Short Thoughts -- Ħsibijiet fil-Qosor

 

Through the years, I've encountered a number of linguistic ways in which Maltese people express themselves concisely, without sacrificing clarity to make profound observations.  I will be mentioning the forms I've encountered.

 

Those like me, cared for with the Maltese language, will surely appreciate the tendency of a Maltese person to speak with ancient wisdom, to reply indirectly to direct questions or real situations, that in a couple of words can provide a message containing his thoughts, philosophy or morals.

 

I'm referring to the proverb, where in a few dry words, the Maltese can gather and pass on a profound thought and useful lesson to those able, or willing, to understand.

 

To give an example, when a parent tries to explain to his child that beyond play and enjoyment there is a need for study and hard work to establish a career, he might say (all poor translations in this article are mine) 'no money, no hugs and kisses'.  Another observation made in today's consumer society, where products we buy hardly make it to our homes, is 'cheap stuff is expensive'.

 

The characteristic of these expressions in Maltese is that despite their brevity, they contain a metaphor for the general context and a wise lesson.  Generally they don't contain structure or rhyme.

 

As a teacher of Maltese, I relish observing my students being presented with Maltese proverbs.  They initially find it hard to arrive at its meaning or message, as their tendency is to extract its literal meaning, that on the face of it makes no sense, like 'with money you could build a road on the sea'.  This incomprehension rapidly changes to appreciation when the message is understood, and enthusiasm for the Maltese language is not only undiminished but is strengthened.

 

A similar construct is the aphorism, where a generally (but not always) short sentence is used to make a thoughtful observation.  One of the most illustrious Maltese persons to write aphorisms was Manwel Dimech, a philosopher before his time who is still being discovered today, a hundred years after his death, who wrote thousands of them while in exile in Egypt just before his death.  These were all written in English, for reasons we can only speculate about.  A couple which struck me were these:

 

There is no use telling a fool he is a fool.1

 

Some men forbid us to go to hell, but they push us into it.2

 

It's not easy to write a proverb or aphorism, especially those that are retained through the ages.  We are all aware of traditional ones, which have come through many generations, when knowledge used to be passed orally from grandparents and parents to grandchildren and children.

 

Nevertheless, writers are still today penning their proverbs.  A collection of new proverbs was published by my friend Frank Zammit, an author and poet, in 2010.  On the contrary to the traditional Maltese proverbs, these ones are poems with a specific structure called haiku, containing three verses with 5, 7 and 5 syllables respectively, though without rhyme.  This structure originated in Japan.

The subjects vary, with a thought or comment about daily life.  I was struck with one, which comments on the controversy of bird hunting, which takes a well known Maltese idiom, with a direct English equivalent: 'hitting two birds with one stone', and (translated) says thus:3

 

If throwing a stone

And twain are the birds you hit

Twice you will be fined.

 

However today another two books are being launched by Frank, one of which called Ġabra ta' Epigrammi (Collection of Epigrams).  An epigram is a short form poem with a Greek tradition, with witty or satirical observations.  The verses of poetic epigrams in the English tradition are even in quantity and rhymed.

 

In this collection, Frank deals with social themes like immigration, emigration, refugees, injustice and the environment; personal attitudes as optimism, pessimism, hypocrisy and nostalgia; academic subjects like science, psychology and philosophy; reflections on the Maltese language and finally some humour to boot.

 

I'll point out two or three that struck me (translated).  The first is a timely observation on the unjust and subtle discrimination against immigrants in our society:

 

In Australia, a fresh immigrant makes achievement

The hero is quickly boasted as Australian

Yet another though being here sixty years or more

Makes a crime, referred to as from Afghanistan!4

 

You can hear the author's cry of anguish for the Maltese language's state, shunned and forgotten, or the lack of respect shown to it by those who should know better:

 

Ah! Grown 'n' forgot your country's tongue

Foreign language not from mother

Don't remember that Maltese was

The first word from your mouth thither?5

 

The below brought a smile to my lips:

 

Punchy advert on a paper

Woman divorce wants to make

'Wedding dress - hundred pounds only

Worn just once and by mistake.'6

 

Another collection of somewhat longer poems is being launced by Frank and two of his colleagues - Mario Attard and Patrick Sammut.7  These poems are not short but still contain reflections and observations on life.

