JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008

TRAVEL TOURISM CULTURE HERITAGE WELCOME elcome Eating & Fasting E-learning Malta Yesteryear The Promise of

JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 Tourism Relational Tourism The Way Forward A New Breed of Tourists

The Maltese Islands are JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 1 renowned for the warm hospitality they extend to foreigners who choose to editorial stay for a short period of Welcome to time in these sunny islands. With the same warmth I welcome readers of this new publication which, however, will attempt to break with tradition

Welcome is not just another travel and tourism magazine. It will sincerely strive to look at the Maltese tourism industry holistically, in view of the exponential increase in importance for the sector, of Maltese history, heritage, culture and the arts. It will analyse current trends and attempt to predict future ones. It should provide a good and worthwhile read for those who want to keep abreast of the latest endeavours in one of the pillars of the Maltese economy. Welcome will mainly cover travel, tourism, culture and heritage. These fields were not chosen at random but lie at the core of any attempt at a definition of the Maltese Nation. Culture and Heritage are now inextricably intertwined with Tourism as they represent (or should represent) the primary interest of the new breed of tourist which Malta hopes to entice to visit us. Their creative integration within the industry forms a fundamental part of the Maltese product and, as things stand, of a coherent management of Malta’s heritage and the promotion of its true Mediterranean culture, forming the basis of the new niche markets of an industry that no longer rests on the ‘sun and sea’ asset. Another element touched by this magazine is the importance of new technologies, especially eBusiness and eCommerce. ray vassallo In this respect WELCOME presents an exposition of ITS’ four-year-old effort in training future operators in the sector in these areas. It also gives a blow-by-blow account of the birth of the ITS elearning platform, intended to disseminate the institute’s training programmes to an ever larger segment of the industry.

The year 2008 is the twentieth year of operation of the Institute. The next issue of the magazine will focus on an overview of these two decades pointing out the milestones of ITS’ evolution from a simple catering school to a respected institution offering cutting- edge courses over a wide spectrum of activity within Tourism and Hospitality. Meanwhile, in this issue, we will take a look at Integrated Relational Tourism, a new development in the sector in which ITS is specialising. The arrival of low-cost airlines and on-line booking has given birth to a new kind of tourist who is more interested in actively interacting with the population and experiencing life the way the Maltese actually live it. The establishment of a specialised Centre for Cultural & Heritage Studies at the Institute of Tourism Studies is also another milestone in our continuous struggle to widen and extend the scope of the Institute’s operations and activities. The Centre will see to the cross-disciplinary inclusion of its areas of specialisation within the Institute’s educational programmes. This issue of WELCOME presents us with a first effort, a brief history of Maltese cuisine in all its uniqueness and humour. Finaly I would like to thank Mr. Reginald Abela, Executive Chairman of ITS, and Mr. Joseph Bonello, ITS Head of Administration, without whose encouragement and active support this initiative would not have materialised. www.its.edu.mt We hope you enjoy this premier issue. 2 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 3

welcome is the official magazine of the Institute of Tourism Studies, Malta’s only professional further and higher education institution that meets the changing needs of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in the Maltese Islands. The aims of “Welcome!” are to promote discussion, research and reflection in the field of tourism in respect of the ever- growing importance of culture and heritage in its development and evolution.

welcome is distributed to all stakeholders in the Maltese tourism, hospitality and higher educational sectors.

The views expressed in welcome do not reflect the views of the Board of Governors or of the Management of the Institute of the Tourism Studies but only that of the individual authors.

© All rights reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. The Institute of Tourism Studies shall have no liability for errors, omission or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof.

Editorial Team Editor: Raymond J Vassallo Deputy Editor: Martin Debattista Deputy Editor (Culture & Heritage): Vincent Zammit Deputy Editor (Travel & Environment): David Pace Deputy Editor (Arts): Francesca Farrugia Editorial Assistant: Elaine Jones Editorial Assistant: Helena Micallef Advertising Manager: Carmenrita Bugeja Advertising Assistant: Elaine Camilleri

Contributors Dr Ray Debono Roberts Aaron Mizzi Dr Joseph Borg Prof Carmel Cassar Joseph Tanti

Published by the Institute of Tourism Studies St George’s Bay, St Julians PBK1553 - Malta Tel: +356 2379 3100, Fax: +356 2137 5472, Email: [email protected] www.its.edu.mt

Advertising Office Carmenrita Bugeja Email: [email protected] Tel: +356 7900 9925, Fax: +356 2137 5472

Vince Zammit Francesca Farrugia David Pace

Elaine Camilleri Carmenrita Bugeja Ray Vassallo Martin Debattista Elaine Jones 4 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 5 message from the Minister of Education and culture An example of innovation, diversity Inside Information and improvment Minister’s Message 05

ITS Establishes The Centre for Cultural & Heritage Studies 07 Education and As the foremost institution in Malta offering further education programmes in Environmental tourism, the Institute of Tourism Studies epitomizes the importance of the relationship The New DOK Legislation for Malta 10 Sustainability are two between tourism, education and vocational training. Since its inception in the late eighties, the Institute has striven to introduce a curriculum based on these tenets and An E-learning Vision for Tourism: The ITS Experience 03 pillars on which the new government will has kept up with requirements in the field by the early introduction of e-Learning and Food Handlers’ Training: An innovative hands-on Approach 09 the concept of tourism sustainability. base the continuing The Institute’s willingness to innovate, diversify, improve and expand its curricula Eating and Fasting in Medieval and Early Modern Malta 21 development of our and invest in cutting-edge Information Systems to be integrated in a cross-disciplinary Vietnam as a Holiday Destination 31 country as a modern manner, can be regarded as a model for this type of institution. sovereign state and an Through its wide academic base and enterprising staff, ITS has been involved A Man with Vision: An Interview with Mario Philip Azzopardi 37 active member of the in a number of EU projects that are helping it to carry out research activities in new The Carob Tree: An Ancient and most Beneficial Tree 40 European Union areas such as Cultural Management, Alternative Tourism and e-Learning. In this way, our educational institutions can benefit fully from the advantages of EU projects and 45 Awarding Excellence in Hospitality funding.

Reflections on Prehistoric Connections between Malta & Sicily 47 The launching of the ITS magazine is testimony to the hard work and dedication of the ITS staff and the pride with which they regard the Institution they form part of – an The Promise of Relational Tourism 55 institution fully geared to achieving true excellence in vocational training.

Earning a Living by Sipping Wine: A Interview with Giuseppe Vaccarini 40

ITS has been involved in a number of EU projects that are helping it to carry out research activities in new areas such as Cultural Management, Alternative Tourism and e-Learning

Dolores crIstINa

Cover Photo Print of a painting adorning The Chamber of Commerce, Exchange Building, Republic Street Valletta 6 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 7

Its establishes the centre for cultural & heritage studies

One of the more important initiatives taken by the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) is the establishment of the centre for cultural and Heritage Studies. Together with the centre for E-learning Technologies, vINceNt ZaMMIt already active for the past three years, the new centre

A lecturer at ITS, teaching History and Guiding Techniques, as well as features strategically in the reform ITS is planning the Director for the centre of Cultural and Heritage Studies. He has taught across its curricula in order to reflect the importance history at Secondary, post Secondary and University level. He presented of the cultural and Artistic elements in an industry cultural and heritage related programmes on local national television and radio stations, and published extensively in various local publications. He metamorphosised by low-cost airlines and a new-born published studies about general Maltese history, museums, fortifications, individualistic streak in the tourist himself - perhaps as archaeology and the period of the Knights of St John. a result of the maturity of the sector. 8 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 9

This new Centre will enhance the educational and public • It is envisaged that a number of modules would be profile of the ITS and provides a platform for a better academic developed covering the different subjects and fields of input into the Hospitality, Cultural and Heritage sectors of study; the Maltese Islands. Such a centre does not exist in Malta and • This Centre will be responsible for the development the need for a focal point where academics and practitioners of Cultural and Heritage modules to be run either can put forward ideas, innovative new practices and discuss independently by the ITS or with other institutions; certain issues appertaining to their studies, is needed. The • The Centre will organise stand alone lectures for the time is right, and the ITS should be at the forefront of such an interested public; innovative approach. • Evening and e-learning courses will be other spheres that The Tourism industry is experiencing widespread and are aimed to be developed; constant changes. It is not possible to be left out of these • Short courses will be offered to the interested parties changes by retaining traditional studies and not embracing • Programmes of study will be developed according to the new ideas and trends. More travellers are seeking a cultural needs of the industry. experience during their trips and this Centre aims to be the catalyst for studies for future operators within the Hospitality The Centre is already involved in a number of EU funded and Cultural areas in Malta. Their understanding of their programmes, and it is planned that further involvement in different needs will enhance their performance. other programmes will continue to enhance ITS academic Tourism authorities have been repeating that cultural background which can then be imparted to the interested tourism is to form an important part of the Maltese market. parties. One initiative which is being enthusiastically worked This cannot be achieved by just pointing out this need. It is out upon, is the launch of a Food course which aims to be an necessary to have systematic and academic input throughout. alternative to the courses already offered at the Institute, and The ITS is the right institution for such an endeavour. It which both students and the general public would be able to already possesses the required personnel and the expertise to follow. Other courses and seminars are in the pipeline. provide the necessary academic and practical backgrounds. The Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies aims to work Plans for future activities include the organisation of with all interested parties in the advancement of the areas of specific courses, seminars, and research initiatives: interest for a better appreciation of the Maltese Heritage and • The Centre will aim to create a wider knowledge and the development of a better product for visiting tourists. w understanding within the cultural and heritage spheres in relation to modern society; For further details regarding the Centre • The Centre will try to have a wide academic spectrum as email: [email protected] visiting lecturers will also be involved in lecturing as well as practical sessions; 10 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 11

A DOK will be a wine THE NEW of a superior quality coming from a specific designated quality wine region made with locally grown grapes only

From vintage 2007, every Maltese winemaker is bound to label have to be grown in the mentioned estate, and the wine is follow the rules when making wine and growing vines, so as vinified from all grapes grown from that mentioned estate. to protect the authenticity of the information on a wine label DOK and to protect the rights of the consumer in receiving a wine What methods of cultivation should be used in a vineyard to of quality. DOK rules will ensure that the bottle of wine will classify a wine as DOK? Legislation be made from that stated region, that stated vintage year and Specific methods of cultivation have to be used. The that stated grape variety or varieties. There are similar rules method of cultivation, the planting distances and the pruning FOR MALTA in other European Union countries, such as France where systems must be quality oriented and must not change the there is the Maltese DOK equivalent to ‘Appellation d’Origine characteristics of the grapes and wines. Any practice for Controlée’ (also known as AC), and in Italy, the DOC, overproduction is strictly forbidden. Nevertheless, the practice ‘Denominazzjoni d’Origini Controllata’, and in Spain, the of rescue irrigation is considered essential for quality and is, The DOK and IGT DOCa, ‘Denominacion d’Origine Calificada’. Malta is now in thus, allowed. For example, the minimum planting density shall line to other European countries as regards to wine legislation. be of 4000 vines per hectare; the training forms shall be of the protocols are to Vertical Shoot Positioning (VSP) type; the pruning systems to commence from this What is DOK and IGT? be adopted shall be limited to Cane and/or Spur pruning, for DOK stands for ‘Denominazzjoni ta’ Origini Kontrollata’ example “Guyot” or “Cordone Speronato” or mixed pruning year’s vintage 2007. and IGT, ‘Indikazzjoni Ìeografika Tipika’. A DOK will be a methods of the two. The maximum limits of wine production This means that all the wine of a superior quality coming from a specific designated per hectare are also indicated and must be respected together quality wine region made with locally grown grapes only; with the minimum alcoholic strengths. information written whilst IGT will be a wine made also from locally grown grapes but from different regions in Malta and Gozo. No foreign What are the different methods of winemaking available to down on a wine label grapes are allowed in wines designated as DOK or IGT. classify a wine as DOK? is to conform to strict The various methods of winemaking are as follows: From where should the grapes come from to make DOK and “Saignee” may be used to describe Rose’ wines of which a rules and regulations. In IGT wines? minimum 75% has been produced by draining must from crushed the past, every Maltese For a DOK wine, all grapes mentioned on the label will red grapes within the first 48 hours of the start of the alcoholic come from either the Island of Malta or the Island of Gozo, or fermentation process. winemaker was free to from a particular sub-region, for example, Marsaxlokk, Rabat, “Eleve sur lies” or “Aged on lees” may be used to describe use their own methods St. Paul’s Bay, Zurrieq, and others. To be labeled as IGT, the White or Rose wines that have been left in contact with the yeast grapes can be blended both from Malta and Gozo, and thus lees resulting from the alcoholic fermentation for a minimum and systems both in the can be labeled as IGT Maltese Islands. period of 4 months from the start of the alcoholic fermentation. “Maceration pelliculaire” or “Cold Maceration” may vineyard to grow their When making reference to a single estate, what percentage of be used exclusively for white wines in the case of the pre- Aaron Mizzi answers questions vines and in the winery grapes is allowed? fermentation skin contact of the crushed white grapes for a on the meaning of DOK Taking as an example the Marnisi single estate in minimum period of 4 hours prior to pressing and fermentation to make wine. Marsaxlokk owned by Marsovin, all grapes mentioned on the with the aim of increasing varietal flavour. 12 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 13

“Barrel fermented” or “Fermented in oak barrels” or “Fermented in barriques” may be used to describe white wines of which a minimum 45% has completely undergone the fermentation process in oak barrels. “Maceration Carbonique” or “Macerazione Carbonica” or “Carbonic Maceration” may be used exclusively for red or rose wines in the case of the maceration of whole grape clusters under an anaerobic atmosphere for a minimum period of 3 days.

What is meant by barrel ageing when written on a label? “Barrel Matured”, or “Matured in oak Barriques” or “Matured in oak Barrels” or “Oak Aged” may be used to describe red wines of which a minimum of 75% has been stored in oak barrels / barriques for at least 6 months. In the case of white wines this mention may be used to describe white wines of which a minimum 45% has been stored in oak barrels for at least 8 weeks.

‘Rizerva’ and ‘Superior’ are special mentions for a DOK wine. What do they mean? ‘Superior’ will indicate that the wine has not undergone any form of enrichment with a higher minimum amount of natural alcohol. A ‘Rizerva’ will indicate that the wine will be of ‘Superior’ level with an additional minimum amount of ageing required before release; for example, red wines must have a minimum ageing of 12 months in casks, and must be aged for a minimum of 6 months in bottle before commercial release. However, the wines cannot be commercialised before IGT will be a wine made 24 months have elapsed from the 1st of September of the from locally grown grapes but from vintage year. w different regions in Malta and Gozo. No foreign grapes are allowed An E-learningVision for Tourism The ITS experience AARON MIZZI

