Lace Making

Lace making can be hand made or manufactured.  There are different types of lace the bobbin or pillow lace, needlelace, knitted, tatting, tape lace, decorated nets, crochet, macramé, filet and netting, tenerife and Nanduti. The thread used is silk, linen or cotton.

Hand made Lace

There are early types of names Rose point, Venetian point and Maltese point. This is the method Lace making as is still known today. Rose point shows a rich embossment. Venetian and Maltese they are both formed in flat figures, the Maltese lace is remarkable because it is made using masses of combined threads.


Maltese Lace or Bizilla

Lace making in Malta and Gozo dates back in the 16th century. It is based on the pattern of the Venetian point.
In the 19th century the Italian Genoese bobbin lace was introduced to the Maltese and soon they created their own patterns.

Leaver Machine

This is the Leavers lace machine. It was invented in 1800s. It produced pattern and background simultaneously. Lace produce by machine it was high quality, faster to make and cheaper to buy.

During The Great Exhibition in London Queen Victoria was given Maltese lace and she loved it and so it became popular. Maltese designs were copied and sent to China and India to be manufactured.

 

  The lace pillow with thread and bobbins 

Different types of lace

 
                 Lace with Maltese cross  

                                                                                                 

Maltese women - Lace maker

       

Gozitan- Lace maker

Gozo Lace and a picture Dun Guzepp Diacono who promoted in Gozo

African Lace

Before 1880 lace in Nigeria was made by hand but then they started using machinery.  It is a symbol of Nigeria. Lace is handed from generation to generation.  There was a cultural interaction among Nigeria, Switzerland and Austria. Nigerian lace was in fashion during the 1960's.

African lace is produced in Europe for the west African market. It is the modern version machine produce embroidery. It is worn on special occasions such as weddings, baptisms and birthdays.

Old-fashioned embroidery machine 

African Embroidered Lace

The Lace in Malta was made by hand. It was either white or ivory. The thread was fine quality and expensive. The African lace is mainly manufactured  and very colourful.  

Harvard System

Website

101 Things to do in Malta. n.d. Watch Maltese Lace-making. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.101malta.com/en/home/articles/245/watch-maltese-lace-making.htm. [Accessed 16 May 15]

airmalta. n.d. Lace making. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.airmalta.com/destinations/malta/best-of-malta/culture/lace-making. [Accessed 23 May 15].

Maltese History & Heritage. n.d. Maltese Crafts. [ONLINE] Available at:https://vassallohistory.wordpress.com/maltese-crafts/. [Accessed 16 May 15].

The Lace Guide. 1979. The Origins of Lace. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.laceguild.org/craft/history.html. [Accessed 13 May 15].

Africa Fashion Guide. 2015. Textiles blog (blog). [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.africafashionguide.com/2012/05/from-silke-to-african-lace-to-lagos-business-angels-specialist-interview-textile-review-2/. [Accessed 16 May 15].

Book

De Piro ,N & Ann Cremona, V (1998). Costume in Malta - A History of Fabric, Form & Fashion. 2nd ed. Malta: Patrimonju Publishing Ltd. 

Folk music and instruments

Music

Folk music in Malta. dates back to the 16th century. Muisc played an important part in everyday life for the Maltese people. Local folk music in Maltese is called Ghana.  Maltese music was influence by the island's position  between Sicily and Africa. .The word ghana combines famous Sicilian ballad mixed with Arabic tunes.


Maltese Instruments

The Maltese built their first instruments from things they used in the house. animal skin and reeds , plant with wooden stalk which grows in the valleys.
Some Maltese instruments are Iz-zaqq (bagpipe), Iz-Zummara (

reed pipe), il-Flejguta (cane flute), It-Tanbur ( Frame drum) , Il-qran (horn),  Ic-Cuqlajta and  Iz-Zafzafa ( friction drum).

Horn

                    Il- Qran

This is made from natural materials.  The horn in Malta it is called il-qran or il-qrajna. The horn was made from the cow/bull horns and were used as sound instruments when it is blown through a reed and pipe (hornpipe). The horn was also used during the opening of carnival.
The horn had another use. It was also placed above the doors to protect the people from the evil eye.

