First October 2017

OCTOBER 2017

Editor’s note

he last time I was the editor of a magazine I was about ten years old and had no idea what an editor was, let alone knew how to create a functioning publication. Back then, the A4 pages were sneakily snatched from the home printer, content was anything you could think of, and printing costs were quickly replaced by a few pencil colours, felt tip pens, and a lot of ambition. Now that almost two decades have passed and I have the opportunity to publish a magazine which is read by more than just my best friend, I have revisited the notion of content and spared much thought to the question which I missed out on twenty years ago ‘what should this magazine serve to do?’ As the time to start planning began, I was following the classic slogan which guides many strong publications, ‘inform, educate, entertain .’ With this mantra at the back of my mind, I continued my journey in searching for stories with which to fill up the pages. Along the way though, things changed slightly. During my conversation with Mina and Reb (page 11), Reb stated their belief that “maybe we should stop saying ‘education’, because we do not want people to feel like they need to be educated,” but rather; just provide the right information in a non-imposing manner. With this idea in mind, it would make sense to remove the word ‘educate’ from the three, as it instead ties in with ‘inform’, and leave a space waiting to be filled. The process of finding the word to fill that space came about naturally. All the stories we chose to share with you in this publication have a common thread, which is that they all contain an element of inspiration. We chose them because we were inspired by them. A young entrepreneur on a mission to connect the creative scene in Malta (page 36), a photographer inspired by the visual appeal of old Maltese decor (page 22), a group of anonymous individuals who were inspired to take action by exposing Malta’s clutter publicly through the means available to them (page 19), a project which hopes to find beauty in the mundane, poetry from potatoes (page 41). Inspiration was clearly a common binding factor, and an important one at that. Within this magazine, therefore, is the hope of having a publication bound with inspiration, from the input, when selecting and preparing the subject matter, to the output; the wish to inspire you reader through the features selected. So by the end of the month, when I came to write this editor’s note a few days prior to publication, looking at the almost-finished product, I have realised what I hope this magazine serves to do; Inform, entertain, and inspire.

JOANNA DEMARCO Editor

October 2017

Editor Joanna Demarco jdemarco@independent.com.mt Advertising & advert placements Claire Bondin Gafà cgafa@independent.com.mt Designer Conrad Bondin cbondin@independent.com.mt Production manager Andre Camilleri acamilleri@independent.com.mt Artwork coordinator Christine Spiteri cmifsud@independent.com.mt Publisher Standard Publications, Standard House, Birkikara Hill, St Julian’s. Tel: 00356-2134-5888 Printer Print it E-mail first@independent.com.mt Online www.independent.com.mt Facebook firstmagazine

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First is published every month as a complimentary magazine with The Malta Independent on Sunday and is not to be sold separately.

Contributors ANN DINGLI Ann is an art and design writer who moves back and forth between Malta, London and New York. She runs I think I like it – a blog that discusses art, architecture and design in a frank and relatable way. www.anndingli.com www.think-like-it.com

ROBERTA RANDON Full-time mother and primary school teacher, who enjoys ranting whilst looking on the brightside.

MAGDA AZAB Magda is an Italian Illustrator based in Malta, she creates colourful illustrations, working with strong shapes and vector textures in order to give her distinctive touch. www.magdaazab.it

DORIANNE MAMO Dorianne is a content creator and a fashion stylist. She’s interested in all things fashion, travel and beauty and blogs on whatever she finds intriguing on www.askdorianne.com WANT TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR? EMAIL US ON FIRST@INDEPENDENT.COM.MT

REBECCA CAMILLERI Rebecca describes herself as adventurous with a passion for fitness and travel. With a positive attitude towards life, she tries to find the good in everything and everyone. @munch.abunch

MATTHEW SPITERI Matthew Spiteri is a local, award-winning fashion photographer. Find him on his ‘Matthew B Spiteri photographer’ Facebook page.

CONTENTS [ O CTOBE R ISSUE 2017 ]

19.

ENVIRONMENT An Instagram account documenting clutter around the island

8.

CONVERSATION WITH Yasmin de Giorgio

11.

INSIDE

A look at the ‘X’ gender marker, and how the word ‘gender’ is being redefined

22.

BOOKMARK National clean up day

TECHNOLOGY How is Sarahah, the anonymous messaging app, being used by teenagers?

ART

Therese Debono’s photography project documents old Maltese interiors

26.

FASHION That awkward month

16.

44.

36.

IDEAS

How one entrepreneur is boosting networking for creatives in Malta

41.

CULTURE

October 2017

Exporting poetry alongside potatoes

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52. FOOD

Learn how to make a simple, nutritious bowl of oats (with zucchini)

62. DIARY

Some suggestions for what to do and watch and where to eat this October

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Interview

CONVERSATION WITH Yasmin de Giorgio FIRST MAGAZINE SPEAKS TO YASMIN DE GIORGIO, YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AND FOUNDER OF GRASSY HOPPER, THEOBROMA, AND, MOST RECENTLY, SANYA.

Interview and photography by Joanna Demarco WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO THIS SUMMER? I just came back from Bali where I spent two weeks in a meditation centre. I go every year to cut off from my usual fast paced, extra busy life and take some time to myself. For me, these trips are my medicine. It is truly amazing what you can experience and discover within yourself when you make time and have the strength to really stop and go within. My discoveries from spending many hours in silent meditation have actual been the inspiration for Sanya. SPEAKING ABOUT SANYA, THAT IS YOUR LATEST BIG PROJECT, HOW IS THAT GOING? WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA BEHIND IT? Sanya is all about living to our best potential; physically, mentally and emotionally. It is a collection of everything I have found in the last ten years that has made sense to me and that I feel we should all have access to in order to be happy and fulfilled. Sanya is about healing, learning and most importantly going within. I believe health and happiness start from the inside out, but we don’t always know where to start. The first step is obviously to get your body healthy which is why our natural clinic is at the heart of what we do. But then we also go further to optimizing our mental and emotional welbeing with things like yoga, meditation, spa treatments and many different courses and events.

October 2017

HOW LONG AGO DID GRASSY HOPPER KICK OFF? HAS THE SITUATION IN MALTA CHANGED WITH RESTAURANTS OFFERING FOOD PROMOTING A MORE CONSCIOUS LIFESTYLE? It’s actually been four years this month. Yes definitely, we have become muchmore open- minded towards all different styles of eating and it’s great to see more options all round.

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YOU HAVE ALSO STARTED RECORDING PODCASTS, WHAT IS THE AIM OF THESE PODCASTS? I love ideas and inspiration. I think one of the most beautiful things about being human is our ability to articulate and express our ideas, visions and dreams. Sharing and communicating the things that I find meaningful has always come naturally to me so the podcast is really such an enjoyable platform. Possibly the best thing about it is that it has no agenda. It is not political, I’m not trying to sell anything. Only share the stories and ideas that I think can help people live happier and more fulfilled lives. SURFING IS A HOBBY OF YOURS. HOW IS SURFING IN MALTA? HOW OFTEN DO YOU SURF? I’ve surfed all around the world from Bali, to Australia to Peru...but there is something so special about surfing in Malta. Especially at Ghajn tuffieha. There are surely much better waves in other parts of the world, but just being in the sea particularly in big waves is so cleansing and therapeutic. I surf whenever the wind blows, which in Malta is pretty unpredictable, but it definitely makes us local surfers appreciate it that much more. HAVE YOU DISCOVERED ANY NEW INTERESTING PLACE AROUND THE ISLAND? I truly love Malta and have always spent a lot of time exploring it so finding somewhere new is not so easy. But I always love going to Gozo and walking around. Even if the place is not new, seeing it in a fresh light always brings a new experience. WHAT BOOK/S ARE YOU READING AT THE MOMENT? I am a mega bookworm and usually read 4 or 5 books at once. Top of the pile though at the moment is ‘Four Chapters on Freedom’ which is a commentary on one of the core yoga texts.

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Inside

‘X’ MARKS THE GENDER As of last month, people who do not identify as either male or female can choose to mark their gender with an ‘X’ on their passports. In this month’s inside, first magazine speaks to Mina Tolu and Reb Xiberras, two individuals who identify as gender non-conforming and gender non binary, respectively. This means that they do not identify as either ‘male’ or ‘female’, and do not fit into boxes labeled ‘male’ or ‘female’. Both activists when it comes to transrights and gender equality, they help us clarify questions regarding not identifying with the male or female gender markers, preferred gender pronouns, Malta’s progressive steps towards a more gender neutral society and how the word ‘gender ‘ is being redefined. October 2017

Interview and photography by Joanna Demarco

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Inside How would you explain the word ‘gender’? Reb: Normally, when we have workshops, you find some people still don’t know the difference between ‘sex’ and ‘gender’. How we usually explain it is that ‘sex’ is what people tend to see as genitals or what is written down on your birth certificate, (even though nowadays your parents can choose not to write down your gender.) ‘Gender’ is something that you identify with, that you see yourself as. Sex is biological whilst gender is more of a social construct and psychological.

