Mikiel Bonnici n-Negli

Mikiel Bonnici n-Negli

Mikiel Bonnici n-Negli

is an improvised verse folk singer. He was born on the 5th of August, 1945 and hails from Żejtun. His father was Ġanmari Bonnici Tat-Tloppi, a coal heaver and cousin to Pawlu Seychell l-Għannej. Mikiel's nickname In-Negli was given to him for the family he hanged around with.

Sea urchin selling

Bonnici grew up in the Santa Marija neighbourhood, close to Our Lady's chapel. As a young fourteen year old he used to row his father fishing boat in San Tumas, while the latter was octopus fishing or gather sea urchins. People in Żejtun knew him as a sea urchin seller, then as a bus conductor, until July 1964 when he emigrated to Australia through the assisted passage scheme after a Żejtun member of parliament, Alexander Cachia Zammit promoted the idea of seeking a better life there.

Bonnici was to spend thirty five years in Australia, and prior to emigrating, had only attended one folk singing event due to the encouragement of Mikiel Abela l-Bambinu, in Żabbar where he heard Leli Sultana l-Moni, Ġużeppi Camilleri l-Jimmy tal-Fjur, Żaren Mifsud ta' Vestru and Salvu Darmanin Ir-Ruġel. It was here when he realized that he had għana in him.

Settling in Australia

In West Melbourne he met two young cousins from Żejtun, both known as Nenu ta' Peppin, who asked him to join them on an għana recording that they were sending to their relatives in Malta. The first time In-Negli publicly folk sang was around 1966 in the North Sunshine Hall, adjacent to the Catholic church, when he partook in a bout of improvised verse that had a farrad, an uneven number with Żaren Attard Il-Bukkaċċ, Leli Sultana l-Moni, Salvu Galea tal-Kalora and Toni Pullicino t-Tullier, with the folk sung subject being engaged to be married. Galea continued to encouraged him to folk sing.

Bonnici was to folk sing with Sultana at the Sydney Opera House on the centenary of Maltese emigration to Australia, recalling the words

                      Mitt sena ilu minn ġo Malta
                      L-Maltin qabdu jemigraw
                      Issa waslet il-festa tagħna
                      Mela ejja lilha niċċellebraw.

He was then to feature on a makjetta song, together with Fredu Abela l-Bamboċċu and Renald Abela l-Bamboċċu ż-Żgħir, entitled Tliet Għażżenin, which was released on vinyl.

In 1972 Bonnici returned to Malta since his mother was on here deathbed, and he stayed for a six-month period, when he folk sung with Salvu Darmanin Ir-Ruġel, Żaren Mifsud ta' Vestru and Ninu Galea l-Kalora at Lucy Casha's outlet in Alberttown.

When in St. Albans, he was asked by Leli Sultana l-Moni to found a folksingers' society. Bonnici began hiring the Community Hall on Friday evenings, and inviting folksingers including l-Moni, Ġorġ Aquilina ż-Żgħir, Ninu Attard Il-Bukkaċċ, Mario Cassar Il-Paspar and others to perform in what he called Negli Station, the first għana club in Australia.

In 1998 Bonnici returned to Malta for good. His favourite folksinger is Pawlu Seychell l-Għannej, since he could keep his tempo with the guitarists and folk sing on all notes. Bonnici lives in Żejtun and still attends to folk singing events.

External Links

• Folk music event at Pieta' Boċċi Club
• Tlett Għażżenin with Fredu and Renald Abela l-Bamboċċu