Reviving Traditions - Weaving in Malta

Weaving machine

I chose my favourite colour in stock!

lovely shades of thread

The artisan weaving

A unique work of art!

Learning about hand made parts of the weaving machine

Cotton bags 

The origin and development of woven cloth is closely tied to the history of mankind. People learned to weave thousands of years ago using natural grasses, leafstalks, palm leaves, and thin strips of wood.

Weaving is the process of making cloth, rugs, blankets, and other products by crossing two sets of threads over and under each other. Weavers use threads spun from natural fibres like cotton, silk, and wool. But thin, narrow strips of almost any flexible material can be woven.

It is firmly believed that the Phoenicians introduced weaving and dyeing skills in Malta and Gozo. Since classical times, the Maltese Islands have been renowned for the excellence of the local cloth. Roman senator Cicero in his report refers to quantities of Maltese cloth that had been stolen. He also states that Malta had "become a manufactory for weaving women's garments".

The cotton industry thrived up to the early 19th century before declining slowly by the end of the century. Because of the cotton plant, introduced to Malta by the Arabs, nearly every house had its loom, while girls were taught this trade at a very early age. Up to World War I, the Islands produced coarse and finer weaved cotton on traditional handlooms. Today, fabrics are produced by both hand spinning and mechanised means.

The woollen industry remained small, but Malta and Gozo today still produce small quantities of useful heavy knitted garments and rugs. A wide range of woollen and fabric garments and accessories including skirts, handbags, ties and wall tapestries are available. 

We realise that many locals have lost most of the knowledge about this ancient tradition and many don't know it still exists because of lack of awareness and education in this field. On the other hand tourist who come to Malta are offered an array of souvenirs, many of which are not 100% authentic.  To address these issues, Merill Eco Tours are organising tours and demonstrations to revive traditions and offer authentic hand made products to those who wish to own a unique work of art and support local artisans.


Feel free to visit our website: www.merillecotours.com
Photos taken by Christian Borg

Reference: http://www.gozo.gov.mt/pages.aspx?page=786

The Kingfisher in Malta

The Kingfisher at rest

This morning has been particularly exciting to one of our expert birders, Chris Cachia Zammit. He managed to capture this beautiful bird while resting. He told us that the Kingfisher is one of the few colourful birds that come to Malta. In spite it's colourful plumage, the bird is quite difficult to spot, but from time you get a glimpse of the bird flying. If your lucky, you might spot the Kingfisher fishing or resting on a pole. These birds migrate to Malta in August and some of them spend the winter time in the Maltese Islands. The scientific name for this species is Alcedo atthis and its Maltese name is Ghasfur ta’ San Martin.


For more information about bird-watching tours, visit our website www.merillecotours.com or send us an email on info@merillecotours.com.

The Common Kestrel

Common Kestrel

Common Kestrels are usually spotted in Malta during the migration season. Mostly frequent during mid-august till mid-october, and peak between mid-September till the beginning of October. These birds normally prey and feed on insects, small mammals and birds. Their mode of hunting is interesting. They hover over an area where the prey is located, they concentrate on the prey and dive in to capture the less fortunate creature. This practice can be observed even here in Malta during migration. It's common for such a species to spend time in areas such as Buskett, where they can hunt and recover their strength to continue the migration towards Africa.  

Photo and write up by Christopher Cachia Zammit

For more information about Bird Watching Tours, visit our website or email us on info@merillecotours.com

Wild Thyme turns landscape purple

Wild thyme dominates some of the garigue habitat in Malta, Gozo and Comino. It spreads all around an ecosystem that looks barren and yet is very rich in biodiversity. The sun and sea are valid reasons to come to Malta. How about visiting the islands to enjoy nature? Yes we do have nature here in Malta. The diving industry has been going strong for years. Activities on land are picking up and since we started up Merill Eco Tours people ask us, "but what can one do on barren land". Our answer would be "Believe us, there is so much we can offer!!"