A lecturer in food and beverage operations and wines at ITS. He is also an Associate of the Institute of Wines and Spirits. He has worked in the ray vassallo The Institute of Tourism Studies has hospitality sector both locally and overseas. He also lectured international The editor of Welcome Magazine. He lectures in Information Systems courses on wine and became an approved internal assessor. He was also been actively engaged in developing and ICT at the ITS and is the Director of the Centre for E-Learning wine specialist of local, prestigious winery Marsovin. Aaron acted as a judge Technologies. He has worked at the UN and for a number of other in various wine competitions and seminars, cook and serve competitions, E-learning systems for its different International Organisations as well as occupying a number of management cocktail competitions, and the National Malta Grand Prix. posts in the private sector. departments these last four years. 14 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 15

hat was the prime source of all this enthusiasm on the new web facilities has seen a corresponding demand for more extensions, add-ons and plug-ins for it, continuously adding on Wpart of ITS to move its operations in new and relatively information as well as for access to its web-based academic new facilities to its already wide-ranging array. adventurous directions? The answer is manifold. programmes. As a matter of fact the ITS e-learning platform Through its previous experience with Sharepoint ITS The newly emerging needs of industry itself as it does provide multi-lingual facilities. realised the importance of establishing a long-term strategy tackles the challenges brought forth by the globalisation relating to the new e-learning site. The three-year strategy of its activities namely: the introduction of eBusiness and The ITS e-Learning site developed by the Institute referred to technical and design eCommerce technologies and techniques within local The first incarnation of the ITS e-learning site, back in standards for the site, support and training for the lecturers industry and the resulting corresponding modifications in the 2003, was as an on-line documentation centre for ITS students as well as the actual administration of the server and the site knowledge and skill requirements of the workforce. and faculty, a sort of web-based electronic library. itself. Technology now touches every aspect of our lives…. This site was implemented using an early version of including education. If one wants to learn he or she is just Microsoft Sharepoint and was in operation for over a year. Deploying an e-learning site a click away from a vast array of educational materials on It should be noted here that for a number of years, even The Institute of Tourism Studies has two major any subject. Yet most educational systems in place in the earlier than 2003, ITS lecturers had already been provided departments: The Arts & Crafts Dept. which trains students to world today are not much changed from the model offered with a desktop computer and access to the internet as well become, amongst other things, chefs; and the Management & by the monastic schools of fourteenth century Europe. as the institute’s network. Most had also undergone basic Business Studies Dept. whose name explains it all. ITS has on Schools remain highly centralised institutions built upon the training in IT essentials. It was therefore logical to assume average around 40 academics and 650 full time and 250 part sometimes scarce resources of buildings and teachers. that a realisation of a broader use of the ITS ICT infrastructure time students. For today’s would eventually The Institute started off by having departmental meetings student real life is materialise. Perhaps this with the faculty asking them how they would like to be just one more open For today’s student real life is just had not happened earlier teaching in five years time and where e-learning would fit window. Part of his one more open window. Part of his because up to then ITS within that vision. These meetings were of crucial importance consciousness lives lacked a proper ICT in for identifying issues that needed to be addressed in order to on the Internet and consciousness lives on the Internet education strategy. ensure the success of the new site. seems to stay there and seems to stay there all the time However, at this Major issues brought up included: adapting curricula all the time... A point in time, Sharepoint to the exigencies of e-learning, quality and standards, the student may have a as was not being the apportioning of courses between on-line and formal classroom textbook open. The television is on with the sound off…They most flexible and versatile platform for educational use, its learning, the question of copyright on up-loaded teaching have music on their headphones…..Homework windows are widespread employment was curtailed. The major obstacles materials as well as training in content creation for those open, along with e-mail and instant messaging... sometime ago, encountered here included a steep learning curve in order for willing to participate in the project. on a local newspaper one could read a report about a young a lecturer to become well versed in its employ as well as lack of It was also decided to develop a plan to move students boy who obviously preferred the online world to real life. technical manpower to support the platform. from being dependant to independent learners through a Frankly one cannot blame him. In the meantime ITS had become involved in an EU- gradual increase in the e-learning portion of the course. There was also a financial aspect to ITS’ concerted move funded project intended to establish a network of electronic Whilst in the first incarnation of the e-learning site all to e-learning. business teachers in the Mediterranean region. Participation content had to be passed on solely through the webmaster, it ITS students spend their third year overseas, undergoing in this Programme was a godsend for ITS, both because it was a was immediately realised that in this new version such a state work experience abroad at selected hotels all over Europe. golden opportunity to train a cadre of its own lecturers in ICT of affairs would be impossible to sustain. It was finally decided that The utilisation of internet technologies greatly facilitated use for educational purposes and also because it could review In addition, whilst it had been planning to have a communication between students and their tutors during this its business education programmes in view of the ever-growing maximum of five volunteers to start-off the site, there were the best way to embark on period, saving ITS thousands of pounds in travel expenses. presence of eBusiness in the industry. actually seventeen lecturers willing to participate. This meant this project was to create Moreover the eventual deployment of the ITS web-based The end-result of ITS’ participation in this Programme eventually having sixty courses on-line instead of the five Learning Management Platform provided an alternative was the deployment of the Moodle platform in replacement of originally planned for. a task force responsible method to paper to provide students with slides, notes and the old Sharepoint site. Another problem faced was that both ITS departments for both technical and research materials. Why was Moodle selected? Well, there are a number of desired to get in on the show. It had originally been planned academic details involved The fourth and last reason underlying ITS’ move to e- other platforms out there on the Net. Most of the established that only the Management Department would be involved. learning is a marketing one. An ever-growing percentage ones, for example WebCT or Blackboard require Blackbeard’s Participation by Arts & Crafts suggested content heavy in in the total deployment of ITS students are foreigners. This fortifies ITS’ plan treasure to finance them. Although ITS was very keen to images and video necessitating higher internet bandwidth. of the e-learning site to eventually become an international institute with an renew its site the Institute did not have the budget to adopt It was finally decided that the best way to embark on this international faculty specialising in Tourism-industry related one of the established technologies. Moodle is free, and project was to create a task force responsible for both technical fields of study. In actual fact, the launch of the Institute’s it is also open source so many other people are developing and academic details involved in the total deployment of the 16 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 17

The Future quality courseware are providing widespread and inexpensive What are the prospects in the coming years? Although access to education. Witness MIT’s porting of all its course one would tend to think the contrary, one would actually free online. find it more difficult to ruminate about what may happen in The cost of the high-quality audio-visual internet- the near future rather than the far future. based communication continues to fall at about 50% per However one factor stands out clearly. There is annum. By 2010 it will be feasible to provide inexpensive definitely an exponential acceleration in the creation of online access to high-quality instruction from pre-school to new knowledge, which is in turn causing ever more rapid doctoral studies. social transformation. Many of you may be familiar with As computer-assisted-learning becomes more intelligent, the anecdote about the teacher who retains his notes the ability to individualise the learning experience for until his retirement. I knew the guy…..as did you! But each student will greatly improve. New generations of e-learning site, including the hosting and maintenance of According to the last three end-of-year evaluation reports can such intellectual fossils keep up their masquerade in educational software are already capable of modelling the the site as well as staff training. In this respect ITS set up the over 90% of users are happily going about working on the today’s classrooms? Will our monastic schools acquire strengths and weaknesses of each student and developing Centre for E-Learning Technologies. site. On a more personal basis, our own experiences clearly authenticity or will they remain insignificant spectres in a strategies to focus on the problem area of each learner. Over the ensuing three years the Centre has trained the demonstrate that with a few technophobic exceptions (There reality which does not acknowledge them? In a civilisation Because of current bandwidth limitations and the lack majority of ITS lecturers both in using the Moodle LMS as was actually one student admitting that if he knew that he awash in brilliant audio-visual spectacle what pertinence of effective three-dimensional displays, today’s virtual well as creating suitable learning materials. This has entailed would once again face computers at ITS he would not have remains for “sit-and-listen” styles of teaching? Why are we reality simulations provided on the internet do not compete training in a number of related multimedia applications such as joined up!), students generally feel at home using the platform. centralising ever more our educational system when both with actually “being there”, but that will change. In Photoshop, Flash and various video editors. A small studio has They also feel more secure! After all, now they can revisit a space and time are being rendered irrelevant through global ten to fifteen year’s time visual-auditory virtual reality been equipped to support lecturers who are now expected to lecture they are unsure about, as well as contact the lecturer networks? Students who are ICT literate from a young age environment will be full immersion, very high resolution, make their own teaching materials. A technical solution has with follow-up questions. Young people are more open to want their learning materials presented in a format that and very convincing. Students will increasingly attend been found to protect any materials uploaded by the lecturers. technology and they would naturally be attracted to gadgets suits them. They want to learn, but traditionally structured classes virtually. Virtual environments will provide high In order to resolve the ever-growing need for audio-visual and devices which they may feel as being potentially helpful in lesson plans are no longer relevant. From Primary Schools quality virtual laboratories where experiments can be content ITS decided to deploy a Streaming Media server. their education. The so-called Social Web is intrinsically also to Universities, technology is impacting how knowledge is conducted in chemistry, nuclear physics or any other Through this project ITS will be in a position to actually film, a Learning Web, a real replacement for the brick and mortar presented and learnt. In a world that’s increasingly moving scientific field. Students will be able to interact with a amongst other, Arts & Crafts lessons and provide them in real classroom, where you can “Learn Anywhere, Anytime”. into virtual environments, what were once just social spaces virtual La Vallette or Napoleon……or become a virtual time over the Internet, providing the student with the ability Looking backward at ITS these last few years, one may are now also learning environments. Adolf Hitler. The devices to enter these high-quality, to interact with his whilst watching the lecture. Of course, observe a marked transformation in the way students behave As with all our other institutions we will inevitably high-resolution virtual classrooms will be as ubiquitous and producing and providing streaming will require ITS to extend on campus. Students now attend the institute armed to the have to move towards a decentralised educational system in affordable as LCD projectors today. its present facilities with a larger production studio as well as a teeth with the latest dual-core notebook and multi-megabit which every person will have ready access to high-quality Students at any age, from toddlers to pensioners, will doubling of the available bandwidth. USB drive, not to mention the ultimate all bells and whistles knowledge and instruction. Already the availability of vast be able to access the best education in the world at any time Mobile Phone and PDA. They expect WIFI and LCD knowledge on the Web, useful search engines and high- and from any place. w The students’ reaction Projectors in the lecture room and their course content readily What about the students? What was their reaction to the available over the Internet. Moreover, they tend to look down new way of doing things? Of doing part of their work on the on teachers who do not speak their language and play their Internet? Or undergoing tests on line? How do they feel about game. This is a phenomenon one ignores at his own risk. doing more research rather than being fed everything directly by a lecturer.

They want to learn, but traditionally structured lesson plans are no longer relevant. From Primary Schools to Universities, technology is impacting how knowledge is presented and learnt. In a world that’s increasingly moving into virtual environments, what were once just social spaces are now also learning environments

To contact the Centre for E-learning Technologies send an email to Ray Vassallo at [email protected] 18 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 19

Food Handlers’ Training an innovative hands-on approach

eing a food handler is like being a car driver. You either know joseph tanti Bhow to drive or you do not. In this respect, an untrained food An Applied Bacteriologist with 30 years experience in this field. He owns handler in a kitchen is like a bull in a china shop, a recipe for a Quality Consultancy firm which also includes a microbiology laboratory disaster. We have developed a new approach to food handlers’ used for testing and training. The idea is to improve quality holistically and supply a package of assistance which ranges from hands-on-training training which is carried out at our microbiology laboratories where to real-time testing and monitoring using the lab results as a tool for trainees are given hands-on training ranging from simple new continuous improvement. techniques to learning how to identify - and eventually prevent entry to - the three hazards (biological, chemical and physical). This is the basis of HACCP, the tool that every food handler must For this reason, we at Analytica Labs have developed a new know and apply to prevent food-related disease. package to train food handlers. Trainees are made aware that the Malta was the first country to introduce Food Handlers’ eight-hour course is only the beginning. They have to understand Training as a legal requirement in 2001 (LN178). At that time the that food safety is their legal and moral responsibility. Like any other EU had a list of directives and regulations regarding food safety but professional job, they have to use their common sense at all times HACCP was still a directive (98/83), which means that countries and be aware of the fact that even the slightest of mistakes may could adopt said regulations at any point in time. Only in 2004 (EU lead to trouble. For this reason, they are given a logbook to identify regulation 582) did HACCP, which includes training in food safety, their own processes, detect their own hazards and above all, prevent become obligatory (commencing in 2006). To this end, HACCP them. In order to elevate the concept, it has to be said that we needed to be enforced to the extent “that food handlers are promote quality rather than just food safety, because food safety is an supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters attribute of quality and one cannot have quality food if it is not safe. commensurate with their work activity”. If Malta is to promote itself as a high-quality destination in terms of 20 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 21

presentation, price, manners and environment, safe food has to be and green turns green into red while perishable RTE food, described an inextricable factor in its package. as high-risk food, becomes red if left for a long period in the danger Trainees are given a virtual learner’s plate. They are taught to temperature zone (5oC to 63oC). This simplifies the heavy terms and constantly examine their work and never to become complacent, scientific names of bacteria. as they can lose their ‘license’ if they make blatant errors due to The programme also includes a meeting every six months, carelessness or irresponsibility. Each individual has to recognise which is recorded in the logbook. This covers complaints, corrective his/her process and even learn how to improve upon it. During actions and other questions which arise during one’s routine at work. the course, trainees carry out a number of experiments. This There is space in the logbook for these additions. The advantage of includes the effectiveness of hand- and surface-cleaning where all this is that after 5 years, following the eight-hour course again microbiological tests are carried out. Trainees are able to observe is not necessary since one has the evidence that eight hours have their own bacteria under the microscope and become conscious of been amply exceeded in the previous five years. One only has to the fact that these are extremely small living organisms that are able re-undergo the eight-hour course if a non-conformity has been to multiply rapidly. The package also includes the random sampling committed during the past period. of their hands-on and working environment later on. This too is In today’s world, consumer confidence is of the utmost recorded in their logbooks just as if it were a photo of a Petri dish importance and this can be lost if an increasing number of food- with bacterial growth. Apprentices learn how to identify the status related diseases which go beyond the classic cases of food poisoning of their hands, tops, aprons, chopping boards, knives, utensils or are evidenced. This new approach is a tool to make safe food There exist few reliable records anything which comes in contact with ready-to-eat food. We have handling part of the software of the brain. Decisions are taken on which to base a sensible introduced what we describe as the “traffic lights” system, where a automatically, in the same way that one pushes the car brake or steers analysis of nutritional habits red status indicates danger while a green status indicates that the it into safety to avoid an accident. We call this new approach Food A soft copy of the logbook is available from author at [email protected] in Medieval Malta, so that items are safe. Learners are also taught that contact between red Handling Without Fear or The Food Handlers’ Practice License. w one has to rely mostly on early modern documentation in order to gain a clear picture of the eating habits of the Maltese islanders. However, Eating & Fasting indirect insights are inferred from sporadic references to the in Medieval & Early Modern Malta economic activities of the island.

The presence of large areas of karstic table-lands suitable carmel cassar

mainly for rough grazing provides evidence that animal Professor Carmel Cassar is a historical anthropologist and has published husbandry was an important activity. The tenth-century Arab mainly on Maltese and Mediterranean culture and history of the sixteenth chronicler Ibn Hauqal devoted a few lines to Malta which, he and seventeenth centuries. At present Prof. Cassar serves as the Academic Coordinator of the Institute of Maltese Studies at the University of Malta. wrote, was inhabited only by savage donkeys, numerous sheep, His books include: Society, Culture and Identity in Early Modern Malta; A and bees. Visitors, presumably from Sicily, did come, bringing Concise History of Malta; Daughters of Eve. Women, Gender Roles, and the Impact of the Council of Trent in Catholic Malta; Witchcraft, Sorcery their own provisions, to collect honey and hunt the sheep, and the Inquisition. Fenkata: An Emblem of Maltese Peasant Resistance. as well as the donkeys. The former were scarcely marketable, but it seems that the donkeys were exported and sold. It might follow that Malta was largely, or even wholly, period of Maltese history (Wettinger, 1986: 97). Al Idrisi depopulated after the upheavals of 871. Later, in the eleventh explains: “Away from the island of Pantelleria at a distance of one century, it could have been resettled with Arab-speaking hundred miles towards the east one finds the island of Gozzo with a Muslims, slaves and Christian captives (Luttrell, 1987: 158). secure port. From Gozzo one goes to a small isle named Kamuna. Al Idrisi, the Arab geographer of the Norman King Roger From there going eastwards one finds the island of Malta. It is II, gives some reliable facts about the economy of Malta in the large and has a sheltered port on the east side. Malta has a town twelfth century. Admittedly, the conditions relate to Norman and abounds in pasture, sheep, fruit and honey” (Wettinger, 1986: times but are still certainly relevant for the proper Islamic 97). 22 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 23