Does not feeling like you have to conform feel liberating? Mina: Yes. I feel more myself. I used to try so hard, so hard, to fit in and ask how can I, as a woman (back then), fit in with the others. How can I make it obvious that I am also a woman? But it was so uncomfortable. I felt like I was playing a part and not being me.By identifying as gender non-conforming I am accepting that I do not conform to society’s expectations of both genders, I am neither of them. Gender is absolutely a modern social construct. You can look towards so many cultures and realize that the way that many understand gender is not linked to what our bodies tell us.

“In fact nowadays my mum doesn’t call me ‘daughter’ but ‘kid’ and my siblings actually call me ‘sib’” How would you explain what gender nonconforming means? Mina: When you fit into something you are conforming to something. In my case I feel that I don’t manage to fit neatly in a gender box that is labeled ‘woman’ and I don’t feel like I can neatly fit into a gender box that is labeled ‘man’. In many ways, I think that many people are the same way. ‘Society’, the media, advertisements, schools enforce stereotypes that tell ‘men’ and ‘women’ (and ‘boys’ and ‘girls’) how we are supposed to act and who we are supposed to be according to the gender we were labeled at birth. The norm in society is that there are only two genders, and that a person can only be a man or a woman. That is the concept of the gender binary, so when we talk about gender non-binary we recognise that there are more than two genders, and that people are identifying in ways that go beyond the normalised man/woman binary.

Are the terms ‘gender non-binary’, ‘gender nonconforming’ and ‘genderqueer’ the same thing? Mina: This probably depends on who you ask, as to different people they mean different things, in the same way as identifying as a ‘man’ and ‘woman’ may have different meanings for people. Some are starting to use ‘gender non-binary’ as an umbrella term for anyone who does not identify as a binary gender, that is male or female, and is identifying as gender non-binary or gender non-conforming or gender queer or gender fluid. In this case the term ‘non-binary’ is being used to refer to all those who do not fit into one of those two boxes, and we are adding more boxes, or no boxes, as it is.

October 2017

However, I think that for many people, the three terms are different. It depends on how you feel and what makes most sense to you. When I heard the word ‘gender non-conforming’ that fit for me, and I said “yes that is who I am.”

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Reb: I identify with ‘non-binary’ because I believe that people do tend to see the world in a binary view, and not necessarily only related to gender. It’s always black or white, tea or coffee. Society gives these norms and rules to a person the second they come into the world, which they have to abide to, and these stereotypes keep following us throughout our lives. But in reality, you can be assigned female at birth, identify as non-binary and still be attracted to males. Sexual orientation is fluid and gender identity is fluid as well.

Why are measures such as introducing gender neutral toilets or removing gendered words from the legislation important? Reb: The opposing question to that is, ‘why are they there in the first place?’ Why do we need to segregate men and women to go to the bathroom or to try on clothes? Why does gender need to be present on ID cards or passports, or when getting married? At the end of the day these are just people going on with their daily life. On the other hand, people want labels and something to identify with. Maybe that is why the x marker was introduced, to identify with something, as well as to recognize this community of people, and maybe

by having that marker people will ask questions and try to get more information. Hopefully they will ask questions such as ‘what is this x?’ ‘what does it represent?’ and ‘why do you have it?’ Mina: Having neutral terms recognizes as many people as possible. Having neutral terms is not only there for people who identify as nonbinary, but it’s for people who just don’t fit into these exact norms, it’s an easy solution, which encompasses everyone. Why should we have things which leave people out? When it comes to bathrooms, sometimes when I go into a woman’s bathroom I’m asked to leave. That would not happen if a toilet were for everyone. It’s just a toilet.. Public spaces are sometimes difficult to be in

like, such as pronoun use. In fact nowadays my mum doesn’t call me ‘daughter’ but ‘kid’ and my siblings actually call me ‘sib’. So yes, the Gozitan culture I come from is quite conservative, especially compared to other cultures in Europe, but I do believe that the Maltese people are also very nice and our Mediterranean culture makes us very friendly, so with education and if we inform in the right way, without trying to impose, but rather giving the right information in the right way, I think people would be willing to be more open and inclusive towards people who don’t identify with their gender given at birth. Mina: I agree with Reb, people are more likely to meet you half way if you give them that option. Of course it’s not easy for people to understand this. It’s easier for me because I’ve been thinking about it and exploring this idea every day for more than five years, I don’t expect someone to get it that easily, and that’s ok! Someone who says “it’s going to be hard for me to get used to using different pronouns, but I’m happy to try, though it will take time for me to get used to it,” is meeting me half way. People who tell me “no this is rubbish, there are only men and women, I’m going to use ‘she’ to refer to you,” that’s not meeting me half way, that’s putting their own world view first without thinking about others. Reb: People at work meet me half way, for example, by telling me “if I use the incorrect pronoun to refer to you, correct me.” These are people who know that it is not so easy but they want to be inclusive and incorporate this in their everyday language, and that is enough for me, that they are respecting how I identify.”

How is the LGBTIQ community in Malta and how do you feel with society here as opposed to abroad? Mina: I haven’t been living in Malta for almost two years as I have been living abroad, but I come to Malta every few months, more or less. It is different, in Berlin there is a trans and non-binary community, so it is super friendly, so no one asks you what is your ‘real’ name or what is your ‘real’ gender, it is just accepted, if you say that is who you are then that is who you are, but in Malta I feel I was not part of a trans community, and I was not surrounded by the same kind of community. But there is an LGBTIQ community here, especially amongst the group of activists. Reb: Whenever I go to conferences abroad about such topics I feel like it is the safest space, when you come back to Malta it’s a bit difficult because you come out of this bubble where everyone respects each other

“When I heard the word ‘gender non-conforming’ that fit for me, and I said “yes that is who I am.”

when you don’t fit what society expects you to fit. When we, or anyone who doesn’t fit society’s expectations of gender enters a bathroom; a masculine woman, or a feminine man, a gender non-conforming person, or a transgender individual, it can be dangerous for us. We just want it to be safe.

How did you parents and friends take it? Have they gotten used to calling you ‘they’ instead of ‘she’?

October 2017

Reb: My mother seemed confused after I explained it to her, but she just asked me whether I am happy and I said “yes” and she was ok with it. Throughout time, I started mentioning things which I like and do not

so much where everyone is celebrated for their individuality. At the end of the day I might be non-binary but there are so many different identities within one person, I’m not just non-binary, I’m Gozitan, I’m Maltese, I’m European, I studied psychology, I love music, and everyone has these small identities, this is just one small identity which happens to not fit in the norm of society, and that is why it takes so much priority over your life. I think the community in Malta is still lacking a bit, but I think there is starting to be more awareness, for example even this interview would not have been done five years ago, so I think the interest is there and the community could be following after that, so there is hope. ▶

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Inside ◀

What about language use? noticed that people are already starting use the word ‘ġeneru’, I think the ‘Gender non-conformity’ to Maltese language will evolve and the means changing the language word ‘ġeneru’ will enter speech more we use, what advice would locally in our day-to-day conversations you give people to make our as well. society more of a gender neutral place when it comes What is the way forward for to things like language, such Malta? Reb: I think the law is doing a great job, as pronouns?

Mina: I think language is the last thing that is going to change. It is very easy to speak in gender neutral terms in English but we are in Malta, where Maltese is not gender neutral. My family also speaks Italian, a language which is not gender neutral, and I am living and speaking in German which is also not gender neutral. But language changes so much, and new words enter our language all the time. So I think we should be open for new words to enter Maltese and new ways to use Maltese. In Italian and Spanish as written languages, they are changing the way they are writing to be more inclusive, such as the word endings are changing. In Italian we would use ‘@’ to change the ending of the word so it won’t have a gender. An @ looks like both an ‘a’ and an ‘o’ so you are referring to something as neither masculine nor feminine. And that what is next to change, communities are changing the way they speak, in Maltese people use the plural form to relate to things which are gender neutral, so I would not say ‘tagħha’ I would say ‘tagħhom’, for example. Reb: I have friends who tell me it is weird to call me ‘tagħhom’ in Maltese. Yes, it is weird because we have not been taught that way. A friend of mine found it very strange to use in the beginning but by now it has become really natural for him, when people tell me it is difficult to call you ‘they’, I tell them ‘imagine how difficult it is for me to be misgendered every day’. People might argue that we are losing the language, but I would say that we are actually adapting it, to present-day life, life is changing and Maltese is gendered, ‘flixkun’ is male, ‘sodda’ is female.. But does it make a difference? Is a bed really a female?

October 2017

The word for gender in the . Maltese language, ‘generu’ has been introduced recently. Is it being used?

