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The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation

Year 2021, Issue: 32, 23 - 36, 21.06.2021
https://doi.org/10.26650/jtcd.909750

Abstract

The aim of this article is to discuss how the theatre of a community aspiring to nationhood and autonomy from British colonial rule used stereotypes inherited from popular history and nationalist discourse to create drama that contributed to shaping a national identity. The article will also discuss how these stereotypes were retained within the Maltese performative culture beyond the political realities that ushered them in. To do this, the article analyses the references to Ottoman Turks in Maltese theatre from the 19th century to the contemporary period. Most of these instances revolve around the Siege of Malta of 1565 by the Ottoman army, which is considered a moment of great importance in the history of the country. In these works, as in Maltese culture in general, the Turk is seen as the nemesis of the Maltese and represents everything they are not. The article contextualises the different recorded performances in the historical moment they speak of, but also in the historical moment they were enacted. The discussion is framed around colonialism as a historical period and as a theoretical concept which informed the Maltese national identity

References

  • Anon. Il-Gahan tas-Soltu. 22 September 1906. google scholar
  • Anon. Il-Ballata ta’ Toni Bajada (unpublished playtext) 1930. Accessed 29 April 2021, https://www.um.edu. mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40121. google scholar
  • Aquilina, Joseph. Maltese English Dictionary II. Malta: Midsea Books, 1990. google scholar
  • Anthony Bonanno, Malta: Phoenician, Punic, and Roman. Malta: Midsea Books, 2005. google scholar
  • Bonham-Carter, Sibella. “The Maltese Parata: A Men’s Sword Dance,” Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society 5/1 (1946), 65-67. google scholar
  • Borg, M.A. Teatro in Vernacolo II. Malta: Tipografia Nazionale, 1930. google scholar
  • Brincat, Joseph M. Maltese and Other Languages: A Linguistic History of Malta. Malta: Midsea Books, 2011. google scholar
  • Cassar, Carmel. Society, Culture and Identity in Early Modern Malta. Malta: Mireva, 2000. google scholar
  • Cassola, Arnold. The 1565 Ottoman Malta Campaign Register. Malta: PEG, 1998. google scholar
  • Cremona, Vicki Ann and Marco Galea, “The Amateur Theatre in Malta,” Amfiteater 8/1 (2020), 196-208,https://www.slogi.si/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Amfiteater-8_1_RAZ_07_Cremona_Galea_ AN.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0NnyrnglTfphafz5A9CPb1aIGa5YAhrFy1yffUOdLNHp9cXMAphm6UHP8. google scholar
  • Dalli, Charles. Malta: The Medieval Millennium. Malta: Midsea Books, 2006. google scholar
  • Ergin, Murat. “‘Is the Turk a White Man?’ Towards a Theoretical Framework for Race in the Making of Turkishness”, Middle Eastern Studies, 2008, 44/6, 827-850. google scholar
  • Eynaud, Joseph. “Teatro e folcolore a Malta nel secolo decimottavo,” Melita Historica 6/2 (1973), 153-161. google scholar
  • Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. London: Pluto Press, 2008. google scholar
  • Freller, Thomas. Malta: The Order of St John. Malta: Midsea Books, 2010. google scholar
  • Galea, Marco. “Renewing an Enemy-Ship: Turk sightings in nineteenth century Maltese literature”, Sacra Militia 4 (2006), 29-34, https://www.academia.edu/45664208/Renewing_an_Enemy_ship_Turk_ sightings_in_nineteenth_century_Maltese_literature. google scholar
  • Galea, Marco. “The Pantomime Other: Building Fences in Pantomime Performance in Malta”, Otherness: Essays and Studies 5/1 (2016), 113-130. google scholar
  • Gauci, Liam. In the Name of the Prince: Maltese Corsairs 1760-1798. Malta: Heritage Malta, 2016. google scholar
  • Grandmeme, “Malta vs Turkey - South End Core,” YouTube, Accessed 2 April 2021, https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=61br13ZgYCg. google scholar
  • Grech, Herman. “Turkish fans may take no delight in Malta clash,” Times of Malta, 24 August 2007, Accessed 2 April 2021, https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/turkish-fans-may-take-no-delight-in-malta-clash.7159. google scholar
  • Hall, Geoffrey. The Maltese Language Question. Malta: Said International, 1993. google scholar
  • Jackson, John P. Jr and Nadine M. Weidman, Race, Racism and Science. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, Inc, 2004. google scholar
  • Lane, Linda and Hauwa Mahdi, “Fanon Revisited: Race Gender and Coloniality Vis-â-Vis Skin Colour,” in R.E. Hall (ed.) The Melanin Millennium: Skin Color as 21st Century International Discourse. Dordrecht: Springer, 2004. google scholar
  • Memmi, Albert. Racism. Minneapolis: Minnesota University Press, 2000. google scholar
  • Muscat Azzopardi, Guze. Toni Bajada u rakkonti ohra (Toni Bajada and other narratives). Malta: KKM, 1977. google scholar
  • Psaila, Dun Karm. Il-Poeziji Migbura. Malta: Klabb Kotba Maltin, 1980. google scholar
  • Rosato, Luigi. “Katarina,” in Marco Galea (ed.), It-Teatru Malti tas-Seklu Dsatax I (Maltese Theatre in the Nineteenth Century) (Malta: Mireva Publications, 1997) 1-27. google scholar
  • Vassallo, Gio Antonio. Il-Poeziji. Malta: Malta University Press, 2012. google scholar
  • Wettinger, Godfrey. Slavery in the Islands of Malta and Gozo ca. 1000-1812. Malta: PEG, 2002. google scholar
  • Wikipedia, ‘Great Siege Monument’, Accessed 29 April 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Siege_ Monument. google scholar
  • Xuereb, Paul. “The Great Siege in a Minor Mode,” The Sunday Times of Malta, 20 February 2005. google scholar
  • Zahra, Trevor. Xaghriet Mewwija. Unpublished playtext, 2012. google scholar

