Posts Tagged ‘Ħamrun’

  • THE SELLING GAME

    Sunlight soapAdvertising is said to reflect the societal tastes, beliefs and norms. By looking back at the adverts that were published in the Times of Malta at the end of the years 1939 to 1944, this becomes very clear. Yet even their absence during the days of war have much to say.

    There are whole studies and much research behind advertising. Adverts are used as a form of communication intended to convince an audience to purchase or take some action upon products, ideals or services. Their regularity aim to impact on memory to create a sense of familiarity and trust to buy those products.

    Indeed, while turning the pages of November – December 1939 and 1940 of the Times of Malta, it is evident that a group of particular brands are always featuring. Most relate to health, beauty, alcohol, insurance, entertainment (mainly cinema), fashion and gifts.

    Health adverts at the time generally focus on irritability of the stomach, laxatives, cold and fever, rheumatism, eczema, fatigue and sleeplessness. The message on the adverts is mainly delivered through drawings and long descriptions about the benefits of using the products.

    Poisoned - close upThe text is generally presented in the form of a conversation – “Why continue to be agonised by Terrible Headaches, Niggling Nerve Pains, Black Depression, and Heavy-Limbed Lassitude?” – reads the introduction of an advert for tonic tablets.

    “Do you realise the danger? Impure blood causes disease.” – says another advert selling a ‘blood mixture’ as ailment against rheumatism, lumbago, eczema, boils and pimples.

    Communication with the readers is stark and direct – The word “Poisoned!” in capital black letters runs over the mouth of a man in the advert of a toothpaste. “Pyorrhoea has robbed him of his teeth, poisoned his whole system. Don’t let this happen to you.”

    “Is running a house too much for you?” reads the title of an energy drink. “Do you feel that the cares of the household get you down and managing your servants is a strain?”

    Woman with cigaretteThe quantity of adverts focusing on health issues form quite a big chunk of the advertising at the time. However, ironically, these are accompanied by cigarette adverts, one of which shows a beautiful young woman with a cigarette in her hand. A section of the advert text reads – “Made specially to prevent sore throats.”

    Some of the adverts published at the time will certainly be unacceptable nowadays. Social class differences, sexism and offensive messages are quite typical.

    “Women who belong to the 1st sleep group never grow old before their time. There are 3 groups. Which do you belong to?” – asks an advert selling Horlicks. “Most attractive women belong to the 1st sleep group.” – states another one. “Men who are sure of themselves belong to the 1st sleep group.” – and – “Men who get on in life nearly all belong to the 1st sleep group”.

    Lady Grenfell beauty“Don’t look old! Tint those grey hairs with Shadeine.” – jumps at you an advert selling hair colour.

    Advertisements can influence strongly how we perceive things around us. By showing a high social class user of a product, the advert creates a longing or a pressure to purchase that item in order to belong to that level of society.

    A skin-vitamin cream portrays the drawing of a beautiful lady, all dressed up in perfect make-up, set-up hair, a pair of lovely earrings and a crown. – “Lady Grenfell is one of the most beautiful among the young marrieds in Society…. She tells us, ‘I’m using Pond’s Creams containing the ‘skin-vitamin’, and they’re really amazing.”

    “Many army and royal navy officers enjoy the comfort of our hand-made footwear. Why Not you? Sir.” – entices an advert showing the drawing of a highly elegant man sitting in a luxurious armchair while a shoe-maker sits on a stool to help him try on a new pair of shiny “Best English leather”.

    Knitting in blackoutA shade of the effects of the Second World War, even though not yet happening in Malta is already present in adverts of 1939.

    “Keep yourself busy in the black-out by knitting with Listers – the nicest wool to use.” – advices an advert. “Bernards suggest that you give sensible gifts this Christmas. Such gifts as shirts, pyjamas, handkerchiefs, ties, socks, gloves and wool-slipovers all make very acceptable presents.” – recommends another one.

    Not only adverts diminish in 1941 during the war days in Malta. Even the newspaper itself shrivels to a few pages although being published daily.

    Pen pal wanted“Test your gas mask. Gas Chamber at Castile Place today.” – reads a warning advert on the front page of the Times of Malta on Tuesday, November 4, 1941. “There is no better way of ensuring that the respirator is still properly functioning than by putting it on and entering the gas chamber.”

    Amid the difficulties of war, an advert speaks out the request for a pen pal – “I am an interested reader of the “Times of Malta”, finding news of the war most interesting. I would be very grateful if any of your readers would become a “pen pal” correspondent with me and help cheer a lonely soldier’s life.”