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Mina: Language evolves, and I have

we are one of the best in Europe, it recognizes people, makes people feel safe and gives me recognition to be myself by law. I think now we should be focusing on education and information. Maybe we should also stop saying ‘education’ and start saying ‘information’, because we do not want people to feel like they need to be educated about a subject, but rather they are given information in a nonimposing way.

How can this information be given? Reb: for example teaching teachers during their courses, to have a more inclusive language in the classroom and to be aware of different gender identities and sexual orientations. If we are going to have sex education classes, lets include every sexual orientation and every gender identity. If we are going to build new establishments let us have gender neutral bathrooms in there. If there is going to be an official document by an agency or organization, let us have gender neutral pronouns in it. It is not about special rights, it is about including everyone, in everyday life situations.

Mina, do you have anything to add for the way forward? Mina: Now that some laws are in place, it helps to build a community that can support each other and ask for more policy changes in healthcare, and more societal change in general. In other countries this happened the other way around; a group of people who were angry and came together to campaign for a change in laws, to be accepted. In Malta the (gender identity, gender expression, sex characteristics) law appeared before the trans community had strategically organised to advocate for legal change. Exposure to information will also make people who are not comfortable as their

assigned gender realize what is comfortable to them and what suits them, and more people will start to explore their gender and reach out to others.

Timeline: April 2014: gender identity recognized as a protected ground in the constitution April 2015: the Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sexual Characteristics act is passed unanimously in Parliament. It gives trans people to possibility to change their gender marker on official documents with no need to undergo surgery. December 2016: Act passed to depathologise trans identities and ban conversion therapies (trans identities no longer considered as a mental illness and conversion therapies banned) September 2017: third gender marker ‘X’ introduced

Glossary: Transgender: People whose gender identity or gender expression is different from the sex they were assigned with at birth. Trans rights: The rights of transgender people. Gender neutral: No or little connection to the traditional system of gender. Preferred gender pronouns (PGP): A pronoun which does not associate a gender with the individual who is being discussed, for example calling someone ‘they’ instead of ‘she’. Gender Binary: The classifying of sex and gender into two distinct forms of masculine and feminine. Gender non-conforming: Denoting or relating to a person whose behaviour or appearance does not conform to prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate to their gender. Gender queer: A person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both, or a combination of the male and female genders. Gender fluid: Relating to a person who does not identify themselves as having a fixed gender. Social construct: A social category or phenomena created and developed by society X-marker: An ‘X’ to mark your gender as opposed to an ‘m’ or ‘f’. LGBTIQ: Acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning.

October 2017

Bookmark

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‘Volunteers clean up Manoel Island as a dog looks on, at the ‘Let’s Do It Malta’ National Clean Up Day on the 16th of September. More than a hundred locations in a total of 53 towns and villages around Malta and Gozo were tended to by hundreds of volunteers.

Bookmark

October 2017

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Environment

HASHTAGGING LAWLESSNESS AROUND OUR COUNTRY

first magazine spoke to the anonymous individual/s behind gahanmalti, a new instagram page that focuses on collecting and immortalizing Malta’s ‘normalised bad ways’ to raise awareness about the issue. Words by Joanna Demarco. Photography by gahanmalti’s contributors. xcessive rubbish in bins, excessive rubbish not in bins, cars double parked, hazard lights to buy pastizzi, things which should be functioning but are not, makeshift contraptions in inconvenient places, obstructed pathways and pavements, damaged pavements, littered areas and self-designated bulky refuse drop offs, to name a few.

The page displays a collection of instances of degradation around Malta taken in real time. “It is not about a person but rather about the issues that need to be put into the limelight and be tackled immediately,” said the annonymous individual who replied to my questions, “our island is becoming a giant slum of bricks and garbage.. and it’s going to have a lasting effect unless we do something and stop normalising our bad ways.”▶

The Instagram account, merely one month old at the time of writing, is photographic documentation, evidence of recklessness, occurrences which we have possibly become so accustomed to that it has become the norm. However, placed in the context of Instagram, within individual square frames, the page allows us to see it with fresh eyes, both through individual photographs and as a collective mosaic of sorts.

October 2017

Although the name is singular, and the age-old ‘ġahan’ refers to one individual, the page is actually for a multitude of people, “everyone who wants to see a better Malta,” as the anonymous interviewee puts it. The page is a national platform for frustration. Anyone who comes across recklessness may contribute to the page merely by snapping a picture and sending it in. The interviewee explains their surprise at the amount of pictures collected and provided in a matter of a week after the birth of the page.

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Environment

◀ The main aim of the page is to create awareness in the hope of inspiring action. “One person can clean and try but it won’t go far,” they said. “Creating awareness and trying to engage as many people as possible could work, hence the use of social media (major news organisation are awol about the issues.) (So the aim is to) create awareness, get people talking, and eventually get involved, face reality as a nation and clean up this mess we have created.”

October 2017

The creator believes that such issues should have more of a dominating presence on the news. “The issues we are trying to raise should be on the news daily, as it is affecting the whole island, yet we barely talk about it, let alone do something,” they said, adding that “one person can complain, but a movement can act and rectify all shortcomings.”

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For the page creator, the number of images sent in is proof of Malta’s lawlessness. “It’s overwhelming evidence that we have zero order,” they said. “We park where we want, we litter and abuse the environment... Everyone knows this, it’s not like we are letting out a big secret,” they said.

With not hiding anything in the photography, no filters added to enhance, edit or censor or adjust a situation, I asked what their opinion is about exposing such people, establishments and so on. “If you don't care about breaking laws and negatively affect others with your actions you don't deserve to be protected from exposure. There is a reason why we are in this state. And that’s because everyone looks the other way.” When asked what, in their opinion, should be cleaned up and regulated, they suggested three things; roads “from every aspect”, education and “most importantly, enforcement.. adding that “example starts from the top.” Where are they going with this project? The plan is inversely proportional, where the need to continue the project means no progress to the situation. “We will see where it goes but as stated before, rampant abuse means more pictures. Hopefully there won't be many in the future as this is an amazing island which with a little bit of care can go back to be the gem in the Mediterranean,” they said.

Art

Inside the unfiltered Maltese home

We speak to local artist Therese Debono about her photographic series ‘Maltese Interiors’ – a visual essay on privacy, taste and stillness. Words by Ann Dingli. Photographs by Therese Debono.

October 2017

In very recent years the image of the traditional Maltese home has been deconstructed and fetishised by young, filter-savvy Intsa-glamourati. Maltese tiles, vintage typography and ‘things made out of wicker’ have become beacons of national nostalgia and domestic pride. The young and fashionable have revived these elements of Maltese interiors and made them their own, pairing them with of-the-moment lighting trends and contemporary furniture staples. But whereas this generation of new-age homemakers have converted these motifs into sentimental tokens of what was, one local photographer has concerned herself with the unedited, unironic and untouched reality of the way many Maltese homes actually look.▶

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October 2017

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Art

◀ Before she began her career in photography, Therese Debono worked as a draughtsperson. She spent a lot of her time surveying people’s houses and so became very well-versed in typical local interiors. As a result her former, more utilitarian, trade has filtered into her current work – a lot of which is dedicated to photographing happy couples on their wedding day. This new vocation has brought her back into people’s homes, fuelling her fascination with the way in which they are decorated.

Composition is a key word when discussing Debono’s work on this subject. Her stark and uncompromising angles juxtapose with the hyper-embellishment of her subjects, elevating them – in visual terms – to the sacred. The photographs’ resolute symmetry transforms a vanity table into an altar, a bridal bed into a crypt, a bedroom into a convent – at least in spirit. These consecrated spaces are, in turn, adorned with actual religious paraphernalia, adding ever more mysticism to Debono’s work.

“When I shoot weddings I also document my surroundings – to give context to my stories. The interiors I shoot are never modern or newly refurbished. I am attracted to the mundane and older stuff,” Debono says, “stuff which others might dismiss as unaesthetically pleasing. But it’s actually these things which tell a story.”

“Religious icons are a top favourite amongst the Maltese,” she says. “Everywhere I’ve visited I’ve come across many icons, be it statues or holy pictures. They’re there in the living room, corridor, bedrooms – they’re everywhere”. Debono describes her instinct to shoot in a “deadpan methodology” as the best way in which to shield her own stylistic bias. Her aim is not to portray her commentary on the décor she encounters, merely to document it.

October 2017

In her photographic series, Maltese Interiors, Debono has captured a collection of spaces which speak volumes about the idiosyncratic, traditional Maltese home. Her focus is on parts of the home saturated with icons, kitsch decor and what she describes as ‘stillness’.

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“My favourite part of shooting this series is the stories that home-owners tell me – what I uncover about the people living there. First, I like to explore a place to assess what’s there and how best to approach the subjects. I’m not a connoisseur of antiques, so what interests me is why people would have chosen one particular set-up over another. Sometimes it’s the sheer mix and match of artefacts that make or break a composition.”

