All too familiar
In Il Gattopardo, shortly after the triumph of the Victor Emmanuele regime which will unite Italy, a Piedmontese aristocrat called Chevalley is disptached by the regime to invite Don Fabrizio Salina to become a senator and help determine the bright future of Sicily.
Don Fabrizio declines the offer and explains his reasons.
“In Sicily it doesn’t matter if things are done well or badly; the sin, which we Sicilians never forgive, is simply that of ‘doing’ at all.
Sleep, my dear Chevalley, sleep, that is what Sicilians want, and they will always hate anyone who tries to wake them, even in order to bring them the most wonderful gifts.
All Sicilian expression, even the most violent, is really wish-fulfillment: our sensuality is a hankering for oblivion, our shooting and knifing a hankering for death; our laziness, our spiced and drugged sherbets, a hankering for voluptuous immobility.
Novelties attract us only when they are dead, incapable of arousing vital currents; that is what gives rise to the constant formation of myths, which are really nothing but sinister attempts to plunge us back into a past that attracts us only because it’s dead.
Sicilians never want to improve for the simple reason that they think themselves perfect; their vanity is stronger than their misery…[what] we ourselves call pride in reality is blindness.”
– Don Fabrizio Salina in The Leopard (Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa)
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“In Sicily it doesn’t matter if things are done well or badly; the sin, which we Sicilians never forgive, is simply that of ‘doing’ at all”
This is a trait of human nature which is all too evident in the Maltese. It is the reason why the opera house has remained a bombed-out ruin for 68 years.
If the timesofmalta.com moaners were to have their way, the site would remain a miserable ruin for many decades more as a monument to the incompetence of this and previous generations.
If, by “the timesofmalta.com moaners” you mean those who think that Emperor Piano is naked, they are doing the opposite.
They are trying to see that the site does NOT remain a ruin surrounded by a gorilla cage.
Twanny is yet another moaner who believes that his design skills are superior to those of an internationally acclaimed architect. This is another trait of the Maltese DNA – we all think we are experts in everything.
Kultant iddahhkuni imma ta’. Allura possibbli li ma jistax ikollok gosti li jkunu differenti minn ta’ haddiehor? U ghax id-disinn hu ta’ Renzo Piano bilfors ikolli nghid li jghogobni? Niftakar xi haga simili b’xi affarijiet li huma ta’ l-arkitett Richard England bhal knejjes, kolonni kkuluriti (fl-Università) u dak il-monument EVOL li suppost tinqara Love qabel it-telgha ta’ Paceville. Lili personalment ma jghogbunix allura ma nistax nghidha ghax huma xogholijiet ta’ Richard England?
Claudette l-ewwel trid tkun tifhem naqra dwar x’inhi l-arti. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Forsi dak li jghogbok lilek ma jghogobx lili u vice versa. Imma meta ssemmi ismijiet ta’ periti kbar li ghamlu isem ghalihom bhal meta ssemmi Richard England, (nerga ntenni mhux bilfors li kollox isir perfett ghax Richard England) imma trid tammetti li Renzo Piano mhux imbecilli li jaqbad u jhazzez xoghlijeit bl-addocc.
Finalment hemm ismu fin-nofs. Ikun hemm il-hsieb warajhom, altrimenti vromi jaghmel bniedem hekk. Perit ta’ kalibru ma jistax jaghmel pudini imma opri tal-arti. Taqbel u ma taqbilx mal-istil li jkun ghazel. Jiena nghid ghalija ma nifhimx imma NAHSEB li Malta m’ghandhiex bzonn li t-teatru rjal jerga jinbena mill-gdid. Ahjar sar ufficini tal-gvern fejn in-nies jinqdew minflok joqghodu jduru madwar il-belt minn ufficcju ghal iehor biex persuna tiehu servizz.
@ Claudette
“Kultant iddahhkuni imma ta’. Allura possibbli li ma jistax ikollok gosti li jkunu differenti minn ta’ haddiehor?”
Of course everybody has a right to an opinion. It is one thing expressing an opinion – it is quite another thing to go out of your way to obstruct a project as some people are keen on doing.