    Cinema theatres - close upA considerable decrease of adverts continues in 1942. Alcohol adverts drop out completely. Cinema continues regularly in the following theatres – Manoel and Coliseum in Valletta, Gaiety, Majestic, Carlton and Orpheum in Sliema, Odeon, Thrianon and Rex in Ħamrun, Prince in Birkirkara, Buckingham and Royal in Żabbar, and Empire in Paola.

    “What do I do…. about the black market?” runs an advert issued by the Information Office. A Wartime Reminder advert issued by the same Office reminds people that “Imported Fuel is used for pumping Water. Reduced consumption of water saves Fuel. A saving in Fuel saves Freight, (and) Saving in freight helps to win the War.”

    Typhoid feverAnother Wartime Reminder recommends the adequate washing of vegetables, fruit and seashells, and their proper cooking while warning against the accumulation of filth, since these may lead to Typhoid fever and Dysentry. Inoculation against the Typhoid fever is also advocated.

    The siege on the Maltese Islands effectively ended in November 1942. Yet adverts show that life took time to return to normal especially since the Second World War had not yet ended in other countries.

    An advert issued by the N.F.U advices to eat cabbage and cauliflower to keep fit. Another advert informs its clientele that “Because of war conditions, supplies of Sunlight Soap are limited, so it’s wise to use the soap you have very carefully to make it last as long as possible.”

    Even tennis balls were restored instead of purchasing new ones – “Hand in your old Tennis Balls to any of the Sports Dealers named below, who will forward them to Slazengers for renovation by a special process which includes reinflation and provision of a new outside cover.”

    During the days of war, a few selected companies such as Bovril, managed to stay in the public eye through advertisements. “Makes all the difference between bread and butter.” The Bovril advert states. “A 4-oz. Bottle of Bovril makes over 100 delicious sandwiches.”

    IMITATING HITLEROther adverts such as the one for Dettol portrayed the company’s involvement in the war efforts and reminded that the product should be used with “measured care” in order to keep the supply flowing.

    Marketers have always adapted to changing business demands when it comes to creating new advertisements. However, there are moments when their creativity is quite shocking – “Imitating Hitler” screams the title in bold capital letters of the British American Dry Cleaning Co.

    (This feature was published in the Christmas Supplement issued with the Times of Malta dated 1st December 2019)

    2019.12.01 / no responses / Category: Times of Malta

  • L-ESPERJENZA TAL-ANZJANI HIJA IMPREZZABBLI

    Max Farrugia flimkien mas-Sindku tal-Hamrun, Christian Sammut“Minħabba li ġejt nominat għall-Premju Anzjanità Attiva, flimkien ma’ għadd ta’ anzjani oħra, dan l-aħħar attendejt għall-preżentazzjoni tal-premijiet. Wieħed wara l-ieħor, ir-rebbieħa bdew jiġu msejjħa biex jitilgħu fuq il-palk ħalli jirċievu l-premju. Ismi kien l-aħħar wieħed li ġie mħabbar, bħala r-rebbieħ tas-sezzjoni akkademika. Meta ndunajt li rbaħt, lanqas naf x’ħassejt. Niftakar biss li qomt emozzjonat u ħarist lura nfittex lis-Sindku tal-Ħamrun, Christian Sammut, li kien innominani,” stqarr Max Farrugia, anzjan ta’ 72 sena.

    CertifikatDin is-sena, bħas-snin ta qabel, is-Segretarjat Parlamentari Għal Persuni b’Diżabilità u Anzjanità Attiva organizza dan l-avveniment taħt il-Patroċinju tal-Eċċellenza Tagħha, il-President ta’ Malta, Marie Louise Coleiro. Kif stqarr is-Segretarju Parlamentari, Anthony Agius Decelis, l-għan tal-Premju Anzjanità Attiva huwa li tiġi rikonoxxuta l-ħidma varja tal-anzjani fil-komunità. Anki għal dis-sena, kien hemm konkorrenza qawwija mingħand diversi persuni li ġew nominati minn għaqdiet u NGOs differenti biex juru l-abbiltajiet tagħhom. Bord indipendenti għażel u immerita lill-individwi partikolari li kienu ‘role models’ fis-soċjetà tagħna.

    “Meta s-Sindku tal-Ħamrun għarraffni li kien innominani għal dan il-premju, kont diġà kuntent ferm. Il-fatt li jinnominak Sindku juri li dan japprezza x-xogħol li tagħmel int fir-raħal,” lissen b’emozzjoni Farrugia.

    Max Farrugia beda jaħdem fil-volontarjat mill-età ta’ 16 il-sena, meta kien imsieħeb maż-Żgħażagħ Ħaddiema Nsara, u hemm kien jgħin fit-tagħlim u fl-organizzazzjoni tal-attivitajiet.

