www.theinsiter.org
September 2015 |
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Contents
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Contents Fresher’s Week
6 Living the Mediterranean Dream 8 When Pain Cuts Deep
22 Qatt 23 This Is How You Lose Her Opinion
Entertainment
24 Limbo 26 Greeting Citizens...
10 Dance Apollo 14 The Reboot 17 Anakron Living History Arts
19 Little Boy
Lifestyle
28 Clowning for a Cause 31 The Taboo of the Crimson Waterfall 33 The Boy in Frills
Executive Committee
Writers and Photographers
Media Team
Matthew Charles Zammit Claudio Agius Kristina Saliba Rebecca Elizabeth Kemp Deborah Faye Mercieca Jessica Arena Johann Agius Matthew Debattista Dionne Taryn Gatt Melissa McElhatton
Cyrielle Delmas Mel McElhatton Sophie Vella Phillip Attard Kristina Saliba Sophie Claire Sara Ezabe Johann Agius Julia Shaaban Nicole Borg
Federico Barbaro-Sant Siobhan Vassallo Nicole Borg Elisa Calleja Cyrielle Delmas
Magazine Design Elisa Calleja Siobhan Vassallo September 2015 |
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Editorial
EDITORIAL Rebecca Elizabeth Kemp
This time of year is traditionally one of change for students. A new scholastic year can mean many things: a new school, new friends, new classes… even a new country, if you’re an Erasmus or international student. Whether it’s your first year at university or your last, Freshers’ Week is the time to have some fun and settle back in after those glorious (never long enough) summer holidays. Freshers’ is also the time to figure out what you want to do for the coming year. Do you want to focus more on your studies? Start a new hobby? Join a student organisation or a sports team? Maybe you have an idea for a business? Go for it! Put the energy you have at the start of this scholastic year to good use and kickstart your plans!
Those of us who worked on this edition of The Insiter got a headstart on transforming ourselves. We used our precious summer holidays to reorganise, rebrand and restyle the magazine and the organisation, just for you. From our redesigned website to our newest project (the Kwandranglu radio program), we wanted to do our best to create a place where you can voice your opinions and discuss your interests, whether as an Insiter or as part of a collaborating organisation. And this is just the beginning - the Insite Weekend, our event of the year, is just around the corner and we will continue to improve and expand our student media throughout the year, so keep tuned...
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Welcome (back) to Freshers’ Week, both to new students and those continuing their studies!
And with that, dear readers, I wish you a fantastic Freshers’ Week and hope you enjoy the magazine! Rebecca Elizabeth Kemp Executive Editor
Every now and then a man’s mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.
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THROUGH AN EMPLOYER’S EYES W H A T NEX T
D O ES
A N
EMPL OY E R
PO TENTIA L
EMPL O YERS
L O O K
S E E
C A ND ID A T E ? FO R
A N D
W HE N
T HE Y
HE R E ’ S
T HE
HOW
Y OU
CA N
LOOK
A T
T HE
LOW D OW N M A K E
ON
Y OU R
CV
CV
OF
T HE I R
W HA T S T A N D
OU T .
PHOTO
PROFILE
1 9 % o f e m pl o y er s f o c u s o n pr o fi le pi c t u r es. I f y o u d o d e c i d e t o a d d o ne , m a k e s u r e i t ’s a hi gh q u a l i ty, pr o f e ssi o na l o ne. O t he r w i se , i t is best t o d o w i t ho u t .
Se ll yourse lf to the e mp loye r in 200 words. Use this sp ace to state what you can do, what you want to do and why you are e xactly what the e mp loye r is looking for. B e dire ct, asse rtive and re le vant, b ut ab ove all e lse , b e hone st.
EDUCATION
EXPERIENCE
Tertiary Education
Current Job
This section goes ha nd i n ha nd w i t h y o u r e xperience. Addi ng t ha t y o u ’v e r e a d f o r a Ma st er's Degree or PhD can e xpl a i n w hy y o u he l d a nu m b e r of short-term jobs w hi l e s t i l l s t u d y i ng. L i s t e du cation, with the m o s t r ec ent a t t he v er y t o p.
De scrib e the most re ce nt j ob you’ve he ld, e ve n if it was a short-te rm inte rnship or summe r j ob . I de ntify your tasks and re sp onsib ilitie s, highlight challe nge s and achie ve me nts.
Alternative Education
W riting your story
L ist down any rel ev a nt e d u c a t i o n t ha t m a y be considered u nconv e nt i o na l , f r o m e v e ni ng c l a sse s to ex tracu rricu l a r a c t i v i t i es l e a d i ng t o certifications. Em pl o y er s w i l l gi v e v a l u e t o anything that dis pl a y s pr o a c t i v i t y a nd r ea d i ne ss to inv est in one’s o w n per s o na l d ev e l o pm e nt .
Your work history is a colle ction of p re vious e xp e rie nce s throughout your work life thus far. Highlighting re le vant skills will add more value to ce rtain j ob ap p lications. T his could me an focusing only on ce rtain j ob s, to ke e p your story re le vant, while giving e xp lanations for gap ye ars in your CV.
TECHNICAL SKILLS T his is where you show c a se y o u r sk i l l s a nd co mpetencies. An em pl o y er i s l o o k i ng f o r s o m e o ne w ho can adapt to ne w s i t u a t i o ns a nd i s c o m f o r t a bl e w ith change. F ocu s o n t he l e a r ni ng o f ne w s k i l l s a nd i mpr ov ing cu rrent on es.
Willingness to learn Detail orientated Proactive
REFERENCES
INTERESTS
Men tioning persons w ho ha v e exper i e nc ed y o u r skills and strengths fi r st ha nd go e s a l o ng w a y t o st rengthen you r CV. I n a d d i t i o n, ha v i ng t he m listed in adv ance dem o nst r a t es l o y a l t y a nd a l ev e l o f confidence.
Pre se nt yourse lf as b e ing ap p roachab le b y giving p ote ntial e mp loye rs a glimp se of your hob b ie s, p assions or p e t p roj e cts. Use this se ction to disp lay a we ll-rounde d p e rsonality that come s off as ve rsatile and inquisitive .
VISIT KONNEKT.COM TO KICK START YOUR CAREER +356 2123 4010 | CAREERS@KONNEKT.COM | KONNEKT.COM
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Fresher’s Week
Living the Mediterranean dream Cyrielle Delmas Imagine a country where the summer never ends, where business is flourishing and where you can meet some of the nicest and warmest people in Europe. Welcome to Malta. As the least populated country in Europe (only 423,282 inhabitants in 2013) this jewel of the Mediterranean sea has a lot to offer you. The life of an international or Erasmus student is exciting at the University of Malta. Get involved, join some student organisations, speak up, discover, and create unforgettable memories. Each faculty has its own organisation, which promotes student rights and offers degree-related activities depending on the events calendar. But if you like arts, sports or have a passion for other activities, you can join an independent organisation. There is an organisation for everyone. For Erasmus students, I would recommend the Erasmus Student Network, whose role is to gather international students and organise weekly events (karaoke, barbecues, wine tasting...) You can also take some additional classes as optionals with DegreePlus, which offers a large range of subjects such as
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photography, song writing, dancing, boxing, swimming, painting, design and also volunteer work. Concerned how to finance your studies in Malta? As international students, you have the strength to speak English in addition to your own language. Apply to get a job in one of the many language schools on the island, such as EF, ESE, EC and Link, to name a few. Throughout the year, language schools are actively seeking foreigners to welcome groups of students coming from all over Europe and Asia who can speak their language. This could give you the opportunity to become a group leader, an administration officer or a teacher. If you are an international or Erasmus student, you will probably stay in Malta for a short time. Make sure you don’t miss out on the beauty of the Maltese culture and entertainment. You can visit the beautiful villages of Malta, go to the Marsaxlokk markets on Sunday, see the breathtaking views of Mdina and also party in Paceville on a Friday night. And don’t forget to go to Sliema to get yourself a nice outfit at the shopping mall. May your experience in Malta be the best.
