L-isfond storiku tal-Mandraġġ tal-Belt
Wara l-Assedju l-Kbir mit-Torok fl-1565, l-Ordni ddeċidiet li tibni belt ġdida b’sistema ta’ difiza b’sahhitha. Id-decizjoni biex tinbena fuq il-promontorju ta’ Xiberras giet mehuda fl-14 ta’ Marzu 1566, sitt xhur biss wara tmiem l-assedju, u fit-28 ta’ l-istess sena, il-Gran Mastru Jean Parisot de Valette kien qieghed l-ewwel gebla. Sfortunatament, il-Gran Mastru miet qabel ma seta jara l-belt il-gdida tifforma sew u x-xoghol ġie afdat f-idejn l-enginier militari tal-Ordni Francesco Laparelli li kien il-perit personali tal-Papa Piju V, li baghtu Malta u anka hareg hafna mil-flus mehtiega biex tibda tinbena l-Belt. Zmien x’jitilef ma kienx hemm ghax l-Ordni kienet qeg]da tibza minn attakk iehor u aktar qawwi mit-Torok. Il-Belt kellha tkun l-ewwel fost sensiela ta’ fortifikazzjonijiet biex tissahhah iz-zona tal-Port il-Kbir u wara dak ta’ Marsamxett.
Ghalkemm ma kienitx l-ideja originali, il-Belt spiccat imfassla u mibnija bis-sistema ta’ Bernard Palissy msejha ‘gradilja’, fejn tmien toroq principali huma dritti u jibdew minn wara swar tad-dahla tal-Belt u jispiccaw in-naha t-isfel hdejn Sant Iermu. Tnax il-triq ohra jsalbuhom minn naha tal-Port il-Kbir li jaqsmu ghan-naha ta’ Marsamxett.
Parti mid-difiza li giet ippjanata ghall Belt Valletta, li ssemmiet ghall Gran Mastru de Valette, kien li jissahhah il-forti Sant Iermu, sistema ta’ swar u fossien li jdawru l-belt kollha u port zghir il-gewwa mis-swar biex jistkennew ix-xwieni u l-igfna waqt il-maltemp jew attak mill-ghadu.
Lilna jinteressana dan ta’ l-ahhar. Il-bini tal-Belt, sew dak tas-swar u sew tad-djar u palazzi, kien irregolat min kodici taht sezzjoni ta’ l-Ordni imsejha Officio delle Case, li kienet tezizti sa minn meta l-Kavallieri kienu l-Birgu. L-Officio kien ordna li l-kenn jew port li kellu jilqa x-xwieni kellu jkun fuq in-naha ta’ Marsamxett u li l-gebel biex jinbnew parti mis-swar, kellhom jigu skavati minn dan il-lok. Fil-kas tad-djar, il-gebel ried jigi imqatta mill-istess lok tad-dar u jekk ma jservix, jingieb izjed minn fejn kellu jithaffer dan il-kenn. Igifieri li l-bacir kellu jigi mhaffer f-dan il-post u jifforma ruhu mil-barriera li jinqata l-gebel minnha. Dan il-lok jinsab bejn is-Sur ta’ Sant Andrija u s-Sur ta’ San Salvatur, u jhares lejn fejn illum hemm ix-Xatt ta’ tas-Sliema. Gie msejjah il-Mandracchio jew Manderaggio, li bill-Malti sar il-Mandragg. Mandraki kien l-isem tal-port zghir protett u imdawwar b’sur, li l-Kavallieri bnew fil-gzira ta’ Rodi u li huma okkupaw mil-1309 sa ma tilfuha lit-Torok fl-1521. Infatti, il-port ta’ Rhodi ghadu msejjeh Mandraki sal-lum. L-Ordni kellha Mandragg hdejn il-forti Sant Anglu u kienet ippjanat iehor fil-Birgu fuq in-naha li thares lejn Bighi, apparti li kellha iehor naturali f-Bormla fejn l-Inglizi bnew il-Bacir Nru. 1.
Ta’ min isemmi li certu nies li kitbu fuq il-Mandragg taw spjegazzjoni ohra ghall kelma li minnha origina l-isem, u li gej mill-kelma Mandar, li tfisser dik is-saffa ta’ trab u hmieg li kien jaqa f’qieh ix-xwieni u li n-nies li kienu jnaddfu dan il-hmieg kienu jissejhu Mandarini. Kien hemm ukoll minn kien aktar divers dwar it-tifsira ta’ l-isem pero’ ma’ rridux immorru fl-estrem.
Jeziztu hafna pjanti tal-epoka li juru l-Mandragg; l’eqdem hi dik ta’ Antonio Lafrer ippublikata f’Ruma u ntitolata, ‘DISEGNO DELLA NUOVA CITTA’ DI MALTA’. Uhud juruh t’ghamla ovali u ohrajn kwadra, fosthom; ‘LA NUOVA CITTA’ FORTEZZA DI MALTA CHIAMATA VALLETTA’, ta’ Matteo Perez d’Aleccio u ppublikata f-Ruma fl-1582, ‘VALLETTA DIE NEW STAT MALTA’, ta’ Daniel Specklin ippublikata fl-1585 u li apparti mill-Mandragg, anka turi l-Arsenale, fejn il-lum hu izjed mgharuf bhala s-Sur tal-Francizi jew id-Due Balli. Jew dik ‘VALLETAE CIVITAS MONTE REPLETA’, attributa lil Philippe Thomassin u ppublikata f’Ruma fl-1586, l-ohra ta’ Pierre Mortier ippubblikata f’Amsterdam, l-Olanda ghall habta ta’ l-1663 u ohrajn.
Il-bini tal-Belt beda miexi b’rittmu mghaggel u anka l-qtuh tal-gebel mil-Mandragg. Gara’ izda li wara ftit, il-gebla li bdiet tinqata minn hemm instabet li kienet ta’ kwalita’ hazina, x’aktarx li kienet iebsa hafna. Ma dan inzidu l-fatt li nstab li l-bacir li sa jinholoq qatt ma kien sa jkun kapaci jilqa n-numru t’igfna li kellha l-Ordni u l-lok fejn intghazel ma kienx ezatt wiehed kenni ghax hu suggett hafna ghall qilla tal-Majjestral. Ma dan, inzidu li l-Port il-Kbir ghandu dahliet li joffru kenn tajjeb u issa kellu l-Belt Valletta biex tipprotegih. Ghalhekk, ix-xoghol waqaf u l-idea tal-port kenni go l-Belt twarrab. Milli jidher, l-istess gara’ ghall-pjan ta’ Laparelli ghal-arsinale hdejn Sant Iermu.
Fin-nofs tas-Sur ta’ Marsamxett kien thalla vojt biex meta jkun lest, jitqatta l-blat u sservi ta’ dahla ghall Mandracchio. Billi dan qatt ma sehh, is-sur gie mag]luq u sal-lum g]adek tista’ tag]raf fejn kienet il-bokka mhabba d-differenza tal-gebla.
Bejn l-1575 u l-1600, fil-handaq tal-Mandragg bdew jinbnew kmamar u djar zghar minghajr ir-regola tal-bini, li anke jidhru f’certi mapep kontemporanji tal-Belt. Hafna minnhom kienu joqg]odu fihom haddiema li gew minn barra l-Belt sew waqt il-bini tal-kaptali u anka fiz-zmien ta’ wara biex ifittxu xoghol u xortihom. Hafna minnhom spiccaw ta’ ‘baxxa fortuna’ u sfurzati li jaghmlu kull xoghol li seta’ jinstab u anka bla ]las, u jghixu billi jag]mlu dak kollu li jigi ghal idejhom. Din kienet komuni f’kull belt kbira tal-Ewropa u fil-Belt kienet tezisti wkol.