The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation

Year 2021, Issue: 32, 23 - 36, 21.06.2021
https://doi.org/10.26650/jtcd.909750

Abstract

The aim of this article is to discuss how the theatre of a community aspiring to nationhood and autonomy from British colonial rule used stereotypes inherited from popular history and nationalist discourse to create drama that contributed to shaping a national identity. The article will also discuss how these stereotypes were retained within the Maltese performative culture beyond the political realities that ushered them in. To do this, the article analyses the references to Ottoman Turks in Maltese theatre from the 19th century to the contemporary period. Most of these instances revolve around the Siege of Malta of 1565 by the Ottoman army, which is considered a moment of great importance in the history of the country. In these works, as in Maltese culture in general, the Turk is seen as the nemesis of the Maltese and represents everything they are not. The article contextualises the different recorded performances in the historical moment they speak of, but also in the historical moment they were enacted. The discussion is framed around colonialism as a historical period and as a theoretical concept which informed the Maltese national identity

References

  • Anon. Il-Gahan tas-Soltu. 22 September 1906. google scholar
  • Anon. Il-Ballata ta’ Toni Bajada (unpublished playtext) 1930. Accessed 29 April 2021, https://www.um.edu. mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/40121. google scholar
  • Aquilina, Joseph. Maltese English Dictionary II. Malta: Midsea Books, 1990. google scholar
  • Anthony Bonanno, Malta: Phoenician, Punic, and Roman. Malta: Midsea Books, 2005. google scholar
  • Bonham-Carter, Sibella. “The Maltese Parata: A Men’s Sword Dance,” Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society 5/1 (1946), 65-67. google scholar
  • Borg, M.A. Teatro in Vernacolo II. Malta: Tipografia Nazionale, 1930. google scholar
  • Brincat, Joseph M. Maltese and Other Languages: A Linguistic History of Malta. Malta: Midsea Books, 2011. google scholar
  • Cassar, Carmel. Society, Culture and Identity in Early Modern Malta. Malta: Mireva, 2000. google scholar
  • Cassola, Arnold. The 1565 Ottoman Malta Campaign Register. Malta: PEG, 1998. google scholar
  • Cremona, Vicki Ann and Marco Galea, “The Amateur Theatre in Malta,” Amfiteater 8/1 (2020), 196-208,https://www.slogi.si/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Amfiteater-8_1_RAZ_07_Cremona_Galea_ AN.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0NnyrnglTfphafz5A9CPb1aIGa5YAhrFy1yffUOdLNHp9cXMAphm6UHP8. google scholar
  • Dalli, Charles. Malta: The Medieval Millennium. Malta: Midsea Books, 2006. google scholar
  • Ergin, Murat. “‘Is the Turk a White Man?’ Towards a Theoretical Framework for Race in the Making of Turkishness”, Middle Eastern Studies, 2008, 44/6, 827-850. google scholar
  • Eynaud, Joseph. “Teatro e folcolore a Malta nel secolo decimottavo,” Melita Historica 6/2 (1973), 153-161. google scholar
  • Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks. London: Pluto Press, 2008. google scholar
  • Freller, Thomas. Malta: The Order of St John. Malta: Midsea Books, 2010. google scholar
  • Galea, Marco. “Renewing an Enemy-Ship: Turk sightings in nineteenth century Maltese literature”, Sacra Militia 4 (2006), 29-34, https://www.academia.edu/45664208/Renewing_an_Enemy_ship_Turk_ sightings_in_nineteenth_century_Maltese_literature. google scholar
  • Galea, Marco. “The Pantomime Other: Building Fences in Pantomime Performance in Malta”, Otherness: Essays and Studies 5/1 (2016), 113-130. google scholar