It would therefore seem that animal husbandry was These usually referred to Malta as a sterilissima isola (most supplemented mainly by horticulture and bee-keeping. The sterile island) owing to the shortage of grain and foodstuff Arabs appear to have introduced the growth of cotton to Sicily requirements. On one occasion Grand Master Perellos (1697- Bread was graded and from there eventually to Malta, together with new types 1720) even refused permission to the Carmelite friars to re- and its quality sanctioned of fruit like oranges. And it seems likely that by this period establish a friary in Vittoriosa, on the pretext, that the island the growing of olives and the production of oil from the could not sustain any extra mouths to feed (AOM, 1466: 10 social distinctions. local olive crop - apparently one of the mainstays of Maltese June, 1705). agriculture in classical times - had almost come to a It represented a status symbol complete end (Wettinger, 1981: 1-48). Travellers’ Reports that defined human condition The most important account is contained in the letter Travellers’ reports from the 1530s onwards refer to bread as sent by the Emperor Frederick II in reply to Gilibertus Malta’s staple diet. In such circumstances, J. Quintin d’Autun and class according Abate, his agent in Malta, around 1241 (Winkelmann, I, asserts: to its particular colour 1880: 713-715; Peri, 1978:154-155; Luttrell, 1975: 36-40; “[T]he island is not very productive of corn. Malta is very Dessoulavy, 1937: 537-544). Gilibertus points out that there fortunate for this one reason namely, that Sicily, very fertile in were two castles in Malta - Mdina and the castrum maris all kinds of grain, lies nearby and is for the inhabitants as good - and the Gozo Citadel. The garrison numbered some 220 as a granary where otherwise they would die of hunger. And the {twenty-five of whom were sailors} besides seventy wives. The people... conscious of their country’s sterility, live a very frugal report indicated an economy based on the royal estates, cereal- life” (Quintin d’Autun, 1536: 35). meat {mutton and pork seem to have been the most popular difficult jobs of any late medieval and early modern government producing latifundia worked by villani {serf/labourers}. Each Yet Quintin d’Autun does refer to the “plantations of red meats then consumed and were relatively expensive (Thompson, 1971: 76-136; Vassallo, 1975: 71-72.). of these received a ration of around two-and-a-half tumoli orchards” with olives, vines and fig trees, “besides every commodities} maintained a stable level compared to the prices Henri Bresc points out that in the early 1400s regular and of wheat, besides cheese, meat, butter and other foodstuffs. other kind of fruit”. He also mentions the ‘excellent’ honey of basic essentials (Cassar, 1994(b): 63-93). massive imports of grain were necessary for the island’s survival Furthermore, there were eighty-four servi from Djerba “because the bees produce it from thyme, violets and other (Bresc, 1975: 132). By 1530 the local yields were so low that working in the massarie; sixty servi and ancille {male and flowers” (Quintin d’Autun, 1536: 31, 33). Malta also produces The Role of Bread Malta imported some 9,000 salme of grain per year from Sicily female slaves} in the service of the curia {local government}; cumin which is “spread over the bread’s crust, giving it a very The notion that bread is “that stuff of life which is the (Wettinger, 1981:14). Yet, following the advent of the Order fifty-five cowherds; ten shepherds; and others who consumed delicious taste” (Quintin d’Autun, 1536: 37). symbol of survival”(Porter, 1989:10) is evinced in a number of St John, Malta needed between 14,000 to 28,000 salme of barley bread. These were listed along with a number of beasts Quintin d’Autun even refers to the use of herbs and of Maltese idioms which refer to bread as a basic commodity grain yearly, or their equivalent in barley or maslin for its own of burden (Bresc, 1975: 131). the method used for cooking their food. without which it is believed that no one survives. Thus a provision (Wettinger, 1969: 83). It is evident that special importance was attached to the “[T]he inhabitants make use of certain kinds of thistles well-off person is ˙obƒu ma˙buƒ {lit. his bread is baked}; one In reality, Malta never really managed to produce enough consumption of grain. There was a lack of local wine and instead of wood, which together with dried cows’ dung, is used who lost his job has tilef ˙obƒu {lit. he lost his bread}; when grain to feed its own inhabitants. By 1590, grain production potable water so that the locals drank large quantities of for the baker’s oven... The people also feed on other thistles; inquiring about someone’s character the Maltese often ask, reached a total of a mere 3,879 salme and nine tumoli. Nearly wine, even the Muslim inhabitants. One may presume that not those which we, along with the Italians, now eat with much x’˙obƒ jiekol dan? {lit. what type of bread does he consume?}; fifty per cent - 1,975 salme and 10 tumoli - largely consisted wine was imported from Sicily (Winkelmann, 1880: 713-715; relish... these are much more sour... Drinking water comes from and when badly in need of something they say, je˙tie©u of barley, which was derived from the countryside, around the Peri, 1978: 222-224; Luttrell, 1975: 37). There are indications rain (when there is any) which is preserved in cisterns and more b˙all-˙obƒ li jiekol {lit. he needs it like his daily bread}; a villages of Birkirkara, Naxxar, Si©©iewi and Ûebbu© (Trasselli, that cheese and honey were produced in relatively large frequently in ditches... there is plenty of pasture for sheep” (Quintin profit-making job is referred to as ˙a©a li fiha biçça ˙obƒ ©mielha 1966:479). quantities and presumably consumed locally. Thus we are told d’Autun, 1536: 39). {lit. something which provides a loadsome of bread}, while The situation did not improve much in the seventeenth that bread was often accompanied by cheese (Peri, 1978: 224). The secretary of the Papal envoy, Mgr Visconti, writing a profitless task is often ma fihiex ˙obƒ {lit. it procures no century, despite serious attempts to put more land under By 1394 a visitor to Malta commented about the in 1582 reports that, “the greater part of the people eat pane bread} (Fenech, 1970: 39-40; Cassar, 1994(a): 3-5). Here cultivation. The total yearly expenditure on grain during the prosperous state of the island; he mentioned the production misturato {or maslin i.e. bread made of a mixture of barley and the term ˙obƒ {bread} is to be interpreted as much in the rule of Grand Master De Paule (1623-1636) is reported to have of cotton, cumin, wine and meat (Le Grand, 1895:578-579). wheat} vegetables, and latticini {cheeses}” (Vianello, 1936: symbolic sense as in factual sense. It depicts an inward-looking reached 32,000 scudi per year, second only to the expensive Descriptions of Malta dating from the sixteenth 290). During the latter part of the eighteenth century, Malta system, strictly indicating that in Malta bread was a common galley squadron (Schermerhorn, 1929: 52). and seventeenth centuries, starting with the Knights’ was still importing the greater part of its food supplies from denominator, consumed daily and well- liked at all social With great difficulties, the importation of duty-free grain Commissions’ Report of 1524, tend to concur that Malta, was Sicily (Testa, 1989: 283). levels. to the Maltese islands continued throughout the rule of the a ‘land of hunger’, sterile, tree-less and dependent on Sicily for During the 1590s the Università had a difficult time Bread was graded and its quality sanctioned social Order of St. John, with the exception of the early 1590s and its food supply1 (Bosio, 1602: 30; Quintin d’Autun, 1536: 35; trying to keep grain prices stable (Cassar, 1994(b): 63- distinctions. It represented a status symbol that defined human early 1600s, when bad harvests, famine and plague in Sicily Falcone, 1933: 28-29; Anonymous, 1915: 49; Semprini, 1933, 93). Efforts to keep constant the price of other essential condition and class according to its particular colour. In short, made such exportation impossible. This rule was sustained 106). The sterility of the land was a hazard which worried commodities, like wine, oil and cheese, seems to have been bread represented a socio-economic condition (Camporesi, even in the years of meagre harvests. Thus, although no grain all Grand Masters right up to the end of the Order’s rule in a much easier task. They were important food items but, 1989: 120). At a time when harvest failure meant famine and was exported from Sicily after the harvest failures of 1606, 1798. It is elicited in the official correspondence to other not vital ones like daily bread2 (Aymard & Bresc, 1975: death, the poor were above all concerned with a cheap price 1607 and 1608, an exception for duty-free quotas was made Heads, to Secretaries of State and ambassadors all over Europe. 597; AIM 40A: fol.160). On the other hand, the price of for bread. Indeed the regulation of prices was one of the most in the case of Malta (Davies, 1985: 200). It seems that this 24 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 25

consistent provisioning was instigated by concern over the problem of food shortages on the island. A further increase in duty-free quotas, in 1622 and 1632, helped to alleviate further the food shortage (NLM Libr.1220:6; NLM AOM 6421: fols.89-91). Meanwhile the Maltese had devised other means of procuring grain to feed themselves. In 1654, the Inquisitor Borromeo informed the Holy See that Malta had produced enough grain to last for six months of the year, while the rest had been bought duty-free from Sicily. He adds however, that, in case of food shortages, it was customary for the Maltese galley squadron to raid North African vessels, and sometimes even Christian ones, laden with grain. The officers-in-charge were then forced to sell their merchandise to the Maltese authorities (Anon., 1915:49). This a premium on the international market. Prices fluctuated, is why, he explains, that in the case of extreme food shortages but often rose to such high levels that the mass of the the Maltese had to resort to raiding vessels plying the Maltese population in Malta was left with little money to buy other waters. commodities. Wine, cheese and oil took up most of what It has been pointed out that toll exemptions were granted was left (Aymard & Bresc, 1975: 597-598), while meat in Sicily only to towns belonging to the regio demanio (royal consumption was pegged at a lower level and was only to rise demesne), often in return for political support or loyalty. Since after the First World War. Visitors to Malta from the 1830s such allowances involved some loss of income for the crown, onwards agree that both breakfast and dinner were of the requests for exemptions were sometimes refused. Thus when most frugal type. Both continued to consist mainly of barley Malta was still directly under royal control, the Università bread, cheese, olives, onions, garlic, dried fruit, salt-fish, oil received its required supplies of grain freely (NLM Libr. 1220: and similar foods. They also drank a moderate amount of wine 191-193). The situation changed with the arrival of the and enjoyed cooked vegetables or minestra, after a day’s work. Order of St. John, since the crown often found difficulties Until the early part of the twentieth century therefore, bread in maintaining its earlier promises, particularly as the Order remained the staple food of the mass of the population (Cassar, continued to strengthen its position on the island. 1988:100-101). Early modern Malta depended on agricultural production above all else. It was a society where food, and especially Meat Consumption and its Prohibitions bread, dominated both private and public, official and A dramatic drop in the purchasing power of wages helped unofficial cultures all over Europe and the Mediterranean in to lower the standard of living, particularly by the mid- general (Porter, 1989: 20). An annual estimate of revenue and sixteenth century. But movements in prices do not tell us expenditure for the year 1587 helps us appreciate the value much about changes in the availability of food over the long of these new grain concessions. The cost incurred for grain run. One must therefore take into account changes in wages, amounted to 10.23 per cent of the total, reaching the sum of which helped to influence households’ spending power in 20,500 scudi. The rest was spent on meat, oil, other foodstuffs relation to the prices charged in the market. Harvest failure and clothing (Donna D’Oldenico, 1964:20). Three years later, and soaring food prices were clearly a prime factor for the a relazione {account} by Count d’Alva, Viceroy of Sicily to serious deterioration of the purchasing power of wages. Philip II of Spain, reported that the population, which had by The effects of changes in both wages and prices should then reached 32,000 inhabitants, was not sufficiently provided ideally be combined by calculating a “real wage index”, which for with grain supplies. The Viceroy reminded Philip II of the may represent the amount of food that can be purchased with bad harvests of the preceding years, as well as the incessant the current level of wages. The most widely used “real wage entry of many foreign vessels in the Malta harbour, which index” is the one constructed by E.H. Phelps Brown and S.V. included galleys of the Imperial fleet, whose number fluctuated Hopkins which is based on wages of building craftsmen and from 20 to 25 per year (Donna D’Oldenico, 1964: 20). labourers in the south of England (Phelps Brown & Hopkins, The above data provides hard evidence as to the reason 1962(a): 168-178; Phelps Brown & Hopkins, 1962(b):179- why the Maltese government was so often preoccupied with 196). In Malta price fluctuations can be observed from the provisioning problems. It was a time when cereals were at mid-fifteenth century onwards (Fiorini, 1993: 164-170), but 26 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 27

only scanty references are available on wages-rates until the of vegetable foods (Braudel, 1981: 104). Meat meant Imperia Tonne of Mqabba spied upon Don Mariano Briffa Pope Alexander VII - described his Lenten meals to a close mid-seventeenth century3 (Grima, 1979: 53). Henry Kamen nourishment, taste and status. eating meat on Fridays and Saturdays on several occasions in relative. He declares that he avoided salted meats. His meals opines that in a less flexible economy, people of all classes The scanty evidence available for the fifteenth century 1599. Thanks to Imperia, we gain a clear picture of how meat consisted mainly of vegetable soups, a little fish, dates, dried subsisted on traditionally fixed incomes, an argument that can substantiates this point. The accounts books of Santo was prepared and consumed, as well as, which kind of meat figs, olives and other small food items, besides of course his safely be applied to Malta (Kamen, 1985:58). Thus we learn Spirito Hospital in Rabat states that there were five special was normally preferred by the people. On all occasions, Don usual sweet orange drink and wine5 (BAV, Chigi, A.I.32: 19 that boatswains and shipmates of the Order’s galley-squadron feasts which were solemnly celebrated. These included Mariano was reported to have eaten pork. Once, she said, she March, 1637). were paid 3 scudi a month in 1616, and that wages were only Christmas, Carnival, Easter, Pentecost and the titular feast saw him eating many mouthfuls of crude meat while it was Fasting usually meant a proscription against meat. raised to 5 scudi a month by 1650.(Cutajar & Cassar,1985:133; of the hospital. On these occasions the inmates were given being cooked, presumably grilled, and drinking wine over it. Eating meat on prohibited days was thus a serious offence, NLM AOM 663, fol.280v). Similarly, the buonavoglie a special meal including meat and wine which was “a On another occasion, he ate sausages and salamis prepared in particularly at a time when the Roman Inquisition Tribunal (voluntary galley-rowers), who were paid 22 tarì per month in welcome interruption from the drab daily fare of bread, oil Malta. On a couple of other occasions he had even asked started to implement the more rigorous post-Tridentine 1614, had a wage increase of 6 tarì in 1669 (Cutajar & Cassar, or suet, and beans”(Fiorini, 1987: 311, cf. ACM 438 No.1). Imperia, his neighbour to cook meat for him. Once, this principles. Anyone who transgressed was immediately reported 1985: 133; NLM AOM 261, fol.116). Even builders’ wages Evidence from the records of the same institution for consisted of pork sausages; and on another occasion, it was a to the Holy office. The selling of meat on a Friday was also seem to have remained fairly stable between 1580 and 1630. 1519 provides further details on the food consumed by the piece of pork known as di lunga (AIM 147B, case 10, fol.197v: considered a serious offence. In fact, the French merchant In 1578 Paolo Ciantar, a building labourer of Luqa, declared inmates of Santo Spirito during carnival time. They had 7 May, 1599). Giuseppe Gaveau was accused of having sold meat and that he received 2 tarì per day. (Micallef, 1975:42) M. Fsadni lasagne, pieces of cheese, veal, and wine (Fiorini, 1987: 311 The consumption of meat was so highly valued that in chickens on a Friday (AIM 3A, case 13, fols.261-316: August points out that in 1592, building craftsmen were paid in the cf.ACM No.2: fol.6v). With the advent of the Order of St March 1637 four men were accused of having stolen a number 1576). The Inquisition kept very strict rules over this issue so region of 4 tarì per day for the construction of the Porto Salvo John in 1530 the situation changed little at Santo Spirito so of goods after having smashed the door of a room belonging to that meat, eggs, and poultry could not be sold during the forty parish church in Valletta. He calculates labourers’ wage-rates that the inmates continued to consume similar foods during Francesco Gauci, a familiar personage and participator in the days of Lent, Fridays, and other prohibited days. Invalids had at 1.5 to 2 tarì daily (Fsadni, 1971: 25). Between 1627-1630, carnival time. Fiorini asserts that between 1540-1562, the Inquisition. In the list of stolen items prominence is given to produce two certificates, one from their doctor and one from building craftsmen continued to receive a remuneration of 4 food differed very slightly from year to year so that the menu to mezzo perzuto et alcuni supressati un puoco di cascio cosi a priest, in order to be exempted. When anyone pretended tarì per day (Fsadni, 1974: 38). Presumably labourers’ wage- always included some form of meat although by 1562 wheat di Sicilia come di Malta, un cascavallo {half a leg of ham and a feigned sickness, he or she risked getting into trouble and rates remained stable at 2 tarì per day. If this were the case micharuni {macaroni} made their appearance (Fiorini, 1987: some salami, a little cheese both of the Sicilian and Maltese being reported to the Inquisition. it can be assumed that with 2 tarì as a day’s wages a building 311 cf. ACM 438 No.4, fol. 12; ACM 440 fols.11v, 14,17,33 types, and a hard Sicilian cheese} (AIM 52A, case 179, The Apulian painter Gio Mattheo Stagno, depicted as an labourer could buy over 5.5 kilos of bread per day in 1578 v,48,91,106,135). But meat was especially consumed during fol.351: 7 March, 1637). exceptionally greedy individual who was grasso {fat} and but only 4 kilos in 1592. The purchasing power of wages only carnival time by all sectors of society4 (Fiorini, 1987:313, cf. Religion surrounded food with rules, rituals, and consumed all sorts of food had a particular craving for meat climbs to 5 kilos of bread in 1630. Univ. 13, fol.12v). prohibitions. Food itself was eaten partly on the Church’s which he ate even during Lent time. On one occasion he Food and the urgent need to relieve hunger moved the Fasting and feasting are part of the same cycle, involving orders. People ate fat or lean according to the dictates of scandalised his companions, amongst whom the Florentine population of pre-industrial society, including Malta, even the deferral consumption and then the reaffirmation of human the Catholic Church. In 1582 Inquisitor Federico Cefalotto painter Philippo Paladini, Mastro Vincentio Azzupard, and the more than politics, religion, or sexual urges (Camporesi, sociability through the sharing of food (Caplan, 1994). Yet defined what the Church meant by fasting. “It is illicit to Greek Papas Janni, since he consumed pezzi di coniglio e 1989). Eating dominated both private and public life, since in post-Tridentine Malta those who could afford it must have eat prohibited foods, that is meat and dairy products in pasticci di carne {pieces of rabbit and meat pastries} (Aim having enough to eat had an enormous significance. Early been jealously spied upon by their neighbours, who were only Lent, the quatuor temporum vigilii, and other days on which 14A, case 2, fol.24: 28 August, 1595). Stagno explained to modern society was marked by a culture in which all dreamt too happy to report them to the Inquisition Tribunal for the the Holy Church prohibits us” (AIM 6C, case 84, fol.1266). the Inquisitor that he ate meat since it was prescribed by his of eating meat, essentially because diet primarily consisted least transgression. From a window overlooking his courtyard, Inquisitor Fabio Chigi (1634-1639) - who was later elected physician as a result of a feigned sickness (AIM 14A case 2, 28 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 29

