Anton Buttigieg
Encyclopedia
Anton Buttigieg was a Maltese
political figure and poet
. He served as the second President of Malta from 1976 until 1981.
, Gozo
, on February 19, 1912, the third child of Salvatore and Concetta (née Falzon). He was educated at the Government Primary School, Qala
(1916–