Photo Rebecca Elizabeth Kemp
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tion Fresher’s Week
When Pain Cuts Deep Mel McElhatton Last year, following the tragic death of a teenager at Dingli Cliffs, the terms ‘self-harm’ and ‘self-injury’ were on the lips of everyone following the case. However, self-harm has existed since long before then. The first thing that should be noted is that self-harm is not always done with the intention of ending one’s life. This form of self-harm is called non-suicidal self injury (NSSI). Although this is not yet classified as a mental disorder in the Diagnostic Statistic Model (DSM), it has been suggested that researchers study this behaviour so as to be able to possibly include it in further revisions of the DSM-5. To be eligible for a diagnosis of NSSI, one would need to injure themselves five or more times over the span of a year, and must not have the conscious intent of killing themselves. It appears that this behaviour is more common among teenagers and young adults, and even more worrying is that NSSI seems to be on the rise. According to Wilkinson and Goodyer (2011), the pain brought on by self-injury offers the person some relief from their emotional suffering, and it serves as a distraction from their problems. Furthermore, any scars could be a statement of the person’s distress. Considering that the main group of people who exercise selfharm are young adults and teenagers, and thus could possibly be attending higher secondary or tertiary education, I set up a meeting at the Counselling Unit at the University to find out more about this issue, as well as how the Unit deals with students seeking their help with this problem. 8
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Fresher’s Week According to the counsellor I spoke with, the people who are more likely to self-harm are people with a history of mental health problems, adolescents, women (as they are more likely to have been abused) and homosexuals (due to the stigma associated with it). Sessions at the Counselling Unit are limited to fifteen sessions, with the opportunity of being referred should the need arise. The aim behind this is for students to not go to therapy for the entire duration of their time at University. Therefore, if you are reluctant to seek help at the Unit because you are afraid of becoming dependent or that you would be required to attend sessions for the rest of your University career, fear not. These people are trained. However, for the Counselling Unit to help it would depend on the type and severity of the self-harm, as well as how open the student is to becoming vulnerable and taking time to face the problem. The Counselling Unit also works with various non-governmental organisations and agencies who can help in cases of self-injury once the root of the problem is found. These agencies include a nutritionist, psychiatrist, housing officer, . .. social worker and Agenzija Appogg for cases of domestic violence. So what if someone you care about is selfharming? Well, first and possibly the most important, do not judge. It took a lot of strength for that person to confide in you, so listen to them. Be a friend and confidant. Sometimes people just need to feel listened to. Should the problem become bigger, then encourage your loved one or friend to schedule a meeting at the Counselling Unit, or to speak with other professionals with whom they would be comfortable. Another essential point is to not ignore someone who is selfharming: according to experts it can become an addictive behaviour, as it causes temporary relief to the person doing it. Therefore, if you
notice someone is self-harming, do not brush off responsibility. Suicide may not be the intention of the person, but it is not unheard of for it to lead to an accidental suicide. So how can I tell if a loved one is selfharming? Apart from the obvious, which is signs of harm to one’s body, be it through cutting, burning, bruises or other forms of injury, there are three other warning signs which should be paid attention to. The first is if the person is having family problems at home. This could both be a reason for the self-harming, as well as a consequence of it. The second sign is problems in one’s course. Generally, when a student is going through a difficult situation, this is reflected in their coursework and attendance at University. If your friend is acting out of character, such as missing lectures when they normally attend, or failing to give in coursework on time, then possibly you need to offer your friend a safe environment for whenever they are ready to speak with you. Never force someone to talk, as that would have the opposite effect to the one desired. The final, and possibly more straightforward, sign that someone needs help is isolation. When someone suddenly starts isolating themselves from people it is generally a warning sign for various things, none of them pleasant. If your friend starts to isolate themselves, then be sure to show them that you are not going anywhere and that you are there to listen to them when they are ready. Self-harm, particularly non-suicidal selfharm, is generally not done for attention, or to be ‘cool’. It is a clear sign that something is not going right in that person’s life. Even if the injuries are visible, it does not mean that the intention of that person is for others to gawk and/or admire them. It is a cry for help, which they cannot verbalise. September 2015 |
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Entertainment Photo Sophie Vella
Dance Apollo Sophie Vella What’s your band’s name? I heard you changed it, why? We just recently changed our name. Previously, the name Central Strip was decided on the spur of the moment for the SAC Fest. Later, we decided to change our name to Dance Apollo as the name Central Strip didn’t really fit our image and vibe. Aleandro came up with the name and thought it would be cool to name a band after the god of music and the arts. ‘Dance’ was just a random word we thought of which echoes the ancient ritual of dance, singing and poetry. How did you guys decide on your music genre? Naturally, we all listen to different styles of music. The guitarist Bunce/Keith listens to jazz/blues. Glen, the drummer, likes metal. 10
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Aleandro (bassist) and Chris (vocalist) listen to classical music. We had a solid foundation to start out with: Glen’s ‘filling’ and strong drums, Bunce’s melodic influence of jazz/ blues, together with a slight twist – that of the influence of classical music of both Chris and Aleandro which has shaped the way we appreciate music in all its totality. Who writes your lyrics? What are they about? Aleandro and Glen. Aleandro comes up with the main idea and basic content whilst Glen fine-tunes them. Our songs mainly address sociocultural issues – we made it a rule not to talk about love and took on a different approach. Our song Caesar’s Prose for example is about the life of Caesar who was betrayed
Entertainment
It’s easier to get a permit for a feast than a gig...
