On a small archipelago of golden stone in the very middle of the Mediterranean, between Sicily and North Africa, live the Maltese, one of the most distinctive peoples of Europe. Catholic in faith yet speaking a Semitic language descended from Arabic, heirs to temple builders older than the pyramids and to the Knights of St John, they are a nation shaped like no other by the meeting of Europe and the wider Mediterranean world.
This is the story of who the Maltese are: where they came from, how they lived by land and sea, what they believe, and how they forged a unique identity through the passage of many civilizations across their islands. It is a tale of endurance and pride, of a small island people whose faith, language, and dazzling festivals carry a heritage out of all proportion to their numbers.
The Maltese on Film
Contents
- Origins
- The Name Lithuania
- The Lithuanian Language
- The Homeland
- The Old Way of Life
- Society and Community
- Religion and Belief
- Traditions
- Crafts and Amber
- Food
- Festivals
- History
- Lithuanians Today
Origins
The Maltese are the people of the small archipelago of Malta, set in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and North Africa. This position at the crossroads of the sea has shaped their history from the very beginning, for the islands have been a meeting point of civilizations and a prize contested by the powers of the Mediterranean throughout the ages.
The islands hold some of the oldest monuments made by human hands anywhere on earth. The megalithic temples of Malta, such as Ħaġar Qim and Ġgantija, were raised by a mysterious prehistoric people more than five thousand years ago, before the pyramids of Egypt, and stand as astonishing witnesses to the deep antiquity of human settlement on the islands.
The Maltese people as they are today, however, took shape above all from the medieval period onward. After the islands passed through the hands of Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines, a decisive influence came with the Arab period in the Middle Ages, which left a profound mark on the language and culture, followed by centuries of rule from Sicily and the Latin Christian world.
From this remarkable blend of influences, above all a fusion of Arab and Sicilian-Italian elements upon an ancient island base, emerged the distinct Maltese people, Catholic in faith yet speaking a Semitic language, European in identity yet shaped by the meeting of Europe and the Arab world. This unique combination lies at the very heart of who the Maltese are.
The Name Lithuania
The Maltese call themselves and their language Malti, and their country Malta, a name of ancient origin. It is often traced to a Phoenician or Greek root, with one popular explanation linking it to an old word for a refuge or safe harbor, and another to the honey for which the islands were known in antiquity, giving Malta the poetic sense of a land of honey.
The name has been borne by the islands through all the many powers that ruled them, from the ancient world through the Arab and medieval periods to the age of the Knights and beyond. Whatever its precise origin, Malta has long been the name of these islands and their people, at the strategic heart of the Mediterranean.
The modern national symbols reflect the islands distinctive history. The flag of Malta bears in its corner the George Cross, a rare honor awarded to the whole Maltese people for their courage and endurance under heavy bombardment during the Second World War, a unique distinction proudly displayed on the national banner.
When Malta became an independent state in 1964 and later a republic, the name Malta took its place among the sovereign nations of the world and, in time, of the European Union. It stands today for a small but proud island people with an identity shaped by their unique position and history at the meeting of worlds.
The Lithuanian Language
The Maltese language is one of the most remarkable in Europe, for it is the only Semitic language that is an official language of the European Union and the only one normally written in the Latin alphabet. Descended from the Arabic spoken in the islands in the Middle Ages, it is a Semitic tongue at its core, yet it has absorbed a vast number of words from Sicilian, Italian, and later English.
This extraordinary blend makes Maltese unique: its grammar and its most basic vocabulary are Semitic, akin to the Arabic of North Africa, while a great part of its wider vocabulary comes from Italian and other European languages. The result is a language that embodies in its very words the meeting of the Arab and European worlds that shaped the Maltese people.
Maltese is written in a distinctive form of the Latin alphabet, adapted with special letters to capture its Semitic sounds, a system developed and standardized in the modern era. This makes it visually European while remaining Semitic in structure, a written expression of the islands dual heritage.
