This article provides information about Malta and its strongest traditions; pottery, glass blowing, filigree and lace, folk music, Maltese food and the traditional market.
Malta is an island of traditions, each of which stems from its exquisite history. Here ‘tradition’ includes various aspects, such as crafts, food and music, which are still present on the Maltese islands. Recently, new efforts have been injected to revive and protect certain dying Maltese traditions, such as lace-making; not just because they provide great souvenirs for tourists visiting Malta, but because of their cultural and artistic values.
Handmade crafts in Malta
Malta’s oldest craft tradition, firmly rooted in the prehistoric era, is that of pottery. As can be seen in some of the splendid figurines at Tarxien Temple (visit Tarxien Temple, Saflieni Hypogeum, and the National Museum of Archaeology), pottery has always been an important form of self-expression. Today, the craftsmanship of ceramics is still evident, one of the most popular being that of the ‘pasturi’, the little figurines that fill the Christmas Crib. The first imported Italian ‘pasturi’ were very expensive and most people could not afford them. As a result, the locals began to make their own ‘pasturi’ out of clay and plaster. This became so popular that today every Christmas exhibitions of handmade nativity scenes and ‘pasturi’ are put on display for the public.
Although relatively modern, Maltese glassblowing is an ancient technique that reached the Maltese islands during the Phoenician period around 3,000 years ago. It is entirely mouth-blown and hand-made, just like the old days, and much of the glassware today is an original Maltese type of glass in strong Mediterranean colours. The complicated process begins with multicolored beads, which are blown into any shape. Clear glass is then placed around the colored glass and shaped to form particular designs.
Another trade, which particularly flourished under the Knights, is gold and silver. Malta’s most precious production is filigree and jewelry. This remains a thriving tradition, the work of which is often exported to major cities abroad. Cities like our capital Valletta are teeming with local jewellers, all of whom offer a range of both traditional and modern Maltese creations.
Since the time of the Knights, life on Gozo and in rural Malta was relatively hard. The cottage industries then became a major source of income for rural families, namely embroidery, weaving, and lace-making. Traditional lace is known as ‘bizzilla’ and this craft was introduced to Malta by the Knights of St John. It was called bobbin lace and was very popular for ruffles and collars in the 16th and 17th centuries. Maltese bobbin lace is made with a series of threads that are wound onto a long wooden spool or spool. A special long cushion called ‘trajbu’ is used as the base for the creation of the lace. All of the aforementioned artisan products are easily obtainable in most of the island’s souvenir shops, but a visit to Ta’ Qali Crafts Village will ensure you have an excellent understanding of all Maltese craft traditions, including live demonstrations!
Traditional entertainment around Malta
Folk music is very strong in many Mediterranean countries and Malta is no exception. The ‘Ghanja’, which means ‘song’, is the traditional music of Malta and sounds like something between a Sicilian ballad and a rhythmic Arabic lament. The first known form dates back to 1792, during the last years of the government of the Knights of San Juan. It was started by peasants, but the music has now become an integral form of popular entertainment in Malta. Romance is a popular theme in these ballads, but perhaps one of the most popular forms of ‘ghanja’ is the style called ‘Spirtu pront’ (‘On the spur of the moment’), where two or more ‘ghannejja’ (singers) perform a duet, often a rhyming war of words, in typical Mediterranean style.
maltese cuisine
Like folk music, Maltese food is heavily influenced by our Sicilian and North African neighbors. Accompanying any glass of wine in popular wine bars, Maltese dishes include olives, capers, sheep cheeselets (‘gbejniet’), sun-dried tomatoes, Maltese sausage, broad bean pate known as ‘bigilla’ and traditional biscuits Maltese known as ‘galletti’. In each village there are typical ‘pastizzeriji’ serving traditional ‘pastizzi’ (tasty ricotta-filled filo pastry) as well as other pastries, bought on the street in a matter of minutes. ‘Hobz biz-zejt’ is another popular snack made with slices of crusty Maltese bread, spread with red tomatoes and topped with some onion, gbejniet and anchovies or tuna, soaked in delicious olive oil.
When you visit the island of Malta look for some other typical Maltese food such as ‘Minestra’, a very thick vegetable soup served with Maltese bread and oil; assortments of Fresh Fish, together with ‘Aljotta’, a delicious fish soup; Rabbit stew; ‘Imqarrun’ (baked macaroni) or ‘Timpana’ (baked macaroni in a puff pastry box); ‘Soppa Ta’ L-Armla’ (Widow’s Soup) which is a mixture of vegetables, leftover cuts and cheeses; and finally, the Snails, known as ‘Bebbux’ cooked in a hot stew. Traditional sweets include deep-fried ‘Imqaret’ (date cakes) and ‘Qubbajt’ (nougat); Easter ‘Figolli’, almond-filled puff pastry figurines in the shape of rabbits, cars and hearts decorated with icing sugar; ‘Kannoli’, ricotta-filled fried puff pastry rolls similar to those of Sicily; and Christmas ‘Qaghaq tal-Ghasel’ (honey rings).
Maltese Sunday Markets
In certain Maltese towns, the silence of the early morning is broken by the bustle of shoppers and the shouts of vendors in the traditional Maltese markets. They provide not only a place to shop for daily necessities, but also to catch up on the town’s news. For everything from clothing to household items, the Sunday market on the outskirts of Valletta is key. But for a true taste of Malta’s traditional market, a visit to the Marsaxlokk Fish Market in the old fishing village is a must, selling fresh vegetables and fish, as well as traditional Maltese souvenirs and crafts every Sunday.