For those nature lovers who want to experience the heart of the Mediterranean, I strongly suggest you follow one of our eco tours! The way the nature merges with history and traditions is amazing. The photos in this post portray Wild Thyme, an aromatic herb. Bees forage on such plants to create excellent honey. Walking is not the only activity one can do and let's face it...we won't be doing ecotourism if we would organise just walks! Ecotourism is about conservation and bringing about positive experiences even for the hosts, in this case the farmers, who are always pleased to accept us on their land to directly witness their passion.

We are offering packages with fresh ideas for various tourism sectors. Do not hesitate to contact us on info@merillecotours.com for further details.

Ecotourism in Practice

The Farmers Market - a showcase of culinary richnesses

This term has been around for quite some time but still, it hasn't grown its roots here in Malta. Statistics and other related information about what happens in Malta are limited. Before starting off Merill Eco Tours, I read many books about this topic and accessed a lot of views and methods through social media. Travellers want to have a say before and after their trip. This is positive to us since we are very much focussed to create experiences rather than tours!  

So how can we put Ecotourism into practice? First of all, we need to understand the real meaning of Ecotourism. Its principles are clear and well spelt out. Minimizing the impact on the environment is on top of the list. Malta is a small island with limited resources. Conservation of our few natural resources such as land (including soil), water and biodiversity should be on top of the agenda of all tourism operators. Then comes the aspect of awareness. I meet many people who are sceptical about Malta and Gozo's potential for eco and agri-tourism acitivities. Wake  up people...we are in the middle of the Mediterranean, surrounded by beautiful beaches, our eco-cultural landscape is varied, local people are charming...the "only" thing we need is to build sustainable bridges amongst industries. Let's say, if a restaurant chooses to purchase local foods, then catering industry is embracing the agriculture industry thus supporting rural life and biodiversity. Who will take care of the fields, and thus the landscape, if all the farmers are gone, or all Malta is built up!?

Another example is that of having nature being featured on images representing Malta. Eco is now a buzz word that many use, but how much eco is there in photos of Malta? If one Googles Malta, many images of Valletta, Comino and beaches show up. This is fine, but we have much more to offer. I met a couple of Gozitans last week who were really disappointed when Dwejra is the only place mentioned in many brochures promoting tourism in Gozo. Gozo is still very rural and can showcase farming, nature and village life style.

"What to see" and "what to do" in Malta, Gozo and Comino needs to be changed in order have a more sustainable tourism industry. Having thousands of people visiting Valletta and Mdina is fine. The historical aspect in these locations are fantastic. Shifting some of the activities to rural areas can reduce the pressures onto historical sites, beaches and other popular areas. There again, let's all be careful as not to invade the quite rural areas, and respect the local people. Noise and traffic can disturb rural villages so it needs to be slow and controlled. 

What is Ecotourism? - Alternative and sustainable Tourism

Easter Holidays

Diving in Malta

Tourism in Malta starts to peak over the Easter holidays, though it's not as busy as July and August. Many visit the islands for a short break to enjoy the sunshine. This year the weather is very stable with very little wind and warm temperatures during the day.

Whether you wish to enjoy the peaceful landscape or be more adventurous, here is a list of activities you can take up while in Malta at this time of the year.

These activities can be enjoyed by individual travelers, couples, families and also groups.

• Agri-Tourism
• Bird Watching
• Boat trips
• Countryside walks
• Cooking traditional foods
• Diving
• Eco Tours

Enjoy and Happy Easter to everyone!

Reduce the Carbon Footprint - choose local products!

Masgar Eco Hamper - 20 Euros

Are you looking for that small gift for your relatives and friends this Easter? How about an Eco Hamper?! Individual products such as local wine, jams and olive oil may be nicely wrapped to make an ideal token. We have a whole range of products bought directly from the farmer. This Merill Eco Tours initiative has already generated a lot of interest amongst both the Maltese community and foreigners who visit our islands. The products do not only look nice but also taste superb :) 

Contact us on 79411388 for more info!