Whatever is proposed by government, there will always be people who disagree with it. The constant obstructionism of those who disagree is one of the reasons why the opera house has remained a ruin for so long.
And if we are not careful, history will repeat itself.
@Abram qbilna nahseb fuq din ghax jiena ghedt li huma gosti personali. Imkien ma nehhejt mill-mertu tal-fatt li Piano jew England huma periti ta’ fama u kbar. Personalment lili l-iktar haga li ma ghogbitnix huwa Bieb-il Belt. Jiena kien jghogobni hafna l-Bieb li kienu ghamlu l-Inglizi, cioè dak li kien hemm qabel dan li ghandna llum. Kif ipproponih Renzo Piano ma laqatnix. Però tinkwetawx jiena ma jiena hadd igifieri zgur li ser isir kif jiddeciedu l-kbarat.
According to the “The Times” online poll, 80.4% agree with me, Embor.
Feeling lonely?
[Daphne – Half the population votes Labour even if it’s led by a one-eyed Martian, Twanny. I rest my case.]
Half the population votes PN even if it’s led by a one-eyed Martian.
And your point is……?
[Daphne – I think you get my point.]
Twanny, the next time you visit the London Eye remember that had the obejctors had their way that project would never have happened. There were controversies surrounding the project relating to proximity to Houses of Parliament, design and cost. It is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in London with about 2 million visitors per year.
Most world renowned projects were controversial and would not have happened if the authorities shied away from making difficult decisions.
Twanny, how many of the “80.4%” would go to a theatre anyway, unless the show put on is live version of some cheap Maltese “teledramm”?
And then there are some people who are of the same opinion as the 80.4%. They are the kind of people who would never go to the theatre unless they got their tickets as freebies, which means that they are not really interested in the theatre anyway, seeing that they can afford all else.
Twanny
“Half the population votes PN even if it’s led by a one-eyed Martian.”
They don’t actually. As a rule, PN voters have higher expectations of their party than PL ones and are more prone to dissent and criticise.
The anti-mafia, pro-Falcone and Borsellino demonstrations belied Tomasi di Lampedusa’s fatalism. After all, Lampedusa was referring to the Ottocento.
Is this the same guy who built the Salina salt pans in Qawra? Don’t think they’ve improved much either. Must still be perfect.
sounds familiar
I’m watching Bondi+ talking about you or rather ‘Pondi’ as one commenter on timesofmalta.com called him.
Aimé, aimé Daphne ripete il conte del Gattopardo! Ma non sai che attaccando i Maltesi cosi dimostri veramente quel che sei? Meno male che tanti del Gattopardo non sanno un tubo!
Il giudizio tuo dimostra quanto dell’aristocratico che c’è in te nei confronti della plebe bassa ed ottusa. Ma è davvero cosi? O forse tu sei incape di capirli e nel frattempo brani in disperazioni Gattopardesce? È erratississimo dire, come il Gattopardo, che l’anima Maltese è dominata dal sonno dal non voler cambiare.
Lei che si pensa colta probabilmente non hai avuto tempo di ragionare su come i maltesi ed i siciliani si rispettano fra di loro e dunque creano i legami. Il tuo dispreggare della società maltese stà nella tua incapacitá di capire che nella cultura Maltese il malandrino non è un ladro ma il uomo corraggioso e valente che non porta mosca sul naso. Per I Siciliani come ai Maltese essere birricchino è neccessario anzi indispensabbile per sopravivere.
Entrambi possedono una coscienza del proprio essere caratterizzata dal esagerato concetto della forza individuale che è unica e sola arbitra d’ogni urto d’interessi. Ecco il perché del insofferenza della superiorità e peggio ancora della prepotenza altrui! Quindi il Maltese vuol essere rispettato e rispetta quasi sempre.
Se è offeso non si rimette alla legge o alla giustizia ma sa farsi ragione personalmente da sé e quando non ne ha la forza lo fà col mezzo di altri del medesimo sentire di lui. E questa lex non scripta che tu non riesci ad accogliere. Facendo cosi e peggio rifugiarsi nella lex scripta la meschina sei proprio tu!
[Daphne – I’m bilingual not trilingual.]
This is replete with mistakes.
Is it my imagination or does it also read like heavily accented Maltese?