The oldest surviving text in Maltese, a poem known as Il-Kantilena, dates from the fifteenth century, but for a long time the language was chiefly spoken while Italian served for writing and official life. Only in the modern era did Maltese rise to become the national language, and today it stands as the co-official language of Malta alongside English and as a proud and unique symbol of national identity.
The Homeland
The homeland of the Maltese is a small archipelago in the central Mediterranean, made up of a few inhabited islands, chiefly Malta itself, the smaller and greener Gozo, and the tiny Comino, together with several uninhabited islets. Set between Sicily to the north and the coast of North Africa to the south, the islands lie at the very crossroads of the sea.
It is a land of limestone, sun, and sea, with a warm Mediterranean climate, little rainfall, and few trees, whose landscape is defined by golden stone, terraced fields, dramatic cliffs, and a deeply indented coastline of harbors and bays. The magnificent natural harbors, above all the Grand Harbour at Valletta, have been central to the islands history and strategic importance.
The islands are among the most densely populated places in the world, their small area packed with towns and villages whose honey-colored stone churches and houses give Malta its distinctive appearance. The cliffs of Gozo, the blue waters around Comino, and the fortified cities of the main island are among the treasures of the Maltese landscape.
Lacking rivers and forests, and with limited farmland and fresh water, the Maltese have always lived in close relationship with the sea that surrounds them, drawing on it for food, trade, and connection to the wider world. This compact, sun-drenched, sea-girt homeland, at the heart of the Mediterranean, has shaped every aspect of the life and character of its people.
The Old Way of Life
For much of their history the Maltese lived by the land and above all by the sea, in a close-knit world of villages and harbor towns built of golden limestone. Farming was carried on in small terraced fields wrested from the rocky ground, growing grain, vegetables, grapes, and olives, while the raising of a few animals supplemented the livelihood of country families.
The sea was the other great provider, and fishing has been central to Maltese life since ancient times. The luzzu, the brightly painted traditional fishing boat with a pair of eyes on its prow, an emblem thought to ward off misfortune and inherited from the Phoenicians, remains one of the most beloved images of Malta and a symbol of its seafaring heritage.
Village life revolved around the parish church, whose feast was the great event of the year, and around the family and the tight community of neighbors. The harbor towns, by contrast, bustled with the trade, seafaring, and military activity that the islands strategic position brought, giving Malta a lively urban life alongside its rural villages.
This world of terraced field, fishing boat, and stone village, centered on family, faith, and the sea, though much changed by the modern transformation of the islands, is remembered fondly and remains close to the heart of Maltese identity. Its traditions endure in the festivals, crafts, and customs that the Maltese cherish today.
Society and Community
Traditional Maltese society was built around the family, the parish, and the village, with the Catholic faith and its calendar giving shape to community life. Close family bonds, respect for the church, and a strong sense of local belonging to one own town and its patron saint were, and remain, defining features of the Maltese way of life.
The parish and its great annual feast were the focus of village identity, and a spirited rivalry often existed between neighboring towns and even between competing feasts within a single village, expressed in the splendor of their celebrations, decorations, and fireworks. This local patriotism gave Maltese society much of its color and energy.
A distinctive marker of the old society was the għonnella, a large hooded cloak or headdress once worn by Maltese women, a form of dress unique to the islands that has now vanished from daily life but remains an emblem of traditional Malta. Costume, custom, and the rituals of the church year all expressed the values of a devout and closely bound community.
Shaped by centuries at a crossroads and under many rulers, the Maltese developed a strong sense of themselves as a distinct island people, proud, resilient, and deeply attached to their faith and their traditions. The family remains the cornerstone of society, and the bonds of kinship, community, and parish continue to hold a central place in Maltese life.
Religion and Belief
The Maltese are among the most devoutly Catholic peoples of Europe, and the Roman Catholic faith lies at the very heart of their identity. According to tradition, Christianity came to the islands with the shipwreck of the Apostle Paul on Malta in the first century, an event recorded in the Bible and cherished as the founding moment of Maltese Christianity.