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by his friends and was a huge political figure. As such it could be interpreted as a metaphor for larger societal problems. The line “You poured the wine when my cup was full” refers to alcohol consumption and certain religious undertones. On the other hand, 65 Raw Pipe Street was written whilst the band was at the bar Zmerc. We take on a stream of consciousness technique capturing snapshots of reality, and fleeting moments we experience on a day-to-day basis. This multisensorial screenshot of reality encapsulates the life of an adolescent and our generation as a whole. What do you think about the music scene in Malta? The main problem locally is the apathy of the Maltese people. We feel that the general attitude of the Maltese is to treat the spectrum of the arts solely as a hobby and not as an important segment of our society and culture. Most people have the excuse that “Malta is small” (“ghax Malta zghira”) and so we cannot truly broaden our horizons. This is quite a
pessimistic way of looking at the arts and it is currently stunting creativity locally. Most of the Maltese are not even ready to fund Maltese music. It’s easier to get a permit for a feast than a gig – it is not fair that with feasts for example, permits are given left, right and centre for fireworks that go on till midnight/one o’clock in the morning and then if a band plays at a small bar, the whole police force assembles due to ‘sound pollution’. One can blame it on sociocultural nationalism and a lack of investment in local talent. Most people do not appreciate the fact that we have local talent and can create a subculture of music appreciation for local bands. Our priorities are elsewhere as a generation too. What bands do you admire? (Locally and internationally) Local bands we admire are REK (Red Electrick) , Cosmic Erotic, No Snow No Alps, The Riffs and Bridget Bone – they are a direct influence because of mentoring, amongst others. International bands we admire include Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Chiefs (for their covers). If you had to have lunch with any band who would it be and why? “Led Zeppelin hux.” “Jimmy Page mann.” “Le, The Beatles!” How would you describe your music to other people? We’re going to quote Michael Bugeja here: “Their sound could be described as an eclectic mix which blends hints of classic rock with an indie slant and a dash of pop.” My interpretation is that this band is a kaleidoscope of different music genres creating a colourful psychedelic visual array of tunes. If you had to be ice cream flavours what would you be and why? Bunce: Cassettella siciliana, “ghax unique man” Glen: Chocolate, “likeable – everyone likes chocolate” Aleandro: Berry, “cause I’m a berry nice person” Chris: Vanilla, “ghax hekk” … “Chris trid tapprezzah”– Bunce September 2015 |
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Entertainment Photo Sophie Vella
Our goal is to leave our mark, our fingerprint...
What are your dreams and goals? Our ultimate dream is to play at Glastonbury. What is absolutely important to us is a solid fan base that’s loyal and almost cult-ish, like 30 Seconds To Mars. We really appreciate our fanbase and are aware that the process of making music involves a two-way relationship of both the band and its fans as a unit. Our goal is to leave our mark, our fingerprint, on society and the local music scene. What gigs have you performed at so far? Rock The South, Battle of the North and the Malta Street Arts Festival. How has your music evolved? The general sound of our music has matured since we started out. At the moment, we’re more professional and confident with our tunes as we’re experimenting more. We feel that we have matured with our music but we still want to maintain the ‘raw’ element we started out with. How do you feel about streaming online music? Most people aren’t aware about how expensive it is to make an EP. It is even harder for students who can barely afford to dash out so much money for the production costs. We are trying to revitalise the experience of 12
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buying an EP and appreciating the record itself, and consciously knowing you are funding local bands and local talent. It’s like buying an actual book versus an e-book. Any advice to people starting a band? Don’t think about what people are going to say and do not give up. Stay true to yourselves and your individual styles. Immerse yourselves in your art. Famous Quotes? Bunce/Keith: “It’s not about getting bigger, it’s about getting better.” Aleandro: “ars gratia artis” (art for art’s sake) – Victor Cousin Chris: “The music is not in the notes, but in the silence between.” – Mozart Glen: “Rock is not the Devil’s word, it’s magical and rad.” – Jack Black, Tenacious D
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Entertainment
The Reboot: Hollywood’s Favourite Method of Change Philip Attard Hollywood has always found ways to react to trends in the film industry, whether it’s hiring new, popular directors or deciding which film genres to support. For the last ten years, its most common method of bringing change to its franchises has been to give them a reboot. Reboots, for all intents and purposes, expect you to forget the existence of previous films and imagine that the new ones are the very first instalment of their respective franchise. Reception to them tends to be mixed, as ‘abandoning’ your favourite films isn’t particularly enjoyable, while reboots allow for fresh and exciting material to be created. Let’s take a look at some reboots which have graced (or disgraced) the screen along the years.
Batman Begins (2005) Batman and Robin isn’t only arguably the worst comic book movie ever made, but also one of the worst films in existence. It’s understandable that Warner Bros. found no further hope in the franchise and decided to greenlight the film which effectively set the reboot trend that took Hollywood by storm. It was altogether an inspired decision; Christopher Nolan made a rock solid film which set the bar for all other future superhero films. With Christian Bale in the lead role and the intense emotional catharsis of the film it was bound for success. Source: Wordpress
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Entertainment
Casino Royale (2006)
Halloween (2007)
Source: Wikipedia
Source: Wallcoo.net
After Die Another Day showed how tired the 40 year old franchise had become, the Bond film series was controversially rebooted. While many (understandably) claimed that a flawed film didn’t call for such drastic measures and a questionable new actor in the role, all our fears were laid to rest as Casino Royale put the franchise back on the radar again. For the first time in years, a Bond film made many critics’ top ten of the year lists, while recently Skyfall found similar success. It seems Daniel Craig and some excellent action scenes can go a long way.
The Halloween franchise had long become a parody of its former self by the time its reboot was announced, and many fans rejoiced at the prospect of seeing the horror films return to John Carpenterhelmed glory. This was not to be, however, as director Rob Zombie thought that a backstory for the films’ once-creepy villain and some bland characters were just what the doctor ordered. Disappointingly enough, the 2009 sequel failed to learn from its disastrous predecessor, meaning the franchise is now as dead as the victims claimed by its masked killer.
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) Tim Burton’s heavily flawed 2001 remake failed to reignite the franchise, meaning 20th Century Fox decided to reboot it yet again two years later. The result was largely a success, although not without its faults, as James Franco was a somewhat uninteresting lead and the film’s pacing could have been handled better. It was still a fun movie, though, which had intelligence to spare and delighted viewers with its final set piece. Moreover, the 2014 sequel improved matters and is a brilliant film in its own right, meaning the franchise is probably in good hands. Source: Blackfilm.com
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Entertainment
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
Man of Steel (2013)
Source: Moarpowah.com
Source: Comicbook.com
When Spider-Man 3 proved to be a decidedly flawed film, Sony made the baffling decision of alienating director Sam Raimi, who had delivered two superb instalments, and rebooting the whole franchise. The overreacting didn’t entirely pay off, as TASM, while pleasantly entertaining as a superhero film, paled in comparison to Raimi’s first two films and felt highly repetitive. The fact that its sequel failed to correct its predecessor’s flaws meant that Sony effectively gave up on Spidey and asked Marvel Studios for help with the character. In the meantime, we’ll be watching Raimi’s excellent films.
Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns was touted as Superman’s great return to the big screen, but ultimately some boring patches and a lack of confidence meant its entertaining qualities were (perhaps harshly) overlooked by fans. What we got with Man of Steel was the opposite, but with pretty much the same results, as an over-reliance on action and some questionable artistic liberties led to wide criticism by critics and fans alike. The film is not as terrible as everyone says, but there’s no denying that we deserved a better film. Hopefully, Batman v Superman will be more satisfying.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Source: Blackfilm.com
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This may or may not be a reboot, depending on who you ask (even director George Miller can’t decide, apparently), but technically it counts as one since it changes some specifics about Max’s origins. Fury Road may very well be the best film on this list, however, so it would be a shame not to include it in here. After a long 30 year absence, fans were thrilled to hear of the franchise’s return, and their expectations were met with some spellbinding action sequences, endlessly charismatic performances from its two leads and a cracking atmosphere. Where’s the sequel already?
