These last weeks, we have seen debate over two issues related to identity. One issue was about foreign workers mentioned by Opposition leader Adrian Delia and the other by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo about teaching Maltese to foreigners. This is a breath of fresh air as, repeated, eternal themes in politics are beginning to attack the brain cells responsible for seeking interesting things to think about and the jaws trying not to yawn so often.
In my opinion, BOTH gentlemen above were insufficiently understood – if not purposely misunderstood. However, themes related to identity have been ignored in spite of the fact that survey after survey in Malta shows a definite Maltese touchiness in the majority of Maltese beyond skirmishing politics. I shall try to explain why I believe that an interesting matter has been unfairly ignored by hysterical politics, starting from the matter about teaching Maltese to foreigners.
There are various reasons why it is in the interest of foreigners living, retiring or provided with employment in a country, to learn the local language. First and foremost, the hosts feel a certain sense of appreciation when guests take an interest in their language and culture. Usually hosts, like the Maltese, have a great love for their language and culture – because these are an important part of their identity. And they have the right and duty to defend it as identity in a small country is in greater danger of being harmed and, with it, individual pride.
Some people are surprised that, after studying and working for many years abroad, I still have a great love for Maltese language and culture. Actually this is more logical than many people think, as Maltese identity is capable of creating a strong sense of nostalgia. Some also wonder why children of Maltese emigrants in different countries, in spite of being born abroad and maybe have never been to Malta, attend Maltese language and culture lessons in the country of their adoption.
However, let us not forget, that Maltese emigrants abroad also have a great love for the language and culture of their adoption. Thus they are not introverted, they go to see plays and participate in all kinds of sports and other activities. And that is the way it should be for the sake of love of diversity, and also as gratitude for receiving hospitality away from their point of departure.
Children of immigrants in large countries are given the opportunity to learn the local language as a stepping-stone to further education built on the host’s sense of identity which grasps local colour to add new rainbows. These children, if they have absolutely no knowledge of the local language, cannot possibly be immediately and spontaneously placed in language classes with local children who have been using the local language for years.
I have been in schools abroad where foreign children have special language lessons helping them adapt to their general education. You may wish to search on internet “Language lessons for immigrant children” in various countries, which suggests strategies and solutions which are being proposed by Education Ministries in Malta and elsewhere. Some people mistakenly believe that any foreign child can be automatically placed in a class where lessons are delivered in the local language and “sooner or later” this child will get used to the new language as “children learn quickly.”
These naïve pedagogues do not know what they are talking about. Children do not learn a new language in a short time, as a language is not a bicycle that takes a few days, if not less, to learn to ride. Children obliged to sit in a completely new linguistic environment feel very frustrated. It is quite normal and healthy, for Ministries of Education everywhere, to organise the teaching of the local language as a foreign language to foreigners as this helps young guests to love their hosts’ identity leading to an increase of their own chances of socio-economic success. (Please also search the notion of grasp of local identity and educational success beyond language.)
I have seen expressed opinion by people who should know better, that the Maltese Ministry of Education wants Maltese to be taught as a foreign language even to Maltese children. Wherever they heard or imagined this, I do not know, as the Ministry of Education never said this. We cannot possibly misunderstand something or someone and then go about hopping angrily that a particular policy is “incredible”!
Let’s come now to the matter of identity, as expressed by PN leader Dr Adrian Delia. I have heard shock and incredulity expressed at emphasis on identity. I must say that I was not particularly shocked and irked by Dr Delia’s opinion for several reasons. Over many years and generations, Maltese of various ideological backgrounds have expressed love for identity – except for some with an inferiority complex which deserves a discussion on its own, being a serious condition.
All of Malta’s Presidents, whatever their ideological background, have expressed love for Maltese identity. They have not done this simply to “play” at being national, but especially to sow cohesion while promoting the scientific reality that associates identity to self-esteem and thus to success, also due to the fact that Maltese identity comprises an enthusiasm for educational and professional results. I cannot avoid adding that Christabelle’s song theme at Eurovison is another aspect of Maltese identity promoting the love of social commitment. Christabelle and her song were not sufficiently appreciated. Probably because art combined with social dedication are considered less noble in some quarters than wriggle and giggle.
UNESCO has for years promoted linguistic and cultural identity in all countries as this also creates self- esteem and progress. Indeed nowadays even regional language and cultural identity are allowed emancipation, development and expansion whereas they encountered resistance in the past.
Human sciences have always explained that identity must be given importance not simply for academic reasons but especially for pragmatic ones. Indeed suffocating identity is socially and psychologically harmful while promoting it is healthy. Attacking your identity while chattering with foreigners leads to national and personal harm.
Resistance to the appreciation of identity has various origins. I have sometimes come across the idealistic mentality that “We are not citizens of a country but of the world”. Beautiful dreams are sweet, but they must be followed by waking up out of grandiose perceptions of messianic visions of the type that self-convinces of heroic grandeur to save the world (and soon the universe!)
If rationality, instead of controversy, is applied to the presence of immigrants in a country, there would be no need for resentment and debate. There are countries like Germany and some Scandinavian countries where euphoric individuals went round with placards inviting citizens of the whole world to come and join the party. Many guests did not wait to be invited twice by hosts with an apparent guilt complex. But some of the guests started thinking that they were also being invited to help themselves to female underwear and violent frisking of local ladies – instead of saying: “Am I going to be mean in the house of my hosts?”
Some guests do not mind being violent with the police. As language expert often close to police work, I have sometimes seen policemen with broken legs and dislocated shoulders after being caressed by guests. Some much more diplomatic guests only verbally complain about the locals and everything they see at the house of their hosts, convinced that they are doing their hosts great favours sleeping in their house and sharing their facilities. We know that some of our guests find fault with us and all we plan. It’s not nice to be obliged to say that some areas abroad have rubbish collection not so often…..
Immigration remains so whatever its origins. It is offered to some countries out of assistance to persons coming from poor or dangerous areas. (I have occasionally heard naïve arguments of obligatory hospitality duties due to St Paul’s welcome overnight stay with full board when his cruise ship was shipwrecked.)
Immigration has an economic importance when certain areas of work need foreign workers. These help themselves and also send financial assistance to friends and family abroad. It is thus positive for us hosts and our guests.
UNESCO and educators explain that contact with foreign cultures may be beneficial for adoption of exotic elements of your choice into your life which becomes more colourful. It is, however, wrong for hosts with an innovative complex to feel that it is the host who must make changes to his house and interior decoration as a gesture of integration with guests!
In spite of eccentric euphoria, integration is not a two-way traffic. It is not a romantic poem or a one-way street squeezed into a multiple-direction street. It is a genuine effort to learn to love the home of your hosts and their altruistic identity.
Whether enthusiastic persons with emotional opinions about integration like it or not, hosts cannot be expected to rush to the street to encourage prospective guests to come in and make themselves comfortable. It is the guest who should make efforts to integrate and earn the right to feel welcome with a nostalgia for his identity but with a love for our ours.
Dr Anthony Licari has an academic background of human sciences from various French universities.