    “Wara li temmejt l-edukazzjoni tiegħi, applikajt bħala night reporter mat-Times of Malta u ntagħżilt. Kien xogħol interessanti ferm li kompla saħħaħli kitbieti. Hemmhekk kelli l-opportunità li naħdem mill-qrib ma’ Mabel Strickland. Mhux darba u tnejn li akkumpanjajtha l-Parlament sabiex nagħmlilha traduzzjoni. Spiċċajt naħdem ma’ dan il-ġurnal fl-1968, imma bqajt nirrispetta lil Stricklandsa mewtha għax dejjem ġid rajt minnha. Kienet waħda li tagħtik parir u li tinkoraġġik. Kienet tasal tirrabja miegħek jekk tiżbalja, però mbagħad ma kienetx tiddejjaq tfaħħrek jekk tagħmel xi ħaġa tajba.”

    Minn hemm, Farrugia kompla bl-istudji tiegħu fejn kiseb Diploma mal-British Institute u speċjalizza fil-ġurnaliżmu fit-turiżmu. Għalkemm il-ħsieb tiegħu kien li jidħol jaħdem fil-qasam tat-turiżmu, ma rnexxielux, u eventwalment applika biex jidħol maċ-Ċivil.

    “Dħalt mal-Malta Electricity Board li aktar tard saret magħrufa bħala l-Enemalta. Bdejt fl-istores bħala skrivan u minn hemm bdejt navvanza. Finalment, fl-1996 sibt ruħi responsabbli mit-twaqqif tal-arkivju u l-librerija tal-Enemalta. Kelli nibda kollox mill-bidu għax ma kien hemm xejn ħlief kamra kbira b’400 kaxxa ippakkjati bid-dokumenti. Tlabt xi mwejjed u persuni biex jagħtuni daqqa t’id u wara xogħol qatiegħ u bla waqfien, ġibna kollox kif kellu jkun. Biss biss, ikklassifikajna iktar minn 4000 ritratt li kienu juru l-kostruzzjoni tal-power stations f’Malta. Kien hemm ukoll għadd ta’ pjanti antiki u disinji relatati ma’ dan il-qasam li kienu interessanti ħafna.”

    Waqt li kien qiegħed jagħmel dax-xogħol, huwa ġie rakkommandat biex isaħħaħ l-istudji tiegħu, u din l-opportunità fetħitlu bibien oħra.

    Qoxra tal-ktieb - L-Internament-u-l-Eżilju-Matul-l-aħħar-Gwerra“Kelli 55 sena meta ggradwajt b’Diploma in Library and Information Studies. Bħala parti mill-kors kelli nipparteċipa f’ħidma ta’ 100 siegħa f’xi arkivju jew librerija, u jien għażilt l-Arkivju Nazzjonali. Hemmhekk laqgħani l-Arkivist Nazzjonali, Charles Farrugia, u dan stedinni biex nagħmel il-klassifikazzjoni u l-indiċjar ta’ għadd ta’ dokumenti tal-ħabs li kienu għadhom kif waslu fl-arkivji. Aċċettajt u bdejt inqassam kollox għalih.”

    “Ma domtx ma nnutajt anomalija u mort niddiskuti mal-arkivist dwarha. Filwaqt li l-parti l-kbira tal-volumi kienu mqassma rġiel u nisa għalihom u ma kienu akkumpanjati bl-ebda ritratti, żewġ volumi minnhom kienu juru rġiel u nisa mħalltin u kien hemm anki r-ritratti tagħhom! L-arkivist infurmani li dawk kienu l-individwi li kienu ġew internati f’Malta u aktar tard fl-Afrika, minħabba li ġew meqjusa b’fehma kontra l-Imperu Ingliż.”

    “Bdejt nifli dawn id-dokumenti b’interess u ħaġa ġġib lill-oħra. Bqajt skantat meta ġurnata minnhom jitfaċċa f’idejja r-ritratt taz-ziju t’omm marti, ħu San Ġorġ Preca. Imbagħad sibt ukoll ritratt ta’ qassis li kien jiġi minn missieri. Minn hemm, kibirli l-interess f’dan is-suġġett, sakemm finalment ħriġt il-ktieb L-internament u l-eżilju matul l-aħħar gwerra.”

    Bħala parti mir-riċerka għal dan il-ktieb, huwa saħansitra mar il-Palestina peress li hemm kienu jinsabu xi Maltin miżżewġin Taljani li kienu ġew internati f’dan il-post.

    “Inħobb nikteb ħafna dwar il-Perjodu Brittaniku peress li jagħmel parti mill-Istorja riċenti ta’ pajjiżna, u huwa żmien li jien għext u għadni niftakar sewwa. Barra minn hekk, għad hemm affarijiet ta’ dak il-perjodu li tista’ tara u tmiss b’idejk.”

