Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1262267
15 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JUNE 2020 NEWS civilisation to the colonised and portrayed colonialism as a positive factor that improved the life of those they subjugat- ed. At our own expense, Malta being primarily a fortress col- ony, we know that this wasn't the case. Several royal commis- sions left documented black on white the backward state the Maltese were left in." Farrugia recoils at the argu- ment that removing such mon- uments is erasing history. "It is this particular monument we are talking about – because of what it represents." The exact opposite opinion is expressed by self-professed conservative intellectual and historian Simon Mercieca, who fears what he dubs a "cultural nihilism" from the politicisa- tion of the arts and prompted by "Marxist cultural theories". Don't destroy history: learn from it "What we are experiencing today is a new form of acute nihilism, a political interven- tion on the arts which is not new in history," Mercieca says, blaming cultural theories of a Marxist nature being taught in British and American Universi- ties for "inciting revolts". Mercieca may be making too much of an ideological point himself in rebutting what he sees as an attempt to impose "a new cultural hegemony… to dominate over all others" by creating "havoc for its own sake". But he makes a pertinent point when noting that such monuments themselves tell a story, which also includes re- bellion, struggle and contes- tation. For him the removal of the Queen Victoria monument would mean removing a global symbol that represented a fac- tual reality, not just on our little island but in a vast area of the world, adding that this would represent the removal of a sig- nificant portion of memory, including Maltese defiance of British imperialism. "From its inception, the Maltese always interpreted this monument as standing for British colonial he- gemony. More than once, this monument has been at the cen- tre of protests, including during the riots of the Sette Giugno." Mercieca suggests that the monument should be looked upon as just another histor- ical landmark, similar to our bastions and St John's Co-Ca- thedral or even the other monuments scattered around churches and gardens and in other places. While personally no fan of British imperialism. Mercieca does show some fondness for the Gozitan touch in the monument in which Queen Victoria "is represented wearing a Malta lace shawl over her gown". "If this monument is re- moved, another tangible part of our history, which inciden- tally is neither embarrassing nor shameful, will be taken away and in the long term, lost for ever as has previously happened when nihilist move- ments destroyed monuments which were thought to be sym- bols of oppressive institutions." Moreover, he fears more what could replace it than what stands today. "There is no guar- antee that it would be replaced with a more aesthetically beau- tiful monument that would be endorsed by the national-pop- ular masses. The truth is that one cannot destroy history: one can only learn from it." The colonial psyche But other commentators ar- gue that relocating Queen Vic to a less prominent place would be in itself an act of history in the making, a step towards a post-colonial future. "It is is not about changing history but about not putting the statue of an ex-coloniser, right at the heart of Valletta city. It should also serve as a sign that we need to move past the notion of glorifying our colonisers, a psyche very much embedded within us, portrayed within our exaltation of any- thing foreign, without compar- ing and undermining anything which is local," writer and so- cial activist Lara Calleja noted in a Facebook comment which succinctly identifies the most lasting consequence of coloni- alism: the lack of confidence in Maltese culture and identity, which instead makes us prone to empty displays of nation- alism, animated by ill will to- wards others – rather than by pride in our selves. Even National Book Coun- cil chairman Mark Camilleri frames his argument in terms of a national cultural policy, argu- ing that Queen Victoria should be moved to a less prominent place, with more space given to Maltese historical figures. "I would prefer to place a statue of a Maltese intellectual in that place, such as Ġwann Nikol Muscat or Mikiel Anton Vas- salli given the proximity of the National Library." But one risk of embarking on such culture wars focused on symbols, is that it may distract us from more crucial matters like actually reforming our po- litical and economic system. The very discussion on these symbols could go a long way in triggering a discussion on a co- lonial legacy – which also influ- ences the way we perceive state institutions – and which many still prefer to ignore. Indeed one lasting consequence of historical