 

I congratulate Frank Zammit and his colleagues for this contribution to Maltese literature and culture.

 

(Today 27th July 2016, at the La Valette Social Centre, Blacktown, NSW)

 

-----------------------

 

 

Matul is-snin, iltqajt ma' diversi forom lingwistiċi fejn il-Maltin jesprimu ruħhom b'mod konċiż, imma xejn inqas ċar u b'osservazzjoni profonda.  F'dan li ġej, se nsemmi l-forom li ltqajt magħhom.

 

Min bħali trabba ndukrat fil-lingwa Maltija, żgur li japprezza t-tendenza tal-Malti li jitkellem b'għerf antik, li jirrispondi b'mod indirett għal mistoqsija diretta jew sitwazzjoni konkreta, li f'kelmtejn jagħti messaġġ li jwassal il-ħsieb, filosofija jew morali tiegħu.

 

Qiegħed nirreferi għall-qawl, jew proverbju, fejn fi ftit kliem xotti, il-Malti jiġbor u jwassal ħsieb profond u anke jagħti tagħlima siewja lil min kapaċi, jew irid, jifhem.

 

Biex nagħti eżempju, meta ġenitur jipprova jispjega lil ibnu li apparti l-logħob u t-tbaħrid hemm bżonn li jistudja u jistinka biex jibda' xi karriera fis-sod, jista' jgħidlu 'bla flus la tgħannaq u lanqas tbus'.  Osservazzjoni oħra li spiss nagħmlu fil-ħajja konsumista ta' llum, meta dak li nixtru bilkemm naslu d-dar qabel ma nsibulu xi difett, huwa li 'l-irħis għali'!

 

Il-karatteristika ta' dawn l-espressjonijiet fil-Malti hija li minkejja l-qosor tagħhom, fihom metafora ta' kuntest ġenerali u tagħlima b'għaqal liema bħalha.  Ġeneralment ma fihomx struttura jew rima.

 

Bħala għalliem tal-Malti, niggosta ħafna lill-istudenti tiegħi meta jiġu ppreżentati bil-qwiel Maltin.  Fil-bidu jsibuha diffiċli li jaslu għat-tifsira jew il-messaġġ tal-qawl, għax it-tendenza hi li joħorġu tifsira litterali li fil-wiċċ ma tagħmilx sens, bħal 'bil-flus tagħmel triq fil-baħar'.  Din l-inkomprensjoni dlonk tinbidel f'apprezzament meta l-messaġġ jinftiehem, u l-entużjażmu għal-lingwa Maltija mhux talli mhux mittiefsa imma tisseddaq.

 

Struttura simili hi l-aforiżmu, fejn sentenza ġeneralment (imma mhux dejjem) qasira tintuża biex tagħmel osservazzjoni bil-ħsieb.  Wieħed mill-iktar persuna illustri Maltin li kiteb aforiżmi kien Manwel Dimech, filosfu qabel żmienu li għadna niskopruh sal-ġurnata ta' llum, mitt sena wara mewtu, li kiteb eluf tagħhom waqt li kien f'eżilju ġewwa l-Eġittu ftit qabel ma miet.  Dawn kitibhom ilkoll bil-lingwa Ingliża, għal raġunijiet li nistgħu biss nispekulaw għalihom.  Traduzzjoni ta' tnejn li laqtuni huma dawn:

 

Għalxejn tgħid lil baħnan li hu baħnan.1

 

Xi nies iwissuna ma mmorrux l-infern, imma mbagħad jimbuttawna għal ġo fih.2

 

Huwa mhux faċli li wieħed jikteb qawl jew aforiżmu, aħseb u ara dawk li jibqgħu jissemmew matul iż-żmien.  Dawk tradizzjonali li nafu lkoll, ilhom ġejjin ġenerazzjonijiet sħaħ, meta l-għerf kien jingħadda bil-fomm min-nanniet, il-missirijiet u l-ommijiet lin-neputijiet u l-ulied.  

