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Il-Manikata u l-inħawi ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa
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Il-Manikata hija raħal żgħir fil-Majjistral ta’ Malta. L-istorja tiegħu bħala raħal ma tmurx lura wisq fis-snin. Madankollu l-post fejn illum qed jikber dan ir-raħal huwa mimli bi fdalijiet storiċi li juru li dawn l-inħawi ilhom abitati sa mill-Preistorja.
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F’inħawi differenti tal-Manikata jinsabu Raded fil-blat (cart ruts) li s’issa l-arkeoloġi għadhom ma rnexxilhomx jispkopru sewwa meta u minn min saru. Jaqblu biss li saru f’xi żmien bejn Żmien il-Bronż (il-perjodu li jiġi eżatt wara żmien it-Tempji Neolitiċi) u żmien ir-Rumani. Fil-Manikata nsibu diversi minnhom. Linja partikolari tibda minn taħt is-siġar tal-Miżieb, tgħaddi minn taħt il-knisja tal-Manikata, u tkompli fid-direzzjoni ta’ l-irdum sa fuq il-baħar.
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Raded fil-blat.
Cart ruts.
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Qabar ruman.
Roman tomb.
 Tombs abound in the Manikata area
This one was used as a wartime shelter
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Jidher li fiż-żmien li Malta kienet maħkuma mir-Rumani, f’dawn l-inħawi kien hawn attivita’ mhux ħażin. Fil-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa nstabu l-fdalijiet ta’ banjijiet Rumani li kienu jagħmlu parti minn villa Rumana. Fuq ix-xaqliba tal-Manikata, fil-ġenb tal-irdum li jibda minn Għajn Tuffieħa u jibqa’ sejjer sax-Xemxija, nstabu ħafna oqbra. Huma obqra żgħar imħaffrin ġo l-irdum jew inkella ġewwa l-għerien naturali li nsibu matul dawn is-sisien. X’uħud minn dawn l-oqbra għadek tista’ tarahom sew. Oħrajn tkissru meta n-nies bdew jaqtgħu il-blat mill-irdum biex jiffurmaw l-għelieqi tagħhom. Oqbra li kienu ġo l-għerien ġew irranġati matul iż-żminijiet biex in-nies li kienu jgħixu fl-għerien jużawhom biex jerfgħu l-affarijiet fihom bħala armadji. X’uħud minn dawn l-oqbra u għerien intużaw bħala xelters fi żmien it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija. Wara l-għerien bdew jintużaw biex fihom irabbu l-annimali.
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Qabel ma ġew il-Kavallieri
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Fiż-żmien ta’ qabel ma ġew il-Kavallieri f’Malta, fil-Medjuevu, l-inħawi ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa u l-Manikata kienu jintużaw ħafna għat-tkabbir tal-ħxejjex u s-siġar tal-frott. L-għelieqi kienu ta’ nies sinjuri li kienu joqogħdu l-Imdina u r-Rabat. Imma kienu jinħadmu minn bdiewa fqar li ġeneralment kienu joqogħdu fl-għerien li jinsabu fl-inħawi. Fl-għerien kienu jżommu magħhom ukoll l-annimali, fosthom nagħaġ u mogħoż għall-ħalib, il-laħam u s-suf tagħhom, kif ukoll gniedes (plural ta’ gendus) li kienu jużawhom biex jaħartu bihom. F’dawn l-inħawi kienu jikbru wkoll ħafna siġar li n-nies sinjuri mill-Imdina u r-Rabat kienu jiġu jaqtgħu minnhom biex ikollhom iz-zkuk għall-fuklar (fireplace li kien jintuża kemm biex isaħħan il-palazz tagħhom kif ukoll biex isajru fuqu). F’dawn l-inħawi kienet ukoll issir l-għassa bil-lejl mill-irġiel tad-Dejma. Ma kellhomx torrijiet imma biss post fuq l-irdum li kull lejl, il-grupp ta’ rġiel li kien imissu, kien jiġi mill-inħawi tal-Mosta biex jagħmel l-għassa fuq il-baħar.
