A five-year restoration effort has put a century-old traditional Maltese firilla fishing boat back in the waters off Marsaxlokk to carry on a tradition going back to the 17th century.
The boat, bearing the name Lion, will serve as a floating classroom, charter vessel and cultural exhibit. Most of the boats of its type are gone, but this one was preserved by an effort that started with Marsaxlokk Heritage and had support from the Malta Tourism Authority and Heritage Malta.
Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela told press that the project was proof that tourism revenue can be used to directly protect Malta’s ‘cultural DNA’ rather than just commercializing it.
The restoration was challenging—besides hull repair, the team had to research archives and consult maritime historians to figure out how to reconstruct the boat’s ‘tarkija’ rigging and sail, a type that had largely disappeared from Malta in recent years.
Historically, firillas were developed in the 17th century, first as fast passenger ferries between coastal towns and then transitioning to commercial fishing by the 19th century. They were purpose-built for Malta’s coastal conditions, capable of handling both calm creek fishing and more exposed bay work.
