruous tranportation vehicles, a fact which creates many inconveniences to residents and to visitors. There is always a shortage of parking bays, low speed is imposed, severe traffic impositions make movements in the centre a hazardous affair.
Another difficulty is that of rain-water flooding. As a rule Malta's average annual rainfall is very low (600 mm). But every so often, the first autumn heavy rainfall and thunder storms, make surface rain-water runoff a nightmare. Occasionally, 25cm of rainfall pours down during the space of only five hours, creating havoc due to flooding in the low lying areas. That's why it is sometimes said that in Malta it never rains, it only pours! This gargantuan difficulty will have to be addressed and solved, the sooner the better. Zebbug is very well drained naturally because it is built on a network of valleys at the peripheries. New built-up areas are springing up like mushrooms lately, making the islands a permanent building site. Unfortunately, lack of foresight create stoppages for the surface natural water runoff to the nearby valleys.
The demographic spectrum of the town follows on an average the same European pattern. Life-expectancy, family size, occupations and professions, distribution of wealth and social ailments are no exceptions to the norms and standards obtaining elsewhere.
What is very peculiar of the town is perhaps the mixture of attitudes and values of the residents. There are no hard and fast rules and drawing up conclusions may be futile. Some examples make this statement easier to follow. The village or town, depending on what one wants to illustrate, is both a rural area as well as an urban zone. Farming and husbandry are still very extensive. Yet outlets producing building materials are also numerous. Other outlets offering mechanical services are also abundant. While some areas are highly residential areas, others are industrial, with the questionable hybrid semi-industrial zones also in operation.
Incidentally, two important points must be underlined. Firstly a fairly large number of ex-patriates take up residence in the town, and the cost of real estate is the most expensive in comparison to all other areas in the Maltese Islands. Another interesting point to highlight is the great number of very large terraced houses in the town.
By way of conclusion, it must be stated that the motto of the town Semper virens is a very apt one. The culture of the town, the clever and crafty members of its society, the high educational standards, the ambitious younger generations are always evergreen!
Joseph Ciantar.Click here to view a brief clip of the town centre.
www.geocities.com/jojocian - REFLECTIONS IN COLOUR !
References:
1 Through any search engine search "Malta”
2 The Kappillan of Malta – Nicholas Monsarrat;
3 Malta’s Road to Independence – Dobie;
4 The Knights of St John – Shermerhorn;
5 Storia del Zebbug e sua Parrocchia – Ciappara;
6 The Shield and the Sword – Ernle Bradford;
7 British Malta – Laferla;
8 The Maltese Constitution – Cremona;
9 Confessions of a European Maltese – Alfred Sant.