Id-‘djar’ jew ahjar ‘gabubi’ fil-Mandragg bdew jizdiedu u minnu stess sar zona differenti mil-kumplament tal-Belt. Tant hu hekk, li l-Mandragg ma kellux dik is-sistema rigida ta’ bini bhal kumplament tal-belt. It-toroq tieghu kienu aktar jixbhu sqaqien dojoq li tfasslu minghar forma jew sistema. Kien post ta’ faqar u zdingar. Minhabba d-dizlivell li kien jezisti, kien hemm inhawi fejn il-bini kien ta’ sular jew tnejn, waqt li qrib is-sur kien hemm bini ta’ qrib it-tmien sulari. Apparti minn dan kollu, fit-toroq li kien imdawwar bieghom, id-djar kollha kienu linja wahda mat-triq u l-gegwigija ta’ bini bdiet minn warajhom. Il-konfini tal-Mandragg kienu Triq Marsamxett ezatt fuq is-Sur ta’ Marsamxett, Triq San Patrizju paralell maghha fuq wara, u Triq San Marku fuq gemb u Triq Santa Lucija fuq ohra. Id-dhul principali ghall Mandragg kien mit-tarag li kien hemm f’isfel fi Triq San Gwann, fenjn darba kien hemm il-hanut ta’ Neriku. Zewgt idhul sekondarji kienu minn turgien izg]ar, wiehed fi Triq San Marku msejjah ‘il-Mina tac-Cintura’ u tarag iehor min Triq Santa Lucija li kien maghruf bhala ‘It-Tomba tal-Mandragg’. Sezzjonijiet ohra kellhom isem ukol, bhal Ir-Rokna, iz-Zenqa, il-Kwartier, il-Gandott, u d-Dranagg. Kien hemm ukol il-famuza Mina ta’ Triq San Patrizju li ssiba fuq hafna kartolini tal-epoka. Go l-Mandragg stess kien hemm zewg ‘toroq’ jew sqaqien principali; Strada Manderaggio (Triq il-Mandragg) u Strada San Giorgio (Triq San Gorg), pero’ mhux zgur jekk din ta’ l-ahhar kienetx ufficjali jew le. Il-parti l-wiesa ta’ Strada Manderaggio kienet maghrufa bhala ‘Il-Kortil’ ghax kienet qisha bitha nterna. Kmieni fis-seklu ghoxrin, hu kkalkulat li uffiċjalment kien hemm 333 bibien innumerati jekk tinkludi lil-Triq San Patrizju, izda hu mahsub li certi numri kienu rrepetuti. Ma dawn irridu ninkludu l-kerrejja. Sa fis-seklu ghoxrin, jing]ad li f’din it-triq kien ghad hemm id-dar fejn kien joqod il-pittur famuz Mattia Preti. Anka kont issib hwienet tal-haxix, tal-merca, tax-xorb jew tat-te’ u kafe’, u sahansidra xi hanut jew tnejn ta’ likel.
Biex naghti stampa cara ta kif kien il-Mandragg, nikkwota dak li kiteb it-tabib W. H. Burrell f’l-1854, meta’ diskrivih hekk:
“Ghall kemm il-belt Valletta hi nadifa u vventilata tajjeb, hemm certi lokalitajiet t’eccezzjoni li wiehed minnhom hu l-Mandragg, li ma l-ewwel daqqa t’ghajn jindika li x’aktarx hu lok fejn issib hafna mard…….
Fl-ahjar fost it-toroq u djar issib kantini, hwienet zghar, terrani u mezzanini, li l-bicca l-kbira taghhom b’kamra wahda fejn tghix familja kbira. Hafna mil-kmamar ta’ mat-triq ghandhom bir tahthom b’herza gol-kamra fejn anka ssib lok ghall-bzonnijiet u annimali, li flimkien ma’ ventilazzjoni unika mil-bieb, joholqu rwejjah u kundizzjonijiet sanitarji koroh. Tant li fis-sajf kont issib bosta li jippreferu jorqdu barra fit-triq.
Jien inzur dan il-lokal spiss, u kwazi kollha ta’ daqs wiehed, mudlama, mahmugin u muqzieza. Uhud mil-kmamar ghandhom saqaf ftit gholi u bil-hnejjiet. Kont issib li f’uhud tqedu twavel biex jinholoq livell iehor fejn toqg]od il-familja.”
Ovvjament, il-kittieb kien tabib Ingliz u kiteb fuq dak li ra b’ghajneh stess u forsi g]amel aktar enfasi ghax ried jiggustifika ruhu u jnigges lill-awtoritajiet fuq kif u fejn jghixu dawn l-imsieken u r-raguni li kienu mietu tant nies mil-Mandragg fil-pesta tal-1813.
In-nies li issa kienu joqg]odu l-Mandragg ma’ kellhomx sistema ta’ ilma fid-djar g]ajr li jinqdew minn wahda mill-ghejjun naturali li kien hawn fil-Belt. Wiehed jista’ jimmagina li l-anqas biss kienu jafu xi tfisser sanita’! L-ewwel ilma ghax xorb u htigijiet ohra wasal fil-Mandragg fl-1615, meta l-Gran Mastru Alofius de Wignacourt kien bena’ l-famuz akwedott, li gab l-ilma fil-Belt mis-sorsi naturali fin-nahat tar-Rabat. Wara li l-ilma kien jinfirex f’numru ta cisterni u funtani mal-Belt, kien jaqbad in-nizla lejn il-Mandragg fejn kienet inbniet cisterna li tesa mat- 300,000 litru t’ilma u zewg funtani ghal dan l-iskop, u z-zejjed kien jibqa niezel lejn il-bahar minn bokok apposta mibnijja fis-swar. Nahseb li dan gab mieghu certu tibdil fil-Mandragg ghax issa kien hemm ilma tajjeb ghax xorb u ghall-hasil. Kienu zewg funtani tat-tip bhal ma hemm kif tidhol il-Belt, ukoll parti mil-progett Wignacourt, igifieri nofs vaska mal-hajt li fuqha inkun hemm wicc, generalment ta’ puttu jew iljun u li minn halqu johrog l-ilma. Aktar ‘il
fuq ikun hemm mill-anqas zewg skudetti, wahda bl-arma tal-Gran Mastru u ohra b’dik tal-Ordni. Il-funtana t’isfel kellha tlett skudetti u fuq it-tielet wahda kien hemm il-huta s-simbolu tal-Lingwa t-Auvergne, dak imsejjah Dauphin houriant jew ‘delfin wieqaf’. Ix-xoghol ta’ l-iskultura sar minn Mastru Giuseppi Casanova u l-bini mill-imghalmin Grezzju Imbroll u Indri Farrugia flimkien mal-lavranti u lsiera. Jidher li din il-funtana ta’ fuq kienet qwazi sparrixiet ghal kollox sal-bidu tas-seklu ghoxrin waqt li kienet biswit il-hanut tal-mastrudaxxa b’numru 297.
Pero’ certi bzonnijiet ohra kienu ghadhom lura u anka kienu sors ta’ mard u anka mewt. Id-dubbien kien meqjus bhala nsett fitt u mhux xerried tal-mard. Ghalkemm fl-1707 il-Gran Mastru Perellos kien gab f’Malta lill-inginier Romano Carapecchia biex jibni sistema tad-dranagg fil-Belt, din zgur li qatt ma giet estiza sa l-Mandragg. Fil-parti tal-Mandragg imsejha z-Zenqa, kien hemm speci ta’ herza bl-ghatu, mizmuma dejjem imbajda, fejn fiha kien jintefa l-hmieg naturali. Din kienet wahda mid-dsatax li kien hemm fi Strada Manderaggio. F’dik imsejha t-Triq tal-Kanal, kien hemm wahda minn dawk il-bokok fis-sur minn fejn kien jimxi ghall-bahar kull ilma li jitrema ma’ l-art jew dak tax-xita. Numru ta’ spralli mal-art tal-isqaqien kienu jservu biex kull ilma zejjed jew mormi, jibqa niezel lejn il-bahar mil-istess bokka fis-sur ma l-erba’ metri l-fuq minn wicc l-ilma.
Avolja qed jissemma dan kollu fuq il-Mandragg, in-nies li kienu jghixu hemm ma kienux nies hziena sa l-ahhar. Kienu nies riservati u forsi ma jithaltux ma kulhadd. Jista’ jkun ukoll minhabba l-istigma tal-faqar taghhom fejn ]add ma ried li jithallat maghhom. Din il-haga kienet komuni hafna anka sa ftit wara l-ewwel gwerra, fejn fl-irhula Maltin, u aktar f-dawk t’Ghawdex, ma kienx ikun hemm tahlit u zwieg barra mil-holqa komunali tal-lokal. Tista’ tghid ukol li hafna minn dawk li ghexu fil-Madragg kienu b’xi mod jigu minn xulxin. Din kienet komuni anke fil-Mandragg tal-Birgu fejn anka sa zmien ricenti, kellek erba jew hames kunjomijiet komuni hafna. F’postijiet bhall-Mandragg ma kienux jinzlu nies minn lokalitajiet ohra; lanqas minn nahat ohra tal-Belt. Ma kienx hemm ghalfejn, jekk mhux xi saċerdot, pulizija, spettur tas-sanita’ jew ufficjali ohra. Miskin kien ikun dak il-bahri jew strangier fis-sakra li jispicca jidhol hemm bi zball ghax kien jinsteraqlu kollox u jithalla gheri. Bhal ma jghidu, ‘il-faqar kont taqtghu b’sikkina’.
