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MALTESE NATIONAL COSTUME
 Malta's national costume, which is what the island's country folk wore in years gone by, is only seen today on some special occasion such as at Buskett on Mnarja Night, or the dancing of the "Maltija" national dance at Carnival, or again at Luqa Airport or Customs House when a welcoming party organised by the Government Tourist Board strum their guitars in welcome or pin posies to the lapels of visitors.
One can leave the description of it to George Percy Badger, soldier and clergyman, who spent many years in Malta towards the middle of the last century and wrote his "Description of Malta and Gozo" which went into many editions.
" ...the (men's) native dress is ...very peculiar. The cap resembles a long bag made of wool, hanging down behind and dyed with various colours. This article sometimes serves ill the purposes of a purse. The girdle round the loins is still in use among the Maltese of the lower order; that made of cotton is called "Terha", that of silk a bushakka.
With this the pantaloons are confined round the waist, and are generally three or four yards in length. It is not common to see any in this dress with a jacket, its place being supplied by a sedria which, in many cases is ornamented down the front with several rows of round silver buttons.
"The material of the dress of the country woman is generally striped or barred native cotton, of a very substantial quality. The doublett (skirt) is in shape the same with the half ghonnella (head gear).
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MALTESE RECIPES | |
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Designed
and maintained by Frank L Scicluna- Adelaide - Australia
Launched on the 7 April, 1999
Updated Periodically - Please, visit this site often.
Copyright 2007-08
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