 

Madankollu, kittieba għadhom sallum jaqbdu l-pinna biex iħożżu l-qwiel tagħhom.  Ġabra ta' qwiel ġodda, kien inħareġ mill-awtur u poeta ħabib tiegħi Frank Zammit fl-2010.  Għall-kuntrarju tal-qwiel tradizzjonali Maltin, dawn il-qwiel huma poeżiji bi struttura definita imsejħa ħajku, kollha bi tliet versi ta' 5, 7 u 5 sillabi rispettivament, imma mingħajr rima.  Din l-istruttura oriġinat fil-Ġappun.

 

Is-suġġetti huma varji, bi ħsieb jew kumment fuq il-ħajja ta' kuljum.  Waħda li laqtitni, li tikkummenta fuq il-kwistjoni taħraq tal-kaċċa, taqbad idjoma magħrufa sew fil-Malti 'tolqot żewġ għasafar b'ġebla waħda', u tgħid hekk:3

 

Jekk titfa' ġebla

u tolqot żewġ għasafar

il-multa doppja.

 

Imma llum qegħdin jiġu mnedija żewġ kotba oħra ta' Frank, wieħed minnhom imsejjaħ 'Ġabra ta' Epigrammi'.  L-epigramm huwa forma poetika qasira bi tradizzjoni Griega, b'osservazzjonijiet spiritużi jew satiriċi.    In-numru ta' versi ta' epigrammi poetiċi fit-tradizzjoni Ingliża jkun biż-żewġ u bir-rima.  

 

F'din il-ġabra, Frank jittratta fost l-oħrajn temi soċjali bħall-immigrazzjoni, l-emigrazzjoni, ir-rifuġjati, l-inġustizzja u l-ambjent; attitudnijiet personali bħall-ottimiżmu, il-pessimiżmu, l-ipokrezija u n-nostalġija; temi akkademiċi bħax-xjenza, il-psikoloġija u l-filosofija; riflessjonijiet fuq l-ilsien Malti u finalment xi ftit tal-umoriżmu.

 

Se nipponta lejn tnejn jew tlieta li laqtuni.  L-ewwel hija osservazzjoni f'waqtha fuq id-diskriminazzjoni inġusta u fina kontra l-immigranti fis-soċjetà tagħna:

 

Fl-Awstralja, immigrant frisk jagħmel xi bravura

malajr jiftaħru li hu eroj Awstraljan.

Iżd'ieħor l'ilu hawn xi sittin sena w aktar

jagħmel delitt, jgħidu l'hu mill-Afganistan!4

 

Tista' tinstema l-karba tal-awtur għall-istat tal-lingwa Maltija, imwarrba u minsija, jew in-nuqqas ta' rispett muri lilha minn dawk li minnhom wieħed jistenna aħjar:

 

Ah! Issa kbirt u rmejt ilsien pajjiżek,

għax drajt ilsien għarib illi mhux t'ommok.

U kif insejt illi Maltija kienet

dik l-ewwel kelma li lissint minn fommok?5

 

Waħda minn dawk li ġabuli tbissima kienet din:

 

Darba f'gazzetta deher riklam li jolqtok

minn mara li miż-żwieġ riedet tinħall.

Dar-riklam jgħid: 'Libsa tat-tieġ - Mitt lira -

milbusa darba biss - u kien bi żball.'.

 

Qed tiġi mnedija llum ukoll ġabra ta' poeżiji pjuttost itwal mingħand Frank u tnejn minn sħabu - Mario Attard u Patrick Sammut.6  Dawn il-poeżiji, mhux fil-qosor, wkoll fihom riflessjonijiet u osservazzjonijiet fuq il-ħajja.

