Dear followers,
The author has shifted her interests from sharing random thoughts about nothing in particular to freelance writing on matters pertaining social justice and political analysis. You can follow here in Malta’s online magazine Isles of the Left. Thank you for your interest!
Among the great variety of door knockers that grace townhouses in Malta and Gozo, the lion head ones enjoy a particular popularity. None of the motifs are present in such a range of shapes as the lion, which brings a question: why is it exactly the Lion and not Triton, Athena or the Maltese Cross that won hegemony over the Maltese doors?
During the centuries preceding the 1700s, the human perception of the world was dominated by symbolism in which the lion too had a role to play. In times when “the world of nature was freighted with symbolic meanings of such density that they can no longer be perceived by the modern observer”, the lion was seen as a perennial attribute of Strength and was associated with symbols of royalty which made it a popular theme in heraldry. Lions occupied a prominent role as a heraldic charge from the very earliest development of heraldry in the 12th century. The English and the Scottish crowns, among many others, adopted lions as their heraldic emblem.
The rampant lion, symbol of the English crown, also features on the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. Given that Malta was a colony of the British empire for one and a half century, could the particular popularity and variety of lion head door knockers be a reflection of its colonial past? The knocker on the door 10 Downing Street in London, the official residence of the British Prime Minister, is also lion head-shaped.
There are at least 30 different types of lion head knockers guarding the doors of Maltese (Gozo included) houses. They are a significant element of the great sentimental experience that a stroll by a line of townhouses brings. All the elements – the balconies, the windows, the doors, the knockers, the whole of the façade – welcome the curiosity about the people whose lives are hidden behind them.
1. The Guarding Lion
The most popular “don’t mess with me” lion head knocker.
2. The Smirking Lion
Although it might look like a weathered copy of the previous motif, this one was produced using a different mould. Location: Rabat, Gozo.
3. The Red Rebel Lion
It might look similar to the first two, yet this lion on the door of the abandoned Rabat’s (Gozo) house still bears unique features.
4. The Tamed Lion
The lion on the door of Valletta townhouse looks peaceful and welcoming.
5. The Gallant Lion
Another similar-yet-different lion on one of Mdina’s doors.
6. The Hangover lion
The lion’s muzzle looks so swollen as if it had been drinking all night long. Location: Rabat, Gozo.
7. The Grumpy Cat Lion
Located in the lower Republic street, this must be the oldest lion knocker in Malta.
8. The Fierce Lion
This intricate lion motif can be spotted in Valletta, Floriana, Mdina and Rabat (Gozo).
9. Prime Minister’s Lion
This lion is a painted replica of the knocker on the formal residence of the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street in London. Installed in the 1770’s, the door featured a centre door knob, lion head door knocker and brass letter plate which bore the inscription ‘First Lord of the Treasury’. Soldiers heading to off to the trenches during the First World War used to touch the lion head door knocker for good luck.
10. The Pretty Lion
One of its kind – spotted in the Lower Republic Street in Valletta.
11. The Roaring Lion
Sculptural and naturalistic, this type of lion head knockers is especially common in Valletta and Mdina.
12. The Wrinkled Lion
Another one of its kind pair of knockers were spotted in Rabat (Gozo).
13. The Round-faced Lion
One of the lesser common knockers spotted in Sliema.
14. The Devil Lion
Another one of the lesser common knockers – spotted only in a couple of copies. Location: Floriana. One of the knocker designs recommended for recreating the style of Victorian era.
15. The Abstract Lion
One of its kind knocker in Valletta.
16. The Chiseled Lion
One of the lesser common knockers which could be spotted in Valletta, Mdina and Sliema.
17. The Monkey Lion
One of the Floriana lion head knockers.
18. The Largest Lion
You can spot the largest lion head knocker in Malta on one of the Mdina’s doors.
19. The Noble Lion
One of the few unique knockers of Mdina.
20. The Fancy Lion
One of its kind, intricately designed lion head knocker on one of Valletta’s doors.
21. The Brutal Lion
Spotted only in a single copy in Sliema.
22. The Timid Lion
Although only a single copy of this particular knocker has been spotted (in Sliema), similar motifs are more common.
