Uniquely Maltese

With just over half a million residents, Malta is small and often overlooked by the international community. But the country is among the most interesting places I have ever visited, and the more I learned about its complex history, the deeper my appreciation for this complex land. Because English is an official language, foreign visitors like myself could easily overlook Malta's unique culture. After all, it would be easy to be distracted by the beach and sun. There are so many things about Malta that are full of intrigue and history. It is quite difficult to pick out about half a dozen uniquely Maltese things. After much thought, here are the six unique Maltese things that I enjoyed the most:

Gallarija - Maltese Wooden Balcony

Unless you spend the entire time in a resort town like Paceville, you might become familiar with Malta’s most famous architectural features. Known as Gallerija, the wooden balcony is the most prominent fixture of Malta’s vernacular architecture. For anyone who opted to stay in Valletta or Three Cities, staying at an apartment with a gallerija is a quintessential experience. This architectural feature traces back to mashrabiya, the so-called “peeping box” in the Arab world. In the original North African context, the enclosed balcony provided women privacy when observing the happenings of the street below. One of the earliest examples of Gallerija could be found in the Grand Master’s Palace, which houses the office of the President of Malta nowadays. According to legend, the Grand Master Nicholas Cottoner (of the Knights of Malta) enclosed the continuous balcony of his palace to spy or eavesdrop on his subjects below better.

Interestingly, Gallarija only became popular during the British colonial period. According to some sources, their proliferation is attributed to the increased availability of wood more than anything else. The period also coincided with Malta’s population boom, so families were more than eager to expand their living space outward. Functionally, not only does Gallarija extend the living space, but it also provides additional natural light. During our stay in Valletta, we were fortunate to stay at a serviced apartment with two Maltese balconies. I could attest to just how much of a difference Gallarija makes to an interior space. It makes even the smallest room look bright and airy. Best of all, its pushout windows provide great ventilation and are ready-made for drying the laundry.

Gallerijas is also a common architectural feature in modern suburban homes throughout the Maltese islands. While the purist would be horrified by some of the modern interpretations of this traditional feature, I find it quite comforting that Maltese have so wholeheartedly embraced their architectural heritage. Some Maltese architects have managed to synthesize Gallerijas with modern glass balconies, much to the consternation of the preservation groups.

In recent years, the government instituted various programs to preserve the tradition of Gallerija and provide subsidies for the renovation of dilapidated Gallerijas. In preparation for becoming the 2018 European Capital of Culture, Valletta underwent a multi-year urban restoration, which is stunning. All the restored Gallerijas provide dashes of colorful accent amidst the overwise monotone facades of Mediterranian limestone. Though olive green is the most traditional color, today’s homeowners seem too keen to show off their individual personalities. However, there is still an unwritten rule that the color of Gallerija and the front door of a house must match each other!

Maltese Door Knockers

Besides Gallarija, another trademark of Maltese homes is their characteristic door knockers, il-ħabbata in Maltese. Instead of having doorknobs by the door locks, the Maltese installed theirs in the middle of the door panels, making them the home's dominant feature. The origin of Maltese door knockers is a bit of a mystery, but their popularity is undisputed. Even though almost every house has them, I rarely saw an identical pair in the same neighborhood. This being Malta, nautical motifs like dolphins and seahorses are very popular. Other popular symbols include the eight-pointed Maltese cross and the head of a lion or maiden.

There were quite a few legends and traditions associated with these knockers. Traditions state that when there was a death in the house, the family would customarily remove the door knockers as a sign of mourning. In response, neighbors would also do the sign but leave their doors half-open as a sign of respect and sincerity. Just how much this practice is still practiced is unknown, but I have to say it is just a heartwarming tradition. But I wonder whether it caused some misunderstanding when they had to do repair work.

Functionality aside, these doorknockers also symbolize status for the family. Well-established families often commission elaborate pieces to show off their importance to passersby. Many would incorporate special design motifs related to the family’s history and accomplishments. Because Malta is such a densely populated place, few stand-alone homes exist. These doorknockers are the best signifier of wealth and prestige. I also read that the condition of these doorknockers also signifies a family’s cleanliness.