Ma tantx nahseb ….
D Muscat: You’re not in a position to comment.
@ Hmmm
that is because you don’t know the Sicilian idiom which is very much like Maltese.
You wouldn’t know, since you do not know me. What you write, on the other hand, is visible here.
Inti mhux avukata? Sa fejn naf jien l-avukati maltin suppost jafu t-taljan. (minhabba l-uzu ta’ dil-lingwa fil-passat fil-qrati maltin, ricerka ecc) Fil-fatt il-malti legali taljanizzat hu itqal! Cert li kull avukat serju f’Malta jisthi jghid li t-taljan ma jafux. Cert ukoll li dal-kumment tieghi fehmu w il-punt kien dan: Inti u tikkwota l-Gattopardo zlaqt fin-niexef … tidher li ma qrajtux u li ma tafux.
[Daphne – Minn fejn gibt l-ideja li jien avukata?]
‘Idea’ takes no ‘j’ – like teatru or reat
Hawnhekk ghandek ragun inti u zbaljat kont jien. Insejt f’kienet id-degree tieghek alavolja niftakrek l-universita. Insomma nirrepeti l-parir dwar l-uzu tal-Gattopardo. Kull min jaf nitfa letteratura taljana qed joghxa bid-dahq u jorok zaqqu jarak tuzah b’dil-manjiera.
Bene. Essendo avvocato, anche di buon costume, posso tranquillamente far riconciliazione dell’espozizione scorretta data da uno, il che, con sua amissione, legale non e`.
Se, come dice lui, un popolo deicde di non “rimettersi alla lege” per rimediare un torto fattosi, e preferisce invece di prendere per mano sua la lege e di sua sponta fare il giustiziere, potere a lui non dato dallo stato – siciliano, maltese o americano che sia, ne rivela di essere neinete meno che un vile cafone provinciale arrogante. Come fa, uno, a pubblicamente far gloria a quello che e` niente meno un disordio allo Stato, una capitolazione alla democrazia in quest’ epoca moderna e propio inconcepibile.
Se “per sopravivvere” i maltesi e/o i siciliani sono diventati maestri, se non professori, dell’arte dell’arrangiarsi e una cosa. Se pero` siamo proprio eclatati e contenti di essere biricchini e non c’e` ne rendiamo conto che e propio questa mentalita` che ci ha portato alla situazione odierna di cui ci lamentiamo sempre, e` allora, amici mei, non impareremo mai!
Storia classica, lezione con la morale ivi sucitata, l’oimicidio successo ieri a M’Xlokk – ucciso lo guapo maltese che credeva era al di sopra della legge! Non posso non condannare l’azione dell’omicida, ammenocche non stava agendo in difesa sua – tesi quest’ultims molto credibile dato le circostanze di notorieta`, vita e temperamento della vittima -, pero` un’ esempio fra tanti che dimostri il triomfo della legge e particolarmente dell’ordine guridico penale.
D’altro canto in maltese, idiota, non si dice ‘avukata’, come non si dice ‘Magistrata’, ‘Imhallfa’ o ‘Spettura’. Rimangono sempre al maschile.
D, Muscat
I’ve been correcting assignments and exam scripts all weekend so I thought to look at your writing too.
“Lei che si pensa colta probabilmente non hai avuto tempo di ragionare su come i maltesi ed i siciliani si rispettano fra di loro e dunque creano i legami. Il tuo dispreggare della società maltese stà nella tua incapacitá di capire che nella cultura Maltese il malandrino non è un ladro ma il uomo corraggioso e valente che non porta mosca sul naso. Per I Siciliani come ai Maltese essere birricchino è neccessario anzi indispensabbile per sopravivere.”
There are at least twelve mistakes in these few lines; eight in the preceding paragraph and five in the following one (which is just three lines long).
Your Maltese is not much better.
Nista ngħidlek, Muscat, li kull min jaf nitfa Taljan qed joghxa bid-daħq u jorgħok żaqqu jarak tużah b’din il-manjiera. Nispera li ma tgħallimx it-Taljan.
Tip 1: Conflict of interest is ‘conflitto d’interesse’ not ‘urto’ which means collision.
