SOCIALIZING
IN
MALTA
By Janet Mifsud De Gray, Ph.D.
For years, one of the Maltese favourite pastimes has been indulging in the traditional 'passegiata' to wile away the warm Mediterranean evenings. Liaisons, partnerships, friendships have been made in this way. The 'passegiata' has also been the means by which most seeking their future partner in life have met their spouses.For the first half of this century, the place to 'see' and 'be seen' was along the Senglea Bastions, of course chaperoned. After the Second World War, Strada Reale in Valletta became the mecca for those looking for a future spouse. In fact, this major thoroughfare (for the time) was closed after 6.00 pm in order to allow people to walk up and down (it must have been one of the first cities in Europe to have a pedestrinized zone).
By the seventies the 'passegiata' graded north towards Sliema (in particular the Sliema Pitch area). In the last decade the Paceville/St Julian's area is where the action is.
Driving anywhere near here on weekend/ holiday nights, after 11.00 pm is a nightmare. Paceville has become the place TO BE . Over the last decade, night-clubs, restaurants, multi-complex cinemas, cafe shops have mushroomed everywhere in this area covering less than quarter of a square mile. The Club Scene in Malta which has certainly caught on in the last 10 years.
Unfortunately, this new favourite means of socialising is causing much consternation to parents, carers and local residents like. It is not done to been seen out before 11.00pm and most youths see the dawn in as well. There is a great deal of peer pressure amongst youngsters as young as 13 or 14 to join in, and minibuses and transport are organised from all over the Island to Paceville. In the summer months, Bugibba and Marsacala also become a hub of activity to a lesser extent, although Paceville is still the Place to be.
What are the implications of Paceville? Besides the noise and traffic, many claim that, although alcoholic drink is not considered a problem as much as in the Europe or UK, (despite of or perhaps because of lack of licensing laws), there is, however, a definite drugs scene (the size of which depends on which source you care to quote). Raids with seizures of varying amounts of heroin, cocaine and more recently ecstasy have been made, especially during long weekends when the action moves to the more popular discos in Gozo.
How long will Paceville last ? Is it there to stay? Or will another new location catch the youngsters fancy? Only last week adverts were placed in the local papers about the imminent opening of an Internet cafe on the Island. Will the web become the new spot for socialising in Malta?
E-mail to Janet Mifsud de Gray, Ph.D.