Aktar qabel, semmejt iz-zewg funtani tal-Mandragg. Dawn kienu zewg postijiet li servew biex ta’ kuljum, ikun xi jkun il-hin, jiltaqaw hemm in-nisa’ u tfal tal-lokal. Minn biex jiehu l-ilma ghat-tisjir jew xorb, minn b’xi banju u jkaxkar lic-corma tafal zghar biex jinhaslu, ohrajn kien ikollhom il-banju bi ftit hwejjeg li ghandhom u jahsluhom fil-post u anke minn biex jg]id kelmtejn mal-gara. Nahseb li l-anqas kienet tonqos xi glieda bejn zewg nisa’ fejn kienu jindahhlu l-familjari kollha u jaqilghu l-hama’ ta’ kul]add; haj u mejjet. Biss, din kientt tkun xi haga ta’ dak il-hin u malajr tintesa; suppost! L-istess nies kienu nies religjuzi u tar-ruh. Il-Mandraggara kienu devoti hafna tal-Madonna tal-Monte Carmelo jew ‘tal-Karmnu’, u fiz-zmien meta l-Belt kellu biss zewg parrocci u li jinsabu fuq ix-xaqliba l-ohra, il-knisja tal-Karmnu kienet il-knisja tal-Mandragg. Ismijiet bhal Karmena, Mananni, Karmnu u Marija, baqaw jispikkaw sas-snin sittin, anka fil-verzjonijiet Inglizi tahhom. Ghall kemm li fil-kantuniera ta’ Triq San Gwann u Triq San Patrizju kien hemm statwa ta’ San Pawl, ma bosta faccati fil-Mandragg kont issib nicec iddedikati lil-Madonna, specjalment lil-dik taht it-titlu tal-Karmelu u tac-Cintura. Din ta’ l’ahhar tinsab fil-knisja ta’ Santu Wistin u li f’jiem il-festa tahha, kien jitrama artal \g]ir tal injam, komplut bil-gandlieri u kopja tal-pittura tal-Madonna. Nicec ohra kienu ddedikati lill-Santu Rokku, San Guzepp, il-Madonna ta’ Lourdes u lil Santa Rita.
Mal-moghodija taz-zmien il-Mandragg ma’ tantx inbidel. Il-popolazjoni tieghu kienet dejjem wahda kbira specjalment meta l-familji ta’ dari kienu tant numeruzi. Kont issib kmamar li fihom kienu jghixu erba min-nies, jew f’daqs xejn ta’ gorbog kienet tghix familja ta’ tnax. Povri nies! Kif setet dik l-omm izzomm lill-uliedha kuntenti, libsin dicenti u mitmuha meta hafna minnhom l-anqas kellhom ‘ghaxja ta’ lejla’ kif kienu jghidu x-xjuh ta’ tfuliti. U xi nghidu ghal dak il-missier li ried jitma dawk l-ihluq kollha? Hafna kienu nies biezla imma kien hemm ohrajn li tawha ghax xorb u l-vizzji u msejknin marthom u wliedhom. Pero’ nerga nghid il dan kien zmien il-faqar ghal Malta kollha u din ix-xena kienet wahda komuni f’kull belt u rahal.
Dawk in-nies tal-Mandragg li kienu jahdmu kienu nies ta’ hila. Billi tant qrib il-bahar u fejn trawmu minn ckunithom, hafna rgiel kienu jahdmu fuq ix-xwieni ta’ l-Ordni jew opri tal-bahar ohra. Mal-migja tal-Inglizi, kienu bosta dawk il-Mandraggari li ngaggaw fil-qawwa navali tas-sovrani l-godda. Ma nistawx ninsew li l-bahar johloq barklori u sajjieda tajbin, fejn dawn ta’ l-ahhar setghu imantnu lil-familja bil-qabda tahhom jew bil-bejgh taghha. Aktar tard fi zmien, fejn kieu jsorgu l-lanec fuq din ix-xaqliba ta’ Marsamxett hdejn il-Mandragg, kien jissejjah il-Marsamxetto Ferry Landing jew il-Moll tal-Lanec ta’ Marsamxett. Allura din il-parti tal-kosta tal-Belt kienet sinonima mal-Mandragg u kienet ‘il-bahar tahhom’. Billi fi Triq l-Ifran fil-qrib kien hemm il-fran tal-Ordni li baqghu jintuzaw anka sa l-bidu tas-seklu ghoxrin, mill-Mandragg hargu furnara u dulciera gwappi li baqghu jissemmew.
Bhalma semmejt qabel, jew biex jitimghu l-familja jew ghax kellhom talent u riedu li jghollu l-livell t’ghixien taghhom, numru t’irgiel mil-Mandragg spikkaw fid-daqq ta’ strumenti muzikali u wkoll ghamlu isem. Nistghu nzidu li ghal aktar minn mitt sena, certi nhawi tal-Belt kienu benna ghall-bahrin u anke suldati Brittanici u mill-Imperu. Dawn kellhom il-paga u ma kienx hawn fejn tiddeverti u fil-Belt kienu jsibu dak kollu li jixtiequ. Kien hawn ]wienet tax-xorb kemm trid, specjalment fi Triq id-Dejqa jew kif kienet mag]rufa Strada Stretta u li l-Inglizi kienu jsejhula The Gut. Ohrajn kienu bandisti u jdoqqu jew man-Nazzionale jew ma Ta’ l-Istilla. Allura hafna minn dawn il-muzicisti kienu jdoqqu f’xi hanut tax-xorb biex jallegraw lill-Inglizi u minbarra l-paga li kien jaghtihom sid il-hanut, jaraw minn fejn jisol]u xi sold jew tnejn zejda. Il-familja trid! L-inglizi kienu jiskru u l-glied kien komuni, pero’ l-Maltin kienu unjoni u erhilhom ikaxkru xi flus li kien ikun hemm fuq l-imwejjed jew mil-bwiet tal-bahrin zvenuti ma’ l-art. Fl-istess hin, ohrajn kieu jahdmu bhala waiters f’dawn il-hwienet jew stabbilimenti izjed ‘puliti’ fil-parti principali tal-Belt, li kienu ffriekwentati sew mil-Maltin u anke mil-familjari tan-nies tas-servizzi. Nistghu nghidu li mill-Mandragg hargu nies ta’ hila avolja kienu gejjin minn post ta’ faqar u livell baxx. Ma ninsewx li f’dawn iz-zminijiet li qeg]din insemmu, ma kienx hawn servizzi socjali, sanita’ u xoghol ghal minn irid u l-familja u l-knisja kienu r-rabta u l-wens komuni. Il-kriminalita’ ma kienitx nieqsa wkoll, pero’ kienet b]al kull post iehor, forsi ghax il-popolazjoni tal-Belt kienet akbar minn tal-irhula. In-nies tal-Mandragg qatt ma sabu ghajnuna u ma nistghux inharsu lejn dak li gara f’Malta u fil-Belt, specjalment fil-Mandragg, b’lenti moderna. Il-lum ghandna kollox u l-hajja lussuza, kwazi kulhadd jahdem, anke n-nisa’ u ghandhom il-flus fil but. Generalment, dak iz-zmien, in-nisa u t-tfajliet ma kienux jahdmu pero’ uhud kienu jmorru jaqilghu xi haga bhala hassiela, sew tal-hwejjeg jew tad-djar, specjalment f’dawk il-Loggings fejn bahrin Inglizi kienu jqattghu l-hin liberu tahhom meta ma kienux Duty fuq il-bastiment. Lanqas nahseb li kien hemm wisq tfal tal-Mandragg li kieu jattendu l-iskola, sa kemm din saret obbligatorja; u anke f’dak iz-zmien, it-tfal subien kienu jmorru jaraw kif sa jdabbru x’jieklu u jifrankawha lil-ommhom, jew biex imiddu jdejhom ghax-xoghol u jakkwistaw xi hlas zghir. Uhud kienu bhal hafna tfal bi problemi socjali ta’ dak iz-zmien u s-serq kien parti mil-hajja.