Entertainment
Anakron Living History Kristina Saliba Anakron Living History is a medieval reenactment group where individuals who share a passion for history come together and chat about events, history and sharing experiences while in a small gathering after training with a good medieval meal. What I found fascinating with this group is that it is not a typical re-enactment but a challenging change from everyday technological life to a medieval authentic lifestyle. In this interview, the leader of Anakron Living History, Andre Mallia, gives us an understanding of what it is like to be a part of a Living History Society. Tell us about the origins of your group. The idea came to mind about 20 years ago. I always loved watching historical films and documentaries and often wondered: “If I could
only go back to that time at least for just one day”. However, back then re-enactment in Malta was almost non-existent and resources were very limited, so it was only in 2005 that work on the group actually started and in 2009, thanks to some help from Sandra Vella and Jonathan Cuschieri, the group was officially formed. What does Anakron stand for? Anakron is derived from the term ‘anachronic’ which stands for something which is out of its chronological order. We spend our free time in an anachronic lifestyle compared to present day culture, and although we all have our own day-to-day lives which we get on very well with, we sometimes feel that we belong to that period in history which we portray. September 2015 |
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Entertainment How would you describe the challenges of changing to your living history self? Over time, living history becomes a lifestyle rather than just a hobby. The more time you spend living history the easier it becomes to get in character. One has to keep in mind that when portraying a role or character that lived half a millennium ago, the vocabulary, behaviour, ethics, gestures and characteristics would have been different. However, we indulge in our role so deeply that eventually it all turns out natural. I’ve been doing this for quite some time now, so as soon as I put on my historical clothes, I’m a different character. So much so, that sometimes going back to our present day selves is the greatest challenge. Do you think re-enactment history groups have a cultural contribution? Definitely. Anakron is half personal enjoyment and half cultural contribution. When we’re participating in an event we provide both entertainment and education. Simply by watching us, one learns how the people back then used to live, what they used to wear, how they used to fight, what they used to eat – the whole deal. We are very strict when it comes to historical portrayal and we only use replicas of items which were used at the time. The clothes we wear are tailored with the exact style, material, weaves, colours and even stitching that was used back then. The food we eat during these events is also accurate, using only ingredients and recipes which we find from long hours of extensive research. We also have a variety of setups equipped with a vast selection of fully functional props such as a medieval tavern and kitchen, an armoury, a blacksmith’s forge, a carpentry workshop, and a surgeon‘s clinic among others. These help to provide the public with a better insight of how the people back then used to get on with their everyday lives, from daily chores to crafts and trades, traditions, sports, games, music, etc.. 18
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From a viewpoint of change, what motivates you to do this hobby? The advantages of this hobby come in many forms. The fact that we go back to a time where modern technology and electricity didn’t exist is already relieving in itself. The simplicity and rawness of cooking on an open fire, lighting the area only by candlelight and enjoying each other’s company to the sound of some medieval musical instruments, helps you get away from the stresses of (present) everyday life. This hobby also has its physical benefits since within our military section every weapon we train with is a sport in itself such as sword fighting, archery and horse riding. Having said that, it also helps you socialise and meet new people, grant you more experiences, learn more about history, and see different places both locally and abroad. Do you have any projects in the pipeline? There are always new projects in the pipeline. Right back from when the group was formed, the aim was to grow and improve in every aspect: increasing our equipment and attractions, improving our shows and personal skills, stretching our limits and borders and reaching as many people as possible. So far we have always moved forward and we have no intention of slowing down. We have a nice team of hardworking individuals who are very dedicated and sometimes even prepared to put the group’s interest before their own. They are the most loyal people I’ve ever worked with and I respect them greatly for that. The group is now in its finest form ever, so expect the best! Obviously the greater the resources, the more we’ll have to offer and for this reason we encourage anyone who is interested in joining to come forth! How can our readers apply and contact the group? If someone requires our service to enhance their event or is interested in joining Anakron, they can contact us via any of the details below. Feel free to contact us even simply to request information. We offer organisers various packages to satisfy even the lowest budget. Anyone above the age of 16 may join the group, and individuals under that age can also join if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian member. As explained before, Anakron isn’t only about the military aspect, so members can also opt for civilian roles such as housewives, craftsmen, animal handlers, musicians etc… No experience or equipment is required upon joining as we will be more than willing to guide new members throughout each step of this amazing journey!
Anakron Living History Tel: (+356) 9945 1161 Email: info@anakron.net Website: anakron.net Facebook: Anakron Living History
Arts
Little Boy Insite Short Story Competition
NICHOLAS MASSA
Preparing for his interview, he walked towards the mirror to take a look at what he imagined he looked like. The image in his mind formed; he was Julius Robert Oppenheimer, a tall, extremely slim professor, teaching theoretical physics at Berkeley University. He had jet black hair, bushy eyebrows, and carried with him an aura of mystique that was associated with his love for the Hindu religion, and eloquence, or rather, scarcity in speech. His image shattered as he approached the mirror; in front of him stood a sick man. His white hair stood awkwardly in odd patches on his scalp. The intelligent twinkle in his blue eyes was replaced by a sad, down stricken look that seemed to be permanently engraved in his face. His cheeks were sucked in, and his eloquence seemed more like a loss for words. He dreaded going up those steps. “Whenever you’re ready, Mr. Oppenheimer.”
A nucleus, situated within any atom, contains a mix of protons and neutrons. If a free neutron is fired at high speed into a group of closely packed atom with heavy nuclei such as uranium or plutonium isotopes, a nuclear chain reaction starts. The heavy nuclei break apart into lighter nuclei, freeing even more neutrons which are propelled towards other nuclei, elongating the chain reaction. Every time a nucleus breaks apart, a lot of energy is released through a chemical reaction. If one compresses the reaction, letting the nucleus break down into as many lighter nuclei as it can, and then releasing the energy, an explosion of...atomic proportion occurs. Julius explained this simple version of his idea to his colleagues in the Manhattan project. Explaining it in theoretical terms made it sound peaceful, and the atomic bomb was in fact quite peaceful; it left nothing behind.
6th August, 1945. Shigeaki Mori was forced to sit in front of the mirror while his mother straightened him up for summer school. He saw in front of him a boy with a very tidy haircut he did not like, wearing khaki shorts, a white, short-sleeved shirt, a green tie and a brown hat. His mother liked having him sit in front of the mirror while she brushed his hair and arranged his tie. In this way, he would learn how to do it on his own one day by aptly observing his mother. She kissed his head and told him to walk safely as he opened the door, introducing a hot summer day in busy Hiroshima.
Shigeaki walked happily towards his school, counting the number of cars passing in front of him until he remembered he had to cross the road. The cars stopped for him, and he crossed the road, feeling like a king, with the cars being his servants, blowing their trumpets as the town hero passed. He reached the bridge and stopped for a second to look at the river. Suddenly he felt a massive shockwave. Looking up, he thought the sky was falling; it glowed white. His vision slowly declined, and he saw a couple walking in front of him being consumed by the white light, just a split second before it threw him over the bridge into the river together with two other men. September 2015 |
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Arts Photo Siobhan Vassallo
So much pain, so many yells, all the agony.
