Marsaxlokk, Malta – A Traditional Colorful Boats – “Luzzu”

A luzzu (pronounced like lutsu in Maltese) is a traditional fishing boat from the Maltese islands. They are usually painted in bright colors, while the bow has a pair of eyes. Luzzus have existed since ancient times.

Marsaxlokk is a traditional fishing village in the South Eastern Region of Malta, with a population of 3,534 as of March 2014. The village’s name comes from marsa, which means “port” and xlokk, which is the local name for south east. The word is related to the name for the dry sirocco wind that blows from the Sahara, comparable to the equivalent Catalan word, “xaloc”. The village is known for the Marsaxlokk Market, a large market which takes place around the whole village on Sundays and tourist market all days during the week. The inhabitants of the village are called the Xlukkajri and are historically fishermen.

The word luzzu derives from the Sicilian guzzu (which itself is derived from the Italian guzzo). A guzzu or guzzo is a common fishing or transport vessel used in Italy and Sicily. The plural of luzzu is luzzi in Maltese or luzzus in English.

Luzzus are brightly painted in shades of yellow, red, green and blue, and the bow is normally pointed with a pair of eyes. These eyes may be the modern survival of an ancient Phoenician custom (also practiced by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians); they are referred to as the Eye of Horus or of Osiris. They are said to protect the fishermen while at sea.