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It- torri ta Ghajn Tuffieha
Ghajn Tuffieha tower
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Beach post
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Fit-23 ta’ Mejju 1648 il-Gran Mastru Lascaris ġie Għajn Tuffieħa biex hu stess iqiegħed l-ewwel ġebla tat-Torri ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa. Dan it-torri kien wieħed minn tlieta li bena dan il-Gran Mastru. It-tnejn l-oħra huma dawk tal-Ġnejna u dak ta’ Fra Ben fil-Qawra. Lascaris bena wkoll torri ieħor fin-Nadur (Binġemma, Malta) u l-Forti Sant’Agata (it-Torri l-Aħmar li jinsab fuq l-Għadira, l-Mellieħa). Fl-inħawi tal-bajja ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa, fl-aħħar żminijiet tal-ħakma tagħhom il-Kavallieri bnew ukoll ħitan baxxi imsejħin trunċieri. L-għan ta’ dawn il-ħitan kien sabiex suldati ta’ l-Ordni jisparaw minn warajhom biex ma jħallux is-suldati ta’ l-għadu jersqu jew jinżlu fuq ix-xtut. Partijiet mit-trunċieri ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa għadhom jidhru ħdejn il-parking tal-karozzi qrib il-Lukanda Golden Sands fuq il-Bajja tal-Mixquqa (Golden Bay).
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Fi żmien l-Ingliżi saru bidliet kbar f’dawn l-inħawi. L-akbar bidla seħħet mill-1902 ‘il quddiem meta l-Ammiraljat (in-navy) Ingliż iddeċida li f’Għajn Tuffieħa jibni kamp għat-taħriġ tas-suldati. Il-bdiewa li kienu joqogħdu fl-inħawi tal-Manikata tilfu ħafna għelieqi li ttieħdu mill-Ammiraljat biex jinbena dan il-kamp kbir ta’ taħriġ li kien jinkludi fost l-oħrajn shooting range kif ukoll djar żgħar fejn kienu joqogħdu s-suldati u l-uffiċċjali tal-kamp. Matul l-ewwel gwerra (1914-1917) l-inħawi tal-kamp intużaw bħala sptar għas-suldati feruti li kienu jinġiebu Malta mill-pajjiżi fejn kienet għaddejja l-gwerra. Il-feruti kienu jinżammu f’tined li kienu jiksu l-kamp minn naħa sa oħra. Xi nies mill-Manikata kienu jaħdmu bħala infermiera f’dan l-isptar.
Fl-1935 il-mexxej Faxxista ta’ l-Italja, Benito Mussolini, invada l-Abbisinja (l-Etjopja) fl-Afrika. L-Ingliżi beżgħu li Mussolini se jipprova jinvadi lil Malta wkoll u għalhekk bnew diversi beach posts (fortizzi żgħar tal-konkos) matul ix-xtut biex minnhom is-suldati jagħmlu l-għassa fuq ix-xtut. Dawn il-beach posts kienu inksew bil-ġebel tas-sejjieħ minn barra biex ikunu camouflaged, jiġifieri min iħares lejhom minn barra ma jindunax li dawn huma bini ta’ difiża. Minn dawn il-beach posts fl-1935 fl-inħawi tal-Manikata nbnew tnejn, waħda qrib ir-Razzett tal-Qasam u l-oħra qrib it-Torri ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa. L-invażjoni li l-Ingliżi beżgħu li se sseħħ fl-1935, fil-fatt ma seħħittx. Imma meta mbagħad faqqgħet it-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija fl-1939 l-Ingliżi reġgħu bnew aktar minn dawn il-beach posts. Fuq is-saqaf tagħhom kien ikollhom ukoll search light biex meta l-ajruplani Taljani u Ġermaniżi kienu jattakkaw lil Malta matul il-lejl, is-search lights jitfgħu id-dawl fuqhom ħalli s-suldati Maltin ikunu jistgħu jisparaw fuqhom bil-kanuni. Fl-inħawi ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa kienet inbniet ukoll Anti Air Craft Battery, jiġifieri post fejn tqegħdu kanuni għal kontra l-ajruplani. Għalkemm il-Manikata hija post qalb ir-raba’, fil-gwerra kienet ġiet attakkata kemm-il darba mill-ajruplani Ġermaniżi, u dan minħabba li fil-qrib kien hemm il-kamp ta’ l-Ammiraljat Ingliż. Waqt l-attakki ta’ l-ajruplani n-nies tal-Manikata kienu jidħlu jistkennu fix-xelters li kienu ħaffru jew inkella f’xi għar jew f’xi qabar qadim Ruman.
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Dun Manwel Attard, a priest and teacher who dedicated his life to the people of Wardija surveys Ghajn Tuffieha valley from the ceiling of the beach post at Il-Bajjad. c.1957.
