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A Brief History of Poetry

Friday 19 May 2023 at 2:00 pm

Poetry as an oral form is the oldest form of expression

by Nataša Pantović

The use of rythm, repetition, and hypnosis by shamans and politicians from around the planet, in larger poetic units is common in both: religious and village people’s poetry. In Balkans, African or Asian cultures, performance poetry is accompanied by various local instruments.

The earliest poetry kept the memory of genealogy, or law alive. Poetry is closely related to musical traditions. The most famous because it was the oldest was written by Sumerian priestess Enheduanna, celebrating Goddess Moon, SiN, in the form of chant using a priest vs congregation response, blessings altered by all, etc. identical to today’s Christian liturgy. Chants are usually devoted to God / Goddess.

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To philosophize is to learn how to die

Learning from Lecture Notes on an Ancient Idea by Dr Kurt Borg Friday 14 April 2023 at 11:07 am

A few days ago I found myself in a lecture entitled: To philosophize is to learn how to die Notes on an Ancient Idea by Dr Kurt Borg

  by Nataša Pantović

"To philosophize is to learn how to die" this is how Michel de Montaigne, the 16th century French writer puts it, quoting Cicero, who is thinking of Socrates condemned to death.

death-of-socrates

The Death of Socrates by French painter Jacques Louis David in 1787, the story of the execution of Socrates as told by Plato in his Phaed located in The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The founding figure of Western philosophy, Socrates (469-399 BC) left no writings, was the teacher of Plato and is best known for his style of teaching, asking question until his students arrived at own understanding. Socrates’ learning to die is bound with the question of the immortality of the soul. Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and sentenced to death. He had to drink the cup of poisonous.

Socrates’ death is bound with the question of the immortality of the soul: how does one transcend it so as to come back resurrected, or immortal.

  Lecture: To philosophize is to learn how to die by Dr Kurt Borg

Michel de Montaigne’s “To philosophize is to learn how to die” was an essay he had published. Montaigne has lived through three tragedies in quick succession. His best friend died of the plague in 1563, not long after, his father and his brother died. Soon after he had a dangerous horse accident, Montaigne, who was a successful lawyer, retired from public life at the age of 38. Montaigne found himself terrified of his own death.

Montaigne says that he developed the habit of having death all the time with him. Montaigne tells us: “He who has learned how to die has unlearned how to be a slave.”

In this view, a life lived well, is one that comprehends death.

T.S. Eliot said, we have to see the skull beneath the skin.

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Richard England

THIS HOLY EARTH Wednesday 05 April 2023 at 2:43 pm

  by Nataša Pantović

Yesterday, I was privileged to listen to FFA (a Maltese NGO: All for Environment) organised interview, with Richard England discussing his life and work, people he admired and learned from, and his need to create architecture with love.

One of the first anecdotes Richard has narrated was when he had returned home in 1962 after completing his studies at the University of Milan and an 18 month apprenticeship in the studio of Gio Ponti. When Richard showed his father (also an architect) the recommendation letter that he got from Ponti (the Italian architect was his father's favourite), praising his work, his father, has decided to entrust him with the commission of the Manikata Church. It was the small Parish Church of Saint Joseph in a village of Malta. The church was built by around 500 of the area’s farmers on a volunteer basis.

Manikata Parish Church designed by Richard England

Manikata Parish Church designed by Richard England

The farmers wished to build a church with a bigger dome than the village next door. The new church’s unorthodox form and the young architect’s new ideas have been published in the prestigious Architectural Review. The publication served as a sign of authority for the villagers and the Church to embrace it. “We cut the stone, one by one.” Recalled Richard. Now, to draw a building is easy but making a building is like fighting a war. Once you make a sketch, you are against so many forces: the client, builders, planners, and you have to present your ideas to the public.

The architect’s first project was followed by a string of important works – the Garden for Myriam in St. Julians, which is dedicated to his wife, an extension at the University of Malta, St Francis of Assisi Church in Qawra. He also worked in Baghdad and Belgrade.