Tip 2: If you start a paragraph with the polite form ‘Lei’ you have to conjugate verbs in the 3rd person and continue throughout the whole paragraph.
Insomma, in poche parole: brutta figura, D.Muscat
“kev says:
Monday, 22 February at 2228hrs
‘Idea’ takes no ‘j’ – like teatru or reat”
It looks like kev’s got a new superhero costume: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.mencap.org.uk/downloaddoc.asp%3Fid%3D1872&imgrefurl=http://www.mencap.org.uk/page.asp%3Fid%3D11916&h=196&w=258&sz=21&tbnid=mMzpkzgUEZhZ0M:&tbnh=85&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dspelling%2Bsuperhero%2Bpicture&hl=en&usg=__mum0dEcMYCy6QY4xPOSGr1Ku89Y=&ei=zgODS6vJL471_AbRkaXxBg&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=1&ct=image&ved=0CAoQ9QEwAA
Good for you, Daphne. You wouldn’t want to know. Let me just assure you that he’s right.
Still, this Italian is substandard.
E.g. Lei che si pensa colta probabilmente non hai avuto tempo di ragionare : why is “Lei” (3rd person) followed by “hai” (2nd person)?
Shouldn’t it be “ahime'”?
Why “Siciliani” and “Maltesi” not “siciliani” and “maltesi”?
What exactly should the following mean? “Il giudizio tuo dimostra quanto dell’aristocratico che c’è in te nei confronti della plebe bassa ed ottusa.” The “che” is superfluous; the sentence is a contradictio terminis. If the writer is in favour of the “plebe”, then why is it referred to as “ottusa”?
“Gattopardesce” or “GattopardescHe”?
What is “erratississimo”?
il uomo ? Why not l’uomo…?
Why “corraggioso” and not “coraggioso”? This comes from “core” not “corre”.
Why “possedono”? Isn’t it “posseggono”?
The last paragraph refers to the age-old idea of vendetta (or ragion fattasi). Is it morally superior to having recourse to State authorities? Muscat’s reasoning legitimates the Mafia, and banalizes Falcone’s and Borsellino’s martyrdom. Muscat should remember that vendetta is usually carried out by local (criminal) prepotenti, not by some Romanticized Salvatore Giuliani.
With all due respect to Muscat, this Italian needs to be thoroughly revised. There are other mistakes which, frankly, I don’t have enough time to point out.
[Daphne – This is so BORING. I hate Italian. Just stop it, please.]
PS
The same comment applies if D. Muscat tried to write Sicilian. (The text is not Sicilian, but (dubious) Italian.)
PPS
The same comment applies to erskinemay.
Please, refrain from writing pathetic Italian.
TrioMfo?! LeGe?! Non C’E’ ne rendiamo conto?! Propio ?! Lo guapo?!
“Jesus!” – to quote the Sopranos.
Daphne, int bdejtha! Gejt tikkwota l-Gattapardo! Min jikriha, joqghod ghaliha!
[Daphne – I quoted it in translation.]
Ah, so that’s where D Muscat got lost…!
Daphne tu hai letto “Il gattopardo” in inglese?
[Daphne – Yes, And it’s ‘Lei’ to you, please.]
Se usiamo il nome di battesimo io ti dò del tu! :) Or should we call you Ms. Caruana Galizia?
“After all, each one of us is human and everyone can err!”
One wonders, how will this end, and moreover, when?
Are you following BondiPlus? Fr Joe Borg seems more concerned with avoiding prosecution for libel than explaining himself correctly. The endless parables and examples-within-examples are driving me up the wall.
I watched Bondi+…I think that both of them were very careful not to ‘incriminate’ themselves but they raised some very good points. They should be lauded for being the only two journalists worth their salt who have gone out on a limb where the rest of the media is busily shirking its duties to comment and investigate the story.
Come come. Joe Borg’s going out on a limb involved some very elliptical arguments to the effect of “public figures should behave with dignity and integrity, and perhaps Daphne was right in pointing that out but she should respect the person’s dignity bla bla bla.” He’s hardly going to lose his job over that. As for Bondi’s use of the safety-net word “allegat”, I’m confused. When you have two people obviously getting very close on a photograph, is that an “allegata hbiberija intima”? It’s like my passport photo is “allegatement Baxxter”.