“I’ve never touched or re-arranged anything prior to the shots. Shooting front elevations and mostly from my height gives the viewers the closest perspective to how they would see it themselves if they were in the house,” Debono explains. “Again, I might as well attribute this approach to 19 years of working as a draughtsperson. Some of that training has rubbed off. Even though I am drawn to imperfections, when it comes to certain compositions I know exactly how I want to portray something. For the work I do, usually a head-on straight shot works better than others.”

Even if Debono’s process seems meticulous and visually strategic, her aim is less harnessed, and quite romantic. She is determined to offer a way into people’s private world – one that exists within the undeniable parameters of class, domestic vanity and advertised morality. “These interiors tell a story and can give clues to what their owners have gone through, their beliefs, their loss, their happiness and their tastes,” she says. “I feel that people take pride in decorating their home because it is an extension of who they are.”

things that reveal more about the people living there rather than the ordinary details.”

Indeed, it is easy to take for granted just how integral to Maltese culture interior spaces are. Our time is mostly spent celebrating the beauty of the islands’ natural, outdoor environment – the sea, the sand, the limestone. But the truth is that we are implicitly obsessed with the roofs that we build over our heads. Is-salott (the main sitting room) has become a symbol for a broader understanding of Maltese culture – its meaning stretched to the territory of colloquialism and, most pervasively, social media. It’s an emblem of how we conduct ourselves when we are around each other – a representation of constructed decorum that quickly breaks down and gives way to loud and unbridled social interaction.

The stillness that Debono describes in this body of work is drawn from this very desire to suspend her own tastes and aesthetic judgement and consider the objects in people’s houses as part of a whole, balanced, yet enigmatic story. “Stillness comes from recognising what is in front of you, breathing in the sheer beauty of the photo I am about to frame – composing, snapping, and capturing the stillness of a moment in time caught forever.”

“Sometimes, entrances and living rooms are set out very elegantly or in an orderly fashion because it’s the first room that guests visit, so ‘it must be clean and in order, otherwise people will think we are careless’. But the clue is in the details”, Debono insists. “Sometimes artefacts are mismatched or from totally different styles. It’s the quirky

Her project, although approached with the clinical eye of a documentarian, is deeply personal – not to Debono herself, necessarily, but to the anonymous owners of the spaces she shoots. “I have to find a way of making homeowners trust me,” she emphasises, “to make them see that I am creating this project for research purposes and not to investigate their possessions.”.

Maltese Interiors delves deeply into the lives of its ghost protagonists, the cultivation of a national aesthetic and the difference between what is cute and what is common. It is the epic novel to the short abstract we have already seen emerge on the subject of local décor – the back story to what is happening on the fashionable feeds of Instagram and beyond. And it’s pretty hard to put down. Ann Dingli is an art and design writer. She runs think-likeit.com – a site discussing art, architecture and design in a frank and easy-to-understand way.

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Fashion

THAT AWKWARD MONTH

October 2017

White top (E55) and trousers (E99) from 1-2-3 PARIS. Suzie Blue necklace (E16) from PORTO. Marille ankle boots (E119) from ALDO SHOES & ACCESSORIES. Havaianas Sunglasses (E63) from O’HEA OPTICIANS.

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Navy blue blouse (E45) and grey culottes (E89) from 1-2-3 PARIS. Suzie Blue bangle (E22) from PORTO. Leganiel shoes (E49) from ALDO SHOES & ACCESSORIES. Etnia Barcelona specs (E169) from O’HEA OPTICIANS.

October 2017

STYLING: DORIANNE MAMO FROM WWW.ASKDORIANNE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTHEW B SPITERI HAIR: ROBERT AGIUS FROM STRANJÉ HAIRDRESSING, ATTARD MAKE-UP: MARLENE VASSALLO FROM BLISS HAIR & MAKEUP MODELS: KATRINA DEMARCO AND HANNAH FROM SUPERNOVA MODEL MANAGEMENT

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October 2017

Fashion

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Body suit (E105) and orange culottes (E155) from KAREN MILLEN. Suzie Blue orange necklace used as bracelet (E14) from PORTO. Kappa shoes (E55) from ALDO SHOES & ACCESSORIES.

Shirt (E89) and denim trousers (E85) from 1-2-3 PARIS. Emthunzini Hat (E55) and Mr. Beaumont watch(E68) from PORTO. Michael Kors sunglasses (E150) from O’HEA OPTICIANS.

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Fashion

October 2017

Zip sweater (E155) and skirt (E155) from KAREN MILLEN. Tosca backpack (E185) from PORTO. Isidro ankle boots (E125) from ALDO SHOES & ACCESSORIES.

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White sweater (E125) and leather skirt (E125) from KAREN MILLEN. Elie Beaumont watch (E67) and Mr. Beaumont watch(E68) from PORTO. Marille ankle boots (E119) from ALDO SHOES & ACCESSORIES.

October 2017

OUTLETS FEATURED: 1-2-3 PARIS Westin Dragonara Resort, St Julian’s, tel. 21375781. O’HEA OPTICIANS, 191 The Strand, Gzira, tel. 21315590. ALDO SHOES & ACCESSORIES, The Point Shopping Mall, Tigne, tel. 99751057, Valletta, tel. 99892331, Pama Shopping Mall, tel. 99854540, Paola, tel. 99892332, Gozo, tel. 99000106. 21315590. KAREN MILLEN, Old Theatre Street, Valletta, tel: 99897642. PORTO, Portomaso Shopping Complex, St Julian’s, tel. 21372079.

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s e t o N

Fashion

from the stylist –October

It can get weird in October. Do we sti feel like going out for an ice cream or is it time for afternoon hot chocolates already?

October is weird but means winter , tly n a t r o (my favourite p m i t s o And m o t season) is fast g n i o g I m a t wha approaching! :) ? r e h t a e w s i ar in th

Tips

we

*light numbers which can be layered up.

*Don’t put those sunnies away!

*Coulof ye,s com se compromsihorts between trousers and thick

ict d r e v t o o Fashion shpale e. sh

October 2017

Greyi with d e t n e m e l Comp eal t f o h c u a bit to ! and orange

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Also, fris are sti very much in

or a cool s t a l f y f m o *C ots, just o b e l k n a f o pair you don’t s, n i a r t i se a in c yourself want to finding around in going walk flip flops!

ri o D www.askdorianne.com

Fashion spots

What to wear! What the shops recommend

PANELLED A-LINE DRESS – ORANGE – E240 This punchy A-line dress will bring a burst of colour to day-to-night wardrobe. A 24-hour piece, the dress has a flattering fit and flare silhouette with side panel details. The structured dress can do the talking, pair it with pared-back accessories.

STRIPED KNITTED PENCIL DRESS – BLACK AND WHITE – E200 This black and white striped, knitted pencil dress showcases an inherently wearable aesthetic. Made with chevron knit detail from merino wool, the pices has a relaxed silhouette and an effortlessy-cool funnel neck. Minimalists should style this with pared back flats, where maximalists should style theirs with colour-pop accessories.

October 2017

CAPES AND PONCHOS: A chic alternative to the traditional coat, the poncho is set to become the leading light of the winter wardrobe this season. The colours and prints available offer an attractive and comfortable garment... so easy to throw over your shouder for an on-trend look. Casual style is back with a vengeance... To go for the relaxed look, why not wear with low cut boots or trainers?

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Available at 1-2-3, Westin Dragonara, St. Julians

Mens and Ladies watches from Elie Beaumont, London, are stylish and elegant, as well as being affordable. The watches are available in many colours and cost between E69 and E79.

See the collection at www.portomalta.com, or visit the shop at Porto, Portomaso Shopping Complex or Porto Boutique at Hilton Hotel. Tel 21372179

UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON FALL 2017 COLLECTION: Sweaters. Our store since 1965. United Colors of Benetton for Fall means green spirit, everyday chic and Italian style. Check out the new collection for Fall 2017 - Colorful sweaters in 100% cashmere and merino wool for men and women with 100% natural pigments. Contrasts and color, just as United Colors of Benetton tradition calls for.

FLORAL PRINT BELL SLEEVE DRESS: Combinine a duo of this season’s hottest trends. Fashioned in an all-over vintage inspired floral print, this ultra feminine frock features 3/4 length fluted sleeves, alongside a back neck button fastening. In addition to being a demure daytime dress, this pretty piece can be effortlessly transitioned to eveningwear with a pair of heels. Visit the Matalan outlets in Sliema and Fgura. Follow the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/matalanmalta.

BLOCK STRIPE PRINT SHIFT DRESS – E39.50 Secure your place in the style charts with this boldly beautiful block stripe dress. Cut in a timeless shift, this mid-length dress offers short sleeves, pockets, keyhole fastening and a fluid fit. Team this striking dress with skyscraper heels and a clutch for desk to dinner style. Available from M&Co in Valletta. Visit the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/mandcomalta/ to stay up-to-date with the latest arrivals.

