Maltese bread : a changing symbol of the island's identity

Abstract

Food and culture – it is nearly impossible to separate these two aspects of the way humans live. The way we prepare, consume, and talk about food says a lot about who we are, and distinguishes us from any other species on earth. Perhaps this is why, on the island of Gozo in Malta, the production of hobz tal-Malti, or Maltese bread, has become a symbol not only of sustenance, but identity. In times past, people came together in bakeries to make their bread, and in doing so obtained news and strengthened community ties. Now people have their own ovens at home. They either make bread themselves, or buy it from the store. Bakers that still make bread in traditional bakeries see themselves as protectors of a heritage that is being lost as the old ways of production fade. While this change is due to a variety of factors like tourism and globalization, it is apparent that breadmaking is being modified, some believe, to the detriment of Maltese cuisine and, some believe, culture. For this reason, cultural tourism projects in Malta are seeking to preserve the tradition of making Maltese bread, as well as the way of life with which this tradition is associated.