fol.24; Cassar, 1994 (a): 19). On another occasion Claretta a plate of white honey, salt, knife, bread, wine and water. The diplomatic correspondence concerned harvest throughout the Sguro, together with a group of friends, was accused of having following morning I found all the bread they had taken away from Mediterranean (Braudel, 1972, I: 244). Malta was no exception had a meal consisting of meat, ricotta {cheese}, and eggs on me the previous night...” (AIM 19B, case 46, fols. 494v-495) to the rule, and the continuous droughts made it “a land of lean days. Sguro said in her evidence that she was the only Society was heavily dependent on agricultural produce. hunger”. The island depended so heavily on the importation one who had had such a meal, and insisted that she ate meat Yet it was rare for a harvest to escape in turn all the dangers of grain from Sicily that this business activity provided a strong out of necessity, since it was prescribed by the doctor and that threatened it. Fields were relatively small and there was initiative to entrepreneurs and became the raison d’être of the approved by the Vicar General of the diocese (Cassar, 1994 always the fear of famine. A few changes in temperature and a Università of Malta and Gozo (Vassallo, 1975: 56). This in (a): 19). shortage of rainfall were enough to endanger human existence. part explains why land continued to be the most coveted of The number of days on which meat and dairy products Indeed, no major wars were fought during harvest time, while possessions. It was the safest capital, and agriculture the greatest were prohibited led to a large demand for fish, salted or the only detail of everyday life that regularly found its way into source of revenue (Braudel, 1972, I: 42). w smoked. However, fish in Malta was not always plentiful. Fishermen were few, although they were scattered all over the island (Blouet, 1972: 134). Moreover, the scope of fishing was restricted during the winter, due to weather conditions References: Cassar C. 1994(a)- Fenkata. An Emblem of Maltese Peasant Semprini, G. 1933 - Malta nella seconda metà del and rough seas. For these reasons it was common to import The evidence put forward by a notorious witch, Betta fol./s - folio/s Resistance? Ministry for Youth and the Arts, Malta. Seicento. In Archivio Storico di Malta. IV: 97-112. v. - verso Cassar C. 1994(b) - Economy, Society and Identity in Early Testa C. 1989 - The Life and Times of Grand Master fish from abroad, at times even from the North Sea. Arnaldo Caloiro, is at this point worth mentioning. Betta recalled salma - measurement of capacity for grain Modern Malta, Unpublished Ph.D dissertation. University Pinto: 1741-1773. Mid-Sea Books, Malta. scudi - early modern currency of Cambridge, England. Thompson E.P. 1971 - The Moral Economy of the Bastiano, a sailor from Hamburg, declared that he had come how previous to the Turkish siege of Malta of 1565, she had Cassar C. 1996 – Witchcraft, Sorcery and the Inquisition. A English Crowd in the Eighteenth Century. In Past Study of Cultural Values in Early Modern Malta. Mireva, and Present, 50: 76-136. “to Malta aboard a bertone (galleon) laden with a cargo of made the acquaintance of a woman from the village of Zebbug, Bibliography: Malta. Trasselli C. 1966 - ‘Una statistica maltese del xvi secolo’. called Ginaina, who had become rich since a group of fati Primary Sources Cutajar D. & Cassar C. 1985 – ‘Malta’s role in Mediterranean Economia e Storia: 474-480. salted fish” (AIM 17, case 93, fols.95-104: 9 March, 1600). A) Cathedral Museum Mdina affairs:1530-1699’, Mid-Med Bank Report and Accounts , Vassallo A.M. 1975 - Prices of Commodities in Malta: {fairies} helped her produce large amounts of linen. Indeed i. ACM - Archives of the Cathedral Chapter Mdina 23-59. Mid-Med Bank Ltd., Malta. 1530-1630, Unpublished B.A.(Hons.) thesis. (Miscellanea) Davies T.B. 1985 - ‘Village Building in Sicily: an aristocratic University of Malta, Malta. The Standard Diet Ginaina became so rich that she did not have enough space Ms. 438 Nos. 1, 2 & 4. remedy for the crisis of the 1590s’. Clark P. (ed), The Vianello C.A. 1936 - Una relazione inedita di Malta nel Ms. 440 European Crisis of the 1590s. George Allen & Unwin, 1582. In Archivio Storico di Malta. VII: 280-303. Diet remained pretty much the same over the centuries, to keep the money. One morning Betta went to ask her for ii. AIM - Archives of the Inquisition of Malta London. Wettinger G. 1969 - The Militia List of 1419-1420: (Criminal Proceedings) Dessoulavy C. 1937 - Malta in the Middle Ages. In Journal A new starting point for the study of Malta’s particularly for the lower classes. The Maltese ate little meat, fire and noticed that Ginaina had already prepared the table. Ms. 3A of the Maltese University Literary Society, II nos.10-12: population. In Melita Historica, V: 80-106. Ms. 6C 537-544. Malta. Wettinger G. 1982 - Agriculture in Malta in the late cheap fish, and poor-quality cheese. Bread was the staple The table was covered with a clean white table-cloth, with MS. 14A Donna D’Oldenico A. 1964 - Redditi e spese dell’Ordine Middle Ages. In Proceedings of History Week 1981. Ms. 17 Militare Gerosolimtano di Malta nel 1587, Cirié, Rome. (Ed,) Buhagiar M.:1-48. Malta Historical Society, commodity and remained so at least until the early 20th bread, salt, honey and a knife. Betta wondered why Ginaina Ms. 19B Falcone P. 1933 - Una “Relazione di Malta” sulla fine del Malta. had prepared her lunch so early. On asking her next door Ms 40A Cinquecento. In Archivio Storico di Malta. IV: 1-55. Wettinger G. 1986 - The Arabs in Malta. In Mid-Med century (Cassar, 1988: 101). Ms 52A Fenech K. 1970 - Idjomi Maltin. National Press, Malta. Bank Ltd, Malta – Studies of its Heritage and neighbour, a woman called Xellusa, Betta was told that Ms 147B Fiorini S. 1987 - Carnij per lu carnivalj. In Melita Historica. History, 87-104. Interprint, Malta. B) National Library of Malta IX: 311-314. Winkelmann E. 1880 - Acta Imperii inedita saeculi XIII Ginaina prepared a meal for the fati who helped her produce i. AOM - Archives of the Order of Malta Fiorini S. 1993 - Malta in 1530. In Mallia-Milanes V. (Ed,) et XIV. I. Innsbruck. Mss. 261, 663, 1466; 6421 Hospitaller Malta 1530-1798. Studies on Early Modern so much linen6 (Cassar, 1996: 21; cf. AIM 19B, case 46, ii. Univ. - Università Malta and the Order of St John of Jerusalem: 111-198. Ms. 13 Mireva, Malta. End Notes fols.490-491: 15 October, 1600). iii. Libr. – Library Manuscripts Fsadni M. 1971 – Id-Dumnikani fil-Belt. Veritas Press. Malta. 1 Malta was so much deprived of vegetation that Ms. 1220 Fsadni M. 1974 – Id-Dumnikani fir-Rabat u l-Birgu. Il-Óajja. sailors nicknamed it l’isola bianca {white island} On 25 June, 1601, in the course of her second Malta. since it looked barren from afar. Bibliotheca Appostolica Vaticana Grima J.G. 1979 - “Gente di Capo” on the galleys of the Order 2 Yet bread with cheese seems to have been the most The number of days interrogation, Betta Caloiro recalled how she had had an BAV - Fondo Chigi A.I. 32: letter by Fabio Chigi to in the first half of the Seventeenth Century. In Hyphen popular meal in the early seventeenth century. Antonio Chigi - 19 March, 1637. (Kindly brought to – A Journal of Melitensia and the Humanities. II: 51-70. Among the spells Margarita Bertone taught to Maria on which meat and dairy products intimate relationship with the devil farfarello since the age my attention by Mr Kenneth Gambin) Kamen H. 1985 - Inquisition and Society in Spain in the Gagliarda in 1617, was to throw three pieces of bread of twelve. One would notice that Betta changed some details Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Weidenfeld, and cheese out of the window and say: Così come were prohibited led to a large demand Secondary Sources London. la gente non possono stare sensa magnare pane et from the deposition of 22 August 1600, regarding the first Anonymous 1915 - Relazione di Malta e suo Inquisitoriato Le Grand L. 1895 - Relation du pelegrinage a Jerusalem de frumaggio così l’amico non possa stare sensa venire for fish, salted or smoked. dell’Inquisitore Federico Borromeo. In Malta Letteraria, Nicolas de Martoni, notaire Italien: 1394-1395. In Revue dalla tale che l’ama. {As people cannot live without encounter with farfarello: II: 47-56,115-120,149-153,185-191. de l’Orient Latin, III: 578-579. eating bread and cheese, likewise the loved one However, fish in Malta Aymard M & Bresc H. 1975 - Nourritures et consommation Luttrell A.T. 1975 - Approaches to Medieval Malta. In Luttrell cannot live without returning to his beloved}. “When I was a twelve-year old girl, I was living at Burmola en Sicile entre XIVe et XVIIIe siécle. In Annales A.T. (Ed,) Medieval Malta. Studies on Malta before the 3 Grima refers to the lack of records of individual was not always plentiful Économies,. Sociétés, Civilisations. Année 30: 592-599. Knights: 1-70. The British School at Rome, London. wages for the Order’s galley employees. These do not {later renamed Cospicua} near the garden of St Helen. One day I Blouet B. 1972 - The Story of Malta. Faber, London. Luttrell A.T. 1987 - Ibn Hauqal and tenth century Malta. In seem to be available before circa 1650. Bosio I. 1602 - Dell’Istoria della Sacra Religione et Ill.ma di Hyphen – A Journal of Melitensia and the Humanities. 4 There was an increased demand for meat during was cooking a cabbage soup and I was hit by a strong wind in my S. Gio Gerosolimitano. III. Rome. V: 157-160. Carnival time. In 1468 a decree issued by the Mdina Braudel F. 1972 - The Mediterranean and the Micallef G. 1975 – Óal-Luqa Niesha u Ìrajjietha. Town Council warned that in Carnival time meat neck... - from which it took me around four months to recover Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II, I . English Peri I. 1978 - Uomini, Città e Campagna in Sicilia dall’XI al prices were to remain under control. - and I immediately saw six young boys who had frilled clothes of translation Collins, London & New York. XIII secolo. Laterza, Bari. 5 Io per Dio gratia fo la Quaresima con buona salute, Braudel F. 1981 - Civilization and Capitalism, I: The Phelps Brown E.H. & Hopkins S.V. 1962 (a) - Seven centuries magno sempre all’entrare a pranzo un arancio di different colours and that evening I prepared bread and left it in a Structures of Everyday Life. English translation. Collins, of Building Wages. In Carus-Wilson E.M. (Ed,), Essays in mezzo sapore con zucchero e bevo le mie solite tre London & New York. Economic History. II: 167-178. Edward Arnold, London. volte vino con ove e stata la pimpinella per sei hore wooden box which I kept at home. At night, while I was sleeping, Bresc H. 1975 - The “Secrezia” and the Royal Patrimony Phelps Brown E.H. & Hopkins S.V. 1962 (b)- Seven centuries avanti, fuggo ogni salume e la passo con minestre in Malta:1240-1450. In Luttrell A.T. (Ed,) Medieval of the Prices and Consummables, compared with Builders bianche e verdi, poco pesce, dattili, fichi secchi, I heard intense noises coming from the house [kitchen?] and having Malta. Studies on Malta before the Knights: 126-162. “Wage Rates”. In Carus-Wilson E.M. (Ed,), Essays in olive e altre minutie. The British School at Rome, London. Economic History. II: 179-196. Edward Arnold, London. 6 According to Betta, Ginaina became so attached to woken up, I heard the munching of eating in such a way that it Camporesi P. 1989 - Bread of Dreams. English translation. Porter R. 1989 - Preface. In Camporesi P., Bread of Dreams. her wealth that during the Turkish siege of 1565 she Polity Press, Oxford. Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Europe: 1-16. English left beleagured Birgu {later renamed Vittoriosa} to seemed as if a large number of people were eating. When I went Caplan P. 1994 – Feasts, Fasts, Famine: Food for Thought. translation Polity Press, Oxford. recover her goods at the village of Zebbug; she was Oxford University Press, Oxford. Quintin d’Autun J. 1536 - Insulae Melita Descriptio (Lyons caught by the Turks, and no one heard about her to check in the morning I found no bread left in the house... When Cassar C. 1988 - Everyday life in Malta in the Nineteenth 1536). In Vella H.C.R. (Ed,) The Earliest Description of whereabouts since. and Twentieth Centuries. In Mallia-Milanes V. (Ed,) Malta. DeBono Enterprises 1981. Malta. I spoke to my neighbour about the matter, she told me that they The British Colonial Experience 1800-1964: The Impact Schermerhorn E.W. 1929 – Malta of the Knights. London. were fati and suggested that I should prepare the table for them with on Maltese Society: 91-126. Mireva, Malta. 30 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 31

vietnamThis year, KD travel organised the first ever This year, however, the rainy season was late and there was Vietnam tour from Malta, with a total much more rain than usual. In fact, Vietnam experienced its worst floods in ten years. Hundreds of people died and of 26 people, including the tour leader. there were approximately half a million homes destroyed. The tour was planned for November, which The worst-hit areas were the central provinces around Hue, Hoi An and Danang. Hue and Hoi An provide some of the should have been an ideal time to visit highlights of any visit to Vietnam, and these floods meant that Vietnam. The rainy and typhoon season some places could not be visited. However, we made up for is usually over at this time of year; this by visiting other scenic places; there is certainly no lack of gorgeous spots to visit in Vietnam! the weather would normally be pleasant The tour started from the south, arriving in Ho Chi Minh and sunny, and the temperatures, although City, or Saigon, as many locals still call it. For those of a certain age, Saigon was continuously in the news during the hot, would not be uncomfortable. Vietnam War, or the American war, as it is obviously more fittingly called here. There are therefore, naturally, many places that call this war to mind. We visited the Presidential madelaine de martino Palace, the backdrop of the April 1975 scenes when the Director, KD Travel North Vietnamese finally completed their takeover of South 32 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 33

