National Identity Versus Nation
Branding
Before examining Malta’s national “brand”, and how that brand
came to be, it is primarily important to differentiate the definition of
national identity versus national brand. In Abela’s Shaping a National Identity: Malta in the European Union, she
defines national identity as being “influenced by individualized values… and an
overall concern with global solidarity” (Abela, 10). Solidarity and uniqueness are both products of these
individualized values, helping the Maltese stand out from neighboring
countries. Malta’s national
identity primarily revolves around the Mediterranean and Roman Catholic
cultures that have had an influence on the country for ages (in reference to
the “National Identity” blog post).
Different from national identity, the process
of nation branding involves a self-prescribed identity or brand for any given
country. Essentially, it’s a country’s way of marketing themselves in
appearance on a global stage, through a series of campaigns. These campaigns
can include social media, pop culture, and social (or economic) relations
between other countries (Jordan, 22). In Malta’s case, Eurovision is their
campaign of nation branding. Both
visual and lyrical queues from Malta’s performances (in reference to “The
Nation on Stage” blog post) coupled with their self-portrayal of national
identity will help discover this national brand.
Nation Branding: Presented? Omitted?
Both?
When examining a country’s national brand, it is
important to recognize that this process is a showcase by the country, for the
country (Jordan, 20). A nation’s popular culture can give clues to the nature
of this brand, by what the country’s citizens choose to present or omit towards
a global audience. In this case,
Eurovision is the medium of popular culture, and the last five years (2011
through 2015) of Maltese performances can provide an insight towards the
favorable national brand.
The most obvious pattern in these performances are
the demographic of the performers. From 2011 to 2015, all of Malta’s
contestants for Eurovision have been strictly European (Caucasian) with Maltese
native origins. From Glen Vella in 2011 to Amber Bondin in 2015, it is evident
that Malta is not in favor of boasting its ethnically diverse society in
Eurovision. However in more recent years, there has been an attempt to expand
the Maltese acceptance of diversity. In 2013, The Time of Malta media outlet
began a “12-month project to increase
the understanding of interculturalism in Malta through a free printed
newspaper…on integration of Third Country Nationals within the Maltese society”
(TimesofMalta.com). This shows that while Malta may not have addressed ethnic
differences in Eurovision, the nation has realized the lack of representation of
varying racial demographics, or “interculturalism”. Furthermore, it is important to recognize Malta’s presented brand of a Western homogenous culture, in
Eurovision. The fact that all other growing ethnic populations in Malta are
omitted from Eurovision culture shows the country’s lack of homage to the
growing immigrant population. Such a growing influx of immigrants is a commonality that is reflected across Europe’s global cities like London
(BBC.co.uk).
History of “Othering”: Anything Left
Out?
As discussed in the Maltese national identity blog
post, a nation’s identity is formulated through analyzing external and internal
threats, as well as the Othering. On the other hand, the public treatment and
portrayal of these Othering concepts can be examined in favor of the Maltese
national brand. Any public mention or description of an Othering given by a
country can be seen as a technique to market a personal opinion, or brand (Triandafyllidou,
593).
Similar to Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean
region, Malta is quite obviously an island, which creates specific attitudes
toward migration and immigration. Various studies have thoroughly covered the
lack of acceptance to immigration that island nation-states have. An
examination completed by Social Indicators Research has used what they call an
“uncertainty analysis”-- a series of polling that looks at levels of
uncertainty that civilians have towards immigration in their native region) --
amongst 47 European countries. The aims of this survey were to discover any
means of a “perceived socio-economic threat” existing in these countries. The
results of this project show that both Malta and Cyprus have the highest levels
of these perceived threats (Marozzi, 1). This obviously opens a large void for
any given growing migrant population being received by the Maltese as an
external threat; an Othering.
The Conflict of Tradition and Modernity
There is no doubt that Malta is a conservative
country, for its gravitation towards tradition and Christian roots is very similar
to that of Southern Italy (Kininmonth & Gordon-Walker, 31). Firelight’s
2014 performance of “Coming Home” certainly pays homage to these roots. The
lead singer Richard Edwards Micallef plays an Appalachian Mountain
Dulcimer, which is an American take on the traditional European instrument
known as the zither (Appindie, Appalachian Dulcimer). Acoustic style and
instrumentation in “Coming Home” is also a parallel with the traditional
Maltese music style, Għana. Acoustic guitar, vocals, double bass, piano, drums (full set) and
the zither (exotiziing article).
