Etnika

The four founder members were composer Ruben Żahra, traditional instrument maker Ġużi Gatt, researcher Steve Borġ and musician Andrew Alamango.

The article described the żaqq's musical abilities, but the authors also claimed that "The Maltese, with few notable exceptions, show little interest in their own folk culture, and any artificial attempts at revival seem unlikely to succeed.

It seems sad that an island that can boast an excellent Scots pipe band, can find no room to preserve, perhaps even develop, its own native bagpipe."

Etnika gave their first public concert during the Evenings on Campus festival on 29 August 2000 at the Atriju Vassalli in the University of Malta, during which the album Nafra was released.

It featured Godfrey Mifsud on clarinet, Mario Frendo on violin, David Grech on guitar, Tricia Dawn Williams on piano, Jason Fabri on drums, Joe Camilleri l-Bibi on percussion and Ruben Żahra on żaqq and other traditional instruments.

[2] oh yes z In July and August 2003, Etnika presented three concerts entitled Bumbum, at Fort St. Elmo Valletta under the Etnikafe concept of fusing their music with flamenco.

A few months later they collaborated with Kneehigh Theatre from Cornwall and a Cypriot theatrical company in a dramatic presentation called A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings[3] in Birgu.