Author: Melisande Aquilina

Although many may find it unusual, considering rabbits to be mere fluffy pets, rabbit stew (stuffat tal-fenek) is considered to be Malta’s national signature dish. It is so popular in fact, that it has become part of our family traditions and social culture. Groups of friends and family members traditionally meet up to enjoy a ‘fenkata’, together, that is, a meal focussing on dishes containing rabbit meat, and rabbit sauce, as well as other traditional delicacies. Many restaurants around the islands specialise in cooking rabbit, and in offering specific related offers and/or events for all the family. ‘Laħam tal-fenek’...

The first nursery rhymes (taqbiliet), and songs are sung to the children while they are still in the cradle, then later, as they rock on their parents knees, playing with a baby rattle (ċekċieka), or clapping their hands. Children’s rhymes are evocative, conjuring up recollections of our earliest existence and childhood activities, of games and emotions long since forgotten. Apart from being humorous, containing amusing tongue twisters, perhaps counting formulas, riddles, prayers and singing games, nursery rhymes are also of historical value, since their content reflects beliefs, priorities and practices which used to be at the centre of daily...

One often hears that in many Maltese and Gozitan villages, most people are much better known by their nickname (laqam) rather than by their Christian name or surname. Nicknames have been used in the Maltese islands from time immemorial, perhaps due to the frequency and impersonality of certain popular names and surnames at the time. Nicknames therefore gave one the chance of using a more personal or individualised form of naming a person, while retaining the use of official names and surnames established by society only for the dotted line of the birth register. The relation between an individual,...