23. Brothers but not Triples
The Original (Edwardian?) knocker and its more recent modifications, all spotted in Valletta.
24. The Slim Lion
The narrowest and most elongated of all lion head knocker designs. Spotted in Sliema.
25. The Honey Ring Lion
Another knocker design on one of Sliema’s doors looks as though it is chewing a honey ring.
26. The Foxy Lion
This unique intricate design of lion head door knocker was spotted in Rabat (Malta).
27. The Big Nosed Lion
One of its kind, memorable designs on one of Birgu’s doors facing the marina.
28. The Wild Boar Lion
Another captivating and sculpted knocker, found on a door in Għarb, Gozo.
29. The Lion Duke
A spectacular, intricately designed knocker in St. Paul’s Street, Valletta (also found in the historical core of Rabat, Gozo).
30. The Lion King
This impressive celebratory knocker was spotted on one of the Valletta’s doors.
Feel free to share pictures of the lion head door knockers which remain unnoticed and didn’t feature in this post.
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Have you noticed that the Maltese blogosphere has finally lost its unipolarity? LovinMalta, the new media company everyone is talking about, has finally offered the local broad audience an alternative to Daphne Caruana Galizia’s Notebook which, until very recent, enjoyed its unique status of the only unofficial largely followed source of updates on Maltese life, entertainment and political revelations.
Controversy surrounding DCG’s Notebook is as undeniable as its fame. On one hand, the Running Commentary challenges political establishment (Labour side, to be precise) and points out relevant corruption-related issues, while on the other, it is a pillar of Malta’s segregation, class-frustration and the constant “Nazzjonalisti vs Laburisti” rival. The infamous “pesants vs pedigree” concerns might be well-understood and supported by the Maltese older than 40, yet the accentuated cast symbolism is no longer meaningful to the younger bunch whose adolescence happened well after the 1990s. The younger bunch, which certainly could no longer uphold these views, was in great need of a breath of fresh air – a new media source reflecting their vision of Malta 2016 and not Malta 1980.
Both, DCG’s Notebook and LovinMalta, approach their topics in ironic and playful manner yet their targets differ significantly. While the Running Commentary primarily focuses on deriding the ’embarrassing low class habits’ of Labour Party establishment, LovinMalta covers a broad range of topics appealing to the audience from diverse backgrounds, aiming to shake the existing symbols of segregation. LovinMalta is gaining momentum not only in “7 ‘Subtle’ Ways Your Maltese Family Calls You Fat“-like stories but also as a source of political irony. If until very recent, the Running Commentary was the only credible source of such (rather bitchy) humour, LovinMalta contested it with their “Muscat On Cannabis Law, Property Prices And His Strict Diet Regime”. The cleverly spotted vacant niche, the witty content and the refreshing style resulted in a blast that is more than a million views in just four months.
Here are three reasons why LovinMalta wins over DCG’s Notebook in a longer run:
LovinMalta has indeed made a historical shift away from the persisting dualism in anything politics, society and culture. Let’s see whether it will succeed to eventually blend the isolated social clusters into something new and refreshing.
We all know how Malta looks on tourist booklets: turquoise sea, Azure Window, Blue Grotto, luzzu boats. While the tourism sector of economy profits from these pretty landscape features, construction boom is actively reshuffling the cards and screwing everything up. Look around and picture what tourists see most frequently during their holiday in Malta? What do you see on your daily home-office-shopping routine? Blue Lagoon? Azure Window? No, what you see is cranes.
Since my first arrival to Malta in 2007, never have I seen as many cranes here as in 2016. They literally dominate the horizon. Malta 2016 is a perfect location for filming a blockbuster where cranes turn into carnivorous monsters and some superhero comes to the rescue by exploding all the construction sites. The concentration of cranes this high looks intimidating and inspires a pessimist vision.
I’ve lost count of cranes seen on a daily basis following a weekday route Valletta-University and a weekend Valletta-Sliema route. These two routes are also the most common among tourists and students visiting/living in Malta. So is it cranes/construction sites/future skyscrapers that attract visitors to Malta for or is it pared-down Mediterranean lifestyle and views that they are after? Unsurprisingly, Malta is painted as ‘a lifestyle destination’. The slogan, however, is not verified by reality.
