Mikiel Abela Il-Bambinu
Mikiel Abela Il-Bambinu was born in Żejtun on the 16th of August 1920.
He was brought up and lived in his father’s farmhouse that is located between Il-Qajjenza and Marsaxlokk. He was famous for his makkjetti and for his ballads.
Amongst his most famous is Id-Destin ta' Pawlu l-Bies, Il-Fenech Inviżibbli, about Ċikku Fenech Ta' Vanġiela, who in June 1963 was for three months on the run, being sought all over Malta by the police for the murder of Ċikku Vella and; L-Ingliż li ġie Miekul mill-Ħuta fil-Bajja ta' San Tumas, about Jack Smedley, an Englishman eaten by a great white shark in St. Thomas Bay on 20 July 1956. Most of his ballads were published as chapbooks.
Ballad writing requires intensive research and fieldwork. If the story revolved about a serious crime that was to be resolved by a jury, Abela would attend all the court sessions to observe the occurrences and be precise in his writings. Twenty of Bambinu's ballads were published in Cassar's 1988 biography entitled Il-Bambinu: għana u poeżija, that was published by Sensiela Kotba Soċjalisti. Recalled for his open commitment to the Partit Laburista, he is refered to as Il-Għannej tal-Partit (The party's folksinger).
Abela was proud of his hometown, and its reputation of being the mecca for Maltese folksinging. He sung thus:
Trid idur sebat irħula
Biex forsi ssib għannej
Iż-Żejtun jitwieled tifel,
Joħroġ jgħanni jekk jibqa' ħaj!
You have to go through seven villages
To perhaps come across a folksinger
In Żejtun a boy is born,
He comes out singing if stays alive!
Abela was also known for his wit. The premise that a good folksinger needs to use his sense of wit to challenge authority was perhaps never as exemplified then when Mikiel Abela Il-Bambinu addressed the Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi, during a night of Maltese talent at the Manoel Theatre in the late Seventies. Enthusiasts still remember his improvised verses:
Original Maltese English translation “Sur Gaddafi tħobb lil Malta Mr. Gaddafi, You love Malta Jien miż-Żejtun bil-mixi ġejt I’ve walked all the way from Żejtun Nitolbok biex tagħdirna To implore you to empathize with us U fittex raħsilna ż-żejt.” And spare no time in selling us oil at a reduced rate.”