Insomma, mal-migja tal-Inglizi l-hajja fil-Belt ghamlet taqliba kbira, biss fil-Mandragg ma tanx inbidlet ghajr bhal ma ga ghedna, kien hemm aktar fejn ‘iddawar ir-rota’. Tard fit-tieni nofs ta-seklu dsatax, is-servizzi sanitarji xorta baqaw antikwati jekk mhux inezistenti. Iddahhlu erba pompi tal-ilma f’certi lokalitajiet vantaggjuzi tal-Mandragg, igifieri ghall- anqas twassal l-ilma sa certi zoni, specjalment meta l-funtana t’isfel kienet giet imwaqqfa. Grazzi ghal stharrig li kien ghamel A. Critien li kien Spettur Sanitarju ghall Belt, insibu li fil-bidu tas-seklu ghoxrin mill-Mandragg kollu, 71 propjeta’ kellhom id-w.c. li minnhom erbghin biss li jarmi fis-sistema tad-dranagg. X’aktarx dawn kienu lejn Triq Marsamxett u kien jinzel kollox fil-pompa tad-dranagg li hemm qrib il-bahar hdejn il-Cable. Minn dawn l-erbghin propjeta’, hdax biss kellhom l-ilma d-dar. Insibu wkol li issa kien hemm 22 kerreja, fejn kien hemm sa seba’ jew tmienja min-nies jghixu f-kamra wahda! Ghall kemm kerreja minnhom kien fiha 43 kamra, 22 biss kienu mikrija u li fihom kien jghixu 31 ruh. Il-kittieb isemmi li ftit wara kien hemm 53 post li fih iddahhal is-servizz ta’ lilma. Ma ninsewx ukoll li fil-Mandragg kien hemm cisterni u bjar kbar li minnhom kien jittiehed l-ilma.
Minn zmien ghal zmien, f’Malta faqghu epedemiji tal-mard u l-Mandragg ma kienx esklu\. Fit-tielet epidemija tal-pesta tal-1675-6 msejjha ‘Il-Pesta ta Matteo Bonnici’, mid-942 persuna li tghix fil-Manadragg, mietu 278. Il-popolazjoni tal-Mandragg varjat biz-zmien. Mir-registri ‘Rollo e state delle anime della Chiesa Matrice di Santa Maria di Porto
Salvo’, insibu li fl-1727, kienu jghixu hemm 966 persuna, li nizlet ghall 844 fl-1737. Mir-rapport tal-pesta tal-1813, insibu li fil-Mandragg kienu jghixu mat-3,000 ruh, li minnhom mietu biss 99 ruh. Fl-1865 kien hemm 1696 ruh u li minnhom mietu 20 meta f’dik is-sena faqqg]et il-kolera. In-numru tela’ ghal-2544 fl-1881 pero’ meta fl-1888 sar studju aktar iddettaljat, instab li l-figuri qatt ma setghu ikunu sew ghax waqt li fi Strada Mandraggio kien hemm 1565 ruh, kien hemm 976 ohra li joqg]odu fid-djar tal-periferija. Ic-censiment tal-1911 juri li kien hemm 1814 ruh li minnhom 1210 ghexu fil-parti ta’ gewwa tal-Mandragg, waqt li fl-1933, ma kienx hemm izjed minn 1000 jghixu fl-inhawi ta’ Strada Manderaggio. Din il-figura hi zgur zbaljata u l-kittieb ried jghid ‘fil-Mandraggio’. Pero’ nsibu li ghall- bidu tat-tieni gwerra dinjija, il-Mandragg kellu popolazzjoni ta’ 1,214.
Ghal bidu tas-seklu ghoxrin, hafna mil-hmieg fil-Mandragg inqata’. Bhalma ga spjegajt, sew, l-ilma tal-funtani ta’ Wignacourt u sew ix-xita kienu jissuplixxu ilma bizzejed biex jin\ammu l-isqaqien nodfa u biex in-nisa jahslu djarhom u l-hwejjeg ta’ kull jum, b’uliedhom icafcfu fl-ilma ma’ saqajhom. Ghal kemm ilbieshom u l-bjankerija taghhom kien ftit nieqsa, in-nisa tal-Mandragg kienu mag]rufa ghall-hasil u fitti biex izommu lil zwieghom u l-uliedhom nodfa xummiema. Il-Mandragg kien fornut b’zewg kenniesa li apparti mill-gbir taz-zibel, kienu jikinsu l-post darbtejn fil-gimgha.
Il-problema tal-Mandragg kienet li hafna mill-bini qatt ma kien ta’ livell accettabli minn kull aspett. Ix-xemx ftit kienet tidhol u l-umdita’ kienet kbira u allarmanti. L-eziztenza f’dawk il-kundizzjonijiet tat hafna liberta’ lil mard u anke mwiet, tort tar-rassa, nuqqas t’igene, nuqqas ta’ nutriment, u kull hag’ohra konnessa m’ghixien ta’ dan il-livell baxx. Pero’ ghalkemm li n-nies tal-Mandragg ghexu u sofrew f’dawn il-kundizzjonijiet, it-tort ma kien ta’ hadd hlief tal-awtoritiajiet civili li hallewhom jghixu hekk ghal madwar 250 sena!
Meta tkellimt ma w]ud mill-anzjani li trabbew fil-Mandragg ta’ qabel il-gwerra, sirt naf bin-natura l-ohra tal-lokal. Kif fil-verita’ kienu dawn in-nies u l-hajja ta’ kull jum. Frazi li laqtitni hafna kienet li ‘g]alkemm fqar, kienu nies sinjuri’ jew ‘fil-Mandragg hadd qatt ma miet bil-guh’; zewg espressjonijiet li jfissru hafna. In-nisa tal-Belt huma mag]rufa li jhobbu d-deheb u meta jbiddlu ghal xi okkazjoni, kienu jilbsu crieket, xi balbazzar jew labra sabiha b’imsielet parigg, u xi nghidu ghal dawk il-fili madwar il-polz! Smajt kemm ir-religjon u l-familja kienu jigu qabel kollox u fix-xhur tar-ruzarji kienu johorgu s-siggijiet u l-banketti jew anke jpoggu fuq xi ghatba u jghidu r-ruzarju flimkien. Meta xi hadd ikun wasal f’l-ahhar u jinhtieg il-Vjatku, in-nies sa kienu jifirxu t-twapet fi triq is-sacerdot u johorg l-lampi tal-pitrolju biex izidu d-dawl jekk bil-lejl.
Ma jistax jonqos li fil-Madragg kien hemm ukoll majjistra li sa qabel il-gwerra, assistiet fit-twelid ta’ hafna mil-lokal. Kienet uzanza sabiha li meta mara tkun waslet, certi nisa kienu joqg]odu fejn il-bieb taghha u jsir talb biex ikollha hlas tajjeb. Anke li wara t-twelid, uhud minnhom kienu jsajru u jaqsmu likel taghhom ma’ dik il-familja sa ma l-mara tkun f’sikkitha bizzejjed li tiehu hsieb id-dar. U xi nghidu f-kas ta’ mewt? Tista tghid li kien ikun hemm luttu kbir mal-Mandragg kollu ghax minn daqshekk, kienu nies tar-ruh u qalb kbira.
Matul il-gwerra ta’ l-1939 u l-1945, il-Mandragg kien sofra mil-hbit mil-ajru u waqg]u xi djar. }afna nies sabu kenn fix-shelters imhaffrin gol-blat taht is-swar ta’ Marsamxett hdejn il-bahar. Ohrajn sabu refugju fil-kannirja tal-knisja ta’ Santu Wistin u x-shelter ta’ tahtha. Kien hemm dawk b’ras izjed iebsa u rrifjutaw li johorgu minn djarhom akkost ta’ kollox.