'Mythopoli' series Richald England drawing

'Mythopoli' series Richald England drawing

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Different perspectives on women in the arts

Learning from University of Malta Conference Tuesday 28 March 2023 at 10:23 am

by Nataša Pantović

As Malta approaches another Equinox, or Eastern, University ensures that the programme of events celebrate Woman’s Day with a cultural twist. The spring season brings another Conference entitled: ‘Different perspectives on women in the arts'.

The women’s activists fought for women’s right to work, to vote, and to have equal access to education. In 1882 in England, women were for the first time allowed to keep their own earnings, and were allowed into Oxford or Cambridge University much later. Change came at a snail’s pace.

We examined the fascination Oriental art and life in the Middle East held for European artists. What appears to have been a ‘golden cage’ carried an unusual amount of freedom. Oriental interiors, depicted usually in Constantinople (Istanbul) hid pictures of exotic, colourful Oriental carpets, servants bringing in entertainment, and the naked women bathing or resting on the carpets or sofas seemingly perfectly content.

However, in Europe women’s natural place was in the home, where she is protected from all danger and temptation. The man guards the woman from all, within his house. A luxurious enclosed life did not refer to a working class or a village women cultivating lands, or slaving away surrounded by many kids in a house with no electricity, no running water, with heavy loads to carry.

The pictures do say a lot more about male fantasies than the reality of life in a harem. Ottoman Princess Senila Sultan in a letter to her friend says: ‘The things they make up about us are unimaginable. They believe that we are slaves that we are shut up in chambers and left to die. We live in our cages, dressed in costumes of pink and light green satin and dance and sing songs, and even pipes of opium.’

This event was introduced by Dr Charlene Vella (Department of Art and Art History), and chaired by paintings conservator Rachel Vella. Dr Mark Sagona (Head of Department) delivered a welcoming note. Papers on varying topics on women in the arts were presented by Art History graduates Rachel Abdilla, Nadette Xuereb, Hannah Dowling, Fine Arts graduate Marie Claire Farrugia and textile conservator Leyre Quevedo Bayona.

Chairperson: Rachel Vella

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Mental Health in Schools & Positive Parenting

Learning from Mental Health in Schools Conference Friday 17 March 2023 at 2:44 pm

Just went to the Mental Health in Schools Conference

by Nataša Pantović 

Our body is like a tree, it roots itself spreading high and its fruit, an apple rots when it is hit. And we are all fully aware how the life-force within teenagers can hit hard and frequently. Patches can spread so quickly within our-own minds that we have a feeling that the hit will take the whole apple if we do not react consciously. Likewise our mental health can easily be weakened by the stress a family passes through during the time of exams when our teens find it extremly hard to stop and concentrate - in a hedonistic sunny society offering lots of safe and free fun for teens, foreigners, English students. 

Both Yogananda and Krishnamurti refer to mind as the toughest elephant to contain. The Christianity too offer sucrifice as a solution to the lives of individuals, helping refugees that have been stripped away from families, loved ones, and from their own support structure.

The Qawra school, the Maltese President in her openning speach Dr Marie Louise Colero Preca has mentioned, now has 56 nationalities.  Handling such diverse and multinational environment can at certain moments be extremly difficult, when our day to day lives are impacted, can we go back to positivity? The English studies have shown that One in Four people will need mental health support throughout a given year. Usualy young men. Kids are sometimes suicidal at the age of 9. Therefore, we as English and Maltese community, need to strive as nations, to make mental health services accessible to all, dealing with mental health not mental illness.

The group discussion and workshops have come back with a similar message: make Mental Health (not Illness) for all a global priority, empowering teachers and individuals. 

Irrespective of age, the solution should not be further medication, but awareness that to avoid the human-contact we separate from each other. Mental health should reach everybody. In a holistic environment local NGOs and Local Concils should include family members in a healing and supporting environment, a walk, a dance, a shared meal. It is solidarity with all and sensitivity to all, that are common targets that our society must address.

If mental health or mindfulness is at your heart, you could be a young leader, able to implement it or drive various initiatives.

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