Vietnam, with NVA tanks breaking through the outer walls of the palace. The Presidential Palace was the headquarters of Vietnam provides a travel experience the South Vietnamese president. After it was taken over by that is unique in its own way, the north, and with the reunited Vietnam’s government being but which can compete with just based in Hanoi, the palace (now renamed the Reunification about anywhere in terms Palace) and its contents were kept intact, and is now visited by of the range of adventures offered tourists and locals (we saw a several groups of schoolchildren during our visit). There is a lot of memorabilia on display, including the war rooms and a Huey helicopter used by President Van Thieu. Another American War memory in Saigon is the War Remnants museum. This museum was previously known as the Museum of American and Chinese War Crimes, but the name was changed, either because it is more politically correct, or, more probably, because it made good sense in view of rising tourism figures. Whatever the name, it still contains the same things: hundreds of photographs of atrocities, deformed killed in the tunnels in 10 years. The Cu Chi district was foetuses in glass jars, the effects of napalm and phosphorus, and assaulted, using the full battery of modern warfare. Defoliants the after-effects of Agent Orange defoliation. The courtyard were sprayed and 20-tonne bulldozers carved up the area in is full of tanks, bombs, planes and helicopters, while a room search of tunnels. Then it was carpet-bombed: 50,000 tonnes by the side of the courtyard contains a guillotine, last used were dropped on the area in 10 years by B52 bombers, as by the French in the 1950s on a Vietnamese dissident leader. evidenced by the huge bomb craters still to be seen in the area. Another room contains a copy of a prison cell. A room in The Cu Chi tunnels have now been turned into a tourist the main building is dedicated to war photographers and their attraction. Visitors are shown a grainy, black-and-white film of pictures. The photos include shots from Robert Capa’s last roll the tunnels during the war. Then there are a series of booby of film before he stood on a land mine on 25th May 1954. traps laid for the Americans: man-sized, iniquitous-looking It would, however, be a mistake to simply identify Saigon traps. Now there are also Madame-Tussaud-like wax figures, with the American War. It is a vibrant city, with seemingly and also working mannequins, for example a man sawing chaotic traffic consisting mainly of bicycles and small wood. This latter attraction may seem a tad kitschy, but it motorbikes. Crossing the road feels like taking your life into serves its purpose! Then you can actually try out the tunnels. your own hands; however, there is a certain order to the traffic, This section is actually widened for us burly foreigners; the and if you set off purposefully, you can make it across safely, as original tunnels were Vietnamese-size; 80cm high, and the the riders can calculate what you are going to do. But if you opening at ground level was just 22 cm by 30cm! So one can hesitate, then you’ve had it, and you’re stuck in the middle of only imagine what it must have been like actually living in the road with traffic swirling around you! these tunnels beneath the ground. The tunnels open out into In the south, we did not just stay in HCM City itself. On sleeping quarters, kitchens, living areas and even hospitals a one-day trip, we visited two famous attractions, the Cu Chi and schools, but still, the Vietnamese needed to pass through Tunnels and the Caoi Dai temple. these narrow tunnels to get in and out. At the end of the The Cu Chi Tunnels, about 40km northwest of Saigon, visit, you can also go to a firing range to try out your hand with were used by the Viet Cong (VC) while the South Vietnamese an AK-47 assault rifle, an M16 or a hand gun. And of course and the Americans were still nominally in control of South there is the obligatory souvenir shop, where one can sample Vietnam; some 200 km of tunnels were dug out between 1960 and purchase the local delicacy - snake wine. The wine bottle and 1970. And all this was done underneath the noses of the actually contains a pickled snake! US and South Vietnamese armies. The other attraction on this day trip was the Cao Dai The Cu Chi tunnels were used as the base from which the Temple, 96 km northwest of the city. The Cao Dai (literally VC mounted the Tet (New Year) Offensive in 1968. When meaning “high place”) is a syncretic religion founded in the Americans first discovered this underground network 1920, when civil servant Ngo Van Chieu declared that he on their doorstep, they simply pumped gas down the tunnel communicated with the spirit world and made contact with openings and then set off explosives. Around 50,000 VC were the Supreme Being. The Cao Dai pantheon of saints includes 34 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 35

of the emperors built on the banks of the same river. Hue to 1954, and became the capital of North Vietnam after the was the capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty, Vietnamese won the independence of North Vietnam from which ruled Vietnam between 1812 and 1945, when the last the French, in the renowned battle of Dien Bien Phu. And of emperor, Bao Dai, abdicated the throne. The Imperial City at course it became the capital of a reunited Vietnam in 1975. Hue was built on the same principles as the Forbidden Palace One of the best parts of Hanoi is the 36 Streets area of the old in Beijing. It is enclosed by thick outer walls, along with city, just north of the Hoan Kiem Lake. These narrow streets moats, canals and towers, while inside the walls there are a are named after the products that were – and sometimes still series of buildings, housing the emperor, his family, courtiers, are - sold there: Basket Street, Paper Street, Silversmith’s bodyguards and servants. There is a massive flag tower from Street, Tin Street, etc. The dwellings in this area are known which the flag of the National Liberation Front flew for 24 as nha ong, tube houses; they have narrow shop fronts, days during the Tet Offensive of 1968. A lot of the imperial sometimes only three metres wide, but which can stretch back city was bombed and flattened during this period, and so there from the road for up to fifty metres. is much less to see than in Beijing’s Forbidden City. In fact, Traditionally a Communist country, Vietnam also has you can still see bullet holes in some of the buildings. its own embalmed hero, similar to Lenin in Russia and Mao Another intriguing site in Hue is the Thein Mu Pagoda. Zedong in China. The Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is on Ba The pagoda itself is very attractive and well-laid out, replete as it is with Buddhist monks tending bonsai trees. However, the Buddha, Lao Tzu (the master of Taoism), Confucius, Quan this pagoda also houses the Austin car used by monk Thich Cong (the Chinese God of war) and Jesus. Victor Hugo, Vietnamese poet Nguyen Binh Khiem and Chinese nationalist Sun Yat Sen also enter the picture. The service, every day at noon, is a very colourful one. The Cao Dai head priests wear From Saigon we travelled by plane to Danang airport, white, with a black turban. Other priests wear red, blue and and then by bus to Hoi An. As we had heard a lot about Be warned; the boats yellow robes, signifying Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism the floods in the central part of Vietnam, it was quite a relief respectively. There are an estimated two to three million when we arrived to a cloudy but dry sky! After the bustle are rowed by one or adherents of the religion, mostly in Vietnam. The temple itself of Saigon, Hoi An makes for a pleasant change of scenery. is certainly something to see; Graham Greene in The Quiet Hoi An’s tranquil riverside setting, small scale, and its shops, two people who will American called it “the Walt Disney Fantasia of the East”; galleries and restaurants have made it one of the most popular Norman Lewis in A Dragon Apparent says that “this cathedral destinations in Vietnam. Being small, it is easily navigated on also try their best to must be the most outrageously vulgar building ever to have foot. Most of the more attractive buildings, pagodas, shops and been erected with serious intent”. restaurants can be found either just off Tran Phu Street, which sell you something! In the south, we also visited the Mekong Delta, where stretches west-east from the market to the Japanese Covered the Mekong River empties into the sea through a network Bridge, running parallel to the Thu Bon River. Unfortunately, of distributaries. The Mekong is one of the longest rivers because of the floods, Tran Phu Street was completely flooded! in the world, starting from the Tibetan plateau, flowing However, the floodwater had receded from the rest of Hoi An, through China’s Yunnan province, Burma, Thailand, Laos, so the floods did not really make much difference to our visit. Quang Duc to drive to Saigon in June 1963 to commit suicide Dinh Square, where Ho read the Declaration of Independence and finally Cambodia and Vietnam. We travelled by bus In fact, the increased height of the river provided a spectacle of through self-immolation in protest against the Diem regime’s on 2nd September, 1945. Second September thus became from Saigon, spending the night in Can Tho, and visiting boats negotiating the narrow streets, which presented us with a suppression of the Buddhist religion in favour of minority Vietnam’s National Day, and, coincidentally, Ho also died on a number of places in the area. The most picturesque are more interesting panorama than we would have otherwise had. Catholicism (Diem was a Catholic). The Austin is the car the 2nd September. The embalming of Ho’s body was actually the floating markets, where the locals use the rivers to get Hoi An is a good place to pick up handicraft souvenirs, but seen in that world-famous Malcolm Browne photo of the carried out against his own wishes; he wanted to be cremated. together, exchange goods, and sell items and produce. These its speciality is clothing, especially silk, and you will certainly monk, in a lotus position, with flames leaping from him. It is The embalming was carried out by the chief Soviet embalmer, floating markets provide a seemingly-chaotic spectacle, with not be able to leave without a piece of silk clothing - the impressive to see something that has become an indelible part Dr Sergei Debrov. Apparently he did a good job, but we boats drifting all around. However, we could relax, safe in the tailors of Hoi An are famous for their expertise and ability to of history. cannot vouch for it; the mausoleum is closed at this time of knowledge that these miniscule instruments of mercantilism put together a made-to-measure suit in one day. On our last day in Hue, we visited the Minh Mang year, for maintenance on the body. Our local guide told us did not pose any danger to us, even when small boats After two nights in Hoi An and the nearby attractions, tomb, probably the most famous of the imperial tombs, that the body used to be sent to Russia, but nowadays the approached our boat to try to sell us soft drinks, fruit and other we travelled to Hue via the Hai Van tunnel, visiting a fishing and then travelled to Danang airport to take a flight to Vietnamese have learnt enough to carry out the maintenance items. Can Tho itself is a small town, much more manageable village on the way. Hanoi. Although Ho Chi Minh City is by far the largest themselves. than Saigon; we stayed at a hotel by the river, with the main The old imperial city of Hue stands on the banks of the city in Vietnam, Hanoi is the current capital of Vietnam. In From Hanoi we also visited Halong Bay, 110km from street providing a pleasant stroll in the evening. Huong Giang, the Perfume River, with the tomb complexes fact, it was also the capital of French Indochina from 1887 Hanoi, on an overnight trip. It must be said that nobody goes 36 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 37 David Pace interviews the International Film Director, script- to Hanoi without visiting Halong Bay. The latter is dotted Dzao, Black Hmong, Flower Hmong and the Giay. With their writer and playwright with approximately 1600 limestone outcrops called karsts. colourful costumes, especially the Flower Hmong, these people Mario Philip Geologically, these are the results of chemical action and river provide spectacular photo opportunities, while their bucolic erosion working on limestone to produce a pitted landscape way of life, still visible in the villages we visited, is in sharp Azzopardi looks a at the end of the last ice age. When the glaciers melted, this contrast to modern-day life in Vietnamese cities. very young 60 and area was flooded with seawater, turning the hills into islands. On the last full day in the north, we visited the famous when he joined us Whatever the reason, the bay is now a beautiful, sometimes Tam Coc caves in the Ninh Binh province, about 95 km south for lunch at “The eerie place, especially when it is calm and misty, with the of Hanoi. This area, situated in the Red River delta region, is Pembroke Suite” we limestone islands rising out of the water like sentinels. Then sometimes known as “Halong on land”. The Tam Coc caves realised that his ideas there are a number of caves dotted around the bay and on the are situated along the Ngo Dong River. To see the caves, we were very young too! islands, formed by the same erosive action, and with fantastic boarded a number of small boats, and were rowed through stalactites and stalagmites, which, with some imagination, turn an extremely charming landscape, dominated by rice fields into animals and demons. a and karst towers. The route includes floating through three Sapa, a former hill station in Northwest Vietnam, is one of natural caves, their roofs just a few metres above the water. the highlights of Vietnam. The Sapa area is home to a number This meant that we had to duck in order to pass through these of indigenous minority people. A trip to Sapa includes visits caves. Also, be warned; the boats are rowed by one or two to their villages, where as many as three or four minorities live people who will also try their best to sell you something! peacefully side by side, intermingling but not marrying each Vietnam provides a travel experience that is unique in its other. These indigenous groups live in an area encompassing own way, but which can compete with just about anywhere the Yunnan province of China, Thailand, Laos and northern in terms of the range of adventures offered. We are sure that Vietnam. There are up to ten minority groups in northwest each person in the tour group will treasure many unforgettable Vietnam, and during our visit we saw the Red Dzao, White memories of their time in Vietnam. w A Man with a Vision

ario is one of a handful of locals who have made a name the majority of special effects were not computer-generated. Mfor themselves abroad. Easily one of the most prolific Mario Philip Azzopardi describes the series as one of the and experienced directors in Canada and the United States, most challenging he has ever worked on. He explained that he specialises in introducing new TV series on the market and most of the effects had to be laboriously produced either KW 15 Industrial Estate is quite well-known in the world of fandom for directing many using extensive camera work and trickery, or time-consuming Corradino, Paola PLA 3000 seminal Science Fiction series including classic episodes of physical visual effects. This made The Flash one of the The Outer Limits and the STARGATE SG-1 pilot. The most expensive series of its time, but it paved the way for Tel: 21 822199/5 21 666199 latter went on to become one of the longest-lived and most future SPFX-laden Science Fiction and superhero series that Fax: 21666186 successful Science Fiction TV series of all time, reaching an had it much easier by relying heavily on computer effects E-mail [email protected] unprecedented 10 seasons a year ago and spawning an equally (CGI). Mario Philip, as he is affectionately known to his popular spin-off, STARGATE ATLANTIS. A few months friends, also directed big-budget films such as Nowhere to ago, one of the first of several STARGATE TV films, THE Hide, starring Kevin Costner, Meg Ryan and Christopher BTI Shop ARK OF TRUTH, was released, a further proof of how strong Plummer; and the controversial Savage Messiah. With Shop 13, City Gate Arcades this franchise has become. a twinkle in his eye, he describes Plummer as one of the most Corradino, Paola PLA 3000 The Flash proved to be a hit in the 1990’s and was difficult actors he has ever worked with. Although he spends one of the first big-budget superhero TV series in an era when most of the time in Canada and the United States, Mario has Tel: 21246138 E-mail [email protected] 38 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 39

never forgotten Malta and declares loudly that he is proud average 2 million dollars each will amount to about 44 million all top-notch. It’s the script-writing which is poor. It is still to be Maltese, so proud that he returned here for a month to dollars, which is also quite a good sum of money to get. Even parochial, unrealistic and dragging. Not so different from what finish a project he had started thirty years ago. a medium-sized film costs 50 million and efforts should also be we had in the seventies. made to target these too. What is the reason that you returned to Malta to finish Sulari? The Maltese Falcon Productions wasn’t really aimed at Do you think that this is the case because it’s what the Sulari Fuq Strada Stretta was the reason why I left Malta getting films here, but was supposed to promote the creation people want? and although today I do not regret that decision, at the time of a local film industry and although I sunk a sizeable amount That may be true, but people also like drugs and children I was only 26 years old and I was furious. I wanted to produce of money into it, nothing came out of it due to a variety of like to watch violent movies. Do we let them? People have theatre that was satirical and socially-driven and once the factors. So many things have been said about this and I won’t a right to be educated in an entertaining way. Why should Manoel Theatre found out that my play had prostitutes, repeat them again. The fact is that there wasn’t enough the younger generation grow up with such a poor mental corrupt priests and strong language, they censored it. I took interest and the usual thing happens; you get a lot of people stimulation? It’s a fact that things that stimulate children and them to court and lost, but I had Agatha Barbara and Herbert who are more interested in how such a policy will affect them adolescents increase their intelligence and make them better Agius Ferrante against me and at that time they wielded a rather than the country. There is also the usual truism that prepared for society. Isn’t it the government’s duty to see that lot of power. Now I’m back because Sulari was a labour of politicians say lots of things but when it comes to facts … well, they are given the right mental stimulation so that they don’t love and I wanted to finish it, so I was really satisfied that it you know! all end up layabouts? Investing in “good” TV is like investing attracted crowds at the Manoel Theatre. in education. If you continue giving them the same fare, year But there seems to be a market… A few years ago, we got after year, they’ll become zombified in front of the TV. What about your love affair with Science Fiction? Gladiator, Troy, U-571, Munich… all big films. What Malta has always made its presence felt I regard Science Fiction as the literary man’s attempt to about the recent film policy? Can it help? So what’s the solution? replace God and it’s such an interesting concept, because it I’ve been pressing for a film policy for such a long time The solution is to stimulate the nation’s pride in the same and when the Maltese find something allows a great deal of artistic freedom, especially in a visual and there are some interesting aspects to it, such as the idea way the Eurovision Song Contest seems to do. We’re such a that unites them, they go crazy. medium such as film. It’s the reason why I keep returning to that it should be tax-free and that only part of the profits are small nation without any natural resources and yet we’ve always That’s why there’s so much sentiment Science Fiction because there are so many ways to explore taxed so that even if the production fails or doesn’t break even, made ourselves heard. It’s a historical thing. We fought against tied to the Eurovision Song Contest such a loaded theme and at the same time tell a good story. all is not lost for the production company. You cannot get a the Turks and kept them off our tiny island; we were the most film-maker here who will spend millions and expect him to heavily-bombarded country during the Second World War, and I know that during 1996 you were the main driving force pay tax on the money he’s investing. I would go further and never relented. We improved and developed throughout the behind the Maltese Falcon Productions. What happened to it? suggest that a governmental fund of a couple of million dollars ages, notwithstanding who our keepers were. Malta has always The problem here is that we describe Malta as a film should be created which can be used to co-produce projects made its presence felt and when the Maltese find something production centre when actually it’s a service centre. Once with foreign investors and the profit, even if it is modest, is that unites them, they go crazy. That’s why there’s so much and some are easily as equipped as foreign studios… The idea in a while a blockbuster comes along and we provide it with circulated back into the fund, so that there is always some sentiment tied to the Eurovision Song Contest. It’s something is that foreign productions use local help who will be earning whatever its director wants. But blockbusters are few and money for local houses who want to have a go at the foreign the Maltese can excel in so they all come out for it. We need money and training professionally at the same time. far apart and there so many film facility centres around the market. this sort of backing for a local film industry. We need to train I am more interested in the idea of a pan-Mediterranean Mediterranean that can provide similar services competently script-writers and we need to come up with ideas that are ours film company that pushes the interest of films made around and competitively that one cannot sustain an industry on these What about local productions? and at the same time speak to the entire world. the Mediterranean basin. There is an audience of over 200 alone. Only three or four blockbuster movies are made every The challenge is to remain local and produce something As an experienced director and script-writer, I offered to million people around us and there is American film, Italian year, so the competition for them is ferocious, whereas small to global – something which is relevant worldwide. I know produce a scrip-writing workshop for budding Maltese writers. film, French Film, Spanish Film but no Mediterranean film; medium budget films and TV series are much more numerous. it’s not easy. But it’s been done. I look around and see that They liked the idea, but they wanted it done for free. Now, and I’m really interested in a structure based in Malta that Unfortunately, these tend to be overlooked when simple technically there has been an enormous improvement. The I’m a professional person and I also know that professional helps to distribute and disseminate Mediterranean film which I mathematics shows that a 22-episode TV series costing an camera work, the shots, the photography and the acting are people in other sectors such as tourism and culture have been know there are a lot of examples of and that can help introduce well-paid for consultancies and professional services, so why Maltese film to other Mediterranean markets. shouldn’t I be? So it would be basically creating a market for Maltese film? I have been hearing of a Maltese School or Institute for the Yes, and at the same time stimulating Maltese film Cinematic Arts for a long time. What do you think of this idea? to improve so that its product becomes relevant to other I don’t think we actually need such a school. What we shores. Creating a new film niche out of a region which has need is the expertise and can get this by bringing professional a tremendously old culture, different religions, different ways foreign productions here. If they are aware that there is a of looking at life and so many wonderful places … this is thriving community of people who work in the cinematic arts something very exciting. Making Malta a hub of all this is a - and I think that there is - I’ve visited several different studios dream that would continue to make me proud to be Maltese. w 40 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 41

The carob tree [Ceratonia siliqua L.], which is a native of the Mediterranean region and has a long history, has contributed immensely to the populations living in the Mediterranean basin including Malta.