 

Nifraħ lil Frank Zammit u lil sħabu għal din il-kontribuzzjoni għall-letteratura u l-kultura Maltija.

 

(Illum 27 ta' Lulju 2016, fiċ-Ċentru Soċjali La Valette, Blacktown, NSW)

1Manwel Dimech - Aphorisms: Wisdom of a Philosopher in Exile; Mark Montebello & Francis Galea (edituri); 2012; SKS; nru. 2032

2Ibid., nru. 1630

3Qwiel Minn Fomm l-Imġarrab: Poeżiji fuq stil Ħajku; Frank Zammit; 2010; nru. 6

4Bejn Demgħa u Tbissima - Ġabra ta' Epigrammi; Frank Zammit; nru. 87

5Ibid., nru. 218

6Ibid., nru. 175

7Trifolju ta' Lwien; Mario Attard, Patrick Sammut & Frank Zammit; 2014

1Manwel Dimech - Aphorisms: Wisdom of a Philosopher in Exile; Mark Montebello & Francis Galea (edituri); 2012; SKS; nru. 2032

2Ibid., nru. 1630

3Qwiel Minn Fomm l-Imġarrab: Poeżiji fuq stil Ħajku; Frank Zammit; 2010; nru. 6

4Bejn Demgħa u Tbissima - Ġabra ta' Epigrammi; Frank Zammit; nru. 87

5Ibid., nru. 218

6Trifolju ta' Lwien; Mario Attard, Patrick Sammut & Frank Zammit; 2014

Let's kill Criminals! -- Ejja noqtlu l-kriminali!

Over the years, I've had several discussions on capital punishment, where people found guilty of a crime from a criminal justice system such as a court, are put to death.  It is known that in 2015, at least 1600 people around the world were so killed, 89% in three countries alone: Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia.  Other countries where this system still exists includes some states in the United States, and China where relevant statistics are not kept (or not published) although it is estimated that thousands are killed yearly.1

 

The International Convention for Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) says that this sentence, where not yet abolished, should only be provided for serious crimes according to the laws of the land.  One might perhaps a serious crime to be something like premeditated murder or genocide, however what is serious is not defined by the ICCPR, and probably not everyone would realise that some countries include in this category adultery (Saudi Arabia and the Maldives) and insults to the prophet of Islam (Iran).2

 

Critics of capital punishment (like me) refer to the possibility for manipulation of the justice process  by the state or some other actor, especially where the independence of the judiciary from the government is suspect.

 

Another problem is that any court process, that which leads to the verdict of guilty or not guilty, is anything but perfect, which leads to people being sentenced to death when in fact not really guilty.  This conclusion may be arrived at after the capital punishment may have been carried out, so naturally too late to save that person falsely accused, and therefore another injustice in itself.  A study by the National Academy of Sciences of the United States estimates that of those sentenced to death in that country between 1993 and 2004, 4.1% were mistaken.3

 

Nevertheless, the trigger to me for addressing this subject today was a recent development in the Philippines.  Recently this country has elected a new President.  One of the candidates, Rodrigo Duterte, won the election with the battlecry that criminals related to drugs should be killed immediately, both by police and ordinary citizens.  In other words, he was encouraging the country's citizens to take the law into their own hands, even before he took over the reins of power!4

 

This to me represents a step backwards for the Filipino civil society.  A land's laws are there for members of society to know and agree upon how to live life harmoniously according to their culture and traditions, what sanctions exist for those not following the norms of society, and the processes necessary for the implementation of justice.

 

If someone decides to go and kill someone on suspicion of being a criminal, what justice is there?  Who is deciding upon guilt?  Does everybody autonomously?

 

This is not a discussion about capital punishment.  This is a discussion about widespread assassinations, sanctioned and abetted by the head of state.

 

That politicians win elections on the back of promised to go tough on crime is well known.  Nevertheless, President Duterte has taken matters to the extreme.

 

It seems to me that the Filipino people have made a big mistake.  It may be true that for a short while, or perhaps longer, stories of criminality will decrease, even drastically, due to the fear of those breaking the law that they will disappear from the face of the earth.

