Joseph Mangion is about to fulfil his life-long dream: that of turning his family home in Lija into a museum… literally.
His residence has just been listed, along with Villa Francia, the old parish church and the Belvedere Tower, in a new community-based heritage trail titled ‘Meet the Locals’ which was launched last week.
“I always wanted to invent something to draw people to Lija, not only during the festa week,” Mr Mangion, a funeral director and former Lija mayor, said. “So, I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps. He used to hold Good Friday displays in this house... and I thought of going a step further.”
What makes his corner house a must-see is his huge collection of objets d’art, statues, paintings and old furniture pieces adorning every available space, from the sitting room to the kitchen to the bedroom.
Mr Mangion regularly attends auctions, markets and antique shops in search of such treasures but does not buy anything before consulting parish priest Joseph Cilia.
“He always gives me great advice,” he said.
On entering his house, one cannot but be struck by the endless display of decorative glass domes of all sizes, featuring Baby Jesus, old clocks known as ‘tal-kaċċatur’ (hunter) or ‘taż-żiemel’ (horse) due to their ornaments, and many different types of figurines.
One finds old chests of drawers from the 18th and early 19th century, featuring inlaying and lion heads (ta’ l-iljun) and other sculpted motifs, dressers, wash stands, antique chests and display cabinets, including one known as ‘ta’ l-iskorfina’ due to its hexagonal shape.
There are old paintings, such as Victorian artworks and high-relief ones by well-known sculptor Carlo Darmanin, a vast range of lamps, including rare pink ones, bisque figurines, double-sided precious vases and various religious artefacts.
The kitchen is full of old utensils, pots and pans, while on the way up the spiral staircase (garigor) one can admire a huge collection of old tools used in masonry, agriculture and other Maltese trades.
Upstairs, one comes across old children’s toys like a rocking horse, prams and a wooden rocking cradle. Among Mr Mangion’s prized possessions is also a silk għonnella, the traditional women’s headdress and shawl featuring an arch formed by a whalebone.
A room is dedicated to saints with various collections of figurines, some dating back circa 300 years. There is also a selection of sacred music composed by his late father Gino, who was from Ħamrun.
Mr Mangion is currently putting the house in order with the help of his wife Mary.
“I want to turn this house into a state-of-the-art venue,” he said, adding that he is looking forward to welcoming guests next year.
The Meet the Locals project is a partnership between the Malta Tourism Society, the Institute for Travel, Tourism and Culture and the local councils of Lija, Attard and Balzan.
The project has already been introduced in Safi, Kirkop and Mqabba.