Through the centuries, and above all under the rule of the Knights of St John, Malta became a bastion of Catholic faith in the Mediterranean, and the church came to shape every aspect of life. The islands are famously dotted with churches, chapels, and wayside shrines in extraordinary number, their domes and spires rising over almost every town and village.
The great domed churches, such as the Rotunda of Mosta with its huge dome, and the co-cathedral of the Knights in Valletta, are among the treasures of Maltese religious art and architecture. The veneration of the Virgin and of the many patron saints is central to popular devotion, expressed above all in the village feasts that honor each parish saint.
Religion remains a powerful force in Maltese life, structuring the calendar, the festivals, and the customs of family and community. Though modern times have brought change, as elsewhere in Europe, the Catholic faith continues to hold a central place in the identity and daily life of the Maltese, woven inseparably into their culture and their sense of themselves as a people.
Traditions
Maltese traditions revolve above all around the festa, the great village feast in honor of the parish patron saint, which is the supreme expression of Maltese communal life. Each town and village celebrates its saint with days of festivities, and the friendly rivalry between parishes drives an ever more splendid display of devotion and celebration.
The festa transforms the village, with churches and streets richly decorated, statues of the saint carried in solemn procession, brass bands playing through the streets, and, above all, spectacular fireworks. The Maltese are famed masters of pyrotechnics, and both the dazzling aerial displays and the intricate ground fireworks are a proud island specialty that lights up the summer nights.
Alongside the feasts, the calendar holds other cherished traditions, from the lively Carnival before Lent, with its costumes, floats, and dancing, to the solemn processions of Holy Week and the harvest festival of Mnarja, an old celebration of folk music, food, and country life. Each brings its own customs, foods, and gatherings.
Traditional music, including the improvised folk singing known as għana, and the customs surrounding the great moments of family life, weddings, baptisms, and the feasts of the year, remain important. Together these traditions, centered on faith, family, and the exuberant celebration of the village feast, form the vivid and beloved heart of Maltese culture.
Crafts and Amber
The crafts of the Maltese grew from the materials of their islands and from the rich artistic heritage left by centuries of varied rule, above all the age of the Knights. Working the soft, honey-colored limestone of the islands into buildings, carvings, and ornament has been a Maltese art since prehistoric times, and stone remains central to the look and feel of Malta.
Fine crafts flourished under the patronage of the Knights and the church, and Malta became known for its delicate silver and gold filigree, jewelry of intricate twisted wire worked with great skill, a tradition that continues today. Lace-making, especially the bobbin lace of Malta and Gozo, is another celebrated craft, its fine patterns prized far beyond the islands.
In modern times Malta has become famous for its glass, above all the colorful hand-blown Mdina glass, whose swirling blues and greens echo the sea and sky of the islands and have made it a signature Maltese craft and a favorite of visitors. Weaving, and the making of traditional wares, add to the range of island handicrafts.
These crafts, from stone-carving and filigree to lace and glass, reflect a small people with a strong artistic sensibility shaped by many influences and a long history of skilled workmanship. Kept alive by artisans and workshops across the islands, they remain a valued and living part of Maltese culture and a proud expression of its heritage.
Food
Maltese cuisine is a flavorful Mediterranean cooking shaped by the islands position and history, blending elements from Sicily and Italy, North Africa, and the wider Mediterranean world with the local produce of land and sea. Rustic, hearty, and full of flavor, it makes the most of the vegetables, grain, fish, and few meats of a small and rocky homeland.
The most famous of all Maltese foods is the pastizz, a flaky pastry filled with ricotta cheese or mushy peas, an inexpensive and beloved snack found everywhere on the islands. Another emblem of the national table is fenkata, a feast of rabbit stewed in wine and garlic, regarded almost as the national dish and traditionally shared at communal gatherings.
The sea provides fish and seafood, from the prized lampuka caught in season to octopus and other catch, while the land yields tomatoes, the local sausage, sun-dried and stuffed vegetables, and a distinctive rounded crusty bread. Sweets rich in honey, almonds, and dates, reflecting the islands eastern influences, crown festive occasions.