 

However how long shall it be before we start hearing about people being accused in error, or in malice, to provoke someone to take matters in his own hands and serve as executioner?  How long shall it be before members of the public deemed politically uncomfortable, critical of the President or favoured politicians, are simply labelled as criminals and subsequently conveniently eliminated?

 

Who is deciding whether an accusation of criminality is true or otherwise?  What will happen to court processes where the defence and prosecution present arguments and their proofs in front of the court, issuing a sentence according to the laws of the land?  What's the use of this if the accused is already killed?

 

The seed has been sown for a dictatoriat where terror rules, fear that permeats all the people, even those that voted for this President.  It is ironic that the path engaged by this country, from whom I have so many friends, started from a democratic process.  This is another example of the negative potential of democracy.

 

--------------------------

 

Matul iż-żmien, kelli diversi diskussjonijiet fuq il-piena kapitali, fejn persuni misjubin ħatja ta' reat kriminali minn sistema ta' ġustizzja kriminali bħal qorti, jingħataw il-mewt.  Fl-2015, huwa magħruf li madwar id-dinja nqatlu mill-inqas 1600 persuna, 89% minnhom fi tliet pajjiżi biss - il-Pakistan, l-Iran u l-Arabja Sawdija.  Pajjiżi oħra fejn din is-sistema għadha teżisti tinkludi xi stati fl-Istati Uniti, u ċ-Ċina fejn lanqas tinżamm (jew ma tiġix ippubblikata) statistika ta' dan għalkemm huwa stmat li eluf jinqatlu hemm kull sena.1

 

Il-Konvenzjoni Internazzjonali fuq id-Drittijiet Ċivili u Politiċi (ICCPR) tgħid li din il-piena, fejn għadha mhix abolita, għandha tingħata biss għal atti kriminali serji skont il-liġijiet tal-pajjiż.  Wieħed forsi jifhem li att kriminali serju ikun per eżempju qtil premeditat jew ġenoċidju, imma x'inhu serju mhux definit mill-ICCPR, u probabbli mhux kulħadd jaf li xi pajjiżi jinkludu f'din il-kategorija l-adulterju (Arabja Sawdija u l-Maldives) u insulti għall-profeta tal-Islam (Iran).2

 

Kritiċi tal-piena kapitali (bħali) jsemmu l-possibiltà li l-proċess ta' ġustizzja jiġi manipulat jew influwenzat mill-poter tal-istat jew xi attur ieħor, speċjalment fejn l-indipendenza tal-qorti mill-gvern huwa dubjuż.  

 

Problema oħra hi li kwalunkwe proċess tal-qorti, jiġifieri dak li jwassal għall-verdett ta' ħati jew mhux ħati, huwa altru milli perfett, li jwassal għal nies li jingħataw il-piena tal-mewt meta kienu fil-fatt mhux ħatja.  Din il-konklużjoni tista' tinstab wara li l-piena kapitali tkun twettqet, u naturalment ikun tard wisq, biex isalva lil dak li kien akkużat inġustament, u għalhekk inġustizzja kbira.  Studju ppubblikat min-National Academy of Sciences tal-Istati Uniti jistma li minn dawk issentenzjati għall-mewt f'dak il-pajjiż bejn l-1993 u l-2004, 4.1% kienu żbaljati.3

 

Madankollu, irrid ngħid li dak li wassalni biex nikteb fuq dan is-suġġett illum, huwa żvilupp riċenti fil-Filippini.  Ftit ilu kien hemm l-elezzjoni għall-President.  Wieħed mill-kandidati, Rodrigo Duterte, rebaħ l-elezzjoni bl-għajta li l-kriminali marbutin mad-drogi għandhom ikunu maqtula minnufih, kemm mill-pulizija kif ukoll mill-pubbliku.  Fi kliem ieħor, qed iħeġġeġ liċ-ċittadini tal-pajjiż jieħdu l-liġi f'idejhom, u beda jħeġġiġhom jagħmlu dan anke qabel ma ħa l-ħatra!4