@ Hot Mama
With all due respect toward the two gentlemen in this evening’s programme, my comprehensive impression was not one of BondiPlus but, alas, one of BondiMinus if not BondiDrab.
One may now wonder whether one will also get the issue tackled in the scream programme, which is transmitted in prime time on Friday evenings.
Pardon Lou, Pardon Peppi.
Just asking myself whether this squirming poor excuse for a journalist is in reality a lecturer at uni. He was just concerned to come out smelling of roses. I expected him to start mumbling and Lou Bondi wasn’t much better. Thank God for Daphne – I will repeat this to my dying day.
Maybe that’s the answer he couldn’t give himself as to why the media haven’t picked up the story:
they’re all desperately trying to cover their backs…
Some three or four years ago, Saviour ran a libel fund campaign. Their slogan was “The reader’s (sic) right to know and our duty to tell”.
Do they really imagine that they come across as still thinking along the same investigative lines? Just wondering …
The infamous Facebook profile picture was cropped in such away as to remove the magistrate’s skirt. The magistrate thought it was a suitable Facebook profile pic. So why did BondiPlus feel the need to manipulate it?
Remove the magistrate’s skirt? Please! Cut it out of the picture maybe, but remove it? Surely that would be done in private!
By coincidence Lou Bondi and Robert Musumeci linked up as FB friends a few hours before the program.
I wonder who made the ‘friend’ request. Was it Robert Musumeci trying to curry favour as damage limitation ahead of a live broadcast? Or was it a PR stunt for Bondi+?
It is no coincidence at all. I wanted to follow comments made on Robert Musumeci’s Facebook page which might have been relevant to tonight’s programme. I realised that I couldn’t because I had not added him as a friend. So I did. It’s as simple as that.
It is possible to follow comments on Robert Musumeci’s wall without linking up as friends.
This is not an innuendo. It is a statement of fact and I make it in the interests of those who do not use Facebook or know how it works.
“I realised that I couldn’t because I had not added him as a friend. ”
Bullshit to that. I am not a friend of Robert Musumeci on Facebook (neither in REAL life) and I can see his Facebook page and all that’s on it.
Look, in fact I got this from Facebook: ‘Robert and Lou Bondi are now friends’.
Someone told me that there was a thread started by Musumeci on his page which included an exchange between John Bundy and a PN employee.
When I went to see it, Musumeci’s page told me that I could not see it because I had not accepted his friend request. I was not even aware that there was this request because I have reached the maximum of 5000 friends (and there are 2445 pending). I noticed that one of the 5000 friends dropped out and added him. This is exactly what happened So there was no conspiracy, no hidden agendas, no nefarious plot. Get a life people.
… and in addition: I have known Robert for a few years, I said I know him and I spoke to him a number of times before the programme. What significance COULD there be to the fact that I added him along with 5000 people as my “friend”? Some people just don’t think before they write.
Mela kemm ghandek hbieb, Lou Bondi, Alla jbierek.
This might be what Lou Bondi was referring to. It’s taken from Robert Musumeci’s Facebook wall, and I’m not even a Facebook friend of his.
“John Bundy: Il-Gid fil politika jigi jekk ma’ jkunx hemm twebbis ir-ras, jekk ma’ jkunx hemm suppervja, jekk ma’ jkunx hemm agendi mohbija, jekk ma’ jkunx hemm klikkek u jekk ma’ jkunx hemm nies li lesti jassassinawk u li biex jaghmlu dan ikunu lesti jinqdew b’kullhadd u b’kollox.
Il-Gid fil politika jigi meta jitnehhew dawk li qatt ma ghamlu xejn u ma’ huma…
xejn, izda jahsbu li huma kollox. Staqsu lil John Dalli, tkellmu ma’ Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando u jekk tkunu tixtiequ ftit hin ma’ Robert ukoll.
“Kun sewwa ma’ n-nies meta tkun fil quccata, ghax fi triqtek l-isfel trid tahbat wiccek maghhom”.
