When you’re in Malta especially by the seaside, it’s hard to ignore the colourful boats floating on the sea. Called the “Luzzu”, these boats were used since the Phoenician times. They have become the symbol in the Maltese island. Discover the Maltese Luzzu: Facts, tradition, and superstition.
Facts and Tradition.
The Luzzu is a fishing boat and typically painted in the colours of blue, yellow, red and green. They are easily spotted in the whereabouts of Marsaxlokk (the fishing Village), Marsascala, and St Pauls bay. They make a perfect picture of the clear Mediterranean Sea.
These boats had been used since the Phoenician era. They are stable, sturdy and can be used even in bad weather as they have a doubled ended hull and built with wood. During the time of the Phoenicians, the Luzzu was much smaller and equipped with sails. Now, however, the Luzzu is much larger and motorized with a diesel engine.
Like the old times, these boats were used for fishing and on Sundays, if you wake up early and head to Marsaxlokk, you’ll see the fishermen in action as they return to the shores and transfer their freshly caught fish and sell them in the Fish Market. Sometimes, the boats are also used as passenger carriers for visitors around the island.
The Superstition.
Each boat has an eye. We believe this superstition to be a modern survival of the old Phoenician eye, referred to as the Eye of Horus- The Phoenician God of protection from evil. Those eyes are the symbols of good health and to protect fishermen from any harm when out at sea.
These boats are normally inherited from the person’s father or grandfather. Every five years, the fisherman inspects the boat for anything that needs replacing. If the paint is stripped off the boat, it will be painted the same colour as it was once inherited.