The worst of all, however, is not the cranes per se but the purpose behind their concentration. The current construction boom is not happening in the name of affordable or social housing but is committed with an unmasked intention of generating more and more profit for the construction industry.
So let the routine crane count begin.
On the way from the bus stop to the office I see another one, right on campus. That makes 4 cranes.
After work, I walk to the other bus stop and see two more construction’s skeleton silhouettes (that makes it 6).
Right upon arrival to Valletta, I am greeted by three more cranes (9 so far). Walking through Melita Street I see another one: 10 cranes on the way from Valletta-University and back through the main roads.
Concentration of cranes along the University-Sliema-Valletta route outnumbers this count. Density of construction sites on the way from Gzira to St. Julians raises proportionally to the concentration of tourists. Therefore, what guests of the country experience most during their stays in Malta is cranes, noise and construction dust.
Over a 30 minute walk from Msida to Tigne cranes are the most frequent encounter. Malta Tourism Authority should advertise crane sightseeing in Malta.
In case you fancy a walk from Tigne to St. Julians, crane sightseeing becomes even more exciting.
Anyone whose routine journey includes Valletta-University-Sliema route is likely to come across at least 23 cranes per day. That makes one of the most tourism-dense areas in Malta also one massive construction site with all its cons. If the tourism industry plans to survive the construction boom, about time it starts planning crane sightseeing trips, as there might soon be nothing else to see. 20 cranes:1 Blue Grotto is a great reason to visit the country, isn’t it?
Support Kamp Emergenza Ambjent and Front Harsien ODZ to defend the country from the ongoing crane siege.
(5 minutes read)
Many expat acquaintances of mine have a hobby of complaining about many things Maltese. Some of these complaints are justified: yes, public transport and urban planning here are non-existent, silence is nowhere to be found and cranes are the permanent eyesore on the skyline. However, one statement I particularly disagree with is that making good friends among Maltese and integrating in Malta is difficult. In fact, it is quite contrary: finding your way around Maltese social bubbles is much easier for an expat than for a local. And here is why:
Have you noticed how cautiously Maltese make new acquaintances? It might sound like a thing of the past but in Malta, still, one is evaluated not only on the basis of who he is but also by which background he comes from. When introduced to a stranger, Maltese do their best to find out whether or not the acquaintance-to-be belongs to their circle. The procedure of such evaluation varies from questions like “which town are you from? or/and “what school did you go to?” to shameless peering at the stranger’s outfit and accessories in search for ‘this is my tribe’ signifiers. The latter approach is especially popular among the so-called tal’ pepe – the cluster infamous for their snobbery and class frustration, whose code of conduct is articulated by the best-known local blogger. The single fact of having grown up in Bormla or Hamrun – pretty much any place south, including Valletta or, God forbid, Gozo – is enough for a contemptuous look.
Grounded Maltese also do not hesitate to fish out as much information about strangers’ origins as they can. It is customary to burst into tireless mention of possible common friends, acquaintances and distant relatives right upon having learnt about the strangers’ home locality. Conversations like “you are from Birgu, right? My mother’s cousin’s husband’s brother is from there! And Gorg, mastrudaxxu, do you know him?” might seem pointless to the outsiders yet practically unavoidable for the locals. A Maltese cannot sneeze without revealing something about his locality, family or partisan allegiances.
Once landed in Malta, the majority of foreign IT developers, PR professionals, designers, architects, researchers and so on immediately and by default find themselves in the middle class environment. The middle class in Malta is very young and diverse, with a non-uniform level of education and family background. Many of the young and prominent Maltese figures come from rural areas and modest family backgrounds and thus detest being evaluated on the basis of their origin. On the other hand, foreigners do not care which school their Maltese friends went to, and which locality they come from – that is why, among foreign friends, so many Maltese feel appreciated for who they are.
Being able to enjoy the country in all its diversity without having to pass everything through a filter of bizarre local symbolism is a great advantage for middle class foreigners in Malta. They can see things fresh and judge them by what they really are and not by what they mean – it counts, doesn’t it?