Yesterday at 2:27pm” http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?v=feed&story_fbid=487254150014&id=1561377989
Lou Bondi:
As part of your research, did you ask Robert Musumeci when his ‘relationship’ (Malta Today’s euphemism for sex) with Magistrate Herrera began?
That is a key question in this story and it could have been asked without the answer being broadcast.
For instance it would have cleared up the question of whether Scerri Herrera was presiding over a criminal case involving a citizen of Malta or a criminal case involving her extra-marital lover’s brother.
Tghid minn beza aktar minn dal programm, Bondi jew Musumeci. Dawn ilhom hbieb bhalma qal Lou Bondi, pero tghid ghalfejn stennew ftit sieghet qabel Bondi Plus biex jsiru “friends” fuq Facebook.
Dil-fissazzjoni fuq il-Facebook hija puerili. Ahjar tiddiskutu kemm dak li qed tghid Daphne huwiex veru jew le. Cioe, dak li hi qed tara dwar l-inabilita tas-socjeta Maltija biex tinbidel (ghalhekk il-kwotazzjoni mill-Gattopardo … fl-opinjoni tieghi hazin pero l-punt taghha fhimtu).
Kif tispjegawha li minkejja dawn ir-rivelazzjonijiet kollha kollox donnu se jibqa l-istess? Din hija il-mistoqsija krucjali.
Point is, dear D. Muscat, that there are certain people who think “they’ve touched the sky with their hands”, to say it as the plebeians would, in the vulgo.
They’re so full of chutzpah, they splash it all over Facebook. And they infuse their social relations with it, too.
It was high time someone had the guts to put an end to this ballo in maschera. Ruffians posing as people worthy of respect.
This is a fantastic article pertinent to the issues that Daphne has raised in the past couple of weeks
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/rachel_sylvester/article7036898.ece
Conclusion of the article in question:
As Austen’s Mr Knightley tells Emma, superficial charms fade but good character endures. “Respect for right conduct is felt by everybody,” he says. And that includes the voters.
Spot on!
H.P. Baxxter
You have to hand it to Fr Joe Borg though for being the first one to write not one, but two, articles on this issue. I would not have wanted to be in his seat today on Bondi+ for many reasons. so yes, he did go out on a limb with his articles and his TV appearance. One might accuse him of using parables and examples etc., but he certainly does not need to grow a pair.
OK, have it your way. My standards for “a pair” are much higher.
Good for you.
Interesting point extracted from Fr. Joe Borg’s second article:
“The new paragraph, which incorporates the fourth “core value” of the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct, reads as follows: Since propriety, and the appearance of propriety, are essential to the performance of all the activities of a judge, membership of ‘social networking internet sites’ is incompatible with judicial office. Such membership exposes the judge to the possibility of breach of the second part of rule 12 of the Code.
Those who followed Daphne’s blogs since the last days of January know of the continuous reference she made to the use of social networks and of the many photos of Magistrate Consuelo Herrera she lifted from these networks and posted on her blogs. It is rather difficult to believe that this had no bearing on the ban that the Commission for the Administration of Justice has now placed on the Judiciary’s use of these social networks.”
Bearing? It has MORE than bearing. It reeks of a pre-emptive strike. They are just being good boy scouts.
In time, when Magistrate Scerri Herrera’s case comes to the punch-line, and the concrete question “What are you going to do about it ?” starts being asked, the Commission will say:
“We took immediate action, and amended the Code of Ethics to curb this kind of behaviour”.
First time I am getting bored on this blog. What`s this Italian stuff and all? To show that we can write in Italian maybe, even if it`s full of spelling mistakes?
Not enough that most of us can`t write in Maltese? And, in ogni caso (halli nkun MAN-NIES issa), this is a blog and no one really cares about spelling mistakes just as long as they are understood by the majority, so let`s try stick to Maltese and English please.
We are not here to learn another language, be it Italian, English or otherwise. We are not here to show our good grasp of a one particular language or other. Daphne herself tries to write in both Maltese and English most of the time, to make life easier for those who don`t really understand or know how to write in English.
Are we now going to complicate life by adding another language too? Wish our Tony was here …him, we all understand.
By the way Lou Bondi should thank you tonight ghax nahseb record ta’ udjenza ghamel bis-sahha tieghek. And, I have to tell you, even though I am a woman myself, that you looked great truly on TV tonight. You have a very sweet smile too, besides lovely skin and hair.
