Imagine a time when local characteristics, particularly traditional Maltese buses, were decorated with beautiful signage that caught the eye of every passerby. This was called tberfil, a trade that is unfortunately slowly (rapidly) dying on our islands.
World Calligraphy Day, celebrated globally this week, is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the elegance of this traditional Maltese art form.
What is tberfil?
Tberfil is the art and craft of lettering or signwriting in Maltese style which was used as a decoration particularly on Maltese traditional buses (yup, those gorgeous yellowy-orange ones) that have been removed off our streets.
Where would you find tberfil?
As already mentioned, it was a prominent feature of old Maltese buses, but other modes of transport were adorned with this beautiful craft. Horse-racing carriages for one, horse-drawn cabins (what we call karozzini which have since turned into a tourist attraction), farmer’s carts and even construction trucks!
Where does the name tberfil come from?
The word tberfil actually refers to anything of decoration in Maltese society, including the baroque work of the festa banners known as pavaljuni and bandalori, the intricate work and patterning of bizzilla making. The most common type of tberfil is the hand-painted lettering and beautiful designs found on every corner of the old Maltese buses.
A near end to tberfil in Malta
Sadly, with the overhaul of the bus system, replacing the old yellow buses with the then-Arriva sea-green ones meant that we waved goodbye to mindlessly admiring the work as we travelled on the buses from one destination to another.
While the art of tberfil is slowly dying out with the old generation of craftsmen, veteran artists are trying to keep the tradition alive in the hopes of passing it on to the next generation, which will hopefully catch on to the beauty that is tberfil.
Have you spotted any tberfil recently?