People & Culture The Maltese people are known for their resourcefulness, resilience & hospitality. Throughout the centuries, whatever the circumstances, they have managed to keep their identity, very cleverly adopting cultures brought to our islands by other civilizations & making them their own. The language, Semitic in its origin, is a fine example of this. When St. Paul was shipwrecked in Malta in 60AD, he converted the islands to Christianity, creating a Pauline tradition that to this very day holds fast in the lives of the local people. Parish church, parish priest, village square, grocer, bakery, & band club - these are all ingredients that form a typical Maltese village. The village ‘festa’ has been an important event for the last 400 years!