An argument
could be made, highlighting that Firelight’s traditional style in “Coming Home”
is merely an attempt at publically “exoticizing cultural identity”, or in other
words, attracting a global audience through an intriguingly exotic display of culture
(Paul, 44). Either way, this Maltese act in Eurovision is truly a symbol of
tradition and heritage; a reflection of an era that once was, unaffected by an
influx of immigration that is simply unavoidable in modern times. The paradox
of showcasing tradition in such a modern context as Eurovision, reveals a
conflict surrounding modernity and tradition. Such a conflict, or interplay, is
essentially an example of Maltese hegemony with the traditional aspect of a
solely white society asserting dominance and president over a growing immigrant
population. This interplay is recognizable in Malta’s projected national brand,
and will continue to be influenced by religion and socio-economic affairs in
the future.
Religious Affiliation
Malta’s connections with Roman Catholicism are
solidified by an example of the Knights of Malta, whom serve beneath Pope
Francis. Pope Francis was forced to crack the whip over these knights failing
to stick to monastic rule, with the knights supporting a birth control charity
scandal. This was big news in Malta considering the defiance of the Order is
unheard of; international media covered this as well. These events and the
repercussions prove the utter importance of Catholicism in Malta, and how the
Knights of Malta themselves are a major piece of the Maltese national brand
(The Economist).
In Malta’s most recent performances, the word “faith”
and allusions to a higher power are often tossed around quite frequently, such
as in Amber’s 2015 act with “Warrior”. In a breakdown of the religious
composition in Malta, nearly 90% of the country’s inhabitants are Roman
Catholic, with the remaining percentages being made up of Islam, Atheism, and
other sects of Christianity (MaltaToday). It is no mystery that the majority of
the Maltese people are affiliated with this form of Catholicism, which leads to
the nearly subliminal projection of these religious ties in their performances.
The True National Brand
What does this have to do with national brand? Or
Eurovision? Why does this matter? Amber, Kurt Calleja, Gianluca, Firelight, and
Glen Vella are all symbolic of Malta’s conservative views towards immigration,
and a diversifying Maltese culture. All are white with Maltese roots, and this
demographic being selected to represent Malta on a national stage creates a
brand of homogeneity for this country. During their performances angelic
backdrop visuals and rays of light often dramatize brief allusions to a higher
power. Judging by Malta’s religious composition, this is the Maltese history of
Roman Catholicism at work. The social aspect of migration is recent in Malta,
and in popular culture mediums such as Eurovision, the country is seen boasting
nationalistic views in order to combat these new terms of society.
“Build another wall and watch it crumble by your side…roaming
through fields, I’m trying to find this new land… I’m coming home”, shouts
Firelight in traditional Għana style (Wiwibloggs). It is clear that in the eyes of
the Maltese, an external threat is present. In a society flourishing with
foreign immigrants, the true Maltese national brand is created through the
conservative fear of a jeopardized religion and overall solidarity.
Word count: 1,366
Work Cited
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the European Union.” International
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Mountain Traditions Project." YouTube.
YouTube, 07 Mar. 2012. Web. 16 Mar. 2017.
"Coming Home Lyrics -
Firelight (Malta Eurovision Song Contest)." Wiwibloggs. N.p., 11 Feb. 2014. Web. 13 Feb. 2017.
Debono,
James. "MaltaToday Survey on Religion." MaltaToday.com.mt. MaltaToday, 15 Mar. 2016. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
Jordan,
Paul Thomas. The Modern Fairy Tale:
Nation Branding, National Identity and the Eurovision Song Contest in Estonia.
Tartu: U of Tartu, 2014. Print.
J.H.
"Why the Pope Has Taken Control of the Knights of Malta." The Economist. The Economist Newspaper,
08 Feb. 2017. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
Kininmonth,
Christopher, and Robin Gordon-Walker. Malta
and Gozo. London: Cape, 1987. Print.
Allied
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Malta, 11 July 2013. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
Marozzi,
Marco. "Construction, Robustness Assessment and Application of an Index of
Perceived Level of Socio-Economic Threat from Immigrants: A Study of 47
European Countries and Regions." Springer
Link. Springer Netherlands, 19 July 2015. Web. 15 Mar. 2017.
Paul, S.
C. (2000). Exoticizing discoveries and extraordinary experiences:
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Mediterranean Societies. Ethnomusicology, 44
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Triandafyllidou,
Anna. “National Identity and the ‘Other’.” Ethnic and Racial Studies, vol. 21,
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