Ideas

A gym, but for Malta’s creative minds Heyday, a Maltese creative education company, is experiencing an ever-growing magnetic force pulling more and more creatives to its events. first magazine spoke to founder Michael Azzopardi about the creative scene in Malta and Heyday’s objective, the two of which are inevitably tied.

October 2017

Words by Joanna Demarco Photography by Monika Kasica and Joanna Demarco

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ouldn’t networking be so much easier if it wasn’t called ‘networking’? Entrepeneur Michael Azzopardi holds firm the belief that good connections happen effortlessly, in informal and familiar places. That is the true nature of Heyday’s meetup events, which is attracting an ever-increasing swarm of creatives to the steps of St John’s Street every few weeks.

So what is Heyday all about? Heyday is a local creative education company with a simple mission: to build a creative community in Malta by bridging the skills gap and helping companies find their next creative employee. “Our position is to champion creativity and position individuals to succeed by learning the right skills and landing dream jobs,” said Mike. “This, we believe, is how a creative economy can grow.” ▶

October 2017 37

October 2017

Ideas

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◀ Mike insists that what creatives in Malta needs is not talent – he thinks there is plenty of that – but rather a scene to which they belong. “This all starts with connection in a setting that is genuinely engaging,” he said. “Good connections happen effortlessly, in informal and familiar places. When enough interested people gather in one location, networking is inevitable and natural. This is why we stopped calling our events ‘networking events’ – a label that implies there is some form of action you need to take that is out of your daily social routine. We are interested in creating the right environment for the right people so they can gather knowledge and meet their next partner or employer.” Rightly so, HeyDay’s events are filled with friendly faces, casual clothes, tasty cocktails and your circle of friends.

topics and workshops at the Heyday Space.

Malta’s creative scene “The creative scene in Malta has grown massively in the last three years, largely because people have grown in confidence and started to showcase their work and abilities. They want to be great, which is the most important thing,” said Mike, when asked what he thinks about the scene here. Mike listed self-confidence and the ability to think big as some of the hurdles upon which creatives in Malta stumble. That being said, he added that companies are becoming bigger, more ambitious and they are “begging” for talented people to join their teams. “There is no shortage of talents,” he added.

“If Heyday was to succeed at only one thing, let that be to make people love their talent – love it to the point of wanting to make it their focus in life.” How heyday came about

Previous page: The crowd and panel at a Heyday meetup Above left: Heyday audience Bottom left: Portrait of Michael Azzopardi

The entrepreneur believes that we have reached a positive stage. “We’ve reached a wonderful point in our story. All there is left to do is to aim higher and do the work to reach the targets,” he said. A word of advice? “For all those creatives out there: promote yourself, be proud of what you can do, go out there and meet people you admire. Make them aware that you can bring them value. There are hardly any excuses or hurdles anymore, the opportunities have arrived.” This was then followed by a heartfelt statement: “I always say: “If Heyday was to succeed at only one thing, let that be to make people love their talent – love it to the point of wanting to make it their focus in life. There is nothing greater than doing what you love well and being acknowledged for it,” he said. “Being in your Heyday is a wonderful thing: It’s that moment in life when people start noticing you and your work. But it all starts with caring about your talent and wanting to be great. This is why Heyday exists – to help individuals reach that point.”

Heyday in the near future Heyday has some exciting plans included on its calendar (or iCal). This month, the creative company is moving into a large space in order to offer classes, workshops and a working space for creatives. Talks, accompanied by refreshments, will be held weekly, “like going to the gym, but for your creative mind,” said Mike. “Heyday is meant to stimulate people and take them out of their day-to-day routine, then serve them with some engaging content to take them up a notch. This is what we intend to achieve in the next couple of years,” he said, adding “the meet-ups will continue, of course.” Come along to the next meet-up! Find Heyday on Facebook at ‘heyday’.

October 2017

The heyday seed was planted three years ago while Mike was living in London (where creative events were a staple in his calendar or, as he calls it, ‘ical’), when he realised that much of what he had achieved in his career could be credited to merely knowing the right people. “When I started my software company ‘Seb Azzo’, I knew exactly where to go to find the right help. This is a huge advantage, and makes business start-ups far less daunting. I looked at Malta and saw a yearning for connection amongst creatives,” he said. “Companies did not really know about the sheer amount of great talent that was sprawled across the country. I wanted to bring them together in one space so they could enrich each other’s journey.” In March 2015, Hey Day’s first event – ‘Hey Disco’ – was organised on a Friday night, with the concept of fusing a fun night out, drinks, music and interesting industry talk. “It worked: 300 people turned up,” said Mike. Heyday now runs monthly meet-ups and a big annual event, with a name equally as cool as ‘Heyday’ – ‘Seize the Day’. Each meet-up is set around a topic, such as the issue of freelancing in Malta, or being inspired by the country in which you are living. A few people with experience in this particular topic make up a panel on the evening, and take part in a dialogue about a specific topic. The meet-ups are becoming more and more popular, with about 200 people joining every month, huddled on the steps in front of Café Society in Valletta, looking onto a panel of inspirational people, with the three cities as an illuminating backdrop. Mike described ‘Seize the Day’ as a “flagship event, a brilliant opportunity for the island to meet some great international designers, coders and marketers.” The company also runs weekly classes around those same

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Culture

POTATOES AND POETRY Chances are, if you can draw inspiration from something as mundane as a mere potatoe, then absolutely anything will intrigue you. A project between Malta and Leeuwarden is currently underway, where a few poems are exchanged yearly within the imported and exported sacks of potatoes. first magazine spoke to the local coordinator of the project, Leanne Ellul, about what it’s all about, the potential of words, and potatoes. Words by Joanna Demarco, Photography by Elisa Von Brockdorff and Giola Cassar respectively.

October 2017

alta and Leeuwarden, a city in The Netherlands, have been exchanging potatoes and potatoe seeds since the 1850s. However, in 2015, a handful of customers would open their sacks, only to find something more than just the knobby vegetable inside, but a poem, with words inspired by the very thing the paper was surrounded by, potatoes. Think Willy Wonka’s Golden ticket, but with local poetry. ▶

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Culture ◀ Besides their starchy relationship, another thing which fuses Malta and Leeuwarden together is that they will both hold the honorable title of European Capital for Culture in 2018.

However, the project’s (metaphorical) seeds of poetry are sowed beyond potatoes bags. They are sprinkled into other events, such as children’s workshops, and printed upon restaurant napkins.

Inspired by both these factors, along with her interest for the promotion of lesser-used languages, Dutch local Frouke De Jong came up with the Poetry in Potatoe Bags project, Leanne Ellul, Malta’s project co-ordinator explained, which is part of the cultural programme of Valletta 2018.

One of the workshops organized by the project coordinators in collaboration with the Youth.Inc programme at Agenzija Zghazagh included going on an outing to Abdilla, the project’s link with Leeuwarden.

Eight different poets a year write one poem each with the same starting point as inspiration of the poems; potatoes. “Some take the social aspect of potatoes, some tap on memory, others senses,” said Leanne, explaining that the project has especially interested localities around the country which have a deep potatoe tradition, such as Qrendi. “We aim to disseminate poetry as much as possible. Potatoes are staple food, which we take for granted most of the time. For many people they are just potatoes, but the truth is that it goes beyond that,” said Leanne. “This staple food that is very, very basic, and that we take for granted, can also be poeticized.” She goes on to mention that even renowned poets such as Sylvia Plath have written about the brown vegetable. “It is the idea that poetry can be found everywhere,” she went on. “And this is the beauty of the project. People tend to make fun of it at first, but then you take a closer look and see that there is a philosophy to it, so to say.”

The project’s seeds sprinkled Each poem is translated into another three languages, making it come alive in four different languages in total; Maltese, English, Dutch and Frisian (the dialect of the region). The poems are distributed in various ways, differing between countries; stitched onto bags, printed, handed out in tote bags in schools.

“Abdilla are the link with Leuwarden when it comes to the import and export of potatoes. Valletta 2018 create the literary part of the project, and we work hand in hand with them,” said Leanne. At the import and export company, the youths witnessed the process of the exchange of potatoes, as well as tasted some meals made out of the vegetable. Another initiative born out of the project is the printing of the poetry on a set of napkins at Ta’Nenu restaurant in Valletta. Asked ‘why is it important to expose children to poetry?’, Leanne replied ,”this is the big question.” “Well, poetry can challenge ideas.. there’s beauty in poetry which can make one analyse further, but many times, I like to say that poetry, and all literature, just is..” she continued. “Children get to experience poetry through something just as mundane as potatoes, yet experience this beauty of words; a celebration of the potential the words have, and that is something.” “It is not going to change their lives, but they are learning by seeing that through poetry, we are celebrating something as common as the words we use every day and food we eat every day, and we are also able to create just by putting those two together.” She added “in the case of kids, poetry is fun, rhyme, rhythm, clapping, if it is poetry that they can enjoy, if they can enjoy it they can get something out of it.“

The local poetry scene is buzzing According to Leanne, the local poetry scene has flourished and is currently ‘buzzing’, more women poets are publishing their work and the number of female poets is rising to meet the number of their male counterparts.