He must have been unconscious for quite a while, because it was already dark when he opened his eyes, and he was on the river bank. Only after a minute with his eyes open did he realise that it was still morning, and that the air was black and thick, so much so he could not even see his own fingers. He saw the two men he was thrown with a few paces away. Walking towards them, he saw that one of them was badly burnt and not breathing, while the other one was missing a leg. He glanced down stupidly at his own legs, checking if he had a spare one to lend him, but he only had two. A woman walking towards them in the distance caught his eye. She seemed like an angel dressed in white and holding something red in her hands. As she got closer, Shigeaki realised she was swaying, that her white dress was in tatters revealing body parts his mother always scolded him for looking at, and that her belly was no longer there; she was holding something that was coming out from the hole in it. More confused than frightened, he resolved to find shelter in his school a few blocks away. He waded amongst the corpses. Oppenheimer scanned the room, seeing approximately 400 people, all ready to see his bomb in action at the testing in New Mexico on July 16th, 1945. 20
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Nobody quite looked like they comprehended what was about to happen, not until it actually happened. The room was loud, everyone chatting about how the Japs would get what they deserve, how this bomb would make America the most feared nation on earth. ‘Trinity’, he’d codenamed the operation, reminiscent of his favourite poet; John Donne. The line “Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new” kept repeating in his head. The countdown started and the room went silent. At first, when the bomb exploded, no one could look due to the bright white light that blinded the room. After, however, a huge mushroom cloud rose towards the sky. It looked like the air itself had been replaced by the explosion. The aftermath saw a stifling black fog engulfing the area. There was no cheering, the Japs didn’t deserve this anymore, and America was not sure whether it wanted to be feared. A different line from John Donne now dominated Oppenheimer’s head: “Take me to you, imprison me, for I, Except you enthral me, never shall be free.”
Arts
What was the reaction in the room?
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So much pain, so many yells, all the agony. Shigeaki made his way to the school and found some of his school mates and his teacher in a shelter under the school. They spent the night without food or drink. Shigeaki kept waking up to scary screams and yells from the courtyard, what had happened? He asked the teacher and, familiar with his love for kings and kingdoms, she told him: “Another king doesn’t like our king very much, so he tried sending some fire to our kingdom to burn us down; he’s a mean king!” He hated this king so much. If he was king, he would try to make friends with other kings not burn them down; they were both kings after all. He thought about how worried his mother would be, waiting for him to come home, and how much she’d shout at him for staining his white shirt. He laid down on his makeshift bed and looked up at the cracked ceiling. The world’s ceiling has just been destroyed, he thought, and this one just has a crack. They spent several days in the shelter, until, ironically, the kingdom that had bombed them started bringing relief packages, regretting what they had done.
“How did you feel, after you saw the astounding success of the Trinity tests? What was the reaction in the room?” Oppenheimer looked down sadly, sighed, and spoke: “We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita...Now, I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds. I suppose we all thought that, one way or another.” We’ve seen hurricane spills overrun the land through gaps we dug that couldn’t be filled with tons of sand, but we still don’t understand. We’ve put nails through the hands and feet of freedom fighters, leaving them to die on crosses, but we still don’t understand. We’ve seen planes reflected through the windows of the crumbled down buildings we drove a plane in, but we still don’t understand. We behead, mutilate, batter and butcher those who are seemingly objects within an enlightened system, but we still don’t understand. But you feel like I feel about the son of man, we will overcome. Stand up. References: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/11/us-peace-hiroshimaidUSKBN0JP06J20141211 http://www.atomicarchive.com/Bios/Oppenheimer.shtml https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb13ynu3Iac https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdF-YkECTVc
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Arts
Qatt
Marilyn Mintoff
ghadha kif temmet il-kors tal-B.A. fil-Malti (Unuri)
- u tibki xortik Qatt la tistenbah .. -ghall-holm li spicca mdahhan mas-shab li hliefu s’issa ghad ma jidhirx. L-imhabba li ilek issorr . . . go kexxun li c-cavetta ghalih tinsab wisq ’il boghod . maqfula go sidrek, hemm tinsab bla skop, tistenna li titghannaq ma’ qaws. .. Il-vlegga li jien sparajt waslet imbieghda mill-ahmar imxennaq mill-vojt ta’ bniedem.
Imnikket, imsallab fis-skiet . li -hrug min-niket ma jarax fil-qrib. - ... Demgha ... demgha tinżel ... ... fil-fond, bit-tama li l-frott ghad jikber . - ckejkna, minn żerriegha li nibtet ftit ’il boghod. 22
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Arts
This Is How You Lose Her Sophie-Claire Coudoux This Is How You Lose Her is a portrayal of the weakness of the human heart and longing for love. This collection of short stories follows a young Dominican named Yunior who migrates with his family to the United States. The promise of America as ‘the land where dreams come true’ turns out to be a poor neighborhood, and Yunior is portrayed as a nerd who comes across different women in his life. Infidelity leads him to multiple romantic relationships in which he enters and leaves easily. In the first story Yunior has been caught cheating on his girlfriend Magda. After she breaks up with him he never really gets over her, however, his longing for love leads him to experience affectionate love, platonic love, and passionate love. Although he is portrayed as the typical macho unfaithful male, his character is really more complex than this simplistic stereotypical cheater. Despite the fact that the book is filled with descriptions that lead us to believe that Yunior might be sexist, he captures women’s imagination. The reader inhabits his consciousness and subjectivity, and through it discovers Yunior’s inability to deal with intimacy. The presence of women greatly influences how Yunior experiences and interacts with the world. His identity and his masculinity are clearly related to these extraordinary women. Yunior is an introvert who does not show his intelligence, hence, his subjectivity. His judgment is shaped by his personal opinion and feelings instead of outside influences. We sense that at certain moments Yunior would love to be popular and be admired by females, as this would facilitate his relationship in terms of the first approach. He has an ability to look through these women.
Junot Díaz spent almost 12 years working on This Is How You Lose Her, his second collection of short stories. In one of his interviews, Diaz says he wanted this book to have an intellectual approach without making it too difficult for the reader to understand the points he exposes. He explores the complexity of love, referring to it as an emotion distinguished by a strong attraction or a most longed for personal attachment, the same emotion that is responsible for fear of intimacy and commitment and of loneliness. No matter how doomed a relationship may be, we always hold on to the expectation that love will be stronger than anything and win through. Heartfelt and emotionally touching, Diaz strikes the perfect balance between sadness and humour while tackling incredibly difficult subjects. It is honest. It mirrors the reality about the hardships experienced by immigrant families. You accompany the compelling and fascinating Yunior in his intricate journey and become attached to him.
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Opinion Photo Rebecca Elizabeth Kemp
LIMBO: A TAKE ON STUDENT POLITICS Sara Ezabe It has been the experience of a lifetime.
Flashback to a couple of months ago, I still recall clearly my hectic days campaigning for a better KSU. When I was approached to join a ticket, I had my doubts and hesitations. But I decided to give it a go. My aim was to voice the voiceless; not in the sense of ‘representing my minority’, i.e. being the umpteenth case of tokenism; but in helping to introduce effective policies and a more pro-active council. However, in the time I spent talking to students around campus, it dawned to me that students were not looking for a better council but that the problems were of a different nature.
