Gozo’s Grand Għawdex Gala: Where Everything Went Uwejja-except for the Chickens

The Most Anticipated Event of the Year

In the heart of Gozo, the quaint and otherwise serene sister island, the annual Għawdex Gala was set to kick off with more pomp and fanfare than a band club festa. Rumor had it that this year’s merriment would eclipse all pastizzis in Malta. With the promise of ħobż biż-żejt sandwiches as big as a fisherman’s tale and prizes that had people shouting “Mela!” in anticipation, the entire island buzzed with excitement, especially in the villages of Xewkija and Nadur – known for their rivalry in just about everything from church bells to fireworks.

Ċensu’s Plot Twist Predicament

Among the local characters was Ċensu, a mustached man known for his obsession with his three beloved pet chickens: Karmnu, Wistin, and Żaren. Ċensu, who had taken up chicken-training (a hobby that’s as uncommon as a quiet night in Paceville), had his eyes set on the “Supreme Domesticated Animal” contest.

“I’ve been training my chickens to square-dance,” Ċensu confidently declared to the dubious gazes of his friends at the corner band club. “We’re going to win big this year!”

Little did Ċensu know, the other contestants had different sort of animals in mind. His dreams of trophy-laden glory were about to crash faster than a deck of cards in a Gozo wind.

The Unexpected Turn of Events

The gala was sprawling with improvised stalls serving everything from mqaret to Gozo’s finest gbejniet. But just as the square-dancing chickens took to the stage, an unexpected gust of wind swept in, carrying away not only Ċensu’s hopes and dreams but also the recipe for the secret fenkata sauce that had been zealously guarded by Manwel, a local chef whose rabbit stew had tourists sneaking into the kitchen for a taste.

“My recipe! Uwejja, my rabbit stew will be as ordinary as a tuna ftira without it!” Manwel bellowed, running after his fluttering pages.

Lara’s Social Media Mayhem

Meanwhile, Lara, an aspiring influencer from the Citadella in Victoria, was live-streaming the whole fiasco. Her phone was bombarded with hearts and laugh emojis as viewers tuned in to watch Manwel’s wild gesticulations and the airborne dance of Ċensu’s chickens.

Lara GozoLife: “Kollox somehow just went uwejja at the Għawdex Gala! #OnlyInGozo #ChickenChaos #RabbitStewRescue”

Suddenly, the plot thickened further when Tony, a notorious local snoop, tripped over an extension cord. The lights went out, plunging the gala into darkness, and a cacophony erupted. When the lights flickered back on, the majestic trophy everyone had been eyeing was missing!

The Mysterious Disappearance of the Trophy

The crowd was alight with speculation and wild conspiracy theories that could make even a ġbejna blush with its cheese-red glow. Was it taken by Peppina, the village’s self-proclaimed psychic who had predicted the “Great Disappearance” years ago? Or was it the Mayor, who wanted to “revitalize the excitement” around local events?

Lorettas’ Lament

In the midst of the commotion, Loretta, Ċensu’s competitor and rabbit breeder, lamented that she never got the chance to showcase her rabbit’s new talent: synchronized hopping.

“I’ve spent months training them with Qormi marching band music! What a letdown!” Loretta sobbed, cradling her rabbits like babies.

The Unveiling of the True Culprit

As the accusations flew like ftajjar in a Sunday morning market, little did anyone suspect the youngest participant in the crowd. It was Rikkardu, the ten-year-old boy wonder, Gozo’s unsung chess champion, who had absconded with the trophy not out of greed, but necessity.

Rikkardu’s Revelation

With a sheepish grin, Rikkardu stepped into the limelight and revealed his masterstroke. The trophy had been repurposed to catch the escaping pages of Manwel’s precious fenkata recipe. As he gallantly handed back the treasured culinary blueprints, he became an overnight sensation.

“I just couldn’t let that recipe disappear—Gozo’s fenkata is world-class!” Rikkardu exclaimed with a tone of earnest gravity that had the crowd erupting into cheers. “I figured the trophy could catch those pages quicker than I could catch a Nadur pigeon.”

The Resolution

With the recipe safe and the trophy returned, the gala resumed its festivities. The judges, in an unprecedented move, awarded Ċensu’s chickens the top prize for their ‘aerial choreography,’ while Manwel pledged to create a “Trophy Catcher” stew in honor of Rikkardu.

To this day, the tale of the Għawdex Gala and Rikkardu’s heroics is told in hushed, reverent whispers at every konvenju across the island. It’s proof that in Gozo, anything can happen, and it often does—mela, as they say, uwejja!