“This staple food that is very, very basic, and that we take for granted, can also be poeticized.”

Poetry events like open mic nights by Inizjamed, a new wave of slam poetry around the island and foreigners both bringing and giving writing inspiration are all big pushes to the scene. “We are also lucky to meet writers who are living here on the island but are not Maltese, it is very positive,” she said.

October 2017

Poets are taking to online platforms such as blogs, Facebook and Instagram to publish their poetry whilst more publishing houses are opening. “It is all steps in the right direction,” she smiled.

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October 2017

Technology

Sarahah: Thank you for your honesty The latest craze in mobile apps amongst teenagers is an anonymous messaging app called ‘Sarahah’, perhaps a digital version of leaving a secret unsigned note, folded on someone’s desk, and writing the message with a different handwriting (for extra anonymity). first magazine discovers what the app is all about and how Maltese teenagers are using it. Words by Roberta Randon. Illustration by Magda Azab. n the spirit of the app which is under discussion, I am going to be honest.I am fast approaching thirty, I have a soon-to-be four year old daughter and I am a primary school teacher surrounded by confident and curious eleven year-olds every day. Hence, I like to think I’m up to speed on the latest internet trends and apps, thanks to my school kids. So, why on earth did I feel the urge to Google the word ‘teenager’ in preparation for this article? In case you didn’t know, Google defines a teenager as “a young person whose age falls within the range of 13 to 19 years old.” But as all parents know, and teens alike, it is much more than just an age bracket. Feeling uninspired by that dry definition, I clicked on Google images instead and was led to an abundance of photos. As I was sifting through them, I stumbled upon different groups of teens smiling, laughing, texting and taking selfies. Their mobile phones, laptops and tablets were part of their groups; extensions of themselves.

What is Sarahah? The word ‘sarahah’ means honesty, in Arabic. However, it is honesty which is delivered anonymously. This anonymity is the core purpose of the widely used application.

Who came up with the idea? Saudi Arabian programmer Zain alAbidinTawfiqcame up with this particular concept of providing feedback anonymously. This idea was developed by means of a website set up within a company and to be used amongst employees. By means of the website, employees were able to provide feedback directly to their managers while remaining unidentified. From a professional standpoint the service seemed useful and trustworthy, even. He set out to give a voice to those who wanted to share their opinion, yet feared speaking up. Due to its success, Zain al-AbidinTawfiq decided to share his concept on a wider, social level, whereby friends can share

their thoughts and opinions about someone else anonymously too. Needless to say, once his app was launched in June, teenagers across Australia, America and the U.K were curious to know all about it. Malta was no exception.

How does the app work? Naturally, I downloaded the application and registered an account. I was driven by curiosity as my eyes scanned the screen. The overall design is subtle and sleek; no complex logo and detailed graphics. It is as easy on the eye as it is easy to use. When registering, the app asks for the usual personal details such as an email address, password, username and (optional) photo. Once registered you proceed to log in using the same email address and password you initially provided. Once logged in, you will be directed to your profile with your visible username and (optional) photo. Below your username you will have a record of the number of messages you have received, along with a link. ▶

“He set out to give a voice to those who wanted to share their opinion, yet feared speaking up.”

October 2017

Whether we like to admit it or not, teenagers are attached to their mobile devices and take pride in building their social media profiles. Their profiles serve to represent who they are, who they know and what they like. Each year brings a new wave of mobile applications targeting such age groups in

an attempt to make their way to the top of the trending list, one click at a time. This year, Sarahah is high up on that list.

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Technology

“

Maltese teenagers reportedly use Sarahah to pass on compliments to others they like and find attractive, the modern version of leaving a secret love note folded up on the desk of the person you’re crushing on

◀ That link is the way others will be able to connect with you and leave comments on your profile. This can be shared by simply highlighting, copying and pasting the link on social media. Many teenagers choose to share it on their Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter accounts allowing people to forward their honest thoughts of them, anonymously. Many Maltese youth are linking their Sarahah URL on their profile descriptions, so viewers will know where to find them in case they want to tell them something, even in hiding. Needless to say it has gained a reputation of being called a selfesteem machine. While keeping these attention and approval seeking teenagers in mind, I concluded that there are two troubling features in the app. Firstly, once a message is received, there is no way of finding out who the sender is. You cannot communicate with the sender via direct message as there is no ‘reply’ option. Secondly, other people wishing to forward a message do not need a Sarahah account; all they need is the link. Once the link is shared, there’s no guarantee of what kind of messages one can receive. Senders can be brutally honest in the kindest and cruellest ways; with the latter causing quite a stir in recent online experiences.

Why is it sparking so much controversy?

October 2017

Cyber bullying has been in the spotlight over the last decade due to individuals abusing the right to express themselves while affecting others in the process. The Sarahah app has given such individuals a platform in which they can target others by sending any type of message they wish without exposing their identity. On an international level, concerned parents have reported instances where their child received hurtful and offensive

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”

messages which affected their self-esteem. Of course, the obvious solution would be to shut down their account and/ or block offensive senders. However, it is far more challenging to erase the insensitive messages lingering in a teenager’s mind.

Hence, Sarahah has been shamed online for giving ‘bullies’ the freedom to attack others without the fear of getting caught.

What are Maltese teenagers sharing on it? Sarahah seems to be familiar amongst local teenagers and they seem well informed on its use. To gain deeper insight on the matter, we asked Maltese teenagers about the app and what teens are using it for. According to one thirteen year old girl, the sense of anonymity linked to the messages is encouraging her peers to speak their mind and pass on rude and mean comments. She spoke about friends of hers who received upsetting comments which targeted her family. As far as constructive and positive comments go; Maltese teenagers reportedly use Sarahah to pass on compliments to others they like and find attractive, the modern version of leaving a secret love note folded up on the desk of the person you’re crushing on. Needless to say receiving such flattery makes teenagers rather curious to know who sent them. Hence they would often try to reveal the sender’s identity by taking a screenshot of the message and displaying it on other social media platforms such as Instagram or Facebook and simply ask, ‘who sent this?’It’s become a real-life version of Guess Who and the possibilities are endless. And let’s face it, do we really need another excuse to bury our heads in our mobile devices?

Advertorial

SELF-DISCIPLINE, DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE FRUITS REAPED BY TRAINING BALLET Now that a new scholastic year has begun, and it’s back to routine and extracurricular activites, first magazine spoke to Johane Casabene from Johane Casabene Dance Conservatoire, about the benefits reaped by dancing ballet, and her own journey centered around her passion for the locallypopular dance genre. Words by Joanna Demarco, Photography by Baskal Mallia when the training is continued, they increase as the dancer grows up and develops. “Classical ballet technique is both physically and mentally demanding, therefore students, from a young age, learn about self-discipline, commitment, and responsibility,” Johane explained,

when asked what values students are instilled with. She said that like any other hobby, it is necessary for the students to develop a passion for the practice, in order for the seeds to be sown and the individual to continue pursuing it. She listed perseverance, teamwork, inclusion, collaboration, and stepping up to challenging situations as other benefits. ▶

October 2017

ver the decades, ballet practice seems to have engrained itself within Maltese culture. However, only a few ballet dancers grow up to continue having the art woven into their adult life. When beginning ballet from a young age, the benefits go beyond just learning dance techniques; and naturally,

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Advertorial ◀ Looking at the more committed, long-term ballet dancers, the advantages only increase, to the point where they are even visually recognisable. “You can immediately recognise an individual that has trained ballet for an extended time.. by the way they walk, their posture and how they present themselves in front of others,” she explained. “Ballet dancers have an instilled respect for their bodies and for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Other benefits listed by the school director are ones that you would typically think of such as good memory and fast-thinking, strong and independent personalities due to competitive nature of the industry, as well as control over stress levels. “Being used to working in a team helps them develop very good social skills. Another positive outcome is that these students very often have to learn how to manage their time well in order to cope with their academic studies alongside their dance training,” she said, adding that “good time management is definitely essential.”

stop,” she said. Of course, injuries must also be taken into consideration. “Some ballet dancers recover well from an injury and are able to continue dancing, however some injuries may unfortunately lead them to stop dancing,” she said.

