Q. Which of the following is Maltese:
a. The Knights of Malta
b. The Malta International Airport
c. The Maltese Cross
d. The Maltese Falcon
e. Maltesers
f. A Chocolate Malt
g. Maltese Cats
h. Maltese Dogs
i. Malta, Montana
j. Maltese drivers
There is only one correct answer, but let's sort through this one by one:
a. Knights of Malta: If you said Knights of Malta, you need to brush up on your history. Also
known as the "Knights Hospitallers" and the "Order of St. John
of Jerusalem," the Knights of Malta were comprised of Christian nobles
from eight regions of Europe. For several
centuries the Knights were the benign rulers of Malta. They lived in auberges
according to their nationality:Provence, Auvergne, France,
Aragon, Castille,
Italy, Germany, and England (until the English
Reformation).
In the present day: the orders exists under the full official name of
"Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John
of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta" (Sovrano Militare Ordine
Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme di Rodi e di Malta). It
claims sovereignty under international law and has been granted permanent
observer status at the United Nations. It is, like Vatican
City, located within the city of Rome. Thus, the Knights of Malta can be said
to be partly Italian, Spanish, German, French, and even English -- but not
Maltese.
b. Malta
International Airport: If you said the Malta
International Airport,
that was a good guess, but you're still wrong. Malta's
airport is actually owned and operated by the Vienna International Airport
Group (VIAG), a whole-owned subsidiary of the Vienna
International Airport
in Austria.
In 2003, the Austrian group was awarded the concession for the Malta Airport
for 65 years. Thus, Malta
International Airport
is, in effect, Austrian.
c. Maltese Cross: If you said the Maltese Cross, you're wrong. Even though the Norwegian-led
Brand Malta PR task force is trying to appropriate the Maltese Cross for Malta
(as has Air Malta and many other venerable Maltese organizations and
businesses), the symbol belongs to the Knights Hospitaller (see 'a'); it is,
therefore, not Maltese. There is no denying, however, that the Maltese Cross is
associated with Malta
d. Maltese Falcon: If you said the Maltese Falcon, you're wrong there too. First, the term
"Maltese Falcon" refers to many different things: a bird, a statue, a
novel, a movie, and probably some obscure British rock band from the 60’s. The
bird, also known as the Peregrine Falcon, lives mostly along mountain ranges
and river valleys. Malta
has no mountains, no rivers. In normal circumstances, no Peregrine Falcons. In
the Dashiell Hammett novel, which was popularized by the classic1941 Humphrey
Bogart film, the “Maltese Falcon” was a priceless (and legendary) gem-encrusted
objet d’art stolen from a treasure
galleon off the coast of Spain
in 1539. Film buffs will recall that the idol-like creature left a messy trail
of death and destruction in its wake as one greedy thief after another –
including Peter Lohre – fought to possess it. Though the figurine of the film
and novel is but a legend, there is a real Maltese Falcon statue – and one can
see it on display at St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. It represents
the symbolic annual rent of one live bird presented by the Knights to Charles
V’s viceroy in Sicily.
e. Maltesers: If you said Maltesers, nope! Maltesers are a
Whoppers-style candy balls manufactured by Mars. They consist of a spherical
malt honeycomb centre, surrounded by milk chocolate. Originally known as Energy
Balls, ads for Maltesers in the 1930s claimed that they're beneficial for
weight loss. They are most popular in the United
Kingdom, Ireland
and Japan.
f. Chocolate Malt: If you said a chocolate malt, surprise, surprise: you’re
wrong. A chocolate malt is made by adding malted milk powder (supposedly a
protein boost) to a chocolate milkshake. I have yet to run across a malt in Malta.
It is difficult enough to find real ice-cream. Though there is plenty of pizza
and pasta to make up for this.
g. Maltese Cats sound like they ought to be Maltese, but
they are not. “Maltese Cat” is simply a name given to a solid grey or blue cat
of inderminate breed. “The Maltese Cat” is also the title of a short story by
Rudyard Kipling. The story is about a polo match set in British Colonial India,
told from the point of view of one of the ponies, whose name was “The Maltese
Cat.” You could say the Maltese Cat is Indian, but not Maltese.
h. Maltese Dogs also sound like they might have something to
do with Malta,
but no. The Maltese is simply a dog belonging to the tiny toy group of dogs
covered from head to foot with a mantle of long, silky, white hair. Some prefer
the term “Girlie Dog” to “Maltese Dog.” In any event, although one does find
Maltese Dogs in Malta, they
have no special claim to Malta.
The Maltese is thought to have been descended from a Spitz type dog found among
the Swiss Lake dwellers and bred down to obtain its small size. Seriously! You
could say the Maltese Dog is Swiss, but not Maltese.
i. Malta, Montana: Those of you who know their American geography will
recognize that Malta, Montana as a town in the Western state of Montana, where one finds
Maltese Cats, Maltese Dogs, and chocolate malts (but no Maltese falcons or
Maltesers). It is interesting to note that Malta,
Montana is much smaller the nation of Malta
– both in area (1.1 square miles) and people (2,120 people).
j. Maltese Drivers: If you answered “Maltese drivers,” congratulations,
you’re correct. There’s really no getting around it. If you are from Malta
and you are driving, you are a Maltese driver – for better or worse. Driving and automobiles, as I have stated previously, are an island obsession here. In what other country in the entire world, would the main national newspaper carry a Page One above-the-fold article about the year's first serious automobile accident (as pictured above). Well, if you ask me, I prefer that to an article on the record number of homicides (86) in my hometown during the past year.