Through researches carried out in the recent past, it is asserted both commercially as a cottage product or at home, is very that the original species came from Arabia and the Somali popular and frequently used to soothe bouts of cough. During Republic1. The benefits man accrued from this tree resulted in Lent, especially on Good Friday, many people refrain from the spread of this species throughout the countries bordering eating sweets. However, one may consume sweets made from the Mediterranean for about four millennia. Eventually, carob pod. This tradition is still followed today.3 this species was ‘domesticated’ giving rise to a number of During World War II, the whole population of the islands THE sub-species since it displays a great variation in sexuality had to scurry underground to the safety of the shelters hewn and morphology of flowers2. This evergreen tree is therefore in the soft globigerina limestone whenever an air raid warning commonly listed in various floras of countries bordering the was given. During the long tedious hours holed up in the Mediterranean. underground shelters, the frightened people found recourse in The effect this tree had on the landscape and on prayer as the ground shuddered under a deluge of bombs. More CAROB TREE civilizations was not only due to its botanical features but also often than not during lulls in the bombing, one would notice due to its several products and by-products. During ancient an old man or woman piercing seeds of the carob beans and times, when the carob tree, as yet had not been diluted with patiently stringing them into a rosary bead, using the larger other sub-species and so the seeds had a uniform weight. The seeds for the glory bead.3 To day this craft has almost been An ancient and seeds of the carob were used as a weight to measure gold, hence forgotten but for a few silversmiths still producing on order, the word carat which is derived from the Arabic name Kirat of rosary beads made from carob beans and sterling silver wire. most beneficial tree the carob. The litter under the carob tree, a leguminous species, was In ancient times, the Maltese archipelago used to be avidly collected by village folk, to use as a complement to soil the ground for a substantial number of carob trees – much to form potting compost. This home made compost was used more than we see around us to day. The effects of piracy, the for potting herbs and decorative plants found in arrays of pots building of fortifications and of warfare installations through lining courtyards.4 In those days, imported potting compost the ages, coupled with agricultural, urban and industrial was not readily available or affordable. development, as well as the population increase, contributed to the carob tree’s drastic population decline. In some countries, the carob bean or pod was, and still is considered as a source of food for both man and beast. Malta is no exception. Locally the pods were extensively used in fodder for large farm animals such as equines and cattle as well as for smaller ones like rabbits. With the advent of balanced rations and pelleted animal feeds, this practice is not very common with farmers today. In times of food scarcity, as for instance during World War The carob bean or pod was, II, the pods were used for human consumption raw and fetched and still is in some countries, a price of ‘one penny per bean’ on the local market. Since the pod has many important chemical properties and applications, considered as a source of food it is no wonder that it attracted extensive international for both man and beast. research programmes. Malta is no exception One of the many medicinal properties of the carob bean is its use in the preparation of cough mixtures. Locally, the Dr joseph BorG tradition of making carob syrup, known as Ìulepp tal-˙arrub, 42 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 43

The most important application today for the carob bean gum is as a thickening, binding, gelling and Although locally the carob was not grown for its timber, The carob beans, which are harvested locally in mid solutions already in high dilutions. This viscosity, which is its selected tough boughs found their way in the making of August, if not used for local consumption, are exported. The only little affected by salts, is therefore a measure of its effect stabilizing agent in a great some agricultural tools like the winnowing fan, the beam and pods are locally deseeded [a process called kibbling] to produce as a thickening agent. In industry LBG has many uses in variety of food products the board sections of the plough, as well as various parts of carob kernels and carob kibbles. The kernels are then exported different kinds of industrial products ranging from textiles, to locally built small timber fishing boats. Prunings were eagerly to be processed into long bean gum and locust germ meal while paper, to paints, to explosives, to oil well drilling additives, to stored for firewood or for charcoal. Its timber, when available, the kibbles are manufactured into animal feeds or milled into pharmaceutical and to cosmetics. However, due to financial was also used for prestigious inlaid furniture and more recently carob flour. considerations the most important application today for for creating pieces of modern sculpture out of its gnarled, However, the most interesting and valuable product of the carob bean gum is as a thickening, binding, gelling and References pitted trunks. the pod of this tree is the carob bean gum or locust bean gum stabilizing agent in a great variety of food products [from soups 1. Hillcoat, G; Lewis, E.; Vercourt, B A new species of Ceratonia [Leguminosae Caesalpinioideae] from Arabia and the Somali Republic- Kew Bulletin 35[2] 260-271 The carob tree flowers, which appear during September, [LBG] which is extracted from the kernel. The principle to ice creams] and canned pet foods.5 [1980]. 2. Mitrakos K., The Carob [Ceratonia siliqua] A Report to Tate & Lyle Ltd [1968] when most of the wild flora is dormant, are avidly foraged by component of the carob bean gum is a carbohydrate polymer, a The carob tree is a slow-growing but long-lived species. 3. Borg Joseph. ‘Il-Óarruba-G˙ajn ta’ Ìid’. Socjeta’ Agrarja Mnarja Show Programme 2006. 4. Borg Joseph. ‘Il-Gardina©© Malti’ PIN Publication, 2001. the honey bee which produce a dark amber coloured honey. polysaccharide which is built up of simple sugar units identified The carob tree should be seen as a long-term investment for 5. Proceedings of the II International Carob Symposium, Valencia, Espana 1987. Recently a new Maltese liqueur made from carob beans has as mannose and galactose. It has the valuable property of future generations, especially because of its varied beneficial been launched – adding another local souvenir item available high affinity with water, which then causes it to swell and qualities as well as the fact that it is a protected species on the to tourists. to go into solution upon heating, thereby forming viscous Maltese islands. 44 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 45

AWARDING johN MaGrI Excellence Quality Assurance Manager, Malta Tourism Authority IN HOSPITALITY

The Malta Tourism Authority is once again organising the Special Thanks And Recognition scheme better known as the STAR Awards for 2008. The awards include both service and product categories, the former are entirely tourist-driven whilst the latter require on location assessments. The awards have, year-on-year, gained in popularity and success. The numbers speak for themselves. During the pilot project in 2005 we received a few hundred nominations Quality Improvement whereas in 2007 6,000 nominations from over 700 individuals were received. The aim of this initiative is to give public • Sports Instructors Category – Martin Hall, Paradise Bay recognition to all those front line people who excelled in the Diving Centre; tourism industry. Tourists may nominate anyone working in • Taxis & Chauffeur Driven Vehicles Category – Michael the tourism or related industries. Camilleri, Belmont Garage; tAnti & MALLiA QUALitY ConsULtAnts Ltd The 2007 STAR Awards ceremony was recently held • Tourist Guides Category – Patricia Flores Martin; at the Corinthia San Ìor© and 19 STARS were awarded for • Travel Representatives Category – Fredric Pourrut, is a company which offers assistance for the improvement excellence in service or product, while the top nominees also Voyage FRAM; of quality, whether as a service or as a product. to received recognition. This lively event was enjoyed by all As an incentive for tourists to participate, there is a prize support this, the company has opened its own testing and present, not least thanks to the hilarious sketches offered by consisting of complimentary flights (courtesy of Air Malta) development laboratory . the lab can do all the analysis ZOO. and accommodation for two persons. The lucky tourist for

that is related to food, water (drinking , swimming pool, During the event 14 people were awarded from the service 2007 is from the UK and he will be coming over during the [email protected] m cooling towers, production plants) and environmental categories with up to 4 finalists being short listed for each month of September. issues (effluents, drains, air etc). in short, a complete of these STAR categories. The 14 STAR performers each Through the STAR scheme the MTA also awarded good package. received a certificate, an 18ct gold lapel-pin and €800 cash quality tourism products. Five awards were given in total and prize, whereas the remaining finalists received a certificate and these were selected by the adjudicating panel which was made the company also uses the laboratory to give hands a cash prize of €150. up of people from various related entities. The prize for these on training and to develop the skills of the workers in The STAR winners in the service categories for 2007 categories was a certificate, a wooden plaque and €800. The terms of hygiene. Courses are available in food handling, were: runners-up received a certificate and a cash prize of €150. HACCP, cleaning where the course is more focused on • Boatmen Category – Stuart Burke, Captain Morgan; The STAR winners in the product categories were: the training (hands-on and inter activity) rather then the • Bus Drivers Category – Paul Farrugia; • Best Festa Stall – ‘Iz-Zebbugi Hawn’ (Robert Caruana) just lectures. the lab is used to continually monitor the • Coach and Mini Bus Drivers Category – Michael • Best Fixed Kiosk – Tony’s Ice-Cream, Bu©ibba (Anthony workers. Butti©ie©, Zarb Coaches; Catania) • General – Alfred Galea, Society of St. Mary, Mqabba; • Best Tourist Shop – Limestone Heritage, Si©©iewi (Manuel the Company also offers design of food production areas, • Heritage Sites, Museums & Places and Interest Category Baldacchino) HACCP (both implementation and certification), Quality – Ronnie Said, Classic Car Museum; • Most Attractive Public Garden (Managed by a local certification, packaging and product development, risk • Horse-Drawn Cab Drivers Category – David Debattista; council) – ‘Ìnien is-Serenita’ Garden of Serenity, Santa assessments for the hospitality industry. it also offers • Hotels Category (Food and Beverage) – Rita Butigieg, Luçija legal support in cases of litigation. Cavalieri; • Most Attractive Square – ‘Misra˙ il-Knisja’, Safi • Hotels Category (Front Office and Housekeeping) – John Nomination forms for the STAR scheme covering the finally the company is iso 9001:2000 registered. Bamber, 115 The Strand; service categories are available at various points, including • Restaurants Category – Antonio Pané, Sottovoce; hotels, restaurants, the airport, taxis, coaches and many more. • Shop Assistants/ Owners Category – Sylvia Grech, Mgarr STAR performers of 2007 will not be eligible for the 2008

tAnti & MALLiA QUALitY ConsULtAnts Ltd Tourist Services; awards. w For further information kindly contact the Quality Assurance Unit on 22915272 or 2030 KBiC Kordin industrial estate, Kordin PLA 3000 tel: 2398 0150 / 160 • Mobile: 9949 0254 • fax: 2143 5411 • email: [email protected] • www.tantiandmallia.com 46 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 47

The geographical position of the Maltese Islands has made possible the good contacts throughout history with the largest neighbouring island, namely Sicily. There have been various connections which ultimately influenced the development of certain spheres, such as the political, social, linguistic, cultural and gastronomic. This connection has sometimes been forgotten, or else not given the importance that it merits. In this presentation, I will try to illustrate a few examples of the prehistoric connections that existed between the two Mediterranean Islands. Reflections on Prehistoric Connections between Malta & Sicily

VINCENT ZAMMIT

A lecturer at ITS, in History and Guiding Techniques. He is also Director of the Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies. He has taught history at Secondary, post Secondary and University level. He presented cultural and heritage related programmes on local national television and radio stations, and published extensively in various local publications. He has published studies about general Maltese history, museums, fortifications, archaeology and the period of the Knights of St John. 48 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 49

Introduction Palaeolithic Man have been identified, the most important The Maltese Islands are only a few kilometres away from being at the Cala dei Genovesi on the island of Levanzo, the the larger island of Sicily. This close connection between In a recent study (Pavia 2001, complex of Addaura at Mt Pellegrino (Palermo) and at the these two islands has given rise to a lot of similarities and 498) it has been suggested that Grotta dell’Uzzo, in the Riserva dello Zingaro (Spoto, 2002: connections throughout the passage of time. One would in Sicily three major sites which 8-27). For this reason, recent studies are suggesting that human immediately notice the various historical connections that presence in Malta goes back to even earlier times than the have been recorded between the two. It can also be pointed have provided a certain amount Neolithic: out that Sicily has always acted as the benevolent neighbour of faunal remains have been Human beings colonized most of the Mediterranean to the smaller Maltese Islands, even when Malta did not form identified, amongst which there is islands prior to the Neolithic period. Malta was part of Sicily part of the same political unity. Yet, these links go far beyond the elephas mnaidrensis during this time; Sicily was populated by Palaeolithic man the political and economic situations. during the Ice Age. By inference alone therefore, the land A look at the geological formation of the Maltese Islands Malta formed part of, was peopled by Palaeolithic man during will instantly illustrate the significance of understanding the the Pleistocene (Mifsud and Mifsud, 1997: 27). geology of Sicily and the Central Mediterranean in order to follow the development of the Maltese geological formation The Maltese Prehistoric Chronology (Pedley, Hughes Clarke and Galea, 2002: 89-98). The various During the last decades, the study of Maltese prehistory valleys that are still to be seen in Malta were all the result has taken a more academic and structured analysis of the of the large amount of water that passed through these lands material that has been recovered from the various sites around when the islands were an appendage to the larger Sicilian the two main islands. The dates have been re-calibrated and mainland. There were times when certain types of animals The remains of dwarf animals from this period have been In a recent study (Pavia 2001, 498) it has been suggested this has also provided us with an earlier human presence on were roaming the Central Mediterranean, only to be stranded recorded in various parts of Sicily and Malta, besides other that in Sicily three major sites which have provided a certain the islands. Meanwhile, the studies have created a number when the sea levels rose up. This particular period goes back to Mediterranean Islands. In 1862, after having studied some amount of faunal remains have been identified, amongst which of divisions in order for the Prehistoric period to be better the last great Ice Age, which ended around 18,000 to 15,000 remains that had been discovered in Malta, Hugh Falconer there is the elephas mnaidrensis. These are a fissure exposed in understood and followed. There are three main periods, years ago. During this period large masses of ice accumulated a Scottish palaeontologist, suggested that there was a good an abandoned quarry in S Vito Lo Capo peninsula; Acquedolci namely Early Neolithic, Late Neolithic or Temple and Bronze. so much water that it is believed that a substantial drop in case for these remains to be referred to as elephas melitensis, in Northern Sicily; and Contrada Fusco in the suburbs of Each one of these main divisions has been subdivided once sea levels was witnessed in various parts of the world. In the having been discovered and identified first on the island of Syracuse. These are definitely not the only places where the more. These subdivisions have been given the names of the Mediterranean region it is thought that a drop of between 120 Malta (Palombo 2001, 486). Subsequently, in further studies fossil remains of these dwarf elephants have been discovered. type sites where the pottery designs associated with these and 130 metres in sea level was noted. This meant that the sea it was learned that there was more than just one type of Closer to the Maltese Islands, at Cava Grande del Cassibile, in divisions were first identified. Thus, the Maltese prehistoric level between the Maltese Islands and Sicily had clearly been dwarf elephants, and the other names of elephas falconeri Contrada Spinagallo (Burgaretta 1992, 13-37) whole skeletons sequence (Cilia 2004, 18) is as follows: dry land. The Egadi and the Maltese Islands formed part of and elephas mnaidrensis were coined. These same types of of these elephants in caves have been discovered. In further the Sicilian land mass during the Ice Age (Mifsud and Mifsud elephant remains were to be recognized in Sicily as well. In studies it has been reported that mixed with the animal fossil Period Phase Date 1997, 17). It is therefore clear why the same type of animal further studies it has been asserted that these elephants are in remains there were also implements suggesting the presence Early Neolithic Ghar Dalam 5200 - 4500 remains have been discovered on both Sicily and Malta. fact endemic to both Sicily and Malta. This clearly indicates of humans contemporary with these particular animals Grey Skorba 4500 - 4400 The Maltese Islands rest on the so-called Hyblaean-Malta that the two islands were connected during these times, and (Burgaretta 1992, 14). Red Skorba 4400 - 4100 escarpment, which was also to affect the Maltese islands during that they shared a common fauna. It is believed that when This particular detail is still, as yet, being debated in Later Neolithic Zebbug 4100 - 3800 the infamous earthquake of January 1693. In other studies, these animals reached the Maltese Islands, they would have Malta. Recent suggestions have indicated that there could Mgarr 3800 - 3600 the same area is referred to as the Malta plateau, and from the already undergone a degree of dwarfism in nearby Sicily have also been a connection between the two islands even Ggantija 3600- 3000 geological maps of the Central Mediterranean it is clear that (Zammit Maempel 1989, 50). At the same time it is also during the presence of Neanderthal Man of the Magdalenian Saflieni 3300 - 3000 this plateau is an integral geological part of Sicily. being suggested that further studies might provide a different Culture. It is being suggested that besides Ghar Dalam, Tarxien 3000 – 2500 With the melting of the ice cap and the subsequent scenario about these dwarf animals and their evolution there are traces at Ghar Hasan, at the prehistoric Temples of Bronze Age Tarxien Cemetery 2500 – 1500 increase in the sea water levels, the islands started to separate (Palombo 2001, 488). Tarxien and even the underground complex of the Hypogeum Borg in-Nadur 1500 - ? once more. The animals that then inhabited these islands In the Maltese context the remains of these animals have (Mifsud and Mifsud: 1997). Bahrija 900 – 8th century BC tended to become smaller in order to survive the changing been associated mostly with Ghar Dalam, a cave of great This brings us to a particular detail. Although it is still environment. During various excavation campaigns in both importance to the early history as well as to the evidence generally believed that the first permanent human settlement Throughout these phases, covering more than 4000 years, Malta and Sicily a number of such animal remains were that it provides regarding the first settlers in Malta. Here, an of the Maltese Islands dates back to the Neolithic Period contact with Sicily and with other neighbouring lands seems identified. On entering the Museo Archeologico Regionale Italian archaeologist Arturo Issel discovered this cave and - around 5200 BC - due to the fact that the islands formed a to have been continuous. Whether these contacts were carried di Siracusa, amongst the first exhibits one finds the elephas its importance to the better understanding of the formation land bridge with Sicily in the previous millennia, this needs out on a frequent basis or not is hard to conclude. Yet, sea falconeri. Besides other animals the elephas mnaidrensis and of the Maltese Islands. Other animal remains have been to be looked into. Sicily is known to have provided academics voyages, first to populate the islands, and then to actually the hippopotamus pentlandi have also been identified. discovered in various parts of the islands. with a number of important sites where the presence of the continue with the little trade that was needed, seem to have 50 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 51

