Honouring Arab heritage in Malta's daily life and traditions

Centuries of Arab presence echo in Malta's architecture, customs, food and speech — enriching the islands' cultural experiences

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While various civilizations have settled in Malta over the past few millennia, the Arabs had one of the deepest impacts and their legacy remains central to the nation's identity today.

The 221-year rule of the islands by successive Arabic dynasties began in 870, when the North African Aghlabids forced out the Byzantines that had occupied Malta for three centuries. Unlike some of the archipelago's previous and later conquerors, the local population welcomed the Muslims, as they ushered in a new era of tolerance and prosperity.

Malta's strategic location offered the Arabs the chance to control the Mediterranean's vital maritime routes and protect them from pirates. During the centuries that they led the country, they transformed it into a wealthy trade and shipping hub and integrated into society, developing urban centres and a political assembly made up of both Muslims and Christians.

The Arabs were ousted by the Normans from France in 1090 and Malta's substantial Muslim population had diminished by the 13th century, but many of the customs and practices they introduced continue to be embedded in the country.

The most obvious of these for Arabic speakers is language: Maltese is the European Union's only Semitic language, and much of its grammar and about half of all its words have Arabic origins, with the rest mainly stemming from French, Italian and English.

Words that will sound familiar to people from the Middle East include days of the week, numbers, foods, place names, surnames and geographical features. Other fascinating examples are Alla, meaning God; randan, which is Malta's annual period of fasting; and habib that translates to friend.