Royal Marines Training Centre
It- Truncieri Ta' Ghajn Tuffieha
Ghajn Tuffieha Entrenchments
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In-nies tal-Manikata fi żmien l-Ingliżi kienu fil-biċċa l-kbira tagħhom nies mill-Mosta u mill-Mellieħa. Huma kellhom dar fil-Mosta jew fil-Mellieħa li kienu jmorru fiha biss darba kultant. Ngħidu aħna, fil-festa, meta l-mara tagħhom tkun se twelled xi tarbija, jew biex jisimgħu xi quddiesa f’xi festa bħal Corpus jew Santa Marija. Matul is-sena kienu joqogħdu fil-Manikata. Id-djar tagħhom hawnekk kienu biss għerien jew inkella kamra waħda minn razzett kbir li fih kienu joqogħdu kollha flimkien. Dan ir-razzett jismu r-Razzett tal-Qasam (inħawi) ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa.
Dawn in-nies, nhar ta’ Ħadd kienu jitilgħu bil-mixi jew bil-karettun sal-Mellieħa biex jisimgħu l-quddies. Fl-1919, bidwi mill-post jismu Lazzru Grima, ħajjar lil sħabu l-bdiewa l-oħra biex jibnu knisja żgħira fil-Manikata stess ħalli jkollhom fejn jisimgħu l-quddies. Għall-bidu ma tawx kasu imma mbagħad l-idea għoġbithom huma wkoll. Bdew jiġbru l-flus ħalli jkollhom biex jaħdmu. Żewġ aħwa Camilleri taw biċċa art biex fuqha tinbena din il-knisja u fi żmien sena il-knisja telgħet. Iddedikawha lil San Ġużepp. Tbierket fis-27 ta’ Ġunju 1920.
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L-ewwel knisja.
The first church.
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Dun Manwel imexxi x-xogħol fuq il-pedamenti tal-knisja l-ġdida.
Dun Manwel surveilling work on the foundations of the new church.
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Fis-sena 1951 din il-knisja beda jieħu ħsiebha qassis mill-Mellieħa, Dun Manwel Grima. Kien qassis ħabrieki li ddedika ħajtu għan-nies tal-Manikata. Dun Manwel, flimkien man-nies, raw li l-knisja ma kinitx mibnija tant tajjeb u kienet qed issirilha l-ħsara fis-saqaf minħabba li l-ħitan ma kinux daqshekk b’saħħithom. Raw ukoll li kienet qed issir żgħira għall-popolazzjoni dejjem tikber tar-raħal. Għalhekk Dun Manwel kiseb biċċa art mingħand il-gvern biex fuqha jibni knisja ġdida. Qabbad lill-perit ħabib tiegħu Edwin England Sant Fournier. Dan min-naħa tiegħu għadda l-proġett lil ibnu, Richard England, li għamel pjanta mhux tas-soltu u li m’għandha xejn mill-knejjes barokki li nsibu mxerrdin ma’ Malta u Għawdex. La fiha kampnari u lanqas koppla. Hija ispirata mill-giren tondi li f’dawn l-inħawi huma mill-aktar komuni. Il-knisja bdiet tinbena fl-1962 u x-xogħol dam sejjer għal tul ta’ żmien minħabba li l-komunita’ kienet waħda żgħira imma l-ispejjeż kienu kbar. Fl-1972 il-bini kien tista’ tgħid lest. Dun Manwel Grima qaddes żewġ quddisiet fiha qabel miet ħesrem fl-eta’ ta’ 52 sena. Wara Dun Manwel Grima laħaq Dun Lino bħala rettur tal-Manikata. Dan għen lill-komunita’ tkompli tlesti l-knisja minn ġewwa u fl-1975 il-knisja saret parroċċa.
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Il-komunita’ tal-Manikata qed tikber u tlaħħaq madwar 500 persuna. Inbnew numru ta’ djar u appartamenti ġodda fi spazju ta’ madwar 15-il sena u ġew joqogħdu fil-Manikata ħafna nies minn bnadi oħra li ġew hawn ifittxu l-kwiet u s-sbuħija tal-kampanja. Ħafna nies tal-post huma bdiewa part-time jew full-time u għandhom ir-raba’ tagħhom madwar il-Manikata, l-aktar fil-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa, il-Wilġa ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa, il-Miżieb u x-Xagħra l-Ħamra. Kull l-aħħar Ħadd ta’ Awissu l-Manikata tiċċelebra l-festa ta’ San Ġużepp. Lejliet il-festa l-komunita’ tiċċelebra l-Lejla għaż-Żiffa, lejla li fiha n-nies tar-raħal jesebixxu dak kollu li joffri r-raħal tagħhom: kant, żfin, drama, pittura, ganutell, ħaxix, frott, għasel, inbid, żejt taż-żebbuġa...