amnesia is how me- mentoes like the eight-pointed cross get appropriated by the far right, while the Queen Vic- toria monument is relegated to decoration, devoid of meaning, sandwiched between the um- brellas of the cafés which have appropriated a public square. Victoria's secret: Republic Square, on Republic Street is still called Pjazza Regina on what was formerly Kingsway RESPECTING history also means understanding the historical con- text behind the erection of mon- uments and re-evaluating their part in history, argues journalist and historian Charles Xuereb, who suggests relocating colonial monu- ments to St Elmo. But is there a risk of reading his- tory from hindsight, imposing a present-day value judgment on the past? Instead of looking at "the tradi- tional event-centred history writ- ing", the contemporary approach to history is to take a broadening of the event's former meaning, its study in the longue durée, not only in its being, but also in its becom- ing. "Over time, events are constantly being reinterpreted and new mean- ings attributed to them as the so- cial situation changes. While most 'values' became universal with the spread of colonialism, following the Enlightenment and subsequent revolutions in 19th century Europe created distinct nations. Alas colo- nial Malta missed out and had to contend with imperialist propa- ganda," he says. Globally some monuments like those commemorating Confeder- ate generals are deemed to be of- fensive because they have become symbols of institutional racism, often revered by white suprema- cists. But is there a risk of a slip- pery slope by extending this logic to monuments in other contexts? Justified rejection of public mon- uments is not exclusively limited to former US confederate states. Im- perialist memorials in the US and other colonies, inculcating loyalty to the British metropole often re- call the sad beginning of black slav- ery in 1619. "Monuments stand to propagate individuals, declaring 'This was a great person!' Colonial grandees became famous because of their dishonourable deeds – namely slavery, colonialism (in re- cent academic studies declared as criminal) and subsequently racism, as global super-empires belonged to European whites. All contexts are one and the same." So should the Queen Victoria monument be removed and relo- cated somewhere else? "Victoria's 'majestic' monument was the re- sult of an empire-wide mandate to celebrate her silver jubilee. In Malta it was erected during the Language Question and not all citizens were happy. In 1901 fol- lowing the prohibition of political public meetings, the statue was besmirched at night with liquid ni- trate of silver, leading to 23 arrests. "I believe Valetta's propaganda monuments, including six gigantic British royal insignia in one square kilometre around the President's palace, could move to a museum or to Hastings Gardens. Valletta's British vestiges may be collected in a colonial monumental garden. Outside Budapest, a Memento Park now invites tourists to visit memorials belonging to the former Soviet domination." But would not their relocation remove a centuries-old familiar landmark? "Sacrificing national pride for an urban inconvenience? Our colo- nial masters were not perturbed when they replaced Grandmas- ter Vilhena with Victoria, Porta Marina with Victoria Gate or the German baroque auberge with the Anglican cathedral. In our days we are getting used to a void fissure in the bastions instead of Porta Reale (Putirjal). "Conscious of a historical nation- al insult, wherein the only public Maltese coat of arms in Valletta lies right below Victoria's bottom, is enough to validate her remov- al to Hastings – complete with a plaque contextualizing the whole story. "She may also be welcome in Victoria, Gozo – hopefully minus our blazon below her derrière. A similar statue in Dublin was diplo- matically removed when 'offered' to Australia (where the Head of State is still the British monarch) in 1986." Xuereb suggests 'recontextual- isation' through an explanatory plaque is one way forward. "In Sliema the old street name Prince of Wales is still evident along its new nomenclature Manuel Di- mech in front of the police station. With a brief explanation, as hap- pens in several European cities, it would make more sense." In Valletta however, Xuereb rues the permanent tourist translations of fake propaganda inscriptions on top of the Main Guard, which states that Malta became a British colony sustained by Melitensium amor (love of the Maltese). "This decision was taken in Vienna in 1815 behind the backs of all the Maltese and the secretary to the British governor only bothered to inform local literati at the Palace in December 1818! Malta was a colo- ny only under British rule. St Elmo houses Grandmasters' removed emblazons; most of the British in- signia in Valletta could join them." History relocated