Gozo’s agony

Identity is regarded as a complex phenomenon and incorporates two primary perspectives: socio-cultural and spatial

Iwould say that key factors affecting the identity of Malta’s sister island include tourism development and a post-war history connected with significant migration processes. In consequence, the relationships between tourism and identity must definitely be emphasised. Coupled with those, one necessarily has to analyse the consequences of the construction and development industry that has been booming for a good number of years now on this minuscule rock and that, in its wake, has been drastically and rapidly changing the natural landscape of what was once an idyllic Gozo.

What was once a most appealing destination, Gozo has become most prone to tourism overkill. Tourism is a phenomenon that can cook your food or burn your house down. In other words, we all risk destroying Gozo as the very place that we love the most. Gozo used to symbolise vacation time. Escape! Its very insularity used to make it more attractive than a comparable piece of real estate on Malta’s mainland. It was a world unto itself, with its own traditions, ecosystem, culture and landscape. That is what used to attract us. But as a micro world, Gozo is now also more vulnerable to population pressure, climate change, storm damage, invasive species, and now, tourism overkill.

It is about time that a serious analysis is undertaken of the role of external elements posing a threat to Gozo’s identity. They should include factors which embrace a cultural shift, the continuing devaluation of landscape or place meaning, and the more site-specific processes, such as the local growth of the heritage industry. Gozo, today, has really come to constitute an especially valuable field of inquiry, as it demonstrates tremendous diversity with landscapes ranging from spans of unblemished green areas to compact urbanised areas and simultaneously exhibits great cultural differences.

In days gone by, this little precious gem was connected with remoteness, isolation and to a large degree with uniqueness, forming the basis of manifold captivating images. It is intriguing that questions regarding

Gozo’s identity frequently focus attention on the perception by “outsiders”. Though offering considerable advantages, such an approach cannot reveal internal notions of identity, which are inseparable from the inherent features of this island, including its socio-cultural disposition. Great touristic attractiveness, a complicated ethnic history and the fact of being an island are among the most important reasons for focusing on Gozo’s seriously threatened identity.

Focussing on the issue of Gozo’s island identity an insight into the term “identity” is necessary. Identity can be explained from a psycho-cultural perspective that emphasises the individual, the group or even a culture, but it can also be regarded using a chorological approach, which is characteristic of sciences engaged in an examination of spatial phenomena. The latter perspective is shared by geography. In this field of knowledge, identity is usually closely connected with a given level of a spatial scale, and as a result, concepts of local identity and regional identity emerge. This is precisely the case with Gozo.

Regional identity is a very problematic construction and quite a difficult term to define. An important conceptual distinction lies between “identity of the region” and “regional identity of its inhabitants”. Identity of a region, as Gozo is indeed, can be divided into two categories, images, which can also be conceived as parts of regional consciousness and which have a rather subjective character, and more “objective” classifications based on the physical environment, culture, landscape, and so on.

The beauty of the crystal clear waters of Gozo, its beaches that once used to open onto an intense green sea, perfect to discover its wonderful seabeds, its places with a stillness and silence, ideal if you really want to isolate yourself, and a landscape at the same time harsh and wonderful, are all under serious threat of eternal destruction. With the increasing intensity of an invasion by money-minded construction magnates, Gozo has become smaller, less green and nowhere anymore quiet with a laid-back atmosphere.

It is ironic that tourism operators who have been heavily exploiting the riches of Gozo’s identity and characteristics had come out into the open to decry the overdevelopment, shabbiness and dirt encountered on our sister rock and for which they

are primarily to blame. True, to a very large extent, the sorry state in which Gozo today finds itself in is much of our own doing. Yet even the authorities that should be directly and indirectly responsible for safeguarding and preserving Gozo’s unique configuration have far too long now failed to spring into timely action to save and keep the little left to save and preserve over there.

The situation is critical and is bound to get worse. Simply calling for a general clean-up and recommending as well continuous maintenance of public places, playing fields, public gardens and green areas is just the start and failing to see the other major problem areas outlined above would be making a mockery of the gravity of the situation.

The writing had long been on the wall but we simply turned our faces the other way and pretended that all was going well. In fact, way back in October 1999 the late Dr Mario Tabone, writing in The Gozo Observer, had already warned that if Gozo is allowed to develop haphazardly, according to off-the-cuff decisions and ephemeral contingencies, it would end up, in a generation, losing the character of its landscape and its social fabric. More than a generation has passed and this regional island has become unrecognisable. Dr Tabone had also, at the time, made a fundamental solicitation that is still valid today in spite of all the irreparable harm caused on Gozitan territory. Gozitans need to wake up from their slumber and reflect on what kind of community they seek rather than supinely follow the Maltese models of development.

It is already late in the day. In no way do I want to sound fatalistic or some doomsday prophet but, at the rate we are going and at the rate we are procrastinating on taking action to at least retain some of the natural charms of Gozo, it will not be long before it will simply remain a forlorn piece of paradise imprinted on our memory.

Photo: Daniel Cilia