L'Aħħar Sajda by Lejla Maltija

Lejla Maltija has released l'Aħħar Sajda  today 8th September 2014.

The track was recorded at Anidroc Studios and the video for the song was produced by Anidroc Film for Lejla Maltija. This is an A.M.P. production. All rights reserved.

Below is some information about the track, the story behind it, the lyrics, and the track itself on sound cloud. Finally there is information and pictures about the making and filming of the video and the video itself.

L'Aħħar Sajda is the classical story of the Old Man and the Sea, where the fisherman meets his fate. The title of the song means 'The Last Fishing' trip. Alas, although this is not based on a true story, it is inspired by many such accounts from the history of fishermen around the island, especially in Marsaxlokk which is Malta's largest fishing village, even to the present day. The seas around Malta are beautiful and calm, but the islanders all know that the sea has a soft belly but a hard headed stomach. 'Zaqqu ratba imma rash iebsa', so they say. Here are the lyrics with as faithful a translation as possible in English.

L’Aħħar Sajda 
Lejla Maltija 
Kliem (lyrics) : Mario Cordina 

Għajnejn il-luzzu lemħu fil-baħar,
Il-konżijiet lesti għall-kalar,
Imma is-sajjied kollhu sabar,
Jaqra il-ħin maż-żifna tal-qamar.

The eyes of the luzzu, glimpsed on the sea (the Maltese luzzu a traditional fishing boat always is embellished with an eye on either end of the prow, a custom hailing from Malta's Phoenician and pagan past.)
The konzijiet (gill nets or seines) ready for hauling,
But the fisherman is all patience,
He reads the time in the dance of the moon.

Jaf li bil-lejl tiċċassa il-lampuka,
Araħ irejjex mal-kanniżżata.
Hekk kif titkala ix-xibka,
Il-kurtuni jintlew xalata.

He knows that the lampuka (dolphin fish) stares at night, (is less lively at night.)
See him feathering next to the kannizata, (using the feather to skim the surface. This is a method used by fishermen to lure the dolphin fish. The kannizata is a bait assembly common amongst Maltese fishermen.)
As soon as the net is pulled up,
See the kurtuni fill up with the feast. (The kurtuni are special wooden canals built both to support the hull and to hold the fish.)

Terġa tkala u terfa,
Il-ħut jaqbeż, jaqbeż, jitfarfar.
Itfa ix-xibka u irranġa,
Il-ħut jaqbeż, jaqbeż, jitfarfar.
Imma kollox għalxejn.

Once again you haul and you lift,
The fish jumps, jumps and wriggles.
Throw back the net and arrange it properly.
The fish jumps, jumps and wriggles.
But it all is in vain.

Tela il-mewġ, jonfoħ ir-riħ,
Il-luzzu sabet il-qiegħ.
L-aħħar sajda misset ix-xiħ,
Fl’ aħħar is-sajjied sab il-mistrieħ.
L’aħħar sajda, l’ahhar sajda,
Fl’ aħħar is-sajjied sab il-mistrieħ.

The waves rose, the wind blew,
The luzzu found the bottom (of the sea)
The fisherman found his fate on this last fishing trip,
This last fishing trip, this last fishing trip.
At last the fisherman found peace / rest. 

Qalb il-paġell, il-gambli u iċ-ċeren
Id-dott u ‘l mazzola il-luzzu tistkenn.
Ħaru ix-Xlukkajri, imniktin,
Ifittxu is-sajjied li ħadhu il-bambin.

Amongst the pagell (common pandora fish), the gambli (shrimps) and ceren (dusky grouper fish)
Id-dott (grouper fish), and the mazzola (piked dogfish) the luzzu is sheltered.
The Xlukkajri (local people of Marsaxlokk), ran out in grief,
Looking for the fisherman that God (Little Jesus) had taken away.