                                                                                   It-Tanbur

Tamborine ( It -Tambur)

                                                               This is a tambourine in Malta it is known tanbur and  in Gozo tambulin. It is made out of wooden frame,  with a membrane tightly stretched on one side of it. On the sides has metal discs and bells attached to it.. It is played by gently hitting by hand on to the tight skin. It is usually played with another instrument such as the Zaqq 

                                                            

                         
                                                                       Il-Flejguta

il-Flejguta (cane flute)   




                                                                                            Iz-zaqq

The flute in Maltese it is called the Flejguta . It is made out of reed and is similar to a recorder.  It has a  number of finger holes

Iz-zaqq  (bagpipe)

Iz-zaqq is a bagpipe it is made out of animal skin could be calf or goat.  It has four legs and a tail. Bagpipe is made out of two pipes each is filled with a single reed, the chanter is made out of cane, the animal filled to one end  and applied as a bell and you hear a sound. The horn is with five fingers on the left and also on the right.




                                                                           Iz-Zafzafa

          

                

This is a friction drum. It is another instrument used in  Malta. In Maltese it is called Iz-Zafzafa or Ir-Rabbaba. It is still used today over carnival time. It is made out of a container, skin and a reed. The container could be made of tin, pottery or wood.  It is played by moving the long reed in an up and down movement.
                                                           


       
                                                                               Il-kitarra

The acoustic guitar is used for the Maltese folklore music  called Ghana

Africa 

                                                                            Mizwad

Mizwad (Bag pipe)

 This is a called Mizwad. It is a bagpipe played in Tunisia. The Bagpipe is made out of skin bag , a joined double chanter and ending with two cow horns. It is played from the reed.

This is similar to the Maltese Zaqq.













                                               

                                                                Kudu Horn

    The Kudu horn is an African instrument from Kenya. It is made from the horn of the animal Kudu. These are warriors blowing kudu horn trumpets during a ceremony                            

                   
                                   Kpanlogo Drum from Ghana

  

It is made from animal skin and a wooden body. Each of the drums have symbolic carvings. They are 26inches high and 10 inches in diameter.

       Tunisian Bendir drum

This is made from wood and a membrane stretched over one side.

                                                      Kora

               

A Kora is a  west African string instrument. It is a long necked harp lute. It is made is from cow skin. and wood and has two rows of strings. It sounds like a harp.

 
The Maltese instruments are very simply made from natural materials. The African instruments are more stylish with carvings and decorations. I found similar instruments such as the horn, bagpipe, the drum and the flute. The African string instruments are very different in all parts of Africa and from the Maltese ones.

Harvard System

Website

Encyclopaepia Britannica. 2015. Kona Musical instrument. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/322102/kora. [Accessed 16 May 15].

Malta Bulb. 2009. Maltese Folk Music and Singing: Ghana. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.maltabulb.com/maltese_folk_music.html. [Accessed 16 May 15].

New World Encyclopedia. 2014. Music of Africa. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Music_of_Africa. [Accessed 16 May 15].

Mediterranean Folk Ceramics

• Colourful ceramic objects and tiles were very popular in many Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Sicily and Spain.  

• The Arabs had invaded these countries and had introduced their pottery skills to the people.

• The Arabs had introduced the tin-glaze technique to Europe.

• The most common objects produced were tiles,dishes,plates, vases and tall drug jars. They are usually colourful and have a lot of patterns. The designs were mainly fruit and flower motifs and swirling patterns. 

• The colours of lemon yellow,blues, earthen yellow, red, green and white background were popular colours.
                                                                        

• There is a difference between pottery made before and after the Industrial Revolution in the 1800's

• Hand- made pottery is never the same ( decorative & process).

• The machine made were all identical and had the factory smooth finish.

• The level of style & crafts fell after the great exhbition of 1851 (London).

                                


    Maltese Pottery

• In Malta clay and terracotta objects of everyday use were made locally such as pots, pans, jars, candle holders and plates. These were very plain and not coloured.

Handmade water jar used to get water form the well

Hand made Foot Warmer

They put hot water in the vessel to keep them warm in bed

                                 

                            Sicilian ceramics   

The Sicilian ceramics are more decorative and colourful.

