Traditional Maltese costumes : the importance of local cultural heritage in the fashion and textiles syllabus

Abstract

Fashion and Textiles is a vocational subject offered to students in Maltese secondary schools. The curriculum of this subject covers a wide range of interesting topics, including fashion history. This topic is important as students can learn about the history of costumes from 3000 BC to date. However, this part of the syllabus fails to cover anything that is related to the local cultural heritage, with specific reference to Maltese traditional costumes. This gap in the syllabus must be addressed urgently as Maltese students must embody ethnic appreciation and pride. This study explored the importance of the local cultural heritage in the Fashion and Textiles syllabus through the possible incorporation of the topic of traditional Maltese costumes. Through secondary research, it analysed local traditional garments that were worn by women and men and highlighted their legacy from a historical and educational point of view, emphasising that this is an important element of the Maltese cultural identity. Through semi-structured interviews with experts in the field, this dissertation discussed the participants’ first-hand experiences with traditional Maltese costumes as well as their perspectives on the possible inclusion of the topic in the Fashion and Textiles syllabus. The interviewees supported this addi-on and suggested several strategies and resources for delivering lessons on the topic. This research study proposes a few assessment criteria as part of learning outcomes derived from the Fashion and Textiles syllabus, suggesting ways through which traditional Maltese costumes could be incorporated as a topic. The recommendations were based on the findings from primary and secondary research of this study, following the constructivist approach used in teaching and learning. Each learning outcome is accompanied by a detailed description of the aspects to be taught, examples of resources to be used, and activities that could be organised when teaching the topic, all aiming to enhance the delivery of the lessons and students’ learning experience while ensuring a well-rounded understanding of traditional Maltese costumes.