Maltese culture

The Culture of Malta is the result of the fusion of various ethnic groups that begins with the waves of immigration originating from the Italian island of Sicily, followed by a strong cultural influence from Rome, an invasion Arab and, later, the reconquest by Christian kingdoms, which favored Italian immigration to later be highly influenced by the United Kingdom during the Second World War.

In Malta, the Church still plays an important role in the political and social life of its citizens, who mostly profess the Catholic faith. Maltese folklore, traditions and legends still live in the minds of the older generations, and these are slowly being studied and categorized, like any other European tradition.

The use of Italian has declined as a result of British influence and official anti-Italian policy with English becoming the co-official language of education, alongside Maltese since 1934. However, in Malta it is widely seen Italian television which has been broadcast in the country since the 1960s. Therefore, Italian television has brought a comeback of Italian in Malta. Local festivals, similar to those in southern Italy, are common, celebrating weddings, baptisms and, most prominently, saints' days.

On saints' days, or festas, ceremonies begin with religious prayers and are generally followed by three days of processions of musical bands, fireworks, and parades. On the last day, a statue of the religious patron is paraded through the local streets.

British influences are still strong. Many Maltese follow English football matches, although they also follow the Italian Football League. Traffic still drives on the left, as in the UK, and many visitors to the UK are surprised to see British cars – made from the 1960s and 1970s – still driving on the roads.

Prehistoric Malta

The first inhabitants of the island of Malta are believed to have been Sicanians from nearby Sicily who arrived on the island sometime before 5000 BC. C. These settlers grew cereals and raised domestic livestock in a similar way to other ancient Mediterranean cultures, forming a fertility cult represented by unusually large statuettes. The pottery of the Maltese civilization of the Għar Dalam phase is similar to that found in Agrigento.

This culture gave way to the megalithic temple builders, whose megalithic monuments in Malta and Gozo are considered the oldest standing stone structures in the world. The temples date from 4000 to 2500 BC. C. and usually have a complex trefoil design. Little is known about the temple builders of Malta and Gozo, however there is evidence that their rituals included animal sacrifice. This culture disappeared from the island around 2500 BC. C. and was replaced by a new influx of immigrants in the Bronze Age; This culture cremated its dead and introduced the construction of dolmens in Malta, probably importing them from Sicily.