been maintained throughout the long prehistoric period of the The first permanent settlers in Malta had arrived from Maltese Islands. Sicily. They had managed to cross over on some kind of boats, and their achievements can be referred to as being substantial, Prehistoric Malta when one considers that they also brought over to the Maltese The arrival of the first human in Malta is dated to about islands a good number of already domesticated animals. They 5200 BC. The earliest trace of human occupation has been brought along the mentality, the culture, the pottery and other unearthed in various places around the Maltese Islands, but habits or customs that they had already been accustomed to this is mostly associated with Ghar Dalam. The type of pottery while in Sicily. The type of boats that were used is unknown. that has been discovered is similar to the Stentinello Culture Yet, the trips must have been carried out in large numbers as (Trump, 2002: 29), and this immediately associates the islands it is impossible to imagine at this time of human achievement and the first permanent settlers with this important Sicilian large vessels to carry animals apart from a good number of prehistoric culture. The main characteristic of these first settlers people. The contact with their mother land and maybe with was that of a farming community. They settled in Malta and also brought with them a number of domesticated animals. These animals indicate the level of domestication that the Stentinello farmers had managed to reach by this time. These settlers succeeded in crossing the stretch of open sea that separates the islands, and this clearly indicates that they had The second and third phases some kind of knowledge of seafaring, so much so that obsidian, which is not naturally found on the Maltese islands, has been of Maltese prehistory have also discovered in various prehistoric sites. On further examination indicated that besides the trade of the finds, it has been concluded that the source of the contacts with Sicily, the settlers ... be sharp obsidian in Malta derives from Lipari and Pantelleria. The in Malta were also importing question arises as to whether these early settlers were able to navigate the open seas as far away as Pantelleria and Lipari from ideas of pottery decoration Malta. It is also interesting to note that while the Pantelleria type of obsidian was much more common during the early phases, the Lipari example was to be found later on during the Temple Culture. The Stentinello type of culture has been securely identified in the various levels, but it was mostly associated with the first permanent settlers. It is interesting that in Sicily the villages Alfa Office Centre of this culture are characterised by the rectangular huts, as well Leading the way in Office Solutions as some fortifications. There are also clear indications that sometimes the communities lived in caves (Radmilli 1978, Tav. XXI). The early settlers in Malta have been discovered in caves Alfa Co Ltd. forms part of the Alf Mizzi Group as well as open-air villages. This is known as Skorba. Although of Companies and typically focuses the huts here seem to have been other than rectangular, an on cost-effective, high Quality products 11-metre long wall has also been identified. (Trump 1966, 10). whilst surpassing customer expectations The function of the wall has not been securely identified, but it could have easily been something similar to a fortification, or Alfa office centre rather some kind of a boundary wall. The similarities of these cannon road early communities seem to indicate that they came from a st venera similar background. Still, the detail about fortifications in Malta tel: 2148 0486 does not seem to apply. There has not been anything discovered that can be referred to as a defence wall. Neither have any tools fax: 21482254 that could remotely be associated with weapons been unearthed. Email: [email protected] This seems to indicate that in Malta these early communities were not warlike at all. www.alfa.com.mt 52 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 53

During the early prehistoric phases of Malta it is clear that there was a continuous trade in obsidian and other prime material. This led to some Maltese crossing over to Sicily and trading for these important items. It is still not possible to know what kind of material was being exchanged at this time

Considering that obsidian, flint and even ochre were of great 52) or not. Another schematic design of a boat has been importance at the time, the exchange must have been rather identified on a pot, recovered from the prehistoric Temples substantial. Yet nothing has been identified that could have of Kordin III. This site is highly interesting. The ruins been used by the Maltese communities in order to get their are situated on the promontory that overlooks the Grand needs from Sicily. Another suggestion is that trade was not Harbour, probably always considered as one of the most practised as we would understand it nowadays. There could important and sheltered harbours in the Maltese Islands. have easily been the exchange of gifts between the different Within the temple a stone trough which is quite intriguing communities (Trump, 2002: 40-41), an activity which is has been discovered. The first interpretation was that of known to have been very well diffused within prehistoric a representation of a boat-like structure. Later on, other communities. archaeologists suggested that it could have been a communal The next period of Prehistoric Malta is the important quern stone, where the villagers would have participated in and unique Temple Period. During this period the megalithic a communal activity of grinding the product that Mother their previous companions seems to have been maintained, What is interesting is the fact that rather than temples of the Maltese Islands were constructed, and although Nature would have blessed them with. Yet, in recent years, although their own culture started to diverge as soon as they concentrating on one source of information, trade, and contacts with Sicily were retained, it does not seem that there archaeologists have gone back to the first interpretation, settled on the islands. Besides the already mentioned obsidian contacts, the Maltese prehistoric communities tended to keep was any influence on any Sicilian culture to develop buildings that of a symbolic representation of a sea vessel (Vella, 2004: trade, there was also another important trade in two other contact with a variety of different groups in Sicily. It could be in a similar way. Yet, once more, obsidian, ochre, flint and 30). In that case this trough becomes very important in the items – ochre and flint. Both of these minerals cannot be that the origin of the communities in Malta could have hailed some pottery seem to have been brought over to the islands understanding and interpretation of the type of vessels used found in Malta, and whatever has been discovered in Malta, from different areas in Sicily, with each one maintaining from Sicily. The Temple Culture in Malta developed its own at this time. has been identified as originating from nearby Sicily. Red contact with their mother village. During the following phase, way of construction, but its foreign contacts were maintained, Another import into Malta during this time was ochre is thought to be have been imported from the Agrigento that of Zebbug, the pottery had some common decoration, for obvious reasons. The pottery influences are rather scarce alabaster. Two small figurines were discovered at the Hal area (Trump, 2002: 211), while flint seems to have been shape and fabric with that of San Cono-Piano Notaro (Trump, during this period, although, as already stated, the presence Saflieni Hypogeum in Malta (Vella Gregory, 2005: 46-47) brought over from the Monti Iblei area behind Syracuse 1966: 50). This was also the time when the earliest rock-cut of other material seems to point to a continued sea contact and another head at Tarxien Temples (Vella Gregory, 2005: (Trump, 2002: 210). burial started to take place in Malta. It is possible that this between Sicily and the Maltese Islands. 149), both made out of alabaster. This prime material is not The second and third phases of Maltese prehistory have significant difference in the type of burial indicates the arrival At this stage it might also be imperative to mention a to be found on the islands either and it is thought that this also indicated that besides the trade contacts with Sicily, of a new group of people from Sicily. The introduction of detail which is still under a shroud of mystery. What kind of could have been imported from the Agrigento area (Trump, the settlers in Malta were also importing ideas of pottery rock-cut burial customs goes very well with the type of culture vessels did these prehistoric communities use to travel around 1966: 50). decoration. Due to the few pieces of pottery discovered to as practiced by the Cultures of San Cono-Piano Notaro and the Central Mediterranean? It is known that seafaring was The Temple Culture, besides providing us with the prime date, it is still being debated whether contacts were frequent Conzo all over Sicily (Radmilli, 1978: Tav XXXII). Village already being practised in the Eastern Mediterranean as early material imported from nearby Sicily, has also furnished or far between. Yet, Maltese prehistoric sequences seem to remains in Malta are non- existent, although the use of caves as 8000 BC (Trump, 2002: 24). The type of vessels used is archaeologists with a number of pottery pieces that seem to indicate that there was constant contact between the two as habitation places seems to have continued. This was the unknown. At Tarxien Temples, one of the many megalithic indicate another type of trade with the neighbouring Sicilian islands throughout prehistory. At this time a number of Diana same situation as experienced in Sicily. complexes that are to be found in Malta, two megaliths with prehistoric communities. These have been identified with wares have been identified. The Diana prehistoric culture was During the early prehistoric phases of Malta it is clear a number of scratched designs on them have been discovered. Piano Quartara Culture from Lipari. In the same context widely distributed. The type site is in Lipari while indications that there was a continuous trade in obsidian and other prime On further investigations they seem to be sea vessels. Yet, as the above mentioned piece, other imported pieces were show that the culture was diffused to all of Sicily and even in material. This led to some Maltese crossing over to Sicily and they are so scant, and their dates still debatable, that we are discovered, one from the Serraferlicchio culture and another Calabria, on the Italian mainland (Radmilli, 1978: Tav XXXI, trading for these important items. It is still not possible to not sure whether they are a true representation of the earliest from the Sant’Ippolito culture. All of these imported 186). know what kind of material was being exchanged at this time. prehistoric sea vessels of the Mediterranean (Muscat, 2002: pieces were discovered at the Xaghra Circle, a recently 54 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 55

re-discovered place which has been extensively excavated mentioned previously and their Maltese counterparts. This (Trump, 2002: 212). The final report of these excavations is is not to be taken as an exhaustive exercise, but rather more due to be published soon. as a point for further investigations. Throughout the study During the latter period of Maltese prehistory, a number of of Maltese prehistory, there has always been a constant pottery pieces have also been unearthed. Although these have examination of and comparison with other Sicilian prehistoric been discovered in various Sicilian sites, their origin indicates cultures. Yet, there still seems to be the need for a more co- the Eastern Mediterranean, namely Thermi and Troy. This ordinated study between the various academics in order to try can also indicate that seafaring by this time, that is, around and provide a better picture of these Central Mediterranean 2000 BC, was more adventurous than before. Longer distances Prehistoric cultures. seem to have been covered, and some of this trade might have also reached Malta, one way or another. Yet, it is much easier Period Phase Date Sicily to believe that this trade would have been carried out with Early Neolithic Ghar Dalam 5200 - 4500 Stentinello Sicilian sources, rather than the Eastern Mediterranean traders Grey Skorba 4500 - 4400 Diana reaching the islands. Otherwise, it is believed that more of Red Skorba 4400 - 4100 these pottery pieces would have been discovered. Later Neolithic Zebbug 4100 - 3800 San Cono THE PROMISE The last period of the Maltese Prehistoric sequence is the Mgarr 3800 - 3600 Bronze Age. By this time sea vessels are thought to have been Ggantija 3600 - 3000 Piano Quartara OF hardier and more efficient than in previous centuries. The Saflieni 3300 - 3000 Serrafelicchio beginning of the Bronze Age in Malta is dated to around 2500 Tarxien 3000 - 2500 Sant’Ippolito BC. This brought about a particular change to the islands, Bronze Age Tarxien which had been alien, in the previous centuries, in the ways Cemetery 2500 - 1500 Castellucio that burial practices. While rock-cut tombs seem to have been Borg in-Nadur 1500 - ? Thapsos In Malta today, the advent of the preferred way of burying one’s ancestors in the previous Relational Bahrija 900 - 8th century BC low-cost carriers have resulted centuries, during this time cremation was introduced. This is in 60% (according to latest known to have been diffused from the Eastern Mediterranean In the chronology that I have just repeated, the Sicilian MTA figures) of our visitors towards the western part, and it was adopted by various cultures contemporary with the local ones, and which have being non-traditional tourists cultures. Yet, very interestingly, this period is also associated TOURISM been identified in Maltese prehistoric sites, have been added. willing to visit the island with the Castellucio Culture from Sicily, although certain All of this point to constant, albeit non-frequent, sea voyages individually and sample its differences have been noticed. While in Malta cremation was between the islands of Malta and Sicily. It is hoped that delights independently. being practiced, burials in Sicily during the Castellucio culture further studies will identify even more early connections This reflects a current were inside natural or man-made caves (Radmilli, 1978: 192). between the two Central Mediterranean islands and their worldwide trend where the A different situation can be seen from the following people, thus providing academics with more avenues for third millennium tourist is phase in the Maltese prehistoric sequence. Some interesting further studies. w showing particular interest in conclusions surround the Borg in-Nadur period. For the first local culture and customs, and time it is believed that Maltese exports have been identified wants to actively experience in Sicilian archaeological sites. There has been Maltese Bibliography the place he visits. pottery in tombs at Thapsos and on a settlement site near Burgaretta, S. 1992, L’Opera dell’Uomo a Cava Grande del Cassibile, Libreria Editrice Urso. Cilia, D. editor, 2004, Malta Before History, Miranda Publishers, Malta. Agrigento (Trump, 2002: 273). During the last prehistoric Mifsud A. and Mifsud S. 1997, Dossier Malta – Evidence for the Magdalenian, Proprint Co. phase of Malta, it could be that distances covered by sea, and Ltd., Malta. Muscat, J. 2002, Il-Graffiti Marittimi Maltin, PIN, Malta. other means of travelling, was getting even more adventurous. Pace, A. 2004, The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum – Paola, Heritgae Books, Malta. The Fossa Grave Culture of Calabria seems to have been the Pace, A. 2006, The Tarxien Temples – Tarxien, Heritage Books, Malta. Palombo M. R. 2001, “Endemic elephants of the Mediterranean islands: knowledge, problems inspiration for a number of pottery shapes associated with the and perspectives” in The World of Elephants – International Congress, Rome, Italy. Bahrija Phase of Malta (Trump, 2002: 275). Pedley M., Huges Clarke M. and Galea P. 2002, Limestone Isles in a Crystal Sea: The Geology of the Maltese Islands, PEG. Radmilli A. M. editor, 1978, Guida alla preistoria italiana, Sansoni Editore, Firenze, Italy. david pace Spoto S. Sicilia Antica, Newton & Compton Editori, Rome, Italy. Some Conclusions David Pace currently lectures at the ITS in Tourism Sustainability. Mr. Trump, D. H. 1966, Skorba, The Society of Antiquities, London, UK. It is always a difficult thing to try and suggest conclusions, Pace has been involved with the environmental lobby since 1986 . He Trump, D. H. 2002, Malta Prehistory and Temples, Midsea Books Ltd, Malta. especially when one is dealing with prehistoric cultures. In is particularly interested in science popularisation and eco-tourism. He Vella, N. C. 2004, The Prehistoric Temples at Kordin III – Kordin, Heritgae Books, Malta. is currently involved in the EU funded PRISMA PROJECT regarding this case, the reflections cited are being used to give an idea Vella Gregory I. 2005, The Human Form in Neolithic Malta, Midsea Books Ltd., Malta. Integrated Relational Tourism and the KASA PROJECT concerning of the various characteristics of the different Sicilian cultures Zammit Maempel, G. 1989, Ghar Dalam Cave and Deposits, Malta. archaeological and environmental walks in Malta. 56 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 57