Now why would anyone refer to you as a witch? Mahhhhhhhh, jekk jistghu jitfawlek l-aghar aggettivi li jesistu, imma kerha m’intiex ta, altru! Qed inkun hafna onesta ghax jien ma nafekx , never saw you in my whole life, but I think you are quite good looking.
You don’t have to post this, just wanted to let YOU know. I am a nobody so it`s not that anyone will care what I say or don`t, but I truly hope you will as it`s a compliment I just couldn’t help.
I agree with you 100%
…and coming from two women is saying something
Agree 100% with you on the similarities with Sicily. Apart form the shared positive culinary heritage, I always pondered on the negative traits as well.
I also believe that we share behavioral similarities with the Lebanese as well. Apart from the fact that the high proportion of common DNA (I had read in an article in a Lebanese paper that about 30% of a sample of Lebanese people had similar DNA with Maltese people). I worked there a couple of years ago, and could not help the similarities, the emotions, the family connections, “friends of friends’, the intricacies between people in the military, political parties, religion, and certain professions, the pride and the ego, the shifting positions and changing alliances, attitude towards women, and the way to conduct business, organized disorganization, even the (lack of disregard) environment, the effect (and the weight) of property speculation on the economy. However, I am unaware whether there is a link between common DNA and similar anthropological background.
Growing up, I used to believe that the Lebanese civil war (70s – early 90s) was a clear cut war between Christians and Muslims (as used to be depicted by the news). I could not be farther from the truth. During that war, alliances kept on changing, that the foreigners (principally Russians and Americans) could not figure out who was on their side. (Syria was however a strong player) Former enemies became friends, while factions on the same side started fighting against each other, to become friends again. It was quite chaotic, but somehow the country evolved.
shared positive culinary heritage?
bergers and chips?
And “mammoni”!
http://italian.about.com/od/italianculture/a/aa051607a.htm
Blimey, Shaw, your comment borders on racism.
Racism?
Yeah. Behaviour is determined by genetics. Is that what you’re saying.
I was just asking a question, maybe it came out wrongly. I wonder why we have similar traits, given that we do not share any history.
@P.Shaw – if I’m not mistaken all the conquerors before the Knights all came from Sicily. I’m not a historian so I might be wrong on this one.
And to think that just a couple of days ago, I got a ‘slap on the wrist’ by the moderator for using this blog as a chat site. (all smiles)
Don Fabrizio Corbera Principe di Salina
Don Fabrizio’s account to Chevalley in The Leopard is applicable to Malta and Maltese culture on various counts.
Malta, as we all know, has strong cultural and historical links with Sicily. We have shared the same history and the Maltese islands were once part of the Kingdom of the two Sicilies. The Maltese population [Daphne- as pointed out by a geneticist elsewhere on this blog] is largely from the same gene-pool as Sicilians and Southern Italians.
Further on in the chapter Daphne has quoted from, Don Fabrizio describes the immense heat that persists for six months. Like the Sicilians Don Fabrizio describes we have been colonized over and over and over again and rulers left magnificent monuments such as Valletta, which most Maltese do not truly love because it is incomprehensible to us.
Giuseppe Di Lampedusa, or rather his alter ego Don Fabrizio Di Salina belonged to one of the ruling families in Sicily whose presence, influence and intuitive understanding of his own people cannot be discounted.
It is astonishing how similar the two cultures are. It is astonishing when reading this – he could be describing us. The question is, will Malta change? Will we wake up to the 21st century?
Will we take responsibility for our actions, for the environment we have created for ourselves? Or do we prefer to sleep the sleep described by Don Fabrizio, understanding nothing, caring about nothing?
Il Gattopardo – a feudal novel, and it’s all about (as it always is) ‘controlling’ the way fellow brethren live. Personally I think it’s full of contradictions.
“Se vogliamo che tutto rimanga com’è, bisogna che tutto cambi.” Tancredi
Translated in English ” If we want things to remain as they are, then things have to change”
On a completely different note… the only Maltese television I watch and really listen to is ‘Dissett’ and ‘Bondi Plus’.