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Il-knisja ta’ Richard England.
Richard England’s church.
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Koperattiva Rurali Manikata (KRM) Ltd.
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Kumitat ghall-harsien rurali ta' Ghajn Tuffieha
Committee for the Safeguard of Rural Life in Għajn Tuffieħa
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F’Lulju 2005 numru ta’ bdiewa u residenti waqqfu l-Kumitat għall-Ħarsien Rurali ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa bl-għan li jħares l-ambjent tal-Manikata minn żewġ proġetti li kienu se jkunu ta’ ħsara kbira. Fl-24 ta’Awissu 2007 il-membri ta’ dan il-kumitat xoljew u waqqfu l-Koperattiva Rurali Manikata (KRM) Ltd. biex tmexxi ’l quddiem proġett li bih jgħinu lill-pubbliku japprezza s-sbuħija ta’ dawn l-inħawi u jsir jaf aktar dwar is-sengħa tal-biedja. Fil-5 ta’ Marzu 2008 il-Ministeru għall-Affarijiet Rurali u Ambjent għadda l-post magħruf bħala r-Razzett tal-Qasam f’idejn il-koperattiva biex tirrestawrah u fih toħloq ċentru ta’ servizzi għall-bdiewa tal-lokal kif ukoll għal min jiġi jżur dawn l-inħawi, fosthom studenti, familji u turisti.
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Manikata and Għajn Tuffieħa
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Manikata is a small rural centre to the North East of Malta. Its history as a residential village is very recent. However, the place abounds in historical artefacts that go back to prehistoric times.
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A lot of cart ruts are found around Manikata. These probably date to a period between the Bronze Age and the Roman Era. One particular line of cart ruts surfaces from under the trees in the Miżieb area, proceeds towards the parish church and goes towards the cliffs hanging above Mejjiesa Bay.
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Girna fl-għelieqi.
A stone hut in the fields
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Ancient tombs
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In the area of Il-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa there are the remains of Roman baths that formed part of a rural villa. Nearer to Manikata there are several Roman tombs. Some of them have been obliterated when people cut across the cliff side to level the ground and make space for their fields. Other tombs are found in caves and have been modified by subsequent cave inhabitants to be used as storage space. Some tombs were used as air-raid shelters during World War Two.
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During the Middle Ages, the lands at Għajn Tuffieħa and Manikata were used for the cultivation of crops and fruit trees. Fields belonged to land owners from the capital city, Mdina, and its suburb, Rabat. The farmers usually inhabited the caves in the vicinity. The caves also housed sheep, goats and oxen. People also used to come here to collect fire wood. A night watch was kept over the sea cliffs of Għajn Tuffieħa by men from Mosta forming part of the civil corps called Dejma.
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Il-bajja tal-mixquqa
Golden bay
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On the 18th of May 1565 the Turkish fleet anchored in the bays around Manikata, namely Mejjiesa, Mixquqa (Golden Bay), Għajn Tuffieħa and Ġnejna. The following day it arrived at Marsaxlokk Bay to the South East where Turkish soldiers landed to begin their assault on Birgu, the general headquarters of the Order.
On the 23rd of May 1648, Grand Master Lascaris came to Għajn Tuffieħa to lay the foundation stone of the Watch Tower of Għajn Tuffieħa. Grand Master Lascaris also built other watch towers at Ġnejna, Qawra and Nadur (Binġemma). He also built Fort Saint Agatha, the red tower dominating Mellieħa Bay.
Towards the end of the Order’s reign, coastal entrenchments were built over Mixquqa Bay (Golden Bay), near modern-day Golden Sands Hotel. These were meant to prevent enemy troops from landing on the sandy beach below.
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From 1902 onwards, a number of farmers in Manikata and Għajn Tuffieħa lost a vast amount of agricultural land which was taken over by the Admiralty for the construction of a Royal Marines Training Centre. The Għajn Tuffieħa Camp consisted of shooting ranges and residential quarters for soldiers, their families and camp officials. During World War One (1914-1917) the camp was covered in tents and used as a military hospital to cure wounded soldiers that were brought here from the war front. People from Manikata used to work in this emergency hospital as nurses.