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A different nature in the sense that considering the fund KSU is given and the previous council’s performance, the majority of students are satisfied. However, the major discouragement leading to disinterest seems to be the parties themselves. I am frustrated not by the apathy the students shown in relation to the elections (only 28% voted), but the mindset which guides some who will be leading Malta in the future. Indeed, talking about apathy, this was not demonstrated simply by the students who do not vote; it is equally demonstrated by those who vote for the sake of voting; those who are indifferent to new ideas but vote simply because they associate a student organisation to a political party.
Opinion 28%
32.6%
33.43%
30.5%
30.5%
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
STUDENT TURNOUT for Elections Students who voted Students who didn’t vote
In what follows I will mention areas where I believe an overhaul is urgently required. These features do not riddle one student organisation or the other. They were manifested by people involved in both camps, including the one on whose ticket I was a candidate. I will mention a number of points where I feel many students who are engaged in student politics are failing. Firstly, many who participate in student politics, as well as many students in general, seem to be afraid of promoting innovative ideas. They seem to be unable and unwilling to think outside of the rut. Brilliant ideas, ideas that will help student politics produce a breath of fresh air, were sadly missing from last year’s political campaign. Instead of ideas, the emphasis is on free food and freebies. Similarly it was truly disheartening when, year after year, the debate organised for the contesting presidents focuses primarily on parking proposals. Student groups should compete in terms of ideas and innovations; they should aim higher.
Secondly, many within the two main groups seem to be involved in an effort of mimicking the national party system on a smaller scale, including its defects. Students should instead stop recycling the mindset and words of mainstream politics; they should stop repeating what established politicians say or attempt to ape them on the student political stage. Thirdly, today’s students seem to be concerned only by petty issues. Student representation has degenerated into a reactive instrument to everything which happens around us. What worries me the most is that KSU seems to have degenerated into a body which touches only the 15,000 students attending the University. The prevalent idea is that the council is there only to provide students with water fountains. Today’s students are definitely selling themselves short. Fourthly, student groups should stand for something. In theory, Pulse and SDM represent different ideologies. Yet, not even some who are involved in these organisations know what the groups stand for in terms of ideologies. We cannot bring about the change we want to see if we are not true to what we supposedly believe in. Regarding ideology, student groups could act as a critical voice in relation to mainstream parties who seem to have abandoned ideology for convenience. As youngsters, we need not forget that we have the power to change for the better, criticise and be instrumental in leading our way forward. So, let us be mature, honest and closer to the student’s and society’s real needs. Let us not duplicate and echo what already exists, but generate new ideas. Be critical and question; do not give away your power.
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Opinion
Greetings, citizens Nitpicker Welcome to University dear new student! Some people around here call you ‘a fresher’. The good news is if you venture into the tent opposite quad you won’t stay fresh for long.
Now, with that settled, I thought I’d give you the lay of the land. Introduce some things. Be helpful just this once. In exchange, you’ll have to laugh at all my jokes until June.
Anyway, let me introduce myself. I’m the Nitpicker. Consider me a jester of sorts. Once I was a mere student just like you. I still am of course, or I still pretend to be. That’s my cover. Then there comes a time in every Nitpickerto-be’s life when ‘the calling’ echoes off the walls and reverberates in the deepest recesses of his being. Should he choose to answer, he is anointed by the ‘Oh So Great One’ at an elaborate ceremony under the midnight sun atop the ridge of a fjord, where we are dressed in funky garbs and drink beer out of a sea lion tusk. Not really, they just send you an email with a winky face in the subject line.
In the sauna, ehem, I mean tent, you’ll find darn cute little stalls manned by student organisations. Most are department-based. You might want to go pay a visit to yours. It’s really easy to find them since creative names aren’t their thing and the name of the subject or department is bound to be in the title. An interesting feature that you’ll find in all the law-related ones is a dispenser, where you can leave your soul.
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Other organisations are a way for a few people to debate about anything, and have positions – god forbid a university student
Opinion without a position. If you want to be vocal and join things, I’m sure you’ll find something that floats your boat. My favourite one is Y4TE, who like trees and so are cool as far as I’m concerned. The best stall is, of course, Insite’s. We provide the objective material to help you be aware of the issues and make decisions around here. But if you like lighter entertainment, like for instance finding out what various university students’ favourite Disney characters are, fear not, there are other charming alternatives around. Just keep your eyes peeled, including possibly the one at the back of your head. That’s right, all three of them. Leaving the dehydration area behind, we climb the hallowed stairs up into Quad, with the KSU fortress erected at the far end. “What is this?” you might ask. The answer is you join the line so they can bestow upon you a diary. Do a cost/benefit analysis yourself. “But what is KSU?” Its origins are sketchy. Some stories point to it being set up by Fascist forces trying to subvert the British Empire. Others say it all started one fine morning in 1901 when a student wanted to go to the bathroom but was not allowed to. Up sprang the brave revolution to the battle call of “Give me liberty to pee, or give me death”. Regardless, they rule all aspects of our student life now, and we live and die at their yes or no. Just kidding. It’s like when you and your friends used play make-believe, only, they write down rules on paper and call them statutes. So now, that we got that out of the way, let’s discuss a few life support issues. Food: you can either eat on campus at the canteen, which employs a clever marketing tactic of routinely misspelling food items to lighten our day, or alternatively off campus at one of the many alternatives. Which one is better depends on
who gives us the most money for our next magazine, so get to it dear eateries. The call of nature: You might want to memorize the locations of the nearest restroom. I also suggest visiting before the lecture to avoid the awkwardness of raising your hand and having to remember if this lecturer will chide you for running out of his class with no explanation or will be offended if you think he has the time to take note of your biological activities. Also, be warned. The people who clean the toilets employ a clever algorithm probably developed by Google that goes something like this: the toilet is always open when you don’t need it, and always closed for cleaning when you really do. Water: from the fountains of course. Thank you KSU! Right, so those are the basic life functions ticked off right? That leaves us with parking and the actual learning. Well, parking wise, you are screwed. I mean, you might as well just leave your car at home because you are probably going to park further away anyway. As to the learning, some lecturers give you all the notes you’ll ever possibly need and more, others give you none. Most are somewhere in between. Do you need to learn everything? Well… let me tell you a little secret. It’s entirely possible to still do all you’re revising the day before and pass comfortably in 90% of the exams at this University. The real question is do you want your primary learning experience to be a rote exercise that will leave you feeling like you’ve done something dirty, or do you want the muse that is knowledge to seduce your sensibilities and elevate you into a higher plane of understanding? You’ll still get stipend either way, so the choice is yours.
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Lifestyle Photo Johann Agius
CLOWNING FOR A CAUSE Pictured left to right: Dr Shy, Dr oOpSiE, Dr Buttons and Dr Dreamy.
The costume, the heavy make-up, the red nose. The clown is often seen as a funny character craving to entertain others by making a fool out of themselves. But the clown doctors who have been working in the Mater Dei Hospital wards are extremely different in many ways. Johann Agius speaks to some of the several dedicated individuals who voluntarily take time out of their daily schedules to contribute to the running of Dr. Klown. Having lived in Malta for over 20 years, Belgian couple Maurice and Christine Sleypen are two of the most hard-working people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. This does not mean that the President and Vice President of Dr. Klown of the past 2 years are self-aware of constantly being serious, as I especially enjoyed Christine describing to me the situations in which her husband has become more accustomed to the more liberal 28
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Johann Agius
way of driving in the Maltese Islands. Jokes aside, for the Sleypens it all started when they came across a leaflet asking interested volunteers to join a new organisation in Malta, which would emulate the success of other clown doctor associations worldwide. For Jean Pierre Busuttil and Jean Paul Fabri, the official founders of Dr. Klown in Malta, inspiration came upon them while discovering the pivotal work by clown doctors in Italy, and they ultimately launched the organisation in November 2011. After intending to become clown doctors themselves, the Sleypens instead decided to give their input to the administration of Dr. Klown, and were eventually handed over the reins by the founders. Visiting roughly 50 children every week from 5 different wards, hours of clowning can prove to be exhausting and emotionally
Lifestyle
Being funny is not the only thing we do..