2. Expats in Malta have more social freedom and mobility
Maltese society is very fragmented and operates within a few rigid bubbles that do not interact. In fact, the very sentence “Maltese are …” is incorrect as there is no single stereotype or a common understanding of what it means to be Maltese. Maltese from different bubbles have very little in common. Malta’s rural areas are divided into bubbles by locality and the urban Maltese bubbles have schools, professions and family traditions in common. Bubbles have their own infrastructure; their members mostly attend events organized by the bubble, giving no damn about what other bubbles are up to.
Bubbles are units of social interaction. In Malta physical proximity means nothing. Alternative youth, hipsters and slightly off-mainstream adventurers might hang out a few meters away from one another yet barely they would notice each other’s existence and whereabouts. It is not exaggeration to say that most of Maltese do not imagine a bigger picture of their own country.
No wonder that after a while such clustered socializing becomes suffocating, claustrophobic and boring yet even then, for a Maltese, changing bubbles is ultra difficult. For a local, assimilation into a new cluster is a challenge. A new bubble member has to pass through the “school-locality-status” evaluation procedure which isn’t fun.
On the other hand, expats can attend events organised by different bubbles and hop from one bubble to another. Today they can attend a poetry book launch, tomorrow – join a high-society event and the day after go to the Hamrun feast. What sounds simple to an expat is out of reach for a local. Seeing the country through thick glasses of class symbolism, Maltese cannot explore and enjoy all aspects of their diverse country.
3. Expats in Malta do not have to constantly prove themselves
Bragging about high self-esteem and active self-promotion are culturally accepted in Malta. In case your Nordic mentality kept you from enlightening everyone what amazing talents you possess, here you don’t have to hesitate. Not only is enthusiastic self-promotion not considered cheap here, it even becomes almost necessary not to disappear on the background of oh-so-bright and so-very-talented individuals praised with countless ‘prosit’ upon their achievements. Maltese from humble family backgrounds feel pressure to prove they are worth something and that is where the never-ending flow of self-praising comes from.
Foreigners in Malta are spared from having to prove something to everyone. They certainly do not have to flaunt their degrees and career achievements, they can just relax. Maltese, to some extent, look up to foreigners so there goes your bigger-fish-in-a-smaller-pond moment.
N.B. However, in case you moved to Malta to have your bigger-fish-in-a-smaller-pond moment of glory, you are soon in for some disappointment. Here is why:
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This project shaped out quite spontaneously, almost out of thin air, as I was walking aroud Valletta with the vintage manual camera loaded with black-and-white film, taking shots for my assignment. That month I was rediscovering photography, all thanks to David Pisani and Zvezdan Reljic, tutors of the Workshop F/1.4 (http://edebooks.eu/workshop-f1-4/).
Valletta, with all its eclectic character, is a paradise for photographers – each defines his/her own unique image of it. These pictures show the city in a different dimention – reflected in shop windows and puddles, overlapped with the crowd rushing through its narrow streets, merged with the crowd’s thoughts and dreams.
Three countries in a week time: Italy, Malta and Russia. Different impressions, different languages, different lifestyles.
Sicily. Only one and a half hours by catamaran away from Malta, there is a land where people speak only Italian – beautiful land of green hills and deep valleys. Unlike Malta, Sicily pleased my eye with smooth shapes and plenty of trees. Ragusa, especially its old part, resembles Malta very much: similar limestone buildings, same yellow street lights. Differences are also visible – traffic runs in the opposite direction, sloping roofs, higher blocks of appartments and green balconies. If Maltese hardly find a nice word for Arriva, local public transport operator, in Ragusa a bus is a very rare thing – only two buses I saw in two days. Honestly, Ragusa Ibla is a charming place. Cannot say the same about local food, however. Not to mention that the restaurants did not even have chicken on their menu. One of most memorable details of my short stay in Ragusa – elegant gentlemen, when seeing an approaching young lady, take their heats off, slightly nod and say “Buonasera!”.
Just a few hectic days in Malta and off to Russia for two weeks.