    Qoxra tal-ktieb - Enrico DandriaInfatti, anki l-ktieb l-ieħor tiegħu Enrico Dandria – Qassis, Politiku u Patrijott jitratta dan il-perjodu.

    “Kelli diġà ‘l fuq minn 60 sena meta ġejt rakkommandat biex nistħarreġ il-ħajja ta’ dan il-Monsinjur li ħadd ma kien għad kiteb dwaru. Kien l-ewwel Ministru tal-Edukazzjoni f’Malta fl-1921. Għex żmien politiku mqalleb u kellu sehem importanti f’għadd ta’ avvenimenti sinifikanti, fosthom: it-twaqqif tal-Assemblea Nazzjonali, l-irvellijiet tas-Sette Giugno, it-twaqqif tal-partiti politiċi, l-ewwel elezzjonijiet parlamentari fl-1921, l-ewwel Self Government u t-tilwima politiko-reliġjuża bejn il-Partit ta’ Strickland u l-Knisja.”

    “Ħajjet Dandria ma kinetx nieqsa mill-kontroversji. Bejnu u bejn l-Ordni Franġiskan Konventwali kienet qamet kwistjoni dwar twaqqigħ ta’ parti mill-knisja ta’ San Franġisk fi Strada Reale fil-Belt Valletta. Dan il-każ spiċċa l-Qorti u wara kienu saru liġijiet ġodda dwar il-kultura u l-antikitajiet. Huwa miet f’qasir il-għomor fl-età ta’ 40 sena.”

    Biex saret ir-riċerka għal dan il-ktieb, Farrugia ngħata għajnuna sinifikanti mill-Arċisqof Pawlu Cremona li fetaħlu l-bieb tal-arkivji tal-Knisja f’Malta u saħansitra rranġalu permess biex juża l-arkivji tal-Vatikan f’Ruma. Huwa għamel ukoll stħarriġ fil-British Archives.

    “Meta niddeċiedi li nagħmel xi ħaġa, nidħol b’ruħi u ġismi għaliha. Nemmen li jekk trid tagħmel xi ħaġa, trid tagħmilha sew!”

    Meta rtira bil-pensjoni, Farrugia deherlu li kellu jsaħħaħ is-sehem tiegħu fil-volontarjat.

    “Fost xogħol ieħor, bdejt intella’ programm ta’ siegħa bl-isem 20:30 fuq l-istazzjon televiżiv lokali Xejk. Kien programm kollu kemm hu ddedikat lill-patrimonju kulturali u fih kont ninkludi bosta intervisti mas-Sindki tal-Kunsilli Lokali. Aktar tard, dan il-programm mexa għal fuq l-istazzjon F Living Channel.”

    Max Farrugia (Photo - Fiona Vella)Għalkemm Farrugia hu mill-Ħamrun, huwa dejjem kellu interess fl-irħula u l-ibliet kollha tal-gżejjer tagħna, partikolarment fir-reġjun tan-Nofsinhar ta’ Malta. Dan wasslu biex jagħti sehem f’diversi għaqdiet.

    “Meta kont qed nattendi għall-kors tad-Diploma in Library and Information Studies, flimkien mal-lekċerer tagħna Hella Jean Bartolo, waqqafna l-NGO Friends of the National Archives. Wara li Bartolo ħallietna, jien sirt il-President ta’ din l-Għaqda u għadni sa llum nagħti ħafna kontribut.”

    Huwa msieħeb f’għadd ta’ għaqdiet, inkluż il-Malta Railway Foundation. Kull sena, għadu jikteb diversi artikli għall-kotba tal-festi ta’ bosta rħula. Jgħin ukoll biex jitfasslu mixjiet kulturali ġewwa l-Ħamrun.

    “Nistqarr illi llum ġieli nkun okkupat iktar milli kont fiż-żmien meta kont impjegat! Fil-ħajja huwa importanti ferm li jkollok skop għax b’hekk il-ħajja tkompli. Nemmen li meta l-anzjani jirtiraw mix-xogħol, għandhom xorta waħda jibqgħu attivi f’xi ħaġa jew oħra. L-esperjenza tal-anzjani hija mitqla deheb u l-pajjiż għandu jkun għaqli biżżejjed biex jiggwadanja minnha. Min-naħa l-oħra, l-anzjani jirbħu għax jibqgħu jħossuhom involuti u utli fil-komunità. Huwa tajjeb li tibni fuq iż-żgħażagħ iżda l-esperjenza tal-anzjani hija imprezzabbli!”

    (Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fis-SENIOR TIMES – OCTOBER li ħareġ mat-Times of Malta tat-18.10.2018)

    2018.10.18 / no responses / Category: Times of Malta