Fl-elezzjoni generali tal-1947, f’Malta rebah ghal-ewwel darba l-Partit Laburista mmexxi mit-tabib Pawlu Boffa. Il-perit Dominku Mintoff inhatar bhala l-Ministru tax-Xogholijiet Pubblici u Rikostruzzjoni. Progett ewliwni tal-perit Mintoff kien it-twaqqigh tal-Mandragg u tqabbdet id-ditta B. Harrison and R. Pearce Hubbard wara l-istudju estensiv “Valletta and the Three Cities: A Report to accompany the Outline Plan” li kienu ghamlu sentejn qabel. Issa kien il-waqt li jitwaqqa l-Mandragg u minn floku jinbnew akkomodazjonijiet aktar moderni bil-facilitajiet kollha ghan-nies tal-Mandragg. Oppozizjoni kien hemm ukol ghax naturalmemt, mhux kulhadd apprezza din l-g]ajnuna u anke kellha tindahal il-pulizija sew biex whud jinhargu minn djarhom u anke ghat-theddida personali li kienet saret lill-Mintroff. F’okkazjoni meta studenti universitarji f’l-arkitettura ttiehdu jzuru l-Mandragg, kienu gew issuttati bil-bottijiet minn uhud mir-residenti. Kif qal kittieb iehor qabli, ‘Qisu kien hemm min ghazel, li hajtu tkun marbuta mal-kruha, hmieg u telqa li dan il-post kien jinsab fih’. Il-Mandragg l-antik spicca ghal kollox fl-1960 u kulhadd hu kburi bl-appartament sbieh li nbnew floku. Biss, jekk wiehed kellu jistudja sew parti mill-bini li hemm f-Triq Marsamxett faccata ta’ Triq l-Assedju l-Kbir, hemm bieb miksi bil-folji taz-zingu fil-parti li nzammet mil-binja l-antika, li meta tidhol fih u tinzel dawk il-ftit turgien, ghad fadal parti zghira hafa mil-Mandragg l-antik. Naturalment, il-bini li hemm illum hu kollu mal-livell tat-triq, allura parti sostanzjanli mil-Mandragg kellu jigi mirdum biex telgha l-bini l-gdid fuqu.
Qabel ma twaqqa l-Mandragg, Ruzar Calleja haddiem fid-dipartiment tax-Xoghlijiet Pubblici gie mqabbad jahdem mudell tal-Mandragg li fih 103 b’76 ċentimetri kwadru. Dan il-mudell jinsab espost fil-muzew li hemm fil-Palazz tal-Inkwizitur fil-Birgu u grazzi ghal Heritage Malta, kien t’insperazzjoni kbira ghall progett taghna.
Sfortunatament, il-Mandragg il-gdid ghadu jkaxkar mieghu l-istigma li kellu l-Mandragg ta’ dari. Sew id-djar u anke n-nies li joqg]odu fihom huma bhal dawk kollha li ssib f’kull parti ta’ Malta. Problemi socjali u familjari jeziztu f’kull belt u rahal u tal-Mandragg m’huma xejn differenti. Forsi ghad hawn dawk li jixtiequ ikomplu jtebbghu l-isem tal-Mandragg!
F’l-1969, Mons. Arcisqof Mikiel Gonzi, eleva l-knisja ta’ Santu Wistin ghall-parrocca u l-Mandragg jinsab fil-konfini ta’ din il-parrocca.
Mil-Mandragg hargu ismijiet prominenti li ghadhom maghna sal-lum, fosthom tobba, dulciera, furnara, muzicisti, kunsilliera, ghalliema u sportivi. U xi nghidu ghall-karnival? Min qatt ma sema’ b’Pawlu l-Pampalun u b’Oscar. Il-bicca l-kbira ta’ dawk li jahdmu l-karrijiet u anke dawk li jilbsu u jizfnu, ghal snin twal kienu Mandraggari. Mill-Mandragg hargu dulciera kbar bhall Mannarinu Confectionry ‘ta’ Mannaru’, Tanti ‘ta’ Tanti Palmier’, Cacciattolo, li-Swain, Xmun Borg u hutu ‘tax-Xelin’, Toni Zammit ‘tal-Ghawdci’ u ibnu Neriku, is-Sultan u ohrajn.
Familja ta’ muzicisti bhal tal-Puse’; tal-MacKay, Agius u l-ahwa Seychell kollha footballers mag]rufa; furnara bhall tac-Corma u l-Lolu, u l-Ors u l-Buffalo ghall-waterpolo! Fi zmien, fil-Mandragg kien hemm jghixu zewg tobba li kienu t-tabib Cremona u t-tabib Calamatta.
U xi nghidu ghar-reffiegha tal-vari, sew tal-festi titulari, sekondari u tal-Gimgha l-Kbira? Bizzejjed insemmu lil-ahwa Borg ‘tax-Xelin’ ghamlu snin twal jiehdu hsieb u jerfghu l-vara tal-Madonna tal-Karmnu u dik tac-Cintura.
Sentendi, dawn kollha nies li niftakru ahna fi zmiena u hemm ferm izjed li kienu maghrufa u ilhom li hallewna. Mandraggari veri, dawn ta’ qabel il-gwerra fadal wahdiet u t’eta’ venerabbli. Saru ftit intervisti biex dak li jiftakru huma jigi priservat u ma jmutx maghhom.
Nag]laq billi nghid li dak li ktibt m’hix storja ufficjali tal-Mandragg jew tan-nies li twieldu, ghexu u hafna anka mietu fih. Dan kien biss gabra ta’ nformazzjoni biex lil-qarrej inpingilu stampa hajja ta’ post fil-Belt li m’ghadux jezizti izjed hlief fl-isem. Nahseb li jekk issir tfixxija sew, ftit huma dawk in-nies li ghadhom hajjin u jiftakru l-Mandragg ta’ qabel il-gwerra kif iddiskrivejtulkhom. Nispera li l-generazzjonijiet li qeg]din jikbru fil-Mandragg il-lum jibqghu jghozzu t-tifkira tal-lokal u kif beda u zviluppa ghax fuq kollox, dak kien l-gheruq ta’ hafna minnhom u sisien fl-istorja tal-Belt u ta’ Malta.
Sorsi:
• The Mandraggio; Notes, historical and other, 1938, A. Critien
• A City by an Order, 1985, Roger de Giorgio
• Underneath Valletta, The Malta Independent on Sunday, 15 ta’ Marzu 2009, Noel Grima
• Il-Mandragg, It-Torca, 24 ta’ Marzu 2007, Victor Scerri
• The Secrets of underground Valletta, Noel Grima
• The Mandraggio, Old and New, The Knight, March 1954, Vol. IV, Nº 3, by U.M.
• A Complete Guide to Heraldry, 1909, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
• Second Report on Quarantine, Report on the Plague in Malta in 1813, 1854, W.H. Burrell
• http://schoolnet.gov.mt/history/wirt/Kavallieri/bini-belt/UnderneathVal.htm
Copyright – Denis A. Darmanin – 2009
The Valletta Mandraggio or Mandraġġ
Following the Great Siege of 1565, the Order of St. John decided to build a new city with a strong defensive system. On March 14, 1566, just six months after the lifting of the siege, the decision was taken for it to be built on the Xiberras peninsula. Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette laid the first stone of the city on the 28th of the same month. Unfortunately, this Grand Master died before he could see the city taking shape and the work was placed in the hands of the Order’s leading military engineer Francesco Laparelli, who was also the personal architect of Pope Pius V. Pope Pius was a great benefactor towards the building of the city. The new city was meant to be the first from a series of fortified areas to guard the entrances to Grand Harbour and Marsamxett Harbour. Haste was the prime factor and the Order wanted to have the main fortifications ready due to the imminent possibility
of another attack by the Ottoman forces.
Although not the original idea, the city ended being built on Bernard Palissy’s grid-iron pattern, where the streets commenced just beyond the land front fortifications and lead all the way down to Fort St. Elmo. Twelve other streets crossed them from the Grad Harbour side to Marsamxett.
The new city was named Valletta after Grand Master de Valette. Its principal defences were the restructuring and strengthening of Fort St. Elmo, a system of fortifications and ditches that encircled the entire city, an arsinale for the repair of ships and a small secluded harbour where ships could be sheltered during storms or an attack. This particular feature is the specific subject of this work.