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draining. “Malta is one of the few countries where clown doctors are volunteers and not employed persons,” said Christine, “but we think that being employed can lead to an even bigger and more overwhelming burnout.” Due to the various challenges the volunteers find during their visits to the wards, Dr. Klown carries out training for them through interactive workshops for around a year to ensure that the right dedicated persons are chosen as clown doctors. “Being funny is not the only thing we do. One does not need to be the most excellent technically-skilled clown to join Dr. Klown,” Maurice remarked. “It is also an amazing form of creativity and improvisation, where one has to constantly adapt to what is happening in the ward. You never know exactly what you’re going to find during the visits.” In order to deal with the diverse variety of reactions children in hospital might have to the clown
The President and VP: Maurice and Christine Sleypen
doctors, the organisation works closely with clinical psychologist Dr. Edward Curmi. I spoke to him about the importance of psychological analyses which he carries out on the volunteers before they can commence their hospital work. “It is practically impossible to always be prepared psychologically, as there are so many possible issues that could crop up in the pediatric wards,” said Dr Curmi. “Nevertheless, we choose individuals who we believe have the ability to empower and empathize with children, and we train them to be emotionally intelligent in certain circumstances.” But is there solid research which shows that young patients truly benefit from the clown doctor visits, rather than solely being entertained for a few minutes? According to Dr Curmi the answer is a very affirmative yes. “There is ample research proving that laughter is one of the most effective ways to make a person feel better, both physically and emotionally. Laughter might not necessarily cure an illness, but it definitely has the ability to make someone suffering feel better in the present moment.” September 2015 |
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Lifestyle Dr Shy has just enrolled herself for her first year at University, but in the meantime plans to continue prioritising her work with Dr. Klown because she feels it is such an amazing learning experience. “Being a clown doctor has really helped me grow as a person and exposed me to so many different people with diverse backgrounds. I think voluntary work and contributing to our community is something everyone should experience.” While hoping she continues to become an even more confident clown doctor as time goes by, Dr Shy considers being part of Dr. Klown to be extremely enriching. “I’ve become more sensitive to other people’s situations and grateful for what I myself have. Also, the feeling when you get a smile or laugh from a child is just so lovely.”
Dr Edward Curmi
Even though children in hospital are always the focus for Dr. Klown, Maurice points out that the clown doctors additionally seek to induce a positive atmosphere for everyone else involved, most importantly the children’s parents and relatives. “One of our goals is to empower not just the child by giving them the dignity and respect they deserve in being in control of how the visits proceed. We also take a further step in involving the parents as much as possible, thus relieving the inevitable tension they would be experiencing.” Before commencing their round of ward visits for the week, the assigned group of clown doctors meet up at the Dr. Klown shed to put on their colourful lab coats, shiny accessories and, of course, their distinctive red noses. I spoke to four of the doctors about their clowning journey so far, and why they think Dr. Klown has become such an integral part of the children’s wards in Mater Dei Hospital. 30
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Dr oOpSiE is another very dedicated yet quirky clown doctor. Completely owning her silly persona, she values the work of Dr. Klown greatly. “Our visits cut through the monotony of patients’ lives when spent in hospital day in, day out. Apart from doing what I love, which is working with youngsters, I’ve come to have a much more positive attitude towards life in general.” Asked about her most memorable experience in the years she has spent working with Dr. Klown, Dr oOpSiE recalled how she fulfilled a successful visit with an autistic child. “She did not want to engage in any sort of communication, and even eye to eye contact was very difficult. I managed to make her feel important and dignified, and by the end she even surprised me with a spontaneous hug.” Dr Buttons said that as a clown doctor he’s thoroughly enjoyed challenging himself to try new things. “I have also come to realise how lucky my colleagues and I are to be in the position to make such a huge difference to the lives of people in hospital.” Reflecting Dr Curmi’s statement about clown doctor visits truly benefiting a sick child’s psyche or recuperation, Dr Buttons recalls an e-mail he received from a medical specialist whose patient had been visited by the clown doctors while at Mater Dei. “He wrote to me: introduce a child to a clown doctor, problem solved. Now I’ve kept that motto in mind every time I come to the wards.” Dr Dreamy, a social worker working with kids all the time, had an easy time coming to love being a clown doctor. “Seeing children as patients in hospital opened my eyes even more to the importance of appreciating life,” she said. “Even if all a clown doctor does is make a child laugh and forget about their situation for five minutes, that’s already pretty amazing.” Dr Dreamy holds most dear the last time she saw Leah in hospital, a little girl from Gozo whose suffering ignited public support nationwide. “After a long day of operations, despite the fact that Leah was extremely tired and we were advised not to visit her ward, she came running towards us the moment she saw us in the hospital corridor. Around a week later she passed away.” As a training clown doctor myself, whilst being slightly uneasy about the difficult situations which might arise during the visits, I cannot wait to finally be able to give the children I will eventually interact with some time, during which they can escape the enclosure of their hospital beds. I have also decided to keep a motto in mind for the rest of my journey with Dr. Klown, something Maurice Sleypen told me during our interview: “The gift of clowning is the gift of presence.” Find more information on the organisation and this year’s Nose On! campaign via the Facebook page ‘Dr Klown’ and the website www.drklown.org
Lifestyle
The taboo of the crimson waterfall Julia Shaaban The other day I was a bit bored, so I opened my Daily Mail phone app (don’t judge me – I’m actually a Daily Telegraph reader and it’s strictly for when I’m in a mood to read about celebrity gossip, without having to engage my brain by any appreciable amount - we all have those days…). Anyway, back to the Daily Mail. I saw an article entitled “Would you pose with your tampon for a good cause? Social media challenge sees women taking selfies with sanitary items to raise money for menstrual health work”. Huh? Now, after the infamous ‘no make-up selfie’ trend for cancer research UK, where women almost universally took part (with a few game men who donned their finest apparel and make up) and the ALS ice bucket challenge, this tampon trend of self-advertising in the name of something good really took my attention. Why? Well I’m female, so I have been a victim of running to the pharmacy when my “equipment” (menstrual apparatus) had run out and my hormones had other ideas, but never once had I questioned how this might be embarrassing to me either at home, or buying them in front of the cute guy at the counter. After all, though I curse it on a regular basis, I am a fully functioning (in the reproductive department, others may debate otherwise) female doing what most women do. I always presumed that the ubiquity of these products,
when mother nature strikes, is a given; basic, easily obtainable, cheap and for anyone to see. Of course I presumed that this was the same all over the world. The fact that this selfie with a tampon is making the rounds illustrates the taboo around the most normal and natural process – one of the things that turns a girl into a woman – and allows her to produce children (and a legitimate excuse for eating Cadbury out of business). In fact, the trend was to try and break the taboo. But why on earth would ANY right thinking individual think that something like this is disgusting, dirty or shameful, to be hidden from society as a whole and from our male counterparts? Periods are meant to happen. Periods are simply the way to prepare a woman for pregnancy. They are what has allowed YOU to exist. They don’t stop other functions. They are painful. They make girls bloat. They give nasty headaches. They give odd mood swings. In some cases it can make girls physically sick. Some girls are anaemic. The fact that women put up with these monthly inconveniences (sometimes it can feel like an illness, such is the fatigue and feeling of being drained), for an average of 40 years with the usual end result of producing only a few kids (on average) is something remarkable. That’s 480 cycles. 5 to 19 litres of blood lost. 480 times of dosing September 2015 |