Russia. 1. Coincidence. I am a lucky person when it comes to adventures or funny incidents. And my trip to Russia continued this tradition. At the airport among many others waiting for check in, there was a guy who looked lost in space. He did not speak English, I immediately recognised a fellow-countryman. “Moscow is not my final destination, will have to wait 12 hours until my next flight” – he said. “Mine neither. And I also will be waiting for 12 hours”. “Where are you going?” we both asked same time. And same time replied – “Astrakhan!”. Considering how vast Russia is, a person from a province city does not expect to meet a fellow-townsman in a small country like Malta. It turned out that we even lived quite close! Those 12 hours of waiting at the airport were not boring for a change – we exchanged impressions, life experiences. And, oh, yes! – lively, diverse, cutting-sharp Russian that he spoke sounded like the sweetest music to me! And if some my friends think that my way of describing personalities and physical appearances is too straight to the point and not very soft, than that guy was an absolute champion. I hardly can repeat adjectives and metaphores he used to describe his life in Malta, his colleagues (he spent 4 months on a Maltese boat as a mechanic), local food etc. By the way, we fully agreed with each other regarding local food J. Being just 30 years old, speaking very poor English, he had been around the world as a ship mechanic – Africa, Latin America, Northern Europe – and everywhere managed to be understood. He noticed quite a lot in Malta, like, for example, taxi drivers get actively involved in coccaine distribution and lots of people do not pay tax (just like Russians).
2. Nefertiti. It happened to be a pure accident, but from some time ago Nefertiti became my improvised test for general knowledge. When I am curious how well a person studied at school or how broad is education in his country, I ask him about Nefertiti. “Of course, I know!” he said. “ We studied it all at school, right? Moreover, in Astrakhan every sauna is called “Nefertiti!”. :D.
3. Good bye! How many people I met travelling and it is always sad to think that, most probably, I will never see them again. Well, who knows?.. We shook hands and said good bye at Astrakhan airport. Then I got in the taxi and it was the end of story.
4. Homophobia. First thing I noticed in Russia is homophobia. I turned on radio and heard very passionate discussions of the law, banning gay propoganda. As one speaker told, once he came in Dior boutique and wanted to buy a jacket. The clothes were supposed to be for guys, but the jacket looked girlish. Then to prove his doubts, he asked whether it is a women or man thing and got a reply “It’s made for man, but it is of feminine style”. He got nervious and left. Others were quite intolerant to gays too. Russians are mostly intolerant to gay guys, but lesbians can sleep calmly. It is an ambiguous subject, however. Personally, I think it is a sexual deviation and it’s been proven a person’s sexuality is not a constant thing, our preferences can be influenced. This law is officially classified as “child abuse” and aims to restrict homosexual scenes shown to minors. Then I don’t understand why exposing a child to heterosexual scenes is not restricted at all! Trust my word, heterosexual and lesbian freedom in Russia is currently so absolute that it would make marquis de Sade blush. The problem is that men’s private sexual achievements became state heritage. The more women a man has the cooler he looks, the stronger is the country. Being faithful for a man is considered as a form of stupididy.
If you are a gay, better do not go to mother Russia for your own good. Or try to look bold and go with lots of girls – public respect is guaranteed.
5. Feelings in the air. It is popular to leave notes on buildings’ walls. Some state “Natasha, I love you! Please marry me!”. Others declare “Death to jews!”. Children play in yards (luckily, they got enough space where to play, unlike Malta where children have no space for their games). All boys play war games. With plastic Kalashnikovs.
7. Vodka. “Beer. Vodka. 24 hours” – adverts like that are everywhere in the city. In the closests supermarket there are 30 sorts of vodka. As a result, most of men are either drunk or going to be.
8. Wild minis. After a day in Astrakhan I could not understand what was going on – all girls I met on street and supermarkets were wearing miniskirts. Very minimal mini. I’d even say they were dressed very slightly. And on crazy high heels! What happened? – Nothing. I came to my hometown that time “when girls wear skirts that more likely are wide belts” (quoting my favourite university lecturer). Oh, yes, legs are very OK as well as all the rest… Funny details – nowadays in Russia a normal lenght skirt attracts more attention than a super mini. Everybody got used to it, nothing surprising J. Those skirts are clear signs of spring though. Happy Spring, dear all!
Random thoughts 