Food in Malta is bound up with family, hospitality, and the calendar of feasts, and traditional dishes are shared at the great celebrations of the year. From the humble pastizz to the festive fenkata, the cuisine reflects the resourcefulness, the sociability, and the crossroads heritage of the Maltese people.
Festivals
The festivals of the Maltese are among the most vibrant in the Mediterranean, centered above all on the festa, the summer village feast that honors each parish patron saint. Through the warm months, one town after another erupts in celebration, and the festa season is the great highlight of the Maltese year, drawing families and communities together in joyful devotion.
During a festa the village is transformed with lights, banners, and rich decorations, the saint statue is carried in procession, brass bands parade through the streets, and the sky blazes with the spectacular fireworks for which Malta is renowned. The friendly rivalry between parishes and between feasts spurs ever grander displays, and the celebrations blend deep religious devotion with exuberant festivity.
The Carnival, held before Lent, is another great celebration, filling the streets of Valletta and the towns with costumes, decorated floats, music, and dancing in a tradition going back centuries. Holy Week brings solemn and moving processions, while the summer festival of Mnarja preserves old customs of folk music, feasting, and country life.
Together with the religious feasts of Christmas, Easter, and the saints, and the customs surrounding family celebrations, these festivals fill the Maltese calendar with color and meaning. Above all the festa, with its faith, its music, and its dazzling fireworks, stands as the supreme expression of the communal spirit and cultural pride of the Maltese people.
History
The history of Malta is shaped by its position at the strategic heart of the Mediterranean, which made the islands a prize contested by one power after another. After the age of the mysterious temple builders, Malta was settled and ruled in turn by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Byzantines, and it was during the Roman period, by tradition, that Saint Paul was shipwrecked on the islands and brought Christianity.
A profound transformation came with the Arab period in the Middle Ages, which reshaped the language and left a deep mark on the culture, followed by conquest from Sicily that tied Malta to the Latin Christian and European world. The decisive chapter in the islands fame came in the sixteenth century, when the Knights of St John made Malta their base.
Under the Knights, Malta withstood the Great Siege of 1565, when a small force held the islands against a massive Ottoman assault, a victory celebrated across Christian Europe, after which the magnificent fortified city of Valletta was built. The Knights ruled for over two centuries, endowing Malta with grand architecture and art, until they were displaced by Napoleon and the islands soon passed to British rule.
As a British colony and naval base, Malta played a vital role in both world wars, enduring especially heavy bombardment in the Second World War, for which the whole population was awarded the George Cross. Malta gained its independence in 1964, became a republic, and in 2004 joined the European Union, taking its place as a sovereign island nation at the heart of the Mediterranean.
Lithuanians Today
Today the Maltese are a modern European nation, citizens of the independent Republic of Malta, a member of the European Union and the smallest of its states by area, using the euro as their currency. Valletta, the historic capital, joins its splendid architecture from the age of the Knights to a lively contemporary life, and the islands are among the most densely populated and dynamic corners of Europe.
The decades since independence have brought remarkable change, as Malta developed a prosperous economy based on tourism, shipping, finance, and services, and reoriented itself firmly within Europe. The islands mild climate, rich history, and beautiful coasts draw visitors from around the world, and Malta has become a busy hub of the central Mediterranean.
Maltese society remains deeply attached to its traditions even amid rapid modernization, and the Catholic faith, the village feasts, and the customs of family and community continue to hold a central place. English is widely spoken alongside Maltese, a legacy of the British period, giving the islands a cosmopolitan and outward-looking character.
Through all their long and eventful history, the Maltese have preserved a unique identity, Catholic and European yet speaking a Semitic tongue, small in number yet rich in heritage. Shaped by their island homeland at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and by the many civilizations that passed through it, the Maltese remain one of the most distinctive of all the peoples of Europe.
Related Peoples of the Region
- The Croats
- The Bosniaks
- The Macedonians
- The Albanians
- The Catalans
- The Roma
- The Bretons
- The Galicians
