Folklore of Gozo - a description

Abstract

The major attraction for the visitor lies in the diversity of the landscapes which include undulating hills and rocky crags, fertile valleys which make the island decidedly greener than Malta, a tapering volcano-like cone, underground caverns of stalactites and stalagmites, bays and harbours. Villages crest the eminences and all the roads lead to the capital city of Rabat (Victoria), grown from a suburb of the Citadel. It is against this background that the folklore of Gozo is set. This article and its illustrations will, we hope, provide an understanding of its many aspects. This island has been inhabited by prehistoric man. The first settlers have hewn and exploited the land, erecting temples, such as the one at Ggantija and around which has evolved the legend of a gigantic race of people, a special kind of builders who have found a place in our folklore.