A Matter of Fate
For British diplomat John Hookham Frere, January became a month of sorrows…. Some say that bad luck isn’t real and that there is no such thing as luck. Yet others would strongly avoid walking under a ladder or crossing the…
Tag Malta
Malta’s Prehistoric Treasures
Who knows whose neck the exotic jadeite amulet adorned? To reach the Maltese shores, this item travelled a very long distance in prehistoric times. Therefore, it must have been really treasured, raising the status of its owner. It is difficult…
The Magic is in the Detail
Although the main characters of the nativity scene are Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, different cultures have added and altered the original representation in order to include their own characteristics. Some of these varying interpretations can be viewed in a…
The Selling Game
Advertising 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…
The Sisters of the Crib
“This place was much livelier when children were around, especially in Christmas,” reminisced 60-year-old Madre Phyllis Agius of Jesus of Nazareth Institute in Żejtun. Around forty years ago, when she became a nun, the institute catered for orphans, teenage girls…
Gone but not forgotten
“St. George Preca used to say that the cemetery is the biggest book and I had the opportunity to confirm that,” revealed a Capuchin friar who served as a custodian of the Addolorata cemetery for some years. Living among the…
Repairing the house before it rains
“In China we have this concept to repair the house before it rains. We give great attention to our health and well-being because certainly prevention is always better than cure,” declares Dr Xiaoming Yang, a traditional Chinese medicine physician which…
From Stories to History
For hundreds of years, the recording of the past focused on public records, statistical data and the lives of prominent people. Yet in recent decades, the spotlight turned onto the general public and its memories in order to provide a…
Corner Comforts
“You wouldn’t survive in this business if you are not brought up in it since childhood. It is just too demanding and it takes up your life completely,” insisted Frankie Cutajar, the owner of Lady Di Pub in Tignè Street,…
Ancient practices to relieve modern issues
The Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Kordin, Paola offers a variety of services which aim to improve health and wellbeing. Based on Chinese medical practices which date to more than 2000 years of knowledge, the Centre is…