Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1091272
15 than differences between Islam and Christianity, that there is only one God and that it's the same God, in both religions. 'I am Maltese,' I assert to those who cynically question or glare the in- stant I pronounce my Arabic name or refuse to drink an alcoholic bever- age. 'But, my father is Libyan and my mother is Maltese,' I add, when the sceptical or the curious refuse my answers, take guesses at my roots or demand further clarification. The re- sponse to this reply could range from polite silence and acceptance, to the friendly, 'I have a Libyan/Muslim friend,' or the most certainly absurd, 'I can see it in your eyes!' Unlike my father or Muslim wom- en with hijab, at first sight I "pass" as the ideal Maltese candidate; until, of course, I reveal my Arabic name when introducing myself in person or in written correspondence in Eng- lish (where I sign off with my name without the possibility to further elu- cidate and fight my case). I grew up seeing my migrant father being bluntly discriminated against, treated as if he were an outsider and a parasite siphoning off Maltese so- ciety and this despite his having lived here for over three decades, his fluency in the Maltese language (although with an obvious Arabic ac- cent), Maltese citizenship, wife and kids. Perhaps consequent to my par- ents' recognition that my father will always be treated as a 'guest' who should be utterly servile and grateful to the fellow Maltese for mere tol- erance of his presence, my siblings and I were raised with the principle of publicly avoiding any discussions involving politics or religion, fear- ing prejudice in our regard. We were continually told to act with kindness, get a solid education, ignore unwar- ranted remarks and always avoid trouble or political and religious ac- tivism. I thus learned from a young age the necessity to continuously navigate my Muslim background, manoeu- vre my identity and emphasize my Maltese-ness. Such daily strategies include me explaining the meaning behind my given name; at times even de-Arabising it by abbreviating it to 'Ibti' or writing inquiring emails in formal Maltese – all in attempt to be recognised and treated as equally Maltese. The coming-out as a 'halfie' Mal- tese at every new encounter and the shocked reactions towards my seem- ing 'oxymoron' identity of a Maltese Muslim (yep, not all Maltese are Ro- man Catholics!) is tedious, tiresome and annoyingly repetitive at its best. When my strategies fail to impress, the response and impact varies from undermining me as a lower category of Maltese – half-westerner, half- barbaric – to different treatment and possibly, raw undisguised bigotry on nightmarish occasions. Being Muslim and Maltese… in Ceuta Across the straits of Gibraltar on the North African Mediterranean coast, where I spent 14 months conducting ethnographic research, questions such as 'who am I?', 'what religion am I?' and 'what are my roots?' were part of my daily interac- tions with Ceutans, Moroccans and other residents of the Spanish en- clave of Ceuta. 'I am Muslim and Maltese,' I would answer to their questions… no buts included! Ironically once outside Maltese shores, my ethno-religious back- ground was no longer a handicap and my Maltese Muslim identity was acknowledged to the full, even appreciated, as my social circles of Muslims and Christians continually grew. Ceuta is a zone of intense confron- tation yet also of peaceful quotid- ian coexistence between Christians, Muslims and smaller numbers of Hindus and Jews. The Ceutan gov- ernment, perhaps in response to the dense heterogeneous population, extolls a discourse of 'convivencia' which promotes and celebrates the diverse local ethno-religious groups living peacefully together as well as their mixing. The political discourse of 'convivencia', today permeates Ceuta's political, economic and so- cial life and is even used as shorthand to describe the local environment. It is mobilised by Ceutans to bridge ethno-religious differences through the overarching, regional (as Ceu- tans) and national (as Spanish), iden- tity. Despite clear limitations to the con- cept and the obvious socio-econom- ic and spatial divides between ethno- religious communities in Ceuta, this discourse and ideal of 'convivencia' has left a personal impression on me as it creates a unique space for public debate on national and reli- gious identity, and facilitates a clear distinction between the two; starkly contrasting with the local situation that defines national identity almost exclusively along religious lines. Being Muslim and Maltese … in Malta Those who, like me, do not easily fit into the rigid rhetoric of 'Malta is a Roman Catholic Country' challenge the dominant understanding of the 'Maltese' by their mere existence. Hostile slurs such as 'If you don't like it, go back to your country' al- low (and deserve) no further debate; and of course, they beg the sarcastic question 'to where?' when addressed to people like me. I feel it is long due to acknowl- edge that the Maltese constitution, proclaiming that Malta is a Roman Catholic country, must be amended to reflect the fresh, existing diversity of religions and cultural identities. Maltese identity stems from – and is continually reinvented by – a mix- ture of ethno-religious backgrounds. As of yesterday, we should take pride in all Maltese history, rather than distancing ourselves from our Islam- ic and Arab heritage in a desperate attempt to prove our European-ness. In no way does one contradict the other; likewise Maltese identity does not exclude other backgrounds. Let's learn from Ceutans' discourse of 'convivencia' and allow a healthy discussion on religious and national identity. Let's appreciate our simi- larities and differences: 'I am Maltese, and European, and Muslim, and… more.' No buts, only ands! Ibtisam Sadegh is a PhD researcher at the University of Amsterdam where she is writing an ethnographic dissertation on interfaith couples in Ceuta. She previously read law at the University of Malta. This article originally appeared in IslesOfThe- Left.org maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 MARCH 2019 NEWS Ibtisam Sadegh as the 'halfie' of Iklin... "The coming-out as a 'halfie' Maltese at every new encounter and the shocked reactions towards my seeming 'oxymoron' identity of a Maltese Muslim (yep, not all Maltese are Roman Catholics!)" Unlike my father or Muslim women with hijab, at f irst sight I "pass" as the ideal Maltese candidate; until, of course, I reveal my Arabic name when introducing myself in person or in written correspondence in English I grew up seeing my migrant father being bluntly discriminated against, treated as if he were an outsider and a parasite siphoning off Maltese society and this despite his having lived here for over three decades