‘Ħal Balzan u l-Lunzjata u aktar kitbiet’

Author: Carmel Bezzina Publisher: Gutenberg Press Year: 2021

Pages: 338

The importance of the village unit is woven into the fabric of Maltese society in such a way that one cannot attempt to write a proper social history of the island without focusing on the important role that each village and town plays within the larger national framework. It is within this context that the writing of the history of a particular Maltese village has to be interpreted and appreciated.

Carmel Bezzina’s recent publication ĦalBalzan u l-Lunzjata u aktar kitbiet can be considered as a sequel to his Ħal Balzan u lLunzjata u kitbiet oħra which he published back in 2011, a decade ago. There is no doubt that the author fell in love with the village where he was born and bred quite early in his life. However, he did not keep this love to himself but has managed to express it in the best of ways; he has allowed this love to motivate him in such a way that he made it a point to delve deep into the history of his native village in order to provide it with a detailed outline of both its late medieval and modern history. Being an experienced teacher of the Maltese language, having a keen eye for observation as well as being well-versed in the writing of modern historiography put Bezzina in an ideal position to be able to give us a comprehensive account of Ħal Balzan covering the period from mid- seventeenth century to the present day.

The book, which is divided into five sections, is rendered more interesting due to its autobiographical touch. Having lived in Ħal Balzan for the duration of his entire life, Bezzina is able to narrate some of the main events that took place in the town throughout the last six decades. As an avid member of the Society of Christian Doctrine with an observing eye for the ecclesiastical life of the parish dedicated to the Mystery of the Annunciation, which was dismembered from the Birkirkara mother-church in 1655, the author goes into detail to present us with a history of the parochial, architectural and artistic heritage of the Ħal Balzan parish church. Although not systematic in its presentation, the book is based on both primary and secondary documentation and succeeds in showing the transformative journey in time that Ħal Balzan went through over the last three and a half centuries, evolving from a tiny medieval village into one of the most sought-after towns in the central north of the island.

As an avid observer of society, the author is fascinated even by the physical environment of his home-town. In the first section, he writes about old balconies and other architectural features that still chacteristize the old winding street of the village. He focuses on different aspects of vernacular crafstmanship which make Ħal Balzan distinct from other Maltese towns and villages. He writes about how social life in town had to change due to the disturbances caused by the second world war. Biographical sketches of the late Bishop Joseph A. Grech and other historical figures feature in this section. The second section concentrates on the evolution of the parish unit, with detailed information about various parish priests who led the parishcommunity throughout the ages, together with historical information about the main artistic works and altar-pieces that are to be found in the parish church. The third section deals with a focus-study on the Maltese festa with the Ħal Balzan feast of the Annuncation in context. A descriptive account of the sacred music that is played during the festa-week, with special reference to the Cappella Nani, features in this section. The fourth section contains other various writings of interest. The fifth section includes a reflection on the author’s previous book about Ħal Balzan, to which the present publication is practically a sequel.

Through the publication of Ħal Balzan u l-Lunzjata u aktar kitbiet, author and researcher Carmel Bezzina has firmly established himself as the undisputed writer of Ħal Balzan’s history. The book and its prequel are a must-read for all those who have Maltese history at heart, and there is no doubt that both publications constitute an invaluable contribution to our islands’ Melitensia.