19th century ceramic tiles

Floor tile

                                                     19th century Moorish Heads

These are ceramic Moorish Heads. They are made in Caltagirone near Catania. The heads of a male or female. They are true symbols of Sicilian folklore.

These pots are used as plant holders and are placed outside the houses in the town.

                     19th century Jars

 

 

 

Albarello (drug Jar)

Plates

19th century Majolica plate

This is an example of tin glaze technique. A tin -base glaze is applied to the earthenware which is white. The white glaze makes it easy to apply the coloured glaze.

                        African Ceramics and Pottery

Water Vessel

Africa water vessels were worn by women on their backs to fetch water from wells and springs and store and a museum Africa in there homes.

'Kabyle' double vessel from Algeria

This is a vessel from Algeria. They knew how to use wheel pottery. Algerian women coil and decorate pottery with geometric designs. They still use and make pottery to sell and use at home. 

'Kabyle' Pigment Vessel

This is an other vessel work by an Algerian artist. This is a ceramic vessel painted with natural dyes. The women paint using there fingers.It has a spout of a shape of a camel head.

       

Kwazulu Earthenware pot  19th century used  for Beer Drinking

V&A Museum London

Wine or water vessel

Congo or Angola vessel for palm wine or water.  19th century ceramics

African wall tiles

Turkish wall tiles

Colours may be symbolic such as the green is the sacred colour of Islam

The differences between Sicily and African ceramics. Sicilian ceramics have a colourful tone on a white base and the patterns are floral shapes and curved designs. The African objects has dark earthen tones,and geometric patterns some are very plain. The Mediterranean and African tiles have a repetitive pattern of shapes, flowers,curves and fruit they are both colourful. They both have vessels for the water. The African ones have human head or animal heads as a decoration. While the Mediterranean only have handles. 

Earrings design inspired from the Moorish heads by 

Dolce & Gabbana

Dress inspired by Moorish patterns by Dolce &Gabbana

Costume Jewellery 

Boho Jewellery. This pendant is inspired by a Mediterranean ceramic tile design. It has a floral design with turquoise colours typical of the Spanish tiles. This is an example of folk art in jewellery being sold today.

Harvard System

Website
Swide. 2015. the Moorish Head. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.swide.com/art-culture/sicilian-ceramic-moorish-heads-history-of-the-iconic-caltagirone-vases/2015/05/01. [Accessed 16 May 15].
Best of sicily. 2010. Sicilian Ceramic Art. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bestofsicily.com/ceramic.htm. [Accessed 16 May 15].
Encyclopaedia Britannica . 2015. Pottery. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/472867/pottery/73890/19th-century. [Accessed 16 May 15].

Books
Lanfranco,G (2002). Xoghol,Gahgih u Snajja li spiccaw. Malta: Bieb Bieb. 
Lanfranco,G (2004). Hajjitna Fl-Imghoddi. Malta: Bieb Bieb. 

Mediterranean Folk Costumes

Mediterranean Folk Costumes 

Folk costumes are different from one country, a region or tribe to another. From costumes we can learn the history and about the people of a country. Costumes could have a meaning or tradition. Certain costumes were made especially for dancing movements.  Material like cotton and gabardine and more expensive fabric like silk  and wool are used in many costumes.                                                                

Many of the Mediterranean costumes have similar clothing and accessories such as colourful materials, embroidery, sashes, ribbons, buttons, designs and patterns.  Dresses, skirts, tops, shoes and hats are also similar.

                                                           Maltese Costumes

In the olden days Maltese women use to wear skirts known as ghonnella which later be came the name for the head covering. The culqana which was a head covering from head to the hip, a head scarf, gezwira which was a type of skirt with one side open tied with ribbons at the side which was worn on an other skirt. The apron was worn on top of the gezwira.

A Maltese Peasant By Sebastiano Ittar

A Woman of Gozo by Sebastiano Ittar

The men wore cotton shirts with a vest, loose fitting trousers and a coloured sash around the waist.The milsa was worn on the hair made out of a long tube of knitted different coloured dyed wool or cotton with tassle on either end.The tube is folded from the middle and one of the two ends was inserted into the other thus forming a double walled cap.The cap is worn either at the front or hanging down behind reaching to the shoulder. Terha was worn on the waistline instead of a belt. It is made from a long narrow rectangular-shaped fabric bordered with fringes along both the narrow edges. Terha has a weave structure from a tabby weave woven with cotton yarn. There are two types terha it is made out of cotton and bushakka is made out of silk.