Maltese doorknockers for sale at a souvenir shop in Mdina.

Maltese door knockers are perhaps the most practical and authentic choice among all the souvenirs you could take home. Many were still handmade in Malta and were often made to order by artisans. Occasionally, we encountered one or two shops selling them, but they didn’t seem like popular souvenirs. Brian and I only regretted that our apartment door was not grand enough for a pair of them.

The Love For Cars & Free Parking

Being such a tiny country geographically, Malta and its people seem to have little faith in their public transit system. Nearly all locals admit buses never run on time, and many travelers could not get on because the vehicles were full to capacity. Because nearly all bus lines go to and from the transport hub in Valletta, traveling from one corner of the island to another is not exactly a breeze. It did not surprise me when I learned that Malta has the third highest car ownership within the European Union, just behind San Marino and Luxembourg. Not only do they like their cars, but we also see many vintage cars around the town.

Before arriving in Malta, I read plenty of horror stories about driving in Malta. From unruly drivers to congested roadways, Malta certainly does not have the best reputation among Europeans. Of course, growing up in Asia made me skeptical of these claims of horror. Having driven in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, I doubted Malta could be any worse. Sure enough, I was quite pleased with how tamed Maltese traffic was. Sure, there was congestion and a few aggressive drivers, but it is not worse than what we have back home in New York, let alone Taiwan or India.

Though I found driving to be generally pleasant, finding parking in Malta was an entirely different matter. Even though parking is notoriously difficult in most Maltese cities, the government seems determined not to introduce any price control to discourage driving. We did not see a single metered parking space or other government-run paid garages during our visit. No matter how premium the spots are, they are always available on a first-come-first-served basis. While there are some privately-run garages, such as MCP Floriana, Maltese go out of their way to score a free parking spot.

The most unusual quirk in Malta is their unique “system” of parking attendants. Though all government-run parking lots are free of charge, many are manned by a licensed parking attendant during peak hours. Officially, their role is to direct vehicles, prevent thefts, and record any incidence of collision within their designated parking lot. But in reality, they often sit around to collect gratuities from motorists. Although the Maltese government licenses them, they are independent contractors with no fixed salary. So, even though tipping parking attendants is entirely discretionary and clearly stated on post signage, numerous reports of parking attendants still demand their tips. In most cases, a tip of €1 is customary, but there have been reports of parking attendants demanding a tip of €3-5 from unsuspecting tourists. Luckily, I avoided parking attendants for most of this trip!

Kinnie, The National Drink

Since I am not a big drinker, I do not always get to appreciate the sublimity of wine or liquor truly. Similar to a practicing Muslim, I developed a taste for carbonated drinks, especially while aboard. Even with the proliferation of Pepsi-Co or Coca-Cola products, many independent and artisanal soda makers still managed to strive. Whenever I visit a foreign country, I always seek out the locals’ favorite carbonated drinks. From Icelandic Appelsín to tarragon-flavored Tarkhun in Georgia, the distinctive tastes of these fizzy drinks are a great cultural souvenir. Lucky for me, Malta has its own unique national soda: Kinnie!

Kinnie for sale at Malta International Airport.

Kinnie was introduced by Maltese brewery giant Simonds Farsons Cisk in 1952 as a rival to Coca-Cola. Instead of going toe to toe with the more famous American competitors, Kinnie’s bitter taste stood out and captured the hearts of the Maltese people. I had to admit the first sip was not all that pleasant. But half a bottle in, I became hooked. The receipt is a closely guarded secret; it is rumored that ingredients include licorice, rhubarb, vanilla, ginseng, and star anise… all are to my liking. The manufacturer also boasts that the ingredients of the drink are all-natural. Although I don’t think they could claim that for diet Kinnie or their newly released Kinnie Spritz!