The woman behind the school Johane, school director and mother, recalls that from a very young age, she would ask her parents to send her to dance lessons, but her parents initially insisted that she learns violin instead. “I attended violin lessons from a young age and when I was nine, a school mate spoke to me about the ballet classes she attended.. it was then that I managed to convince my parents to start ballet,” she said, adding, “dedicating my life to ballet was not a decision I had to make, it was rather my destiny, I never considered being or doing anything else. All the decisions that I took in my life from then on were strongly linked to a career in dance.”

When the dancers stop dancing Johane, who has been running her own school for 22 years, has seen many dancers come and go, and many-a-time, the reasons for throwing in the towel are similar. “I have seen many talented students not being able to cope with the academic pressure of O’levels and A’levels and because of this, they either reduce the number of classes they attend or, in some cases, sadly, they even stop their dancing,” she said. She follows this with a positive note, saying that those who were truly determined have, indeed, managed to find a way to continue their ballet training whilst pursuing their desired courses. Another factor which may sometimes be a hindrance in continuing the practice at a higher level is the appropriate physique, which sometimes changes with puberty, following which a change in dance genres is sought for. Other times, the make-or-break moment is affected by the parent, who “fears that ballet may be a distraction and they insist on reducing the number of classes their son or daughter may be attending.” In an age where social media may be a distraction, Johane believes that extracurricular activities teach them to better make use of their time when they are not studying.

October 2017

Is there an age when ballet dancers need to stop dancing?

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On an adequate level, until they still have the energy and technical level to do so, according to Johane. “Therefore, it is rather a personal decision when it comes to deciding to

How does she juggle being a mother, running a business and performing? “Any working mother would agree that it is not easy to work long hours and keep up a career whilst being a good wife and a mother to your children. I guess the very discipline, determination and time management skills that I have acquired through my dancing have enabled me to persevere and continue with my career,” Johane said. “I am blessed to have a husband who supports me in what I do and contributes in the utmost way possible in every situation, enabling me to keep up with my profession and the long hours of work it entails. Sadly, due to an injury I had that has now become chronic, I am not able to perform any longer, however I still do regular classes to keep myself in shape and I now dedicate myself fully to teaching and choreography which I enjoy very much.” Email the dance school at info@casabene.com or call on 99427933 for more information.

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Food

What’s in my bowl?

Rebecca Camilleri, the food-enthusiast behind ‘munch.abunch’ shares colourful, simple, intriguing, nutritious meals, all presented within a bowl.

October 2017

ave you heard the saying 'Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar'? That’s because breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it definitely shouldn’t be skipped. After an overnight fast of around eight hours, your body needs to restore the blood glucose level to normal and boost your energy level. A well-balanced breakfast should include an adequate amount of carbohydrates and other essential nutrients.

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Food

Ingredients Oats are amongst the healthiest grains on earth. Oats contain beta-glucan, which has multiple benefits. It is a type of soluble fibre that slows down the absorption of carbohydrates into the blood stream which lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart disease and promotes healthy gut bacteria. Oats are also a great source of important minerals, vitamins, fibre and antioxidants.

Here are the ingredients needed to make a warm bowl of goodness, also known as oatmeal or porridge: • ½ cup (40grams) of raw oats. These can be found in 3 types. Instant, jumbo or steel-cut oats. I usually use instant oats, as it says in the name, they cook the quickest. Make sure that when you purchase them, the label says 100% raw oats. • 1 cup of liquid. I use almond milk but you can opt for water if you want a lower calorific breakfast • 1 teaspoon chia seeds • 1 teaspoon flax seeds • 100 grams of raw, grated zucchini.. yes, zucchini

Toppings! For toppings you can use your favourite fruits, nuts and seeds. These add taste, crunch and make your bowl of oatmeal ten times more delicious. Feel free to experiment! Just keep in mind that excess toppings will increase calories, so don’t go too crazy and enjoy everything in moderation. The toppings that I decided to add to my bowl were apple slices, cranberries, blue berries, goji berries, cacao nibs and pumpkin seeds. All of these are all loaded with antioxidants, which aid in antiinflammation and help fight disease. Chia and flax are both considered a super food as the little seeds contains fibre, protein and omega-3 fats.

Zucchini in your porridge Why add ZUCCHINI? Zucchini are tasteless when mixed with the oats so you’re sneaking in some veggies and adding more nutrition to your bowl without even knowing. Apart from making your bowl of oatmeal more voluminous, zucchini are super low in calories, high in fibre and potassium. Did you know that zucchini contains more potassium than bananas?

October 2017

Putting it all together In a bowl, mix together ½ cup oats and 1 cup of milk. Your oats should be covered with the liquid you chose. Add 1 teaspoon of chia seeds and a teaspoon of flax seeds. Place in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring the mixture at the 1minute mark. Add the raw zucchini and place in the microwave for another 1 minute. The longer it cooks, the thicker the consistency becomes, so you can add more liquid depending on your liking.

Follow Rebecca on instagram on ‘munch.abunch’ for regular meal ideas.

When cooked, oats can be very versatile. From granola bars to muesli to flour to make a healthy dessert.

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Advertorial

MICHAEL DIACONO

first magazine interviews O’Hea Opticians ambassador of the month, local established chef Michael Diacono of Giuseppi’s. I also do believe that in my case, not having any formal training has helped me to not restrict myself to certain culinary rules. I have learnt so much through the many mistakes that I have made, and I was lucky to have had the chance to do so. I do apologise though to anyone who had to try those mistakes!

WHEN WAS THE PASSION FOR COOKING IGNITED? I am one of eleven children and was brought up in a household where food played a very important part. My mother’s kitchen was a veritable food factory, churning out delicious meals non-stop. Anyone who ever visited 47a, as the house was known as, and there were many, including the many neighbours who lived around us, can attest to this. So many people still pass comments about the scents that used to fill the road, escaping from my mother’s cellar kitchen. That’s where it all started. The first dish my mother ever allowed me to prepare for visiting guests was a cheese soufflé. I must have been about 13 years old.

October 2017

WHAT IS YOUR ALL-TIME FAVOURITE MEAL? I have been asked this question so many times, and I always find it difficult to answer. I enjoy most foods and there is really not much that I do not like. I will try everything once, that’s a given. I have tried worms, guinea pig, ants, snake, duck web and so many other intriguing things, but one item I could not stomach was sun dried calamari when in Vietnam. However, having said that, whenever we travel, the first thing I cook when we get back home is a plate of pasta. Fresh tomato sauce, fried aubergines and freshly grated Parmesan. Simple but so comforting.

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WHERE AND HOW WERE YOU TRAINED? I have never had any formal training in catering whatsoever. I finished sixth form, applied for university, but never went. Over that summer, I had helped my brother Karl at Giuseppi’s in Mellieha, and I remained there. That was 35 years ago. I learnt at home and I taught myself. Although I do envy the opportunities that younger people have today, especially the chances they have to work abroad,

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CUISINE TO COOK? Easy one. Mediterranean cooking. We live bang in the middle of such a wonderful and diverse region. So many cuisines and techniques linked by one sea. Bringing all these together is something that I love and something that shows in the menus I offer. Middle Eastern spices intertwined with classic French methods of cooking, or typical Maltese fried rabbit finished off with chocolate from Modica. I love the seasonality of it all, the anticipation for the first crop of globe artichokes or curly endive in winter. Broad beans and fresh peas in spring and the now-unfortunately-rare appearance of local blackberries, mulberries and figs. HOW DO YOU TEST THE QUALITY OF YOUR INGREDIENTS? Quality of ingredients is so important and in my opinion, the most vital thing when purchasing, is doing so from someone that you can rely on. A rapport of trust and mutual respect with a supplier is paramount. All ingredients are checked on delivery, and this is where the mutual respect factor comes into play, as if I am not happy with something, this is then replaced. I try my utmost to use locally sourced ingredients as much as possible, but this is becoming more difficult with time. Our seas are overfished, our farmland and farmers are becoming rarer and local fruits are plagued by new diseases. The authorities need to wake up to these realities, and us the consumers made more aware of these difficulties. WHEN ARE YOU HAPPIEST AT WORK? After working for 34 years in a very small kitchen in Mellieha, for which I have absolutely no regrets, I have last year moved to a newer place in Salina. The kitchen at the new Giuseppi’s is great. Spacious, open and with a grand sea view. Therefore it would be very difficult to not be happy there. Having said that, the hours are long and anti social, and yes, the job can be extremely stressful at times. But you know, after a long 14 hour shift, when all goes well, the kitchen is scrubbed down ready for the next day, the last clients are leaving and say “thank you, that was great, prosit”, then I am happy.

