Food and culture of Malta
Maltese Foods | Domestic Life | Meals, Customs and Foods Commonly Used | Special Occasions | Food Glossary
Homer called it "the navel of the sea" and most maps show Malta as a dot in the Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast of Tunisia. Actually, Malta is an archipelago of several islands, the three largest and inhabited ones being Malta, Comino (named for the abundance of wild, fragrant cumin-seed plants), and Gozo. History has considered Malta more than a mere dot on the map. Its strategic location and the sheltered harbors lured so many great maritime powers that it is impossible to dismiss either Malta or the Maltese as insignificant.
The Maltese are believed to be descended from adventurous settlers from
Sicily who made their home on the islands more than 6,000 years ago.
Excavations of animal remains reveal that Malta may once have been
connected to Sicily: the animal remains are of European origin, not
African. There is no doubt, however, about the later succession of
occupations by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans. It was
during the Roman occupation in 60 C.E. that the ship carrying St. Paul to
his trial in Rome was reputedly wrecked on Malta's shores. Deeply
impressed by the warmth and hospitality of the Maltese people, St. Paul
was apparently equally impressive to them, for it is from that date that
the islands were converted to Christianity. Now, with almost 100 percent
of the population being Roman Catholic, Malta is often described as being
"more Catholic than the Pope."
Byzantine conquest followed the Romans, but it was the subsequent
domination of the Arabs, who held Malta from 800-1000 C.E., that left deep
imprints on Malta's architecture and language. Present-day Maltese is an
Arabic dialect strongly etched with the later addition of Italian,
Spanish, French, and even English words. It is the only Semitic language
written in the Latin alphabet.
The long line of conquerors did not end with the Arabs. Normans and Spaniards took their turn at the strategic islands, but it was the Knights of Saint John who were to leave the next lasting marks upon the Maltese.
It was King Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Spain,
who "rented" Malta to the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem
after the Turks had driven them from Rhodes. The "rent" took the form of
an annual tribute of one falcon – thus the legendary but mystical
importance of the "Maltese Falcon" dating from 1530 and immortalized much
later in Dashiel Hammett's novel of the same name. Both the falcon and the
Knights' eight-pointed cross (the Maltese Cross) remain today as Maltese
symbols. Lesser known but of more importance are the many hospitals and
charitable organizations that the Knights left behind in Malta and which
operate to this day.
Although the Knights of the Order of Saint John were able to help the
Maltese withstand a powerful Turkish siege, their rule collapsed in 1798
without a shot being fired. It is believed that Napoleon seized Malta for
France with the secret aid of some of the Knights. Nonetheless, French
rule was only a brief two years, and was brought to an abrupt end by a
Maltese revolt aided by the British. In 1814, the Treaty of Paris
officially gave Malta to the British and the 150-year British rule was to
leave its indelible mark. Although the British preferred to retain their
own traditions, the Maltese cheerfully adapted the habit of "elevenses"
and four o'clock tea, bright red postboxes, helpful police officers and
driving their cars on the left. They even developed a taste for beer.
Despite the long tiresome hold of so many conquerors, the Maltese have
stubbornly retained their distinctive language, their Roman Catholicism,
their many traditions and festivals and their national flag. In 1964 they
achieved their independence, and in 1974 the international status of a
republic.
They have also retained something else. In spite of the successive
dominations by so many foreign powers and in spite of the density of
population on the tiny islands, the Maltese are known for their courtesy
and good humor and they are never too busy to take a stroll or chat with
friends. Perhaps these are the very qualities that enabled them to endure
such relentless hardships as the incessant bombing raids in World War II.
So incredible was the courage of this tiny nation of over 350,000 people
living on 122 square miles, that in 1942 King George VI awarded the nation
the George Cross for "heroism and devotion" and in 1943 President Franklin
D. Roosevelt also presented the nation a special citation.
Perhaps the sunny disposition of the Maltese comes from the moderate
Mediterranean climate that basks the islands for most of the year in a
pleasant warmth. Two winds occasionally disturb the tranquility of
climate: the hot sirocco blowing during August and September, and
the gregale, a sharp north-easterly that can whip the sea to a
froth and cause problems for fishermen.
The climate also helps the scanty topsoil to coax forth enough potatoes
and onions for export, but of the other vegetables, fruits, wheat and
barley, only enough for local use are grown. Goats are still used for meat
and milk but are mostly supplanted by the sheep (lamb and mutton) and the
dairy farms of cows Introduced by the British to supply cream, milk, and
butter. The island's main sustenance comes from the sea. Even with skill
and ingenuity, almost 80 percent of Malta's food needs must be imported.
Retaining their identity and cheerful disposition despite a lengthy list
of conquerors is a tribute to such a tiny vulnerable nation, and so is
their legendary hospitality. Out of a desire to please others, it is
actually easier to find cosmopolitan restaurants in Malta than it is to
find local cuisine, but the increase in tourism (more than 800,000
visitors annually) and increasing pride in "things Maltese" is changing
this.
Malta may be small in population and size but her people are content to
stay put; traveling three to ten miles is considered quite a distance and
a family living only a few miles from the sea may actually visit the
seashore only once or twice in a lifetime. Further, size has nothing to do
with the ability to distinguish "local" customs and even varying dialects
of Maltese.
The most interesting and notable example of the Maltese view of native
differences are the Gozitans. These inhabitants of the island of Gozo are
viewed by other Maltese as "the Scotsmen of our islands"; thrifty,
industrious, and plain-speaking, the Gozitans can be singled out as
leaders in business and church. The island of Gozo is said to be the most
fertile because of the persistent and patient toil of her people. And
there is a saying that if a fisherman brought in a record catch, he was
probably a Gozitan.