This traditional product is an important part of Maltese heritage.
The Maltese qoffa (wicker basket) is a traditional craft that has been around for many years and used in a number of different ways. But could this be the last we're seeing of it? Like other traditional artisanal products, this wicker basket will cease to exist if the craftmanship isn’t picked up by the younger generations of the island.
In an interview with the Times of Malta, 83-year-old John Mifsud explains that it will be the end of the qoffa as Maltese know it, once he and the other two or three men who create these wicker baskets pass away. This craft is his family’s legacy, and they've been producing these baskets for 150 years. He also explains that people who nowadays learn how to work with cane materials aren’t taught how to weave the qoffa. It's certainly hard work, because the process requires him to hold the cane between his toes and bend over while weaving it in his hands – quite the acrobatics! One basket takes around three to four hours to make.
The Maltese qoffa is distinguishable from most due to the yellowish cane used to make it. Mr Mifsud remembers a time when the wicker basket was a very popular accessory. Apart from it serving as a shopping bag, there were special baskets to carry delicate fruits like strawberries, for bingo, and those to keep ferrets for rabbit hunting. He also humorously recalls a time when business went through the roof: when the bikini came to Malta! He laughs as he remembers, “their mothers did not let them wear the bikini. So they used to put it in the qoffa and put a towel over it. They’d wear it later.”
Mr Mifsud says that the qoffa took a strong blow when plastic shopping bags took over and when cheaper versions made in China were made available. He explains that one of his baskets would cost €20, while the Chinese imports are sold for just €3, and he can't compete with those prices.
Sadly, those who appreciate the Maltese qoffa are a dying breed, and mainly consist of the older generation who haven’t changed their ways. But it doesn't have to be that way! By investing in a qoffa, we are not only conserving our history and reviving tradition, but also helping the environment (down with plastic bags!)
What do you think? Would you consider swapping out your shopping bag with a Maltese qoffa? Let us know in the comments below!