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October 2017

Blended by Daniela Andrier, under the creative direction of Miuccia Prada, Prada Candy Gloss evolved from the idea of applying layer upon layer of olfactory elements to create a rich and uplifting new expression of the Prada woman; where femininity is excessive yet tender, and where indulgence is always sophisticated. Channeling Candy’s ‘more is more’ attitude, the multi-coated fragrance evokes a ‘gourmand’ journey through explosive pop flavors, where taste and smell overlap to form a shamelessly indulgent experience. The starting point and core of the perfume is the sweet base note, where enticing vanilla-like almond is infused with the sensual tenderness of musk, then encased in another sweet lustrous texture, to create an olfactory sensation akin to a pastel pink, sugared almond dragée. In turn, this accord is further cocooned within a bright cherry top note, its zest and sweetness interacting like a fresh sorbet, and given further lightness with the presence of the orange blossom’s uplifting nuances within the fragrance’s heart. Prada Candy Gloss is the latest addition to the Prada Candy fragrance collection, which also includes the original Prada Candy, Prada Candy Florale and Prada Candy Kiss. Bright, sensual and bold, Prada Candy fragrances are delightfully addictive scents inspired by the sweetest, most gourmand facets of the Prada woman, for whom life is lived at its fullest and limits are passé, yet indulgence remains surprisingly refined.

October 2017 57

AS AN INTERNATIONAL LEADER IN FASHION FOOTWEAR AND ACCESSORIES, ALDO REVEALS A FRESH AND POWERFUL CREATIVE DIRECTION FOR ITS FALL 2017 CAMPAIGN. TAPPING INTO THE NOTION OF COMMUNITY IN THE DIGITAL SPACE, THE CAMPAIGN BRINGS TOGETHER THE #ALDOCREW – FROM SHOPPERS TO CELEBRITIES, ALISTERS TO INFLUENCERS, WHILE CELEBRATING INDIVIDUALITY AND LOVE FOR PERSONAL STYLE. THE BRAND’S CAMPAIGN CONTEXTUALIZES FOOTWEAR AND ACCESSORIES AS ESSENTIAL MEDIUMS FOR WOMEN AND MEN TO BOLDLY PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS AND STYLE WITH AN “I ❤....” CONCEPT PERSONIFIED BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF SOCIAL INFLUENCERS. WRITTEN WITH A TOUCH OF HUMOUR AND WITH THAT WHICH IS UNIQUE TO THE ALDO BRAND, EVERY “I ❤....” CLAIM IS RELATABLE. BRINGING THIS VISION TO LIFE, ALDO WORKED WITH CREATIVE DIRECTOR, DONALD SCHNEIDER, SUPPORTED BY STYLIST, CLAUDIA HOFMANN, AND FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER, FREDERIKE HELWIG. ALDO IS TAKING A CONSUMER-FIRST APPROACH TO ITS CAMPAIGN, WHICH TRANSLATES ACROSS ALL AREAS OF THE BUSINESS; SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY BEING TOP PRIORITIES. WHETHER SHOPPING IN ONE OF ALDO’S STORES, BROWSING THROUGH THE BRAND’S WEBSITE OR ENGAGING ON SOCIAL MEDIA – CONSUMERS WORLDWIDE WILL BE ABLE TO CONNECT AND IMMERSE WITH THE BRAND IN A WAY THAT IS MOST RELEVANT TO THEM.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THE FACEBOOK PAGE ‘ALDO SHOES MT’ OR VISIT OUR ONE OF THE SIX STORES ACROSS THE ISLAND AT TIGNE, PAMA, BAYSTREET, VALLETTA, PAOLA AND GOZO.

Products spots

Shopping basket What the shops recommend

DINNER SETS: Entertain your friends and family with dinner sets and cool tableware that will merit their own topic of conversation! HENRI...unique gift ideas for him, for her, or yourself.

MUGS: These elegant fine bone china mugs are embellished with 22 carat gold and are part of a wide selection of cups, mugs and other unique tableware items.

Available from outlets at PjazzaTigné and Mdina (next to Palazzo Falson). Tel: 2010 6306. www.henri.com.mt or facebook/henrimalta

SCULPTURES: A range of exclusive handmade glass sculptures by Mdina Glass, ranging from human figures, animals – like this Maltese Falcon – and other objects.

NERO LANTERNS: Create the perfect ambience with Nero Lanterns by Mdina Glass. Mouthblown glass is encased in a metal structure and finished off with high-grade leather handles for a striking, timeless look. Nero Lanterns come in two distinctive styles, various colours and three sizes. You can see them on display at Birgu Fest on 14 October.

Available in various colour combinations – some of which include gold lead. Check out the options available at the Ta’ Qali outlet.

October 2017

For more information call 2141 5786 or email onlinesales@mdinaglass.com.mt. Follow at facebook.com/mdinaglass

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Products spots

NESCAFÉ Azera coffee has finally reached our shores! NESCAFÉ Azera Americano is a smooth blend of instant coffee and finely ground roast coffee beans. The beauty of this coffee blend lies within its full bodied flavour, enticing aroma and irresistible layer of coffee crema. If you’re looking for something bolder, dare to try NESCAFÉ Azera Intenso! NESCAFÉ Azera...Be Your Own Barista

MUST HAVE – POST SUMMER DAMAGE SOLUTION FOR YOUR HAIR? Leave in Linum nourishing fluid (with linseed oil) from Capilo Hydra in range by Eva Hair Professional. Conditions, hydrates the hair , making it easier to style.

PACO RABANNE: PURE XSS, an untamed oriental, on-fire and fresh. An overflow of mouth-watering ginger sets the pace. Juicy. A rush of sap, sensual, vegetal. A potent thyme. Cinnamon races sauve and stimulating around the lascivous note of Myrrh. Leather and vanilla sign the base. Skin is over-heating, it's decadent, raw and pure.

How to use: Apply the necessary amount to previously washed and towel dried hair. Extend evenly from mid-sections to the ends. Do not rinse. Can be used daily.

WE ARE GIVING AWAY A bottle Jean Paul Gaultier – Le Male Eau Fraiche EDT 100ml – !85.00 courtesy of Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery.

October 2017

FOR A CHANCE TO WIN, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: WITH WHICH PLACE MENTIONED IN THIS MAGAZINE HAS MALTA HAD AGRICULTURAL TIES SINCE THE 1850s?

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Like First magazine on Facebook and send your answer the good, old-fashioned way, by post, to: FIRST COMPETITION, The Malta Independent on Sunday, Birkirkara Hill, St Julian’s, by 30 October.

For more information contact Hair Professionals Malta (part of Beauty Cultrue Group) G.A Street Santa Venera. Tel:21440424/27440424/79210578/79213232 or email at sales@hairprofessionalsmalta.com

WINNER FROM THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE Doreen Bartolo from Birkirkara has won a bottle of Valentina Acqua Floreale by Valentino (50ml) courtesy of Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery.

PRADA: LUNA ROSSA CARBON, the new fragance for men from PRADA. Strong as the darkest rock, with the freshness of air, it brings together steam-distilled botanicals and synthetics in a mineral-forward mix: metallic notes of Lavender, green Citrus of Vert de Bergamote from Italy, radiant Wood of Patchouli and dry Amber of Ambroxan.

Exclusively Distributed by Ta’ Xbiex Perfumery Limited Tel: 21331553

Diary

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Do, Watch, Eat

DO Human Matter – A Collective Art Exhibition is a collective exhibition by Maltese artists which focuses on aspects of human existence through different art forms. Running between 19th October and 10th November at Malta Society of the Arts.

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EAT New eatery Hammett’s, which has recently taken La Rive’s spot on Tigne seafront, allows you to order a meal without getting food envy, as it includes quality dishes in a variety of portions within its fantastic shared menu. It is also a new breakfast/brunch spot, and turns into the perfect spot for evening drinks with its vast drink menu of craft beers, wines and gourmet cocktails. Note down that 5pm is happy hour (and, there’s also a bonus ‘stupid hour’ at 4pm, conveniently timed before happy hour).

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WATCH The classic The Breakfast Club will be showing at Eden Cinemas again in a series of old film screenings. Friday 13th October and Sunday 15th October at 9.00pm and 6.30pm respectively.

October 2017

DO Heyday Meetup: Company Culture – A creative get together and discussion about creating a positive culture in a workplace. Read our article on page 36 for more about Heyday Meetups. 12th October at Café Society, Valletta at 6.30pm.

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DO Genna ta’ Gonna – Discover all the gardens, historical buildings, places of interest and museums in Floriana which are open specifically for the event. You can even go to see old manuscripts and mummified bodies of priests under the Cappuccin convent. 15th October, Floriana starting at 9am.

DO October is Pink October and breast cancer awareness month. Don’t leave it too late to book a screening.

WATCH Kids Dig Science Fun performances for kids related to topics within and outside the school curriculum. For children above the age of six. 28th October at Spazju Kreattiv at 3pm . Buy the ticket from www.kreattivita.org

EAT – Yugto, open at the beginning of this month in Old Theatre Street, will grace the capital with all kinds of Asian tapas, fusing traditional flavours and modern flare, and specializing in many forms of dim sum.