Male Country Costume 

Male  Country Costume

The Ghonnella or Faldetta  was a type of  head covering or hooded shawl used only by women from Malta and Gozo . It was made from cotton or silk usually black. Coloured  and white Ghonnella were also used by the noble or wealthier women. The Ghonnella covered  the  head and did not cover the face. The top part was starched and had a rounded shape by means of a whalebone or cane. Once worn, it was left to hang by the sides or held with the right hand when walking. These costumes are not worn nowadays. They are only  worn during folk activities.

Faldetta worn during Folklore event

Painting of Faldetta of Ghonnella by Edward Carauna Dingli

Sicilian Costumes

The Sicilians wear the costumes during festivals. There are two types of costumes. The truly Sicilian and the ones coming from Albania.

The women wear full skirts of red blue, pink yellow or black with bands of coloured ribbons on the bottom part in some places aprons are worn. bodices are worn over the blouse with a around neck and full sleeves.

The men wear breeches of black or dark blue fastened at the knee with buttons or red braid. There is a long sleeve black jacket or coloured sleeveless waistcoat which is worn over a white long-sleeved shirt which is tied to the neck with a red bow. A red sash is worn around the waist and white socks and black shoes.

These two have a striking and colourful costume found in Sicily. It is from Piana degli Albanesi, near Palermo.The Albanians came from their country to escape the Turks.The women in the picture is wearing a full skirt made of heavy silk taffeta and decorated three broad band of gold embroidery. The skirt is embroidered with a gold floral design. The red sleeveless top is decorated  with gold embroidery.

The men is wearing a thick white trousers narrowed at the bottom of the ankles and there is a black or braided stripe bottom of the seams. The waistcoat and jacket sleeves are both covered in a fine gold braid or embroidery.

                                                                     


Morocco

Enrique Iglesias inspiration of the Djellaba for his video

In Morocco clothes are different from the towns and the villages. The women in the cities wear the Djellaba in white grey or blue made from cotton or gaberdine. This form of dress is long up to the ankles and has a  hood attached. The caftan is also worn by both men and women. It is mostly worn indoors.

Clothes vary from one region to the other. The material, design, ornaments and accessories mark the different clothes from one tribe to an other. Headdresses range from simple straw hats to long white or black fringed scarves knotted at the back.

Hood clothing

                                                                   Algeria

The most popular form of dress in Algeria is a long hooded, Djellaba could be blue, white or grey the costumes away form the capital city known as the mellia a long piece of materiel is draped around the body and fasten on the shoulders with two fibula pins. These pins are very decorative and even have decorative chains joined across the chest.  A belt or sash is worn  around the waist . Head dresses vary from region to region and also among the tribes. 

                                                                            Tunisia

Tunisian ladies drape over  their head a loose cotton type of cloth around the body  known as the safsari or sifsari.  White is for a younger women and black for the older. In winter it is made from wool.  In the villages the safsari could be bright colours. It is worn to protect the clothes under it from dirt and dust.

The Sifsari is similar to the Maltese Culqana the Maltese women do not  cover their face.

Men wear the burnous. It is a type of cloak or cape made from dark wool or camel hair. A hood is attached to the burnous.

                     

This costume is similar to the Maltese one. The sash over the shoulder and round the waist. The trousers are narrow not as wide  as Tunisian.

Harvard system

Book
Harrold R and legg p (1978). Folk costume of the world. 2nd ed. Uk: Blandford press
De Piro ,N & Ann Cremona, V (1998). Costume in Malta - A History of Fabric, Form & Fashion. 2nd ed. Malta: Patrimonju Publishing Ltd. 
Bonavia,C (2012). Country Folk Costumes In Malta And Gozo Description and Patterns. Malta: Heritage Malta. 
Gambin K(2012). Peasant Costumes Insights Into Rural Life and Society . Malta: Heritage Malta.