The Contribution of Maltese Ethnic Associations and Clubs in Australia Towards the Community and Preservation of Maltese Language and Culture

This paper explores the role of the Maltese ethnic associations and clubs in Australia and their impact on the Maltese community. The study delves deeply into the contribution that such associations and clubs have given to the community in matters of language and culture. Since the flow of migration from Malta to Australia has practically stopped, the Maltese-Australian community is becoming smaller. As a result, the first generation of immigrants who were constrained to leave the island in search of a brighter future following World War II spoke the Maltese language and appreciated the culture that they were raised in. The second generation, which was born in Australia, typically understands the language but does not have the opportunity or desire to speak it outside the family, but at the same time has kept the culture alive. Raised in a cosmopolitan nation, the third generation typically does not speak Maltese but keeps remnants of the Maltese culture alive. Data from interviews conducted in Melbourne and Sydney serve as the foundation for this investigation. It is clear that many Maltese-Australians still have a strong sense of Maltese culture despite the fact that the Maltese community is ageing. Also, the dominance of the English language and the distance from Malta do not bode well for the Maltese language’s and culture’s future survival.