The tourist reasons that to really appreciate and enjoy a country, he must become a temporary resident and to do this, he needs the guidance and collaboration of local people

he natural beauty of a country, its rich cultural somewhat different holiday from the usual sun and sea, chooses invitation to a village fenkata to commemorate the patron Tbackground, a desire to relax and be entertained are all to stay in a small bed & breakfast in Birgu. It did not prove saint’s anniversary in which a deluge of delicious traditional important motivations that help a tourist choose a destination. easy to find such a place but he finally managed to obtain a food was served: oven-fresh Maltese bread - ftajjar with Today, we can also add the “relational” factor, something contact through the Internet. kunserva – tomato paste, garnished with black olives, capers that should captivate the tourist after a first visit to a country. Due to the business’s small size, he quickly got to know and a thick slice of ©bejna tal-bƒar - goat’s milk cheese - and In relational tourism, one can say that: “a tourist will not return the owners and half a dozen residents from three different rabbit stew. Absolutely delicious! to a country if the feeling of making new relations is not fulfilled.” countries. Salvatore had never imagined that there were Then came the Maltese singers and the plentiful home- Relational tourism depends on a mindset that the tourist pyramids in Sudan and that Avebury in England was a made wine with a kick like a mule’s! No wonder he got so would prefer to sample a country in its entirety. The tourist Neolithic burial site. He promised the Sudanese businessman friendly with Karen, a petite history teacher who helped targets a number of needs: the need of a tourist who wants to reasons that to really appreciate and enjoy a country, he must and the British major that he would visit them. organise the Maltese night together with the local council. experience a country and its people first-hand; the need for a become a temporary resident and to do this, he needs the The greatest benefit, however, was without doubt the The next few days were even better as Karen showed Salvatore tourist to be immersed in the country’s culture by interacting guidance and collaboration of local people. legendary Maltese hospitality he had heard so much about. the hidden treasures of Vittoriosa (Birgu) ranging from the with the local people and the need to be given a product that The relational factor therefore depends on the tourist’s The bed & breakfast advertised itself as family-owned and waterfront’s Maritime Museum to Fort St. Angelo’s and the is unique. demand for a relationship with the local people and the tourist providing a familiar atmosphere. It was true. Salvatore got a Inquisitor’s Palace. Another excellent quote from the PRISMA Project supply side, consisting of the ability of the country’s territory to real taste of Maltese culture and hospitality. He was shown Salvatore’s only regret was that he could only stay for a concerning Relational Tourism is that it is “A tourism stimulate, generate and sustain that relationship. Therefore, we where to get the best pastizzi at the main square’s bar and made single week. Malta was similar and yet, so different from Sicily! embedded in the territory that pivots on the small businesses and that can say that relational tourism depends on a basic relationship some friends there too, as everybody there knew Anna and One of the greatest surprises for Salvatore, for example, was increases the value of the immense cultural and natural heritage not between the people who live in a country and those who visit John, the owners of the bed & breakfast. the fact that a large number of the locals supported Italian only in the large but also in small centres. Furthermore this type of the country. It turned out that Salvatore was a good card-player so he football teams! Anna and John Grech, the bed & breakfast tourism is closely linked to human relations with an immediate and According to the PRISMA Project, Relational Tourism joined a couple of tables and got to know much more about owners, had been thoroughly wonderful and his stay, one of direct relation between who offers the service and who uses it.” begins: “through a combination of relations, mostly individual ones, the Maltese people, the politics of the country, the local the most rewarding. He promised everyone he would return. This highlights Relational Tourism as an alternative in which the subjects who supply or deliver a certain product adopt a football teams and the pros and cons of hunting. He also This account describes in some detail the rewards of form of tourism that profits the locality rather than the large heartfelt and shared feeling of hospitality that enhances the taste for sampled some galletti bil-bigilla—water biscuits with traditional Relational Tourism and brings to mind another quote from businesses that characterise mass tourism. It is a type of discovering the beauty and the peculiarity of one’s own historical, bean-paste, washed down with some local beer. the PRISMA Project regarding Relational Tourism – the fact tourism that provides a chance for the development of areas artistic, folkloristic traditions, wine and food and especially human The talk of the town during Salvatore’s stay was the that it concerns “… a tourism that privileges interpersonal and in need of investment in the form of a tourism that depends background.” village festa that was to be celebrated in a couple of days. Anna environmental relations stimulating historical and cultural sensibility on what these areas already possess, rather than changing the told him about the most strategic place from where he could and sustainability of a development in the dialogue between supplier environment into further examples of mass tourism. Salvatore’s Visit film the fireworks over the Grand Harbour on one side and and user, and also integrates the productive and commercial sectors The bed & breakfast owners, the village bar, the In more practical terms this can be translated thus: watch the entire procession on the opposite street. in the micro and medium dimension.” pastizzeria, the local restaurants and grocers all benefited from Salvatore, a tourist from Sicily who is interested in spending a The high points of Salvatore’s holiday were two: an The strength of Relational Tourism lies in the fact that it Salvatore’s stay. At the same time, he enjoyed a traditional 58 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 59

environment instead of having the environment changed by series of questionnaires followed, in order to gauge what 2. Organic Farming high. Cellar tours, visits to wineries and vineyards and hotels, as so often happens in mass tourism. various groups thought about the concept of Relational Visiting and sharing the experience of living on an tutored wine-tasting made from locally-grown grapes The increase in independent travellers to Malta certainly Tourism. Groups involved tourists, local council officials and organic farm, tourists will also be able to partake of can all contribute to making Maltese wine known to augurs well for Relational Tourism, as this type of tourist is small entrepreneurs. organically-grown food and eat meals prepared using tourists and allowing a comparison with foreign wines, more likely to explore the destination and search for unique All the information provided a detailed and unique these ingredients. This will allow a comparison between particularly Sicilian ones. experiences than the package tourist, who is dependent upon snapshot of all available operators that are able to contribute organically-grown food and ordinary produce. As most the tour leader to reap the entire benefits of the package. to Relational Tourism – a unique resource that should be very organic farms are situated in rural settings off the beaten 5. Culture, Drama & the Arts As one of the partners of the PRISMA Project, the helpful in defining and disseminating the new touristic product track, visitors will be able to experience parts of Malta This arena is of particular interest to youths who wish to Institute of Tourism Studies has repeatedly met and dialogued around Malta. that are rarely seen by mass tourists and enjoy the practice and learn English in a creative and interesting with the ARCES representatives who are co-ordinating the pleasures of small Maltese rural villages or hamlets such as way—through drama. A Relational Tour in this area project from Palermo. From Theory to Practice Fawwara and Ba˙rija. may also include twinning on a drama-based project The first part of the project involved a six-month long In a meeting on the 19th January, ITS representatives between towns and villages culminating in a tourist research plan involving the collection of all relevant data met with interested local SMEs, NGOs, Local Council 3. Maritime Heritage attraction—a play; a Mediterranean Film Festival, a concerning Relational Tourism in Malta. The data was then representatives and mayors to formulate a marketing plan to Being an island in the Mediterranean, Malta has been the Music Competition and a Watercolour Painting Tour plotted using a Geographic Information System (GIS) to introduce the new form of tourism in Malta. centre of various conflicts and an important naval base of the island with proper instructors and lecturers in the build a detailed map, showing the distribution of Relational Six pilot projects were suggested and agreed upon, for many different empires. Maltese maritime heritage is Arts. It is interesting to note that a group from Malta Tourism activities on Malta and Gozo. The list was exhaustive, including: reflected in boat-building and fishing techniques that have will be producing a play in Palermo in April. collecting traditional artisans and craftsmen, hostels, flats, B survived throughout the ages. The maritime tradition & B’s, horse-riding, honey-makers, organic farmers, country 1. The utilisation of electronic mapping resources. has also given rise to a rich legacy of legends and myths, 6. Traditions in Limestone walks, valleys, museums and more. The data gathered on GIS during the research phase of and has influenced religious culture in terms of ex-votive As the dominant rock type that makes up the islands The list provided a detailed map of all Relational Tourism PRISMA in 2007 in relation to the Relational Tourism offerings that reflect the difficult and dangerous life at sea. and one of the few natural resources available, activities and the places where they were concentrated. A potential of Rabat and Vittoriosa will be made available limestone has been instrumental in shaping Maltese on a website to act as a reference point for all interested 4. Wine and Viticulture culture. From the Neolithic Temples to the majestic parties. Viticulture in Malta has seen a dramatic rise in quality bastions, limestone has been used for thousands of and the potential for Relational Tourism in this area is years and is still the main building stone used by

The increase in independent travellers to Malta certainly augurs well for Relational Tourism, as this type of tourist is more likely to explore the destination and search for unique experiences than the package tourist 60 welcome travel tourism culture heritage JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 61

limestone within the Heritage Park, show limestone strata and a need for suitable research-action aimed at charting the erosion features on the cliffs of Fawwara, highlight flora and whole area, in order to compare and determine with scientific fauna adapted to Karst (garrigue) areas that are limestone in precision the tourism requirements and appropriate areas for origin, visit caves/ cave-dwellings and archaeological remains exploitation. as well as an organic farm that grows produce on Terra Rossa The PRISMA development intervention is based on (red limestone soil) on the cliffs. a joint territorial marketing operation, aimed at creating The potential of Relational Tourism in our country is a network of operators to reinforce the potential of the real and in this age of low-cost air-travel and more discerning individual sectors. tourists, it can be an important ingredient in making our touristic product more sustainable. It will also help focus The Players tourism towards localities that have always been overlooked ARCES due to the domination of mass tourism on our islands. University College recognised by the Italian Ministry for the Finally, Relational Tourism focuses on sustainability and University and Research. the importance of keeping the locale pristine and well-cared for, in addition to the individual tourist, who should be given Institute of Tourism Studies a product that ensures his utmost satisfaction and makes sure Malta’s foremost institution for furthur and higher education that he will visit our islands again. in the tourism sector.

Prisma Project Assonautica Palermo stone-masons and artisans who lovingly create impressive explaining the concept simply and visually. The PRISMA Project – Research plan for Sicily-Malta (National Association for Pleasure Boating) sculptures and works of art out of it. Work on Relational Tourism is being done in conjunction Integrated Relational Tourism – aims to boost cross-border Non-profit organisation of the Italian Chamber of Commerce with the Malta Tourism Authority and the Local Government Mediterranean tourism potential in the area between Sicily system working to boost leisure boating and tourist boating. Another vital part of the marketing plan includes the Association, as it was agreed that Local Councils play an and Malta. This project involves: training and dissemination of specific information regarding extremely important part in making this type of tourism a • In-depth preliminary research Department of Public Works – Regione Siciliana Relational Tourism. success. • The sensitisation of stakeholders and decision-makers State body in charge of co-ordinating infrastructural works As regards training, a number of I.T.S. lecturers are already For this reason, the Vittoriosa Local Council was chosen • The creation of a close synergy between the academic carried out in Sicily. working on an academic inter-disciplinary module about to provide the first venue for a Relational Touristic Excursion. world and local entrepreneurs Relational Tourism, while SMEs, Local Councils and Micro- The town’s historical richness and pro-active local council are These are the principal elements that characterise PRISMA Val D’Anapo Local Action Group (GAL) Operators will get both formal training in basic aspects of the ideal to make an Urban Historical/ Relational tour a success. together with its aims, proposed activities and working- Co-operative limited company made up of state bodies. It’s the subject, including an multimedia ICT package, and informal Another pilot project fuses different aspects of Alternative methods. financial and technical interlocutor for all the players involved training in the form of advice and guidance from I.T.S. Tourism into a Relational whole, including a country walk in the process of sustainable development in the Val D’Anapo experts. through Si©©iewi from the town square dominated by a Sicily and the whole region of Malta stand out because of district. w The information package will provide a basic description baroque Church, a number of interesting chapels, a windmill their deep-seated tourist-cultural calling, in which Integrated of Relational Tourism, the best way to go about it and a to the Limestone Heritage Park and an organic farm in Relational Tourism could represent the catalyst to boost number of multimedia resources, including a CD-ROM Fawwara. economic-productive development in Mediterranean islands. Bibliography detailing the advantages and a list of activities falling under This day-long Relational excursion will highlight Malta’s The actual resources and a certain affinity between the Prisma, Piano di Ricerka sul Turismo Relationale Integrato Sicilia Malta. Programma di Cooperazione Transfrontaliera Interreg IIIA Italia-Malta, Collegio Universitario ARCES, 2006. the brief of Relational Tourism; also, a short documentary traditional stonework and masonry crafts in globigerina two areas provides clear evidence that today there is still 62 welcome TRAvEL TOURISM cULTURE HERITAgE JOURNAL OF THE INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES ISSUE 1 APRIL 2008 | 63

THE RENOWED SOMMELIER & WINE EXPERT gIUSEPPE vAccARINI WAS INTERvIEWED BY cARMENRITA BUgEJA & MARTIN DEBATTISTA

To become a sommelier one should go to France, that is the best place earning to learn more about wine a by Giuseppe Vaccarini What the Romans did not take into consideration perhaps So what’s the role a sommelier? living was that choosing a good wine is a skill and appreciating it is “A person whose knowledge about wines and beverages an art. Hence, as time went by, the profession of the sommelier is very extensive,” replied Mr Vaccarini. “Part of the job title was born. is wine tasting. The rest consist of the ability to match wine “I am a curious person, that’s why I chose to be a with food. For a good quality service restaurant one needs to sommelier,” admits Giuseppe Vaccarini, one of the best have a good chef and a sommelier.” sommeliers in the world, who discussed with “Welcome” what The first step to become a sommelier is to take a course. it takes to be a sommelier and his views on Malta’s credentials “To become a sommelier one should go to France, that in wine-making. is the best place to learn more about wine. There are very “I started out by going to a catering school in Milan, and few places around the world which have a specific sommelier it progressed from then onwards. I went abroad to experience programme. There are courses executed on regular bases for different things and got to know more about wines and other the wine lovers, but there are very few official courses around sipping cultures,” he explained. the world, such as in Milan, the one I teach in. Born in Miradolo Terme, a small village in the province “I would like to add that it is also a career that women of Pavia, Italy in 1952, Mr Vaccarini has been a professional can pursue. There are not many women who opt for such a sommelier since 1972 and graduated with the high honor career. I would encourage it.” of Best Sommelier of the World in 1978. Since then he has However there’s much more than simply learning from A Latin proverb goes something like this: become an international advisor on wine and food, an expert books. “It is well to remember that there are five wine taster, and an authority on the subject who makes “The trick is great concentration and experience. Also presentations worldwide on the profession of the sommelier. one needs to study wines all the time and basically everyday. reasonswine for drinking: the arrival of a friend, In his career he has served as a technical committee If one tries wine on a regular basis, the taste on the palate one’s present or future thirst, the excellence member and jury president for different national and and aromas helps the sommelier in memorising these details. international competitions, among which those for the title When doing this one would not get drunk as you are spitting of the wine, or any other reason” of Best Sommelier of the World. He was also president of out the wine and not drinking it.” the Association of Italian Sommeliers (AIS) from 1999 to Matching good wine with good food seems to be the 2002, and president of the Association de la Sommellerie mission of the sommelier and everyone is set to benefit from Internationale from 1996 to 2004. He is also a consultant in his or her expertise. the agri-business sector, an accomplished author of numerous “It is very important to employ a sommelier,” insists Mr publications and teaches his profession in different higher Vaccarini. “It is vital for good quality service to the customer, education institutions in Italy. as well as for the reputation of the establishment. Having 64 welcome travel tourism culture heritage

On his visit to Malta it was inevitable that “Welcome” There was a strong participation for the seminar addressed by Giuseppe Vaccarini asks one of the best sommeliers in the world to give his opinion on Maltese wines. “From what I have seen during my stay it seems that the Maltese are very passionate about wines and wine making. Maltese wines are good. However there is a problem with water. The grapes need more water as the climate is too dry. Vines receive very little water for the grape to be moistened and plum, in order to achieve the perfect bunch of grapes. In a scale from 1 to 10 I grade it 7. Well done!” Giuseppe Vaccarini, one of the best known professional sommeliers in the world, addressed a seminar in Malta on the 28th of January entitled ‘‘Sommelier, Profession of the Future’. This followed by a wine tasting session of five local wines of DOK certification produced by local wineries. Mr Richard Pons, a lecturer in food and beverage studies a sommelier as part of the restaurant team suggests that the at the Institute of Tourism studies and representative of the establishment has high standards of food, beverages and service Sommelier Association Malta, organised Mr Vaccarini’s and have a guarantee on having the appropriate wine with the visit to Malta, in collaboration with the Institute of Tourism food ordered. Even simply having the sommelier decanting the Studies, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Ministry for vintage wines for the customer gives the establishment that Rural Affairs and the Environment, with the participating and flair, that something special.” support of all local wine makers. w