THE FATE OF TRADITIONAL MALTESE BOATS

Traditional Maltese vessels have long been part of Malta’s cultural identity. These vessels were used for a variety of roles including transportation, work, fishing, defence and pleasure. Changes in society and the local economy resulted in these vessels no longer forming part of the county’s working fabric and were replaced with more modern vessels. In light of this, the population of traditional Maltese vessels has been dwindling with critical aspects such as how these vessels were sailed being lost for good. A recent incident with the planned disposal of a vessel called the Maryanne led to public uproar and raised further awareness for the current situation. This paper investigates whether traditional Maltese vessels are still considered an integral part of the fabric of society. Different stakeholders were questioned to understand what challenges were experienced when operating such vessels. The results were then synthesised into key points to provide a unified message for what has led to the current state of affairs and what could be done to rectify the situation. A proposal for actions to be taken to safeguard these vessels for future generations was also suggested.