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Lifestyle up on painkillers, feeling tired, headache-y and moody. All that just so your mother could make you. I think that’s quite awesome. Issues around this are bigger than you would think. When a girl gets her first period in countries where women’s health is at the bottom of the agenda and where the purse strings are pulled by men, young girls are forced to use dirty rags and miss school or work due to lack of private facilities where they may change their pads. Buying pads may be unaffordable or such a social no-no that these methods that cause infection are somehow worth it. Sometimes women are barred from partaking in religious activity, touching food, cooking or being near men. With this comes a whole set of restrictions for women. For example, 23% of girls in India leave school when they start their periods, and the rest face a very disrupted education. Granted, it’s not like that in Malta, but it goes to show what effect embarrassment and social taboo can have on one’s access to basic hygiene products. Girls are sometimes told that it’s dirty. It’s only blood. The same stuff that’s in all of us. It’s just not needed. Some girls are told to hide their pads and tampons where males may not find it. That’s like hiding someone’s tissue box when they have a bad runny nose just because you don’t like the idea of someone producing snot. The tissue is a hygiene product and the person deprived of their tissue will most likely be annoyed, and understandably so. Their hygiene – the discharge that the body NATURALLY made in response to infection – needs to be trapped in a vehicle of some sort. The thing is, snotty noses, pus, vomit, phlegm and other excreta are made by both sexes. So instantly, though it may have an ‘eeeeewwww’ factor, it is something we can both relate to without much explanation (we’ve all been constipated, had diarrhoea, ‘wind’, colds and plenty of acne… so we all pretty much get it). 32
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Periods are the only process where women differ to men on a regular basis that they can’t control. It is human nature to repel or dismiss what we don’t know or understand. It is normal to make fun of the unknown, or belittle things in our eyes when we can’t make any link to previous experience. Even though it is normal… it isn’t the correct way to go about things! So what can we do about it? Well the obvious answer to me is to educate oneself and see the woman behind the period. Men: ASK. ASK what it’s like. ASK how it makes them feel. ASK how it affects them. Don’t show embarrassment when women mention it. Don’t pull a face, make a comment, look away or tune out of a conversation. These little things make such a difference to how a girl feels about herself and her womanly body. She shouldn’t feel that she is somehow dirty or undesirable because of her function. If the shoe was on the other foot… would you like it if someone made fun of your wet dreams? Women: When a guy does ask, treat it as if he’s asking what you had for breakfast. Educate. Explain. Inform.
By adopting these attitudes, the barriers can be broken and taboo attitudes can be a thing of the past. Our parents and grandparents may not understand it… but let’s be the generation who can normalise normality. If you feel that you would like to help these unfortunate girls get access to sanitary pads, you can help by donating to NGOs that help with women’s health or have projects related to it. A charity called Plan UK is an example, where £3 could support these projects and give a woman pads for a year. I’m not into selfies… but here is my hand holding a tampon in solidarity….. for what it’s worth anyway.
Lifestyle
The Boy in Frills Nicole Borg
From the day we are born up until the day we die, we are brainwashed to think in binary opposites, and we grow up to brainwash the next generation just the same. It’s not the first time that you see pink or blue garlands hanging on doors, a sign for everyone to see that there’s a new born baby in the family. From that moment on gifts come pouring in; a little pink frilly dress for the little baby girl and a blue shirt and shorts for the little baby boy.
We are so used to labelling everything we see that we fail to realise that there’s no such thing as ‘pink is for girls and blue is for boys’. Before, both boys and girls used to wear white dresses up until the age of 6. It was not something to be ashamed of but something that made taking care of children’s clothing easier. During the 19th century, coloured children’s clothes started to be produced and sold in colours like pink, blue, yellow and green. None of these colours were assigned to a specific gender, they were just clothes. Then, the media sprung in. Both the Earnshaw’s Infant Department’s publication in 1918 and Time magazine in 1927 indicated that the colour pink, being ‘a more decided and stronger colour’ should be worn by boys, while the colour blue ‘which is more delicate and dainty’ should be worn by girls.
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Once upon a time, there lived a boy who wore frilly dresses. His mum was proud and his dad thought he looked dashing. Society didn’t frown upon it, even though it was back in 1884. Looking at the photo through 21st century eyes, you would think that this little child is a girl, and many will laugh when they are told it’s actually the picture of a boy who would grow up to become an American President, Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Years passed and things started to change. Pink started to be regarded as more adequate for females and blue for males. The tradition of children under 6 years of age wearing dresses was eradicated so girls started following their mother’s footsteps and boys their fathers’.
Gender didn’t matter.
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Marketing-wise these ‘societal codes’, so to speak, made it easier to sell. If you want a gift for a girl, then look at all the pink stuff and you’re covered – something which totally irritates me to the core. Why, you ask? Simply because marketing professionals attempt to sell by segmenting the market into smaller groups. This way they sell more by producing different versions of the same toy. Take Lego for instance and the advert opposite. Back in 1982 the product and adverts were aiming to attract both males and females by producing the same types of blocks for all. Gender didn’t matter. However, society and its ways and means of categorising people and creating stereotypes made Lego change their product and ‘adapt’ it for females, almost implying that the main Lego line of products was ‘too manly’ for girls to use. So they changed the famous blue, yellow and red Lego to pink and purple, creating Lego Friends. This actually increased the sales of Lego toys as those who thought that Lego were strictly for boys, could now buy custom Lego for girls. But wait, don’t think that once you’re older and supposedly wiser you don’t still fall into the same traps. Take Gillette for instance. They sell razors for men and razors for women (the prior blue and the latter pink... duh?). By selling the same products but somewhat adapting it to the different genders they increase sales and charge more upon these slightly modified products. It’s literally a trap that’s right underneath our noses which we gladly jump in.
brainwashed by both media and these mass production companies that we find it difficult to think with a brain of our own. We need to be the change we want to see in the word. Unless we start teaching ourselves and our future generations that we shouldn’t fall into these traps we will never come out of this downward spiral.
Needless to say, we are stuck in a never-ending cycle of doom. Even though it is possible to stop dividing genders by the use of pink and blue, frills and huskiness, weak and strong, we will always end up finding something else to categorise society with. You want to know why I think so? Well, because we are so References: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JDmb_f3E2c http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/10/pink-used-common-color-boys-blue-girls/ http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/when-did-girls-start-wearing-pink-1370097/?no-ist
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