By Albert Fenech
The 31st March this year commemorated probably the greatest day in history for Malta and Gozo when for the first time in 7,250 years the islands became no longer subject to colonial rule.
At midnight on 31st March 1979, that is 46 years ago, the islands were no longer under colonial rule and became enabled to fashion their own future and not that of their rulers.
The first evidence of human habitation in the Maltese Islands has been recorded at 5,200 BC, a hallmark of their geographical position almost dead centre of the Mediterranean Sea, also known as the Middle Sea.
Over 7,250 years later this produced a potpourri of every aspect of international culture that has lapped the shores and inter-mingled to combine the Stone and Iron Ages, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, ancient Greece and ancient Rome, the Ottoman Empire and the more contemporary inputs of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem, the French and the British.
War and peace have also had a marked influence. One particular legend has it that the great military commander Hannibal of Carthage was actually born in Malta, later taking the elephant trek over the Alps to strike at the heart of Roman Civilisation.
Almost 1,800 years later, Giuseppe Garibaldi, the man who unified Italy spent some months in Malta hatching his plans for his armed assault of the nearby peninsula, sweeping away the old feudal states and forging the name Italia.
There was early recognition that its central geographical location made Malta a prize possession of western Empire builders.
The early Phoenicians occupied Malta as an important trade route link to the European continent and even reached south east Britain (Sussex and Kent) in their travels. When the Roman Empire fell into decline, the North African Arab tribes moved into the vacuum as an important link in their quest of Spain.
Later, the Ottoman Turks had imperial designs to dominate the whole of Europe but from the east only managed to progress as far as to what today are Hungary and Austria.
They assessed their best alternative route was to progress through the soft under-belly of Europe via Sicily and Italy and hence towards the European hinterland. However, they first had to have an important foothold in Malta and the Knights of the Order of St John were not seen as a serious threat to thwart this.
Their first mistake was to launch their siege in early June and as with all important warfare, timing proved to be strategic. This was the start of the hot Mediterranean summer. Malaria and insect infestation took a terrible toll.
They also underestimated the resistance of the Knights and the Maltese espousement of Christian roots and an intensive three-month siege collapsed in mayhem in early September 1565 and their renowned admiral Dragut succumbed to cannon-ball fire as the Ottomans retreated in hasty disarray.
Napoleon Bonaparte and Admiral Lord Nelson earmarked Malta as being an essential cornerstone in the late 18th Century and since then Malta was actively involved in every cut and thrust that involved the central Mediterranean region, North Africa and beyond in the Middle East and Asia.
In recognition of the remarkable support and loyalty shown to the British and allied cause during the two world wars but in particular during the Second World War, Malta was recognised by Britain in an unprecedented manner by being awarded the George Cross for bravery and hence Malta’s official name today is Malta GC although this is nowadays rarely used.
In 1964, Malta gained Independence from Britain and the last British garrison left in 1979. In 2004 Malta joined the EU.
This vast expanse of history and its effects on the people of Malta are naturally recognised by the Malta Heritage organisation.
Some years back the organisation assembled 100 different artefact objects that shaped Malta’s history in a display mounted at the Malta National Archaeology Museum in Valletta and titled “The Great Story of a small Island-Nation through 100 Objects”.
All of these are today still on prominent display is the said museum and each object tells a unique story, but when combined, these objects narrate a glorious 7,250 year history of the island-nation which throughout all the inputs and inter-mingling managed to retain its unique customs and above all, its unique Semitic-based language.
Besides various re-constructions of Stone Age temples and Punic burial tombs, the entire exhibits are under-scored by explanatory video-audio presentations. They also include the historic “Kantilena”, a 15th Century Maltese language poem, a curious Arab-style window through which female house occupants could monitor all street movements from home without being seen externally and of course, the George Cross.
This wonderful museum is certainly well worth a visit and recommended at the very start of a Malta visit or holiday wishing it be taken over sea and sunshine by providing the history on which one sets one’s eyes.
There are also displays of other anniversaries of other important events besides Freedom Day and these are the anniversary of Malta joining the EU, the year of Malta’s Independence and Malta becoming a Republic within the British Commonwealth.
ALBERT FENECH