  • Gauci, Liam. In the Name of the Prince: Maltese Corsairs 1760-1798. Malta: Heritage Malta, 2016. google scholar
  • Grandmeme, “Malta vs Turkey - South End Core,” YouTube, Accessed 2 April 2021, https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=61br13ZgYCg. google scholar
  • Grech, Herman. “Turkish fans may take no delight in Malta clash,” Times of Malta, 24 August 2007, Accessed 2 April 2021, https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/turkish-fans-may-take-no-delight-in-malta-clash.7159. google scholar
  • Hall, Geoffrey. The Maltese Language Question. Malta: Said International, 1993. google scholar
  • Jackson, John P. Jr and Nadine M. Weidman, Race, Racism and Science. Santa Barbara: ABC-Clio, Inc, 2004. google scholar
  • Lane, Linda and Hauwa Mahdi, “Fanon Revisited: Race Gender and Coloniality Vis-â-Vis Skin Colour,” in R.E. Hall (ed.) The Melanin Millennium: Skin Color as 21st Century International Discourse. Dordrecht: Springer, 2004. google scholar
  • Memmi, Albert. Racism. Minneapolis: Minnesota University Press, 2000. google scholar
  • Muscat Azzopardi, Guze. Toni Bajada u rakkonti ohra (Toni Bajada and other narratives). Malta: KKM, 1977. google scholar
  • Psaila, Dun Karm. Il-Poeziji Migbura. Malta: Klabb Kotba Maltin, 1980. google scholar
  • Rosato, Luigi. “Katarina,” in Marco Galea (ed.), It-Teatru Malti tas-Seklu Dsatax I (Maltese Theatre in the Nineteenth Century) (Malta: Mireva Publications, 1997) 1-27. google scholar
  • Vassallo, Gio Antonio. Il-Poeziji. Malta: Malta University Press, 2012. google scholar
  • Wettinger, Godfrey. Slavery in the Islands of Malta and Gozo ca. 1000-1812. Malta: PEG, 2002. google scholar
  • Wikipedia, ‘Great Siege Monument’, Accessed 29 April 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Siege_ Monument. google scholar
  • Xuereb, Paul. “The Great Siege in a Minor Mode,” The Sunday Times of Malta, 20 February 2005. google scholar
  • Zahra, Trevor. Xaghriet Mewwija. Unpublished playtext, 2012. google scholar
There are 32 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Applied Theatre
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Marco Galea 0000-0001-8994-593X

Publication Date June 21, 2021
Published in Issue Year 2021 Issue: 32

Cite

APA Galea, M. (2021). The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation. Tiyatro Eleştirmenliği Ve Dramaturji Bölümü Dergisi(32), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.26650/jtcd.909750
AMA Galea M. The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation. JTCD. June 2021;(32):23-36. doi:10.26650/jtcd.909750
Chicago Galea, Marco. “The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation”. Tiyatro Eleştirmenliği Ve Dramaturji Bölümü Dergisi, no. 32 (June 2021): 23-36. https://doi.org/10.26650/jtcd.909750.
EndNote Galea M (June 1, 2021) The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation. Tiyatro Eleştirmenliği ve Dramaturji Bölümü Dergisi 32 23–36.
IEEE M. Galea, “The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation”, JTCD, no. 32, pp. 23–36, June 2021, doi: 10.26650/jtcd.909750.
ISNAD Galea, Marco. “The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation”. Tiyatro Eleştirmenliği ve Dramaturji Bölümü Dergisi 32 (June 2021), 23-36. https://doi.org/10.26650/jtcd.909750.
JAMA Galea M. The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation. JTCD. 2021;:23–36.
MLA Galea, Marco. “The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation”. Tiyatro Eleştirmenliği Ve Dramaturji Bölümü Dergisi, no. 32, 2021, pp. 23-36, doi:10.26650/jtcd.909750.
Vancouver Galea M. The Ottoman Turk in Maltese Theatre and Drama: A Discussion of the Role of Stereotypes in the Theatre of a Small Nation. JTCD. 2021(32):23-36.