Tela il-mewġ, jonfoħ ir-riħ,
Il-luzzu sabet il-qiegħ.
L-aħħar sajda misset ix-xiħ,
Fl’ aħħar is-sajjied sab il-mistrieħ.
L’aħħar sajda, l’ahhar sajda,
Fl’ aħħar is-sajjied sab il-mistrieħ.

The waves rose, the wind blew,
The luzzu found the bottom (of the sea)
The fisherman found his fate on this last fishing trip,
This last fishing trip, this last fishing trip.
At last the fisherman found peace / rest. 

Id-dgħajsa li ħarget tfittxu,
Taqbeż, taqbeż titfarfar,
Imma kollox għalxejn.
Għalxejn.

The dghajsa (another type of Maltese boat) that went out to look for him,
It jumps and jumps and wriggles,
But it all is in vain,
In vain.

Now you can listen to L'Aħħar Sajda on the link below


The video for L'Aħħar Sajda below, is available on youtube and was filmed in Marsaxlokk Malta and the National Aquarium in Bugibba Malta by Anidroc Film for Lejla Maltija.

 

Lejla Maltija by Lejla Maltija

This is the official release of Lejla Maltija by Lejla Maltija

Lejla Maltija means Maltese Evening. The melody is a typical Maltese 'għana' guitar line
The track carries the name of the project and is about a wistful nostalgic Maltese man remembering his island home while living abroad. The lyrics and the translation follow.

Lejla Maltija

Din il-Lejla hekk sabiħa, din il-lejla Maltija
Il-mewġ jgħanni għanja helwa,
Taħt is-sema hekk kaħlanija,
Din il-lejla minn tfuliti,
Din il-lejla Maltija,
Hekk il-bogħod minn pajjiżi,
Ħallini niftakar ftit.

This amazing evening, this Maltese evening,
The waves chant a sweet melody,
Under such a blue blue sky.
This evening I recall from my childhood,
This Maltese evening,
So far away from my homeland,
Allow me to reminiscence a little.

Din il-lejla taħt il-qamar,
Ħafna għerf u ħafna sabar,
Is-sajjied bil-palmi u 'l-lampi,
Jittanta il-lampuki minn taħt il-baħar,
Din il-lejla minn tfuliti,
Din il-lejla Maltija,
Hekk il-bogħod minn pajjiżi,
Ħallini niftakar ftit.

This evening under the moon,
A lot of wisdom and patience,
The fisherman with plan leaves and lamps,
Trying to tempt the lampuki from beneath the sea.
This evening I recall from my childhood,
This Maltese evening,
So far away from my homeland,
Allow me to reminiscence a little.

Check out the track at the link below.

This is the Official Video for Lejla Maltija by Lejla Maltija

San Anton Gardens

San Anton Gardens

Built around 1626 by Grandmaster Antoine De Paule as his villa closer to Valetta than Verdala, the palace and the gardens were built to accommodate the Grandmaster's guests and numerous staff. Cooks, food tasters, torch bearers, pantry boys, wig makers, a winder of the clocks, and physicians, as well as a baker to make black bread for feeding his hunting dogs. When Napoleon took over Malta, the Palace became the seat of the French National Assembly in 1799. Under British Rule the place housed the Governor and the Governor General of Malta. In 1882 the gardens were opened to the public. Apart from the pleasant symmetrical  paths and groves, the original garden contained many orange groves which the Grandmaster would give as presents to his guests or subjects. Throughout the years however it became a tradition for several heads of state to plant a tree in the garden in memory of their stay in Malta. The result is that the garden is full of trees from around the world, some of which are three centuries old. Together with its aviaries, ponds, fountains, sculptures, the garden hosts a number of events annually together with a permanent exhibition of Maltese traditional crafts including stone sculpture, lace making and glass blowing . Since 1974 the palace has become the residence of the President of Malta. The Palace has even been the Queen Elizabeth II's choice of residence when visiting Malta, both in 1954, 1967 when she was Queen of Malta and in 2005 as Queen of England.