National traditions of Malta. Habits, mentality and the way of living

Malta is a small island state in the Mediterranean Sea. Since the 16th century Arab and European empires fought for its lands, which could not but affect the national composition and culture of the country. Initially, the local inhabitants of the Maltese archipelago were descendants of ancient Phoenicians who colonized the islands. The centuries-old Arab presence has had a significant impact on their culture, traditions, cuisine and language. Since the 13th century, Malta has become part of Sicily. The islands have begun active integration of European culture, which continued with the colonization of Great Britain. The official languages ​​in Malta are English and Maltese, based on Arabic with an admixture of Italian. Despite lasting Arab influence, 98% of the Maltese believers belong to Catholicism. Local residents are quite conservative. The family plays a fundamental role in the life of the Maltese. Locals celebrate holidays in a wide family circle, which includes distant relatives. In order to get together the whole family, they do not need a special reason - enough a desire to see one’s relatives. Family dinners or lunch often gathers at the table dozens of people. The meeting easily grows into a merry and noisy holiday. The standard of living in Malta is quite high, which allows locals to feel comfortable and enjoy a serene life in this beautiful region of the Mediterranean.

The Maltese are very open and friendly people. They hospitably welcome visitors and tourist. Language tourism is very developed in the country. Many families accept students and schoolchildren from other countries for training. The Maltese have an excellent sense of humor and cheerfulness. They are incredibly curious and are happy to ask visitors from other countries about where they work, what they do, and for what purpose they came to their state. This trait was transmitted to them from no less curious neighbors - Italians. The Maltese are incredibly loyal – all their lives they cheer and support the same football club and stick to the same political beliefs. This feature extends to both young and adult Maltese.

The inhabitants of Malta are representatives of the famous Mediterranean temperament. Maltese can be expressive and emotional, but they are rarely the first to show aggression. This behavior can only be provoked by a serious reason. Many guests of the country consider locals to be lazy and slow; however these features are typical of all the inhabitants of the Mediterranean. The desire to evade one's direct duties, the lack of commitment and the desire to postpone everything for later are partly the result of a hot climate that disposes more to rest than to work. The most characteristic branches for the Maltese are handicrafts and folk craft. They make magnificent baskets, wicker furniture and glassware. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Maltese are widely known for their passion for music. Many Maltese performers have gained wide popularity throughout Europe thanks to the Eurovision song contest. Traditionally the strongest vocalists go to the contest from the country. Folklore motives are very popular on the islands, traditional music is called Ghana. It can be heard at many music festivals and national holidays. It has different currents, one of which involves incredibly high notes during performance. Pop music is also very well developed. In numerous Maltese discos, you can increasingly hear the electronic music of local DJs.

Another interesting tradition of the Maltese that is incredibly attractive for tourists is a Saturday barbecue. Every Saturday the Maltese go to the seaside to spend time with their families and friends. With them, they take all the tools for cooking barbecues - braziers, skewers, and, of course, meat. As a rule, a barbecue on Saturdays starts in the evening. As a result, from afar on the beaches you can see dozens of lights from small fires. Along the shore you can find a lot of pavilions offering various products for barbecue. They can be bought and used on site or taken home as a souvenir.