To call Kinnie a national beverage would be an understatement. After we landed in Malta, our first stop was the telecom shop at the terminal. Sure enough, the sales associate was drinking a bottle of Kinnie! That was just the first confirmation of the drink's popularity. Not only is Kinnie available at all eating establishments, but Kinnie-branded vending machines and advertisements were everywhere we looked. Even if you don’t like its bitter taste, the branding is on-point with its reference to Maltese icons such as Gallarija or the fishing boats of Marsaxlokk.

A Tinge of Corruption

Like many other small nations, Malta knows how to leverage its sovereignty with a lucrative tax structure to attract foreign investors. Besides rampant real estate development, the government also engaged in an aggressive foray into cryptocurrency and online gambling businesses. Inevitably, all these outside investments bred corruption and cemented Malta’s reputation as a world of under-table dealing. And their so-called “golden passport” program is the most controversial of them all. The Maltese government essentially sold Maltese citizenship to anyone willing to pay. Though Malta is not the only nation in the world with such a program, Maltese passports carry special weight because of the privileges they grant to the European Union.

All the secret dealings came into the sunlight in October 2017. Daphne Caruana Galizia, the most prominent independent journalist in Malta, was killed by a car bomb a stone’s throw away from her home. Her works exposed rampant corruption on the island, and she traced the financial dealings of the Maltese political class in both dominant political parties. Because of the outsized influences political parties have on traditional print media, her new blog, Running Commentary, became the country's most popular platform for investigative journalism. Her work uncovered a complex web of shell companies that government ministers and bureaucrats owned.

The audacious assassination triggered mass protests in Malta, with protestors demanding a thorough investigation of what they saw as a government cover-up. Amazingly, the journalism community launched The Daphne Project, an international consortium of investigative journalists who aimed to continue her works. With external pressure coming from the European Union, the investigator ultimately charged Yorgen Fenech, a businessman with a close tie with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, for the murder. Controversially, Muscat granted a pardon to an alleged middleman of the murder before announcing his resignation. Needless to say, it did not reflect well on Malta as a country of rules of law.

A makeshift memorial for Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Four years on, Galizia’s murder still resonates both in Malta and on the international stage. A makeshift memorial was set up at the foot of the Great Siege Monument in downtown Valletta. Facing Malta’s Courts of Justice building, the memorial stands as a symbolic reminder that the real justice for Daphne has yet to be done. Until the resignation of Muscat, the Minister of Justice ordered the memorial to be removed. But supporters of Galizia put it back up every morning. It demonstrated just how deep of an impact she has on Maltese society.

Shortly after our trip, the President of Malta made news of making an overdue visit to the assassination site to pay his respects. During the state visit to Valletta, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also made sure to pay her respects at the site of the murder and called for the preservation of press freedom.

The brand new campus building of the American University of Malta (AUM).

Corruption in Malta seems to permeate through the Maltese society. The newly inaugurated American University of Malta (AUM) is a case in point. Located just next to the ferry stop in Senglea, the sparklingly new campus looks impressive. Since Brian is actively looking for new job opportunities at another institution, I jokingly suggested he could apply there. So when we started reading up on the university, we were both quite amazed at how much of a scam this institution may be. The institution was not American, and its faculty roster was borderline comical. Not surprisingly, Galizia also wrote extensively about her criticism of the university. A few years later, her concerns seem to have materialized sadly.

Political Party Clubs

Speaking of politics, Maltese took theirs seriously. Politics in Malta has been dominated by the two major political parties: the Nationalist and the Labour Party. Though each party occupies an end of the political spectrum, both parties somehow moved toward the center in decent decades. According to observers, the distance between the parties has become more muddled regarding policies. Instead, the politics become more tribal. People’s identification with their political parties tends to be more familial than about policies. This doesn't paint an optimistic picture of Maltese politics.

And compared to other countries, the duopoly of the political parties is physically present around Malta. Both parties have their own separate office in just about every single village or town, no matter how small they are. In many towns, the party offices also double as a social club and operate their own bars or restaurants. I could only imagine what it would be like if the Republican or Democratic Party operated their own bars back home. I think that would have been a nightmare. Unfortunately, we did not get to try out one of their bars. I do wonder which party offers cheaper liquor!

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