The building of the Valletta fortifications, the palaces and the ordinary houses was regulated by a code administered by a section of the Order titled Officio delle Case, which had already existed during the Order’s stay at Vittoriosa. The Officio had decreed that the inner harbour for the galleys was to be located on the Marsamxett side of the city and that stone is to be quarried from the site for the building of Valletta’s fortifications. The stone for the building houses had to be quarried from the site of the property but any additional stones were to be brought from the location intended for this refuge. Therefore, all stone was to be quarried and excavated from this site, located between St. Andrew’s Bastion and San Salvator Curtain, overlooking what today is the town of Sliema. The site was to be known as the Mandracchio or Manderaggio, which was soon twisted into the Mandragg by the Maltese. The name Mandraki was given by the Order to the galleys’ shelter surrounded by circular fortifications they had built in Rhodes, which they had occupied in 1309 but was lost to the Saracens in 1521. In fact, the harbour in Rhodes is still called Mandraki. Previously, the Order had a Mandragg by Fort St. Angelo in Vittoriosa and another was planned at a location facing Bighi, apart from the natural alcove at Cospicua, where the British later built No. 1 Dock.
Other writers had referred to the name Manderaggi originates from the word Mandar, which means or refers to that layer of dirt and spoil that settles in the hull of galleys, which made a good fertilizer and those who cleared out this material were called Mandarini. Others had other meanings to its meaning but we shouldn’t go to extremes.
We are lucky to have many contemporary plans that show the Mandragg; the oldest being that published in Rome by Antonio Lafrerj titled ‘DISEGNO DELLA NUOVA CITTA’ DI MALTA’. Most show this space either as a rectangle or oval shaped, amongst them: ‘LA NUOVA CITÆ FORTEZZA DI MALTA CHIAMATA VALLETTA’, by Matteo Perez d’Aleccio published in Rome in 1582, ‘VALLETTA DIE NEW STAT MALTA’, by Daniel Specklin published in 1585, which apart from the Mandragg, it also shows the Arsenale where today is known as is-Sur tal-Francizi or id-Due Balli. There is also ‘VALLETAE CIVITAS MONTE REPLETA’, attributed to Philippe Thomassin published in Rome in 1586, another by Pierre Mortier published in Amsterdam, Holland around 1663 and others.
The building of Valletta took a steady rhythm, including the quarrying of stone from the Mandragg. Unfortunately, the quality of the stone being quarried from the site began to be inferior and possibly too hard. Consequently, the Order’s engineers realised that this space was too small to accommodate the entire fleet, especially the battle squadron, while the location was subject to the strong winds and currents brought by the Maestrale. Furthermore, considering that there was now Valletta to safeguard the Grand Harbour, which was a natural harbour endowed with numerous sheltered creeks and inlets. Work on this basin was halted and the idea of a Mandracchio was scrapped. This fate was also shared by Lapparelli’s plan for an Arsenale near St. Elmo.
As part of the project, a gap was left in the centre of the curtain to serve as an entrance to the Mandracchio. Due to the project being scrapped, a wall had to be built to span this breach in the fortifications and the difference in the stone can still be noted to this day because of the different stone that was used.
Between the years 1575 and 1600, a number of shacks and rooms were being erected in the Mandraggio, none of which followed any conformity to the grid-iron plan of Valletta.
Most were inhabited by workers who came to Valletta during its building boom and even later to seek their fortune in the new city. Many ended as destitute and either scraped a living doing any work that could be found of even unemployed and turning to crime, which was common amongst the poor in any European city of the time.
The houses or rather shacks that flourished in the Mandraggio continued to increase which gave the area a totally different ambience from the rest of the city; its streets were nothing but a labyrinth of narrow and dark alleys. Poverty and all that goes with it prevailed. Due to the height discrepancy, some of the houses close to the fortifications were as high as eight floors high, while those on higher grounds were only of two floors. However, the houses that flanked the four streets that bordered the Mandraggio were all aligned with the rest of the streets but any houses built behind them were built at random in the maze of alleys. Some foreign visitors had compared the Mandraggio to the medina quarters of North Africa.
The borders of the Mandraggio were Marsamuschetto Street exactly on the Marsamxett Curtain, St. Patrick Street which ran parallel to it at rear, with St. Mark Street and St. Lucia Street on each side. The principal entrance to the Mandraggio was from the stairs once located at the lower part of St. John Street, where the renowned confectioner Neriku had started his business. One of the two secondary entrances or narrow stairways was in St. Mark Street and was known as ‘il-Mina tac-Cintura’ (the arch of Our Lady of Consolation), and the other in St. Lucia Street and was known as ‘It-Tomba tal-Mandragg’ (the ‘grave’). Most areas within the Mandraggio also had names, such as Ir-Rokna (the ‘corner’), iz-Zenqa (the ‘narrow steps’), il-Kwartier (the ‘quarters’), il-Gandott (the ‘ditch’) and d-Dranagg (the ‘sewer’). There was also the famous arch of St. Patrick Street, which was made immortal by many old postcards.
The Mandraggio had two main alleyways, Strada Manderaggio and Strada San Giorgio, although its doubtful if the latter’s name was official. The wide part of the Mandraggio was known as ‘Il-Kortil’, due to resembling a large courtyard.
Although not accurate, early in the 20th century the Mandraggio is recorded of having 333 numbered doors, which also includes St. Patrick Street. There were also a number of ‘kerreja’, or houses that were split into small tenements. One could also find grocer shops, greengrocers, wine, tea and coffee shops, as well as one or two cookhouses. It is reputed that till well into the 20th century, the house of the famous artist Mattia Preti was located in St. Patrick Street.
A vivid description of the Mandraggio was given by Dr. W. H. Burrell when in 1854 he wrote:
“Although Valletta is a clean city and well ventilated, there are certain areas of this city that are an exception. One of which is the Mandraggio, which at the first glace, once realises that it’s a place of sickness…….
In the best alleys there are houses with cellars, small shops and ground or first floor residences, many of which are just the one room and occupied by large families. Many of the rooms by the alleys have wells underneath with the well-hood being in the same room where there is a corner for necessities as well as animals, which along with just the door being the only ventilation, create smells and bad sanitary conditions, inasmuch that many preferred to sleep in the alleys in summer.
I visit these places regularly, which are of the same dimensions, dark, dirty and humid. Some rooms have high ceilings spanned on arches. Some of the residents place wooden beams to create an intermediate level where the family can sleep.”
Obviously, the author was British and had written on what he had witnessed. He had to be graphic in his description in order to prick the conscience of the authorities on the situation in the Mandraggio and why had so many perished in the Plague of 1813.
Any form of a water system in the dwellings of those then living in the Mandraggio was unheard of, other to fetching water from the number of natural springs within the city. So how could these people know anything about sanitation! The first potable water and water for other usage arrived at the Mandraggio in 1615, when Grand Master Alofius de Wignacourt had constructed the famous aqueduct that conveyed water from natural sources in the Rabat region. Once the water made its way into a number of rock-hewn cisterns and supplied fountains in Valletta, a cistern that could hold 300,000 litters of water and two fountains were built to supply water to the Mandraggio. Any overflow would run down to the sea through special ducting in the bastion wall. This innovation had rightfully served to bring a new life to the inhabitants, especially with drinking water and water for washing.
The two fountains were similar to the other by G.M. Wignacourt just within Porta Reale, which usually bore a putto’s face or lion’s head with water sprouting from their mouths. Above the heads were two escutcheons, one baring the coat-of-arms of G.M. Wignacourt and the other having the symbol of the Langue of Auvergne, the Dauphin houriant or ‘upright dolphin’. The sculpture was by Master Giuseppi Casanova and the fountains were constructed by Grezzju Imbroll u Indri Farrugia, along with their assistants and slaves.
It is believed that this upper fountain had nearly totally disappeared by the beginning of the twentieth century but is recorded as being next to the carpenter’s shop with door number 297.
Yet, other needs still lacked behind which at most times resulted in sickness and even death. Flies were still considered as pests, rather than the carriers of diseases. Although Grand Master Perellos had brought to Malta the engineer Romano Carapecchia in 1707 to construct a drainage system in Valletta, this system is very doubtful if it ever reached the Mandraggio. In the part of the Mandraggio called the ‘Zenqa’, there was a cess pit with a hood with a wooden cover, that was kept always whitewashed with lime, into which were dumped all natural wastes. This was one of nineteen that were known along Strada Manderaggio. There were also a number of grilles on the ground, connected to the ducting in Triq tal-Kanal, from which all water, rain or otherwise, cascaded to the sea on the other side of the curtain wall from an opening some four meters above sea level.
