Maltese lifestyle

• Grand Harbour area


  • Great increase in population density during the time of the Knights
  • Prosperity contrasted with poverty in rural areas
• Rural areas


  • People were mostly farmers
  • More traditional values than harbor towns
  • Village societies consisted of a few rich individuals (doctor, lawyer, some businessman)
  • Parish priest held in high esteem
• 19th century leisure activities


  • Revolved around the parish priest and the church
  • Band clubs became popular from 1850s
  • Village feasts started appearing
  • Fireworks traditions emerged
• Parish churches


  • Area in front transformed into a village square (il-misraħ tar-raħal)
  • Main gathering point for villagers
  • Main village businesses set up shop there (bakery, wine shop, band club)
  • Folk singing (għana) took place in wine shops
• Mnarja


  • One of the main feasts on the Maltese calendar
  • Agricultural fair held on 29th June in Buskett
  • Feast day of St Peter and St Paul
  • Celebrated in Mdina with candles and lights
  • Name comes from 'Illuminare' (to light up)
• Mnarja celebrations


  • Horse races organized at Saqqajja in Rabat
  • Tradition dates to the times of the Knights of St John
  • Agricultural fair started by British Governor Sir Patrick Reid in 1854
• Carnival


  • Probably dates to the 1400s
  • Gained popularity during the times of the Knights
  • Traditional dances include Il-Maltija and Il-Parata (sword dance commemorating 1565 victory over Turks)
• Leisure activities change with time

  • Most 1800s activities have changed or were abandoned
  • Changes due to increase in standard of living and globalization
• Village life changes


  • People did not travel as frequently as today
  • Shopping revolutionized, people shop from all over Malta
  • Increasing number shop from abroad using internet platforms
• Old wine bars vs modern bars

  • Village wine bars were common leisure gathering points in 19th century
  • Nearly disappeared, replaced by modern bars and pubs
  • Places where people meet now include band clubs, political clubs, restaurants, discos, bars and wine bars
• Present-day leisure areas in Malta

  • Sliema
  • St Julians
  • Paceville
  • Bugibba
  • Qawra
  • Mellieha
  • Marsascala
  • Marsalforn (Gozo)
• Radio broadcasting in Malta

  Introduced in 1935 by means of a cable radio device called the Rediffusion
• TV in Malta


  • First TVs imported in 1959, sold by one company
  • Maltese State broadcasting started in 1962, now known as PBS
  • Colour TVs introduced in 1980s
• Radio and TV


  Replaced cinemas which were operational since late 1920s
• Radio liberalization in Malta

  • In 1991, companies and private individuals could apply for a radio license
  • Labour Party and Nationalist Party opened their own radio stations
  • Later both parties opened their own TV stations
• Media in Malta today

  • Maltese can express ideas and opinions through TV talk shows, radio programmes, phone-ins, newspapers (printed and online), Facebook, Instagram
  • Availability of these tools encourages freedom of expression
  • Media also used by businesses for promotional purposes
• After WWII


  • Malta no longer considered important for the British
  • Spending and employment declined, resulting in rise in unemployment
  • Period of mass emigration
• Emigration from Malta


  • Encouraged and organised by the British administration
  • Maltese flocked to countries like Canada, USA, England and Australia
  • Families split up
  • Maltese lifestyle changed as returnees brought new ideas and customs
• Before setting off for Australia, some Maltese migrants were trained in farm work at Għammieri, where a replica of a timber bungalow was used until the 1950s to familiarise them with Australian culture and construction
• Maltese migrants were warned that employees in Australia go to work in a suit and wear shoes, not go around barefoot or wearing sandals, and hats are only worn for sport events, not straw hats
• Maltese migrants were urged to avoid haggling over shop prices as these were fixed and each item carried a price tag, to compare prices and check who has the most competitive fees
• Maltese migrants were told that "Dirt is the most disgusting thing, and dirty people will be ridiculed and ignored", urging them to keep hair short, shave frequently, and keep nails short and clean
• Maltese migrants to Australia

  • Trained in farm work at Għammieri, where a replica of a timber bungalow was used until the 1950s to familiarise them with Australian culture and construction
• Maltese migrants were warned that employees in Australia go to work in a suit and wear shoes
• No one - not even beggars - go around barefoot or wearing sandals, while caps are only worn for sport events. No one wears hats made from straw, but rather felt, just as people wear belts, rather than sashes (trieħi) to hold up their pants.
• Maltese migrants were also urged to avoid haggling over shop prices as these were fixed and each item carried a price tag. This way you can compare prices and check who has the most competitive fees, the booklet notes.
• "Dirt is the most disgusting thing, and dirty people will be ridiculed and ignored," the guidebook reads, urging migrants to keep their hair short, shave as frequently as possible and keep their nails short and clean.
• Maltese migrants were told to remember to wash their hands once they are done with work, especially before eating. Apparently, some Maltese factory workers in America were fired because they used to skip washing their hands before lunch.
• Maltese migrants were warned against eating with one's hands, speaking with one's mouth full, sprinkling salt and pepper with one's fingers, drinking straight from bottles or pitchers, or sipping tea or coffee from saucers. "Cutlery is laid out on the table not for decorative purposes – use it, and drink from cups." And while you can break a piece of bread with your hands, do not wipe the plate clean with it, the Maltese were warned.
• Maltese in Tunisia


  • Known as quality cotton producers, for driving karozzini (horse-driven carriages) and for Maltese pastizzi
  • Particularly associated with being butchers particularly of horse meat as well as pork. Many of these set up shop in the local market of downtown Tunis, Marché Central in Rue de Allemagne
• Maltese migrants to Tunisia


  • A butcher shop owned by Maltese migrants in Tunisia. This photo was taken in 1955.
• Maltese migrants to Tunisia

  • Other Maltese migrants to Tunisia started automobile-related businesses.
• Maltese migrants to Tunisia are still remembered with endearment, due to the proximity of language and the adaptation of the Maltese in Tunisian society and upon which it left its mark.
• They lived harmoniously alongside other cultures and carried on their Maltese religious and cultural traditions, whilst integrating with the liberal and culturally diverse society in Tunisia which was open to the Mediterranean and its people.
• Tourism in Malta


  • With Malta's Independence in 1964, Maltese Governments started encouraging tourism
  • In a short period of time, the Maltese islands were attracting tourists
  • This led to the building of new roads and hotels for tourist accommodation
• Tourism in Malta


  • The first sea-side hotels were built in the 1960s
  • Tourists visiting Malta brought with them new ideas and led to Maltese lifestyle changes
  • Maltese travelling abroad increased dramatically and this again led to Malta becoming a multicultural society
  • In recent years, foreigners coming to live in Malta for work purposes further increased the multicultural context
• Multiculturalism in Malta


  • Multiculturalism further increased since Malta joined the EU in 2004 and introduced the Euro currency in 2008
  • In 2007, Malta started forming part of the Shengen Zone. This is an agreement which allows EU citizens to travel to different EU countries with only the use of an ID card
• Refugee


  A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster
• Refugees have been coming to Malta before it joined the EU in 2004. A case in point are two Albanian refugee ships that reached Malta in August of 1991 from Albania.
• The number of refugees in Malta increased with Malta joining the EU. People seeking a better life from political and/or religious persecution in their mother country look at Malta as a steppingstone to reach other, more prosperous EU countries.