Of Maltese memory

Published on 12/05/2019

by Hatem BOURIAL

article published in Tunis-Hebdo on May 7, 2019.

Rue El Jazira

When strolling through the city of Tunis, the Maltese presence is everywhere. Diffuse, fragmented, faded, this presence remains remarkable, including in urban toponymy.
Everyone remembers the Rue des Maltais. Connecting Bab Bhar to Bab Souika, this street now bears the name of Mongi Slim. It leads into a smaller street with the very evocative name of Malta Srira. This name, meaning Little Malta, refers to the Maltese memory and the many residents and merchants of this neighborhood.

In the city of Tunis, the Maltese were present almost everywhere. They were heavily concentrated at Bab El Khadhra but also around Ras Edderb. They could also be found in the vicinity of the Central Market or at Bab El Jazira. A few families of Maltese origin still live in these areas.

The housing of the Maltese was strongly conditioned by the trades they practiced. Many among them had peasant origins and continued to raise goats whose milk they sold.

These Maltese goatherds were picturesque figures of early twentieth-century Tunis. Likewise, many Maltese worked as coachmen. They drove through the city streets the famous "carroussas" of yesteryear. These vehicles bore the evocative names of "araba" and the Maltese of Tunis held this trade with a masterful hand. These carriages of the belle époque came in different categories, with the "milorda" and the "victoria" being the most popular with the public.

As an anecdote, when the question arose of creating a taxi service in Tunis, the carriages were gradually abandoned. This is why many Maltese coachmen obtained taxi permits, trading their "carroussa" for a baby taxi. These Maltese taximen were relatively numerous until the early seventies.

Moreover, all the trades related to carriages and horses were the preserve of Maltese who worked as wheelwrights, blacksmiths, or stable hands. Several fondouks located in the city housed these professionals. Many Maltese actually lived in these fondouks and also in vast oukalas of the medina of Tunis.

In evoking these aspects of Maltese memory, one essential place must be mentioned: the famous Maltese Hall. This cultural and social space was located on Rue de Grèce and welcomed Maltese workers. In recent years, this venue was made available to the Troupe de la Ville de Tunis, which conducts its theatrical rehearsal cycles there.

Previously, it served associations and also private individuals who rented this hall to organize events ranging from charity galas to surprise parties.
Nowadays, only a plaque on the pediment indicates the Maltese identity of this place. However, Maltese traces remain vivid and diffuse for those who know how to uncover them in a city in perpetual motion…

Several illustrious Maltese left their mark on our small history. How can one not think of the Saliba family, who were long the reference booksellers and publishers. Located on Avenue de France, not far from Bab Bhar, the Librairie Saliba was the landmark for all readers. There was also a second, smaller Saliba bookshop, located on Rue Charles de Gaulle, which also attracted many readers.

The most famous Maltese of Tunis was undoubtedly Henri Bondin, founder of the cafés that bear his name. Established on Rue d'Espagne, Bondin set out to win over coffee lovers and succeeded remarkably in his enterprise. In the sixties, he would sell his brand to the Ben Yedder family. Fifty years later, no one has forgotten Bondin, and the brand remains very present in the coffee world.

Do you know René Cauchi? He is a famous Tunisian tailor who only retired a few years ago. From his shop on Rue Saint-Jean, Cauchi held sway over fashion in Tunis. He dressed Bourguiba, and notables flocked around him to benefit from his refined touch and the fabrics he specially imported. With his Dormeuil, Tergal, and Old England textiles, René Cauchi was among the essential addresses and left a trail of elegance.

Since we are speaking of elegance, let us also mention jewelry! Who in Tunis does not know the famous André Cordina? This most reputed jeweler is also from the Maltese community. His shop at the Colisée was known to all and constituted an unwavering landmark for newlyweds. It now bears the name of the Adario family, who took over the business a few years ago. Nevertheless, the name Cordina still rhymes with jewelry, and its mention brings back many memories.

Ange Xuereb is also one of those unforgettable Maltese who wrote beautiful pages in the history of Tunis. His restaurant was called "Tantonville" and was located near the Rio cinema. This brasserie was among the most popular places, and friend Ange always had a word for everyone. A supporter of the Stade Tunisien, a lover of fine food, Ange Xuereb leaves the fondest memories.

Like him, the Diacono family had a fondness for joy and ran the famous "Paris Bar," which was located at the corner of Avenues de Paris and Bourguiba. This place had the reputation of being the meeting point for racing enthusiasts and was always packed. Last of this lineage, Henri Diacono enjoyed a happy retirement in Kélibia and would emotionally recount the rich hours of the Paris-Bar and the racegoers.

Horses are a Maltese passion, and enthusiasts remember the Micaleff and Azzopardi families, who owned magnificent horses and even fielded renowned jockeys. At the other end of the chain, Maltese butchers were also highly appreciated. At the Central Market, they were numerous and skilled, like the Mangani family. Likewise, the Montebello family in Hammam-Lif owned quality butcher shops. Horse meat was long the preserve of Maltese butchers.

How can one not mention the Licari family, who worked in the wine and spirits trade? Licari wines were on every table, and the public flocked to Rue Charles de Gaulle to a sales outlet that remained famous. Not far from there, Paul Mangani also ran a wine merchant's shop on Rue d'Algérie. They sold "Saint-Georges," much appreciated by drinkers and fine palates.

It is difficult to recall all the names. Sometimes there is doubt, as with the Bonici family, who worked in the bookshop trade. Or doubt as with the famous Angèle, who sold her furs at the Place de la Monnaie. Other times, names escape you, are difficult to retrieve. One must then dig into one's memory to let the recollections resurface…

I remember the Pace salon on Rue Jamel Abdenasser. This hair salon had a select clientele and was run by a Maltese family. I also remember the radio repair workshop of Mr. Grech. It was located on Rue Saint-Jean until the late 1970s.

Many names have a distinctly Maltese ring to them. Let us mention the Farrugia, the Fenech, or the Buhagiar families. Let us also mention the Tabone, Camilleri, or Barthalo families. So many names that Tunisians will not soon forget, such as the Muscat, Agius, Scicluna, Karuana, Balzan, and Schembri families, among others.

All these names jumped out at me on two occasions recently. First in Malta, as I walked along the main street of La Valette. I read the shop signs and found names I knew, like Borg or the Chetcuti. Every shop on this avenue sent me back to the Tunis of my childhood and evoked the memory of so many recollections.

A few weeks later, during All Saints' Day, as I walked through the paths of the Borgel cemetery, the same names appeared, but this time on the fronts of burial vaults. As if this Maltese memory that I constantly seek lay between death, life, and oblivion among these graves.

This Maltese memory must be rediscovered everywhere, in places of worship and elsewhere, in remembrance. We shall return to it!

Source:
By Hatem BOURIAL. Of Maltese memory.
In: Tunis-Hebdo of May 7, 2019
http://www.webdo.tn/2019/05/07/chronique-de-hatem-bourial-de-memoire-maltaise/