Although the inhabitants of the Mandraggio were constraint to live in such squalor, they weren’t of bad stock as one would imagine. They were rather a reserved type, hard-headed and very likely did not mix with others outside of their borders. It could well be that not many wanted any association with people from the Mandraggio due to the stigma associated with their poor living standards. Such a system was very common in most Malta villages till well after the First World War, where even marriages outside the local village circle were rarely permitted. One can easily say that most of those who lived in the Mandraggio were somehow related to eachother. This was also common in the Mandraggio in Vittoriosa, where till late in the twentieth century, four or five surnames predominant. Due to obvious reasons, people from other districts of Valletta, and even more outsiders, did not venture within the Mandraggio, other to priests, the police, sanitary inspectors and very few others. Pity on that drunken sailor or civilian who would end up in there by mistake, as he would loose all his possessions and was probably left next to naked!
The two fountains mentioned earlier were the source where water was drawn for all needs. They were also the meeting place for the women; either to fetch water fro cooking or washing, or to bathe their cluster of children, others carry a large zinc tub with the daily washing, or just to chat with friend or neighbour. There were times when a heated argument broke out and you can imagine the tongue lashing that they gave one another, probably joined by other kin, and no one in the family tree was left unscratched, dead or alive! But most were just spurs of the moment although the incident would never be forgotten. These same people were also very religious and homely. The Mangraggio was renowned for its devotion towards Our Lady of Mount Carmel or ‘tal-Karmnu’, as better known and at a time when there were only two parishes in Valletta; the then Mount Carmel church was the Mandraggio’s church. Names such as Karmena, Mananni, Karmnu u Marija, and even in their English versions were very common right up to the 1960’s.
Although a statue of St. Paul stood on the corner of St. John Street and St. Patrick Street, on most facades by the doorway, one would see tiny niches dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel or of Our Lady of Consolation. The latter is venerated in the church of St. Augustine, which on its fest day, a small wooden altar complete with candlesticks and a copy of the Madonna’s altarpiece. Like elsewhere in Malta, there were plenty of niches mainly dedicated to St. Rocque, St. Joseph, Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Rita. At a time when social services, good sanitation and sound employment were very lacking, the only other refuge was their faith and the church.
The passage of time did not change the Mandraggio so much. Its population was always large considering that families had many children. As many as four people lived in a one room, or as many as twelve in a little shack. Poor people! How could a mother keep her children happy, properly dressed and fed when most had to struggle for a living? What about that father who had to find means to feed all those hungry mouths? Most were hard-working men but others just gave up and fell foul to grog and vices with bad consequences to the wife and children. However, these were had times all over Malta and this scenario was common in every town and village throughout the island.
Men from the Mandraggio who had a job were known to be hard-working and capable. Due to being next to the sea, many were employed on the Order’s galleys or other craft. The Order’s bakery was built in 1584 and was located just two streets away from the Mandraggio and remained in use until very early in the 20th century. Many men from the Mandraggio worked there and became excellent bakers.
With the arrival of the British, other men from the area enlisted as sailors with the navy of the new sovereign. Living by the sea, at an early age many became excellent boatmen and fishermen, and the latter could bring some freshly caught fish for the family to eat or barter. Synonymous with the Royal Navy were the ‘bum-boats’, where a boatmen would buy items of necessity to sailors and on particular days were allowed to go alongside vessels or even on their decks, to sell their wares to the ship’s crew.
Nearly a century later, that section of Valletta on the Marsamxett Harbour side near the Mandraggio was named the Marsamxetto Ferry Landing, since a steam ferry service was introduced to Sliema and the Grand Harbour. Therefore, this part of Valletta’s foreshore became synonymous with the Mandraggio and became its ‘seaside territory’.
Either because they had a large family to feed or because they possessed some talent and wished to use it to make a better life, others from the area excelled in playing musical instruments and made a name for themselves. It is a known fact that for more than a century, certain areas in Valletta were notorious for being a haven for sailors and soldiers from Britain and the Empire. They had wages but not the places to spend it at and in Valletta once could find that his heart had wished for. Valletta had grog shops by the dozens, especially in Strait Street or ‘the Gut’, as it was known with the men in uniforms. So many men either ran these shops or worked as barmen, waiters, bouncers, dishwashers, errand boys and any other work involved with the trade, especially musicians. Others were bandsmen who played either with the ‘Nazzionale’ or with ‘Ta’ l-Istilla’, but also held part time jobs entertaining ‘the boys’ in one of these bars and from where they could earn some extra money. British sailors were known to get quite drunk and trouble always followed. Fights broke out easily and the Maltese were united and had fighters. Others would dare the risk to clear any loose change left on any table or from the pockets of any sailor that was knocked out on the floor.
Valletta hosted other more refined establishments aimed to cater for the families of the British servicemen and the Maltese upper class. Here again, we find that men from the Mandraggio formed part of the staff. Although having a bad reputation, yet many capable persons emerged from the Mandraggio. Criminality was not lacking either, although common in any town and village throughout Malta, but possibly more in Valletta due to being in the capital city. The inhabitants of the Mandraggio had never found any assistance to better themselves and neither can we look back at Valletta and Malta of those times with a modern perspective. Today we have everything and we live a luxurious life, practically everyone is employed, including women, and we have money in our pockets. As a rule, prior to the Second World War women and girls did not go out to work, yet some did work as washer-women or cleaners, either wish rich families or in the famous ‘Lodgings’ where British sailors stayed during their liberty periods or when the ship was in the dock for a refit. A false belief is that barmaids and prostitutes that operated in Valletta were local girls and women. Many of these females came from the towns and villages who fell foul with life, sought refuge in Valletta and earned a living ‘offering comfort’ to the sailors.
Neither was education compulsory, so one can doubt as to how many children from the Mandraggio had attended any school. In those days even the children were obliged to find some means to ‘earn a penny’ or perform menial tasks for some small payment. Others were left to fend for themselves and petty theft was part of daily life.
Life in Valletta had definitely changed with the arrival of the British and the Mandraggio did not change much at all, except there were other venues where one could earn a living; even if not an honest one.
Late in the nineteenth century, sanitary conditions in the Mandraggio remained antiquated if not unknown. A number of water hand-pumps were installed in certain areas when the lower fountain was stopped. From a survey conducted by A. Critien who was the Sanitary Inspector for Valletta after the First World War, he states that at the time 71 premises in the Mangraggio had W.C’s, of which only 40, assumed to have been in Strada Mandraggio, emptied in a primitive drainage system that flowed to a pump by the sea known as ‘Il-Cable’. And from these 40 premises, only eleven had piped water!
There were also 22 ‘kerreja’, a tenement separately occupied by a number of families, where anything from four to seven people lived in one room. Although on ‘kerreja’ is supposedly to have had 43 rooms, only 22 were rented out and in which 31 people had lived. The author
continues that by the time of writing, some 53 premises had piped water, although the large water cisterns and reservoirs were still being use for fetching water.
From time to time, Malta wasn’t spared its share of epidemics and the Mandraggio was not excluded. During the third plague epidemic of 1675-6 and called ‘Il-Pesta ta Matteo Bonnici’ (Bonnici’s Plague), 278 persons were recorded to have died from the 942 living at the Mandraggio at the time.
The population of the Mandraggio varied with time and the register ‘Rollo e state delle anime della Chiesa Matrice di Santa Maria di Porto Salvo’ states that in 1727 some 966 persons lived there, which by 1737 had decreased to 844. The 1813 plague report gives the population of the Mandraggio as being 3,000, which is somewhat high and of which only 99 persons had perished. In the cholera outbreak of 1865, only 20 had died from the Mandraggio’s population of 1696 persons. The number of inhabitants grew to 2544 in 1881 but detailed studies conducted in 1888 show that figures could never be accurate as while there were 1565 people living in the Mandraggio, 976 others lived within its boundaries. The census of 1911 showed that there were 1814 persons, of whom 1210 lived in the heart of the Mandraggio, while in 1933, there were no more than 1000 persons living in the area of Strada Manderaggi. This later figure is probably wrong but just at the outbreak of the Second World War, the total inhabitants of the Mandraggio were only 1,214.
