Culture of Malta
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The culture of Malta reflects the various influences of different countries, namely Italy and the United Kingdom, which ruled Malta until 1964. The Maltese are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic and the influence of the Church is strong, with divorce and abortion still being banned by law.
Maltese folklore, traditions and legends still live in the minds of the older-generations, and these are slowly being studied and categorized, like any other European tradition.
The use of Italian has declined as a result of British influence and official anti-Italian policy, with English becoming the official language of education, along with Maltese in 1934. However, television from Italy is widely watched in Malta, having been available before the country introduced its own service in the early 1960s. Consequently, Italian television has brought about a comeback for Italian in Malta. Since Independence, closer links with the Italians (known in Maltese as taljani) have developed, especially due to tourism. Local festivals, similar to those in southern Italy, are commonplace, celebrating weddings, christenings and, most prominently, saints' days.
On saints' days, or festas, the ceremonies start with religious prayers and are followed by, usually, three days of band processions, fireworks, and stalls. On the final day a statue of the religious patron is taken around the local streets with the faithful following in respectful prayer.
British influences remain strong. Many Maltese avidly follow English football matches, even though the Italian Football League is also followed. Traffic still drives on the left, as in the UK, and many visitors from the UK are surprised to see British-made cars from the 1960s and 1970s still driving on the road. Many old vehicles are old Malta Buses, which in reality are ex-British Armed Forces carriers, which were pressed into public transport as long ago as the early 1950s.
See also: Music of Malta