Basic Information

• Title:
• IL-KAROZZIN.....(THE MALTESE CAB )
• Event Organizer:
• Jessie   [ Send Private Message ]
• Category:
• General Events

Contact Information:

• Email:
• bertjoy@hotmail.com

Where and When

• Date/Time
• 2008, Thu, Feb 28 7:00pm
• Venue:
• MALTESE FOLKLORE
• Country/Territory:
• Malta

Description:

1970, NICHOLAS MONSERRAT WROTE " WE LOOKED AT ONE OF THESE DECORATIVE HORSE DRAWN CARRAIGES, WITH SPLENDID HARNESS AND A LINEN CANOPY.THEY ARE CALLED "KAROZZIN".
THIRTY SEVEN YEARS LATER , THE "KAROZZIN" AND ITS HORSE ARE STILL ALIVE AND WELL.
YES THEY ARE STILL IN USE EVEN TO THIS DAY.THIS VEHICLE
EVOLVED FROM THR "CALESSE" WHICH WAS VERY POPULAR DURING THE REIGN OF THE NIGHTS.
AROUND 80 OF THEMSTILL EXIST, AND HANG AROUND INFRONT OF THE LAW COURTS, IN VALLETTA OR AT MARSAMXETT,
NEAR FORT ST ELMO, WAITING FOR A TRIP. SOME
OTHERS WAIT OUTSIDE THE CITY GATE, AT ST JULIANS OR AT SLIEMA, INFRONT OF THE PRELUNA HOTEL ALONG THE SEA FRONT.
THIS IS ONE WAY
OF RELAXING IN A WORLD FULL OF STRESS AND TENSION..BY TAKING A LONG RIDE IN ONE OF THEM
YOU CAN TAKE A TRIP TO SLIEMA FROM VALLETTA OR VICE VERSA. ALMOST ALL THE WAY
YOU CAN GAZE AT THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA, A SEA WHICH WAS THE EGO TRIP OF KNIGHTS AND TURKS ALIKE.
SEEING VALLETTA IN A KAROZZIN IS STYLISH. THE CITY'S RICH CONCENTRATES OF TREASURES, SHOULD ONLY BE CONSUMED
IN SMALL SIPS LIKE ESPRESSO COFFEE.RIDE ROUND IT ONE MORNING AND SAVOUR ITS DELIGHT.
GET AWAY FROM THE WELL POLISHED TOURISTM PATH AND ON A DAY OF SUNNY INDOLENCE, TOUR THE THREE VILLAGES....BALZAN LIA AND ATTARD. THERE ARE MANY BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES AND STRAY CHAPELS.
A TRIP TO THE SEAFRONT GIVES YOU LOTS
OF SATISFACTION. THE ODYSSEY OF BASTIONS AND RAVELINS, FORTRESSES AND LOOKOUTS EVOKES THE ESSENCE OF MALTA, WETHER IN THE EARLY MORNING LIGHT OR IN A LANDSCAPE KISSED BY THE SUN. THE KAROZZIN MEN WAIT FOR CUSTOMERS TO HIRE THEM. MANY TAKE A KAROZZIN THROUGH MDINA, THE OLD CAPITAL, WHERE THE ISLAND'S ARISTOCRATS LIVED ALOOF WHEN THE KNIGHTS FIRST ARRIVED, GAZING CONTEMPTOUSLY AT THE NEW COMERS FROM THEIR PALACES AND MOATED WALLS.
THE BELLS OF THE KAROZZIN ECHO THROUGH THE OLD WALLS AND ANCIENT STREETS OF THE CITTA NOTABILE. IT IS PACKEDS WITH SUBSTANTIAL STONE BUILT GRAND HOUSES, WITH FLAT ROOFS. THE PARADISE BAROQUE, NOWHERE ELSE IN THE ENTIRE MEDITERRANEAN, IS QUITE LIKE IT.IF AFTER THE LONG SIGHTSEEING YOU ARE TIRED, YOU CAN ALWAYS DRAW THE CURTAINS AND HAVE A CUDDLE---ON FOUR WHEELS AND FOUR LEGS......
NOTHING QUITE LIKE IT, I AM SURE. IN MALTESE A WELL KNOWN DUO SING THIS FOLK SONG ABOUT THE KAROZZIN.

IT TURISTI GHADDEJIN
F'KAROZZIN KOLLHA MBISSMIN
MIT TRIQAT, PJAZEZ MALTIN
JITPAXXEW B'DEHRIET HELWIN
IL KUCCIER FERHAN SE JTIR
BIT TAGHBIJA BARRANIN
WAQT LI IL QANPINA DDOQQ
XXXXXXXX NOTI HELWIN.

CEKLEM , CEKLEM, KAROZZIN
MINN GOT TOROQ IMSERPIN
URI L-HAJJA TAGHNA IL MALTIN.
CEKLEM CEKLEM KARROZZIN
MINN GOT TOTOQ IMSERPIN
URI L-HAJJA TAGHNA IL- MALTIN.

WORDS AND MUSIC
J. TANTI

IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

TOURISTS RIDING ON THE CAB
FULL OF SMILES AND HAPPY DREAMS
THROUGH THE STREETS AND MALTESE SQUARES
DRINKING IN, THE LOVELY SCENES.
THE CABMAN IS GRINNING WIDE
HAVING FOUND THIS FOREIGN RIDE,
WHILE THE BELL OF THE KARROZZIN
PLAY SWEET NOTES TIN-A-LING-LING.

SLOWLY SLOWLY PLODDING ON
PASSING THROUGH THE WINDING ROADS
SHOWING THE MALTESE, BEST FOLKLORE
SLOWLY SLOWLY PLODDING ON
PASSING THROUGH THE WINDING ROADS
SHOWING THE MLTESE BEST FOLKLORE.


RESEARCH BY JESSIE FORMOSA.