By the beginning of the 20th century, much of the filth that had existed in the Mangraggio was cleared away. The area also had the services of two street-sweepers who swept the area twice weekly. Rain water and water from the Wignacourt fountains played an important role in keeping the alleys clean and for those women those women who did their daily washing and kept their ‘houses’ clean. These women did not own much in clothing and household linen, but just like most Maltese women, many were renown of how fussy they were in trying to keep their husbands’ and children’s clothing clean.
The dominant problem of the Mandraggio was that most of the buildings were far from the acceptable standard for habitation. The sun hardly penetrated this labyrinth of narrow alleys and the rate of humidity was alarming. Such conditions gave room for the spread of diseases and death, especially to the cramped living conditions, lack of hygiene as water alone is not enough, lack of nourishment, and most other ailment connected to this low standard of living. Yet although the inhabitants of the Mandraggio has suffered under these conditions, the fault belonged to none other than of the civil authorities, who left these people live in such misery for some 250 years!
During recent discussions with elderly people who were the products of the pre-war Mandraggio, I had learnt about the other side of the simple daily life in this area. Such phrases like; ‘ghall kemm fqar, kienu nies sinjuri’ (although poor, we were rich) and ‘fil-Mandragg hadd qatt ma miet bil-guh’ (In the Mandraggio, no-one died of hunger), had really surprised me.
Women from Valletta were renown to love golden jewellery and when dressed up for a particular occasion, they will wear rings, gold chains, brooches with matching ear-rings and those notorious golden bangles or ‘fili’ worn around the wrist and high up the forearm to show off your wealth! Some even went as far as to utter that the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel resembled a ‘Mandraggara’; a woman from the Mandraggio, as due to their great devotion towards the Holy Mother under this title. Many devotees implored to the Holy Mother for divine intervention and donated jewellery as gifts with which the statue was decorated, especially on its feast day.
Others recalled of how strong was the role of religion in their daily life. Of how during the months of May and October, entire families and even neighbours would take chairs and stools out by their doorways, where all would recite the Rosary together. Or how when someone was about to die and a monk was summoned to perform the Last Rites, the ‘Vjatku’, people would lay carpets along the path or take out paraffin lamps if it was dark, in respect to the Holy Eucharist.
Up until the war, the Mandraggio also boasted its own midwife, who was responsible for the delivery of most of the births. A nice custom was that when a woman was about to give birth, some of her neighbours would stand near her front door and pray for a safe delivery. Even after she gave birth, some would share their cooking with her family until she was fit enough to look after the house again. And what about when a death occurred in the Mandraggio! These people were known for their big heart and the entire area would be in mourning.
During the turbulent years of the Second World War, the Mandraggio received its own share of devastation from the aerial bombings and many houses were destroyed. Many found refuge in the rock-hewn shelters under the fortifications by the sea at Marsamxett. Others sought the security offered by the crypt beneath the church of St. Augustine and the shelter beneath. But there were others who were stubborn and refused to leave their homes at all cost.
In the general elections of 1947, the Labour Party under Dr Paul Boffa was elected in government for the first time. The young architect Dominku Mintoff was entrusted with the Ministry of Public Works and Reconstruction. At the top of his list, Mintoff had a project where the entire Mangraggio was to be demolished and the architectural firm B. Harrison and R. Pearce Hubbard were commissioned for the project due to the study they produce some two years earlier, title “Valletta and the Three Cities: A Report to accompany the Outline Plan”. Now was the chance for the Mandraggio to be demolished to be replaced by modern social housing for its inhabitants. Some objected to the plan and strongly resisted, as not everyone had appreciated or understood what this change would mean and on one occasion the police had to intervene due to a personal threat to Mr. Mintoff. On another occasion, a group of students from the faculty of architecture at the University of Malta were taken on a tour of the Mandraggio with regards to the project but had to leave after being pelted with tin cans by some of the residents. One writer went far as to say that there were some who had chosen to retain their lifestyle tied to the ugliness, filth and squalor that the Mandraggio was known for! By 1960, the pre-war Mandraggio was dead and everyone was happy with their new apartments that were erected in its place.
Although the old Mandraggio’s gone, a particular building in Marsamxett Road opposite the junction with Great Siege Road, there’s a door covered with corrugated sheeting amongst the few contemporary dwellings that were retained. Once through this doorway and the short flight of steps, a very small section of the old Mandraggio remains. All the post-war apartments were built from road level, therefore a large part of the old Mandraggio had to be buried with infill, raft foundations laid and the new apartments built on them.
Some time before the demolition and rebuilding project, Ruzar Calleja, an employee within the Public Works Department had constructed a scale model of the old Mandraggio measuring 103cm by 76cm. This model was recently placed on exhibition at the Museum of Ethnography at the Inquisitors Palace, Vittoriosa, which thanks to the assistance by Heritage Malta, was the inspiration for our project.
Unfortunately, the present Mandragg still carries part of the stigma of the former quarters, even though the modern residents are just like any others throughout Malta and Gozo. Social and family problems exist everywhere and are not any different from those that effect sections of our population. Maybe there are those who still enjoy tarnishing the name of the Mandragg!
In 1968, the church of St. Augustine in Old Bakery Street was elevated to a Parish and the Mandragg fell within its boundaries.
Many renowned names emerged from the Mandragg and many are now household names. They spectrum varies from doctors, bakers, musicians, members of the Local Council, teachers, athletes, and others. And what about carnival; who hasn’t heard of ‘Pawlu l-Pampalun’ or Oscar Curmi? Many of those who build the floats, the dancers and crew, for many years came from the Mandragg. From the Mandragg emerged great confectioners like Mannarinu Confectionery ‘ta’ Mannaru’, Tanti ‘ta’ Tanti Palmier’, Cacciattolo, ‘li-Swain’, Xmun Borg and his brothers ‘tax-Xelin’, Toni Zammit ‘tal-Ghawdci’ and his son Neriku, ‘is-Sultan’ and others.
If it’s musicians, George ‘il-Puseċ’ tops the list. The McKay’s, Agius, the brothers Seychell are famous names in football, just like ‘tac-Corma’ and ‘il-Lolu’ are for bakers. In the prime of Water Polo, ‘l-Ors’ and ‘il-Buffalo’ were top players. Even in the old Mandraggio, there were two doctors, Dr Cremona and Dr Calamatta!
Much was said earlier about religious feasts and activities and many of the statue carried on either the principal feasts, those secondary and of Good Friday. It’s enough to mention the brothers Borg ‘tax-Xelin’, who spent decades administering and carrying in procession the statues of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and that of Our Lady of Consolation.
These are all names belonging to the post-war era but there were many more before that are no longer with us and possibly forgotten. True ‘Mandraggari’ from these earlier years remain very few and are all of a venerable age, and some were interviewed so that their memories will be preserved for posterity.
I will end by stating that what is written here is far from being the official history of the Mandraggio or Mandgragg, or of the
people who were born, lived and died in these quarters. This is only a collection of information and events to aid the reader to understand how life was in this particular area of Valletta which is no longer with us except in its name. It is probably that first hand information regarding the old Mandraggio is not easy to acquire, and hope that my own contribution serves as a good reference. And a word to the present generations emerging from the Mandragg; cherish the memory of the locality that you’re from, how it came to be and evolved as the Mandragg was the roots of most of you and part of the foundations of the history of Valletta and of Malta.
Sources:
• The Mandraggio; Notes, historical and other, 1938, A. Critien
• A City by an Order, 1985, Roger de Giorgio
• Underneath Valletta, The Malta Independent on Sunday, 15 March 2009, Noel Grima
• Il-Mandragg, It-Torca, 24 March 2007, Victor Scerri
• The Secrets of underground Valletta, Noel Grima
• The Mandraggio, Old and New, The Knight, March 1954, Vol. IV, Nº 3, by U.M.
• A Complete Guide to Heraldry, 1909, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
• Second Report on Quarantine, Report on the Plague in Malta in 1813, 1854, W.H. Burrell
• http://schoolnet.gov.mt/history/wirt/Kavallieri/bini-belt/UnderneathVal.htm
Acknowledgement:
• R. Ellis & Co., Heritage Malta, D.O.I., Judge G. Bonello, family Zammit and family Curmi.
Copyright – Denis A. Darmanin – 2009