 

Dan għalija jirrappreżenta pass kbir lura għas-soċjetà ċivili tal-Filippini.  Il-liġijiet f'pajjiż qegħdin hemm sabiex il-membri tas-soċjetà ikunu jafu u jiftiehmu kif għandhom iġibu ruħhom għal ħajja armonjuża skont il-kultura u t-tradizzjonijiet tagħhom, is-sanzjonijiet għal min ma jimxix man-normi tas-soċjetà, u il-proċessi li jridu jsiru biex titwettaq il-ġustizzja.

 

Jekk xi ħadd jaqbad u joqtol lil xi ħadd minħabba suspett li hu kriminal, fejn hi l-ġustizzja?  Min se jiddeċiedi fuq min għandu tort?  Kulħadd jiddeċiedi għal rasu?

 

Din mhix diskussjoni fuq il-piena kapitali.  Din hi diskussjoni fuq l-assassinju mifrux fil-pajjiż kollu, bil-barka u l-inkoraġġiment tal-kap tal-istat.

 

Li politikanti jirbħu elezzjoni bl-għajta li jridu jimxu b'id iebsa biex inaqqsu l-kriminalità, smajniha kemm il-darba.  Madankollu, l-President Duterte ħa din l-attitudni għall-estrem.

 

Jien jidhirli li l-poplu Filippin għamel żball kbir.  Forsi veru li għal żmien qasir, jew twil, stejjer ta' kriminalità f'dak il-pajjiż jonqsu, anke drastikament, minħabba l-biża', jew it-twerwir, ta' min jikser il-liġi li se jiġi eliminat minn wiċċ din id-dinja.

 

Imma kemm se ndumu ma nibdew nisimgħu b'persuni li jiġu akkużati bi żball, jew b'ħażen makakka, bil-ħsieb li jinkorla xi ħadd li jieħu l-liġi b'idejh u jservi bħala bojja?  Kemm se ndumu sakemm jibdew jiġu ttimbrati bħala kriminali membri tal-pubbliku li huma politikament skomdi, kritiki tal-President jew il-politikanti li jiffavorixxi, u jiġu konvenjentement eliminati?  

 

Min se jiddetermina jekk akkuża ta' kriminalità hix veritiera jew le?  X'se jsir mill-proċess tal-qorti fejn l-akkuża u d-difiża jippreżentaw l-argumenti u l-provi tagħhom quddiem il-qorti, li taqta' s-sentenza skont il-liġi tal-pajjiż?  X'inhu l-użu ta' dan jekk l-akkużat huwa diġa maqtul?

 

Iż-żerriegħa nżergħet għal dittatorjat fejn il-biżà tirrenja, biża' li testendi għall-poplu kollu, anke ħafna minn dawk li vvutaw għal dan il-President.  L-ironija hi li din it-triq li qabad dan il-pajjiż, li għandi tant ħbieb minnu, bdiet minn proċess demokratiku.  Eżempju ieħor tal-potenzjal negattiv tad-demokrazija.

 

 

1https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2016/04/death-sentences-executions-2015/, retrieved 11/7/2016

2Death Sentences and Executions 2015, Amnesty International Global Report, p. 9

3Rate of false conviction of criminal defendants who are sentenced to death; Gross, O'Brien, Hu & Kennedy; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, Vol. 11, no. 20, p. 7234

4http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/06/asia/duterte-drug-dealers-lethal-force-vigilantism/, retrieved 11/7/2016

1https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2016/04/death-sentences-executions-2015/, retrieved 11/7/2016

2Death Sentences and Executions 2015, Amnesty International Global Report, p. 9

3Rate of false conviction of criminal defendants who are sentenced to death; Gross, O'Brien, Hu & Kennedy; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, Vol. 11, no. 20, p. 7234

4http://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/06/asia/duterte-drug-dealers-lethal-force-vigilantism/, retrieved 11/7/2016