Migration to Xgħajra

Abstract

The coast is generally related to leisure and recreational activities especially during the summer period. However, the coast is also a very populated area as it attracts many people who prefer to live next to the sea than to live in the countryside or in other areas because of cleaner air. Xghajra is a coastal village which in the past years was considered as forming part of the locality of Zabbar. However, Xghajra grew from a small hamlet to a village due to migrations taking place to the locality mainly from neighbouring towns and villages, and especially from the localities found in the Outer Harbour Region. The population of Xghajra is a young population with most of its population aged between 0 and 39 years (Source: Census, Preliminary Report, 1995). Xghajra now has its own identity, with its own church which at the moment is being enlarged, a Local Council with its own headquarters in the locality and a primary school with eight classes, although the presence of daily basic services are still a bit lacking in the area. The school needs to be enlarged due to the increasing number of small children in the locality. Most of the houses in the locality are for residential purposes while there are others used as summer residences. Most of these summer residences are located bordering the coastline. The locality is very popular with the people from Zabbar who own a summer residence in Xghajra. The dissertation examines the migration of people to the locality of Xghajra especially from the localities of the Outer Harbour Region. The residents of Xghajra like to live in the locality, however there are people who would like to go to live elsewhere outside Xghajra. In fact people who have their nearest family member living outside Xghajra are more likely to want to leave the locality to live elsewhere. The residents of Xghajra however, came to live in the locality for various reasons independent of their age, maybe or due to marriage, or in order to live in a bigger house, or due to family ties, or simply because they like the environment of Xgħajra.