In 1935 Benito Mussolini, the Fascist ruler of Italy, invaded Abbisinia (modern Ethiopia) in Africa. The British suspected that Mussolini would attempt to invade Malta. So, they built a number of coastal defences called beach posts. These were built of concrete and camouflaged with rubble walls. Two such beach posts were built in Manikata in 1935, one near Għajn Tuffieħa Tower and one near the Razzett tal-Qasam. When the Second World War eventually broke out, more beach posts were built along the coast. These were provided with a search light in order to spot enemy aircraft. Over Għajn Tuffieħa Gardens, an anti-aircraft battery was also built. Due to the presence of the Admiralty camp, Manikata was often a target during air-raids. The residents used to take shelter in rock-cut air-raid shelters, in caves or in Roman tombs.
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During the British period, the inhabitants of Manikata came mostly from Mosta and Mellieħa. They usually had a town house in one of these localities which they visited when the wife was about to give birth or to attend high mass during special festivities. During the year they lived in caves or single rooms in a farmstead called Ir-Razzett tal-Qasam ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa (The farmstead of Għajn Tuffieħa estate).
On Sunday, they used to go to nearby Mellieħa to hear mass. In 1919, a farmer called Lazzru Grima encouraged his fellow villagers to build a church in Manikata. Money was collected while the Camilleri brothers made available a plot of land. Within a year the church was erected under the supervision of Spiru Grima, a master mason from Mellieħa, and was dedicated to St.Joseph. It was blessed on the 27th of June 1920 and was put under the care of the Franciscan Friars from the convent of St.Paul’s Bay.
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L-ewwel knisja minn ġewwa.
Interior of the first church.
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Dun Manwel Grima
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In 1951 the church was put under the care of Dun Manwel Grima, a priest from Mellieħa who dedicated all his life and energy to the people of Manikata. The church was becoming dangerous because the side walls were caving in. It was also becoming too small for the growing local community. Dun Manwel managed to secure a plot of land from the authorities and entrusted the building of a bigger church to his friend, architect Edwin England Sant Fournier. The latter passed on the project to his son, Richard England, who came up with an unusual design that has nothing to do with the baroque churches that dot our islands. It is inspired by the giren, circular stone huts, that abound in the area of Manikata. Construction started in 1962. In 1972 the church was almost complete and Dun Manwel managed to celebrate two masses in it prior to his sudden premature death aged 52. He was followed by Dun Lino Grech who in 1975 became Manikata’s first parish priest.
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Manikata is home to about 500 inhabitants. New houses, apartments and villas have been built recently. People from different parts of the Maltese islands have come to live here in search of serenity and beautiful surroundings. Many local villagers are full-time or part-time farmers. Their fields are found in the surrounding areas known as il-Ġnien ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa (Għajn Tuffieħa Gardens), il-Wilġa ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa (Għajn Tuffieħa meadow), il-Miżieb (woodland) and ix-Xagħra l-Ħamra (The red garrigue). Every last Sunday in August the parish celebrates the feast of St.Joseph. On the eve of the parish feast, the local community celebrates Lejla Sajfija għaż-Żiffa, a Summer Breeze Night, where the villagers put their best talents and products on show, including songs, drama, paintings, hand crafts, vegetables, fruits, honey, wine, olive oil...
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Ir-Razzett tal-Qasam
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Koperattiva Rurali Manikata (KRM) Ltd.
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A beautiful large farmhouse at Ir-razzett tal-qasam
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In July 2005 a number of local farmers and residents set up the Kumitat għall-Ħarsien Rurali ta’ Għajn Tuffieħa (Committee for the Safeguard of Rural Life in Għajn Tuffieħa) with the aim of safeguarding the environment of Manikata and Għajn Tuffieħa from ruin resulting from various so-called development projects. On the 24th of August 2007 the committee was dissolved and the same members set up the Koperattiva Rurali Manikata (KRM) Ltd. with the aim of operating a community project that would enable the general public to appreciate the natural beauty of the surroundings as well as agricultural life in Manikata. In March 2008 the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment signed a management agreement with Koperattiva Rurali Manikata whereby KRM Ltd. will gradually restore the place called Ir-Razzett tal-Qasam. This will eventually be turned into a services centre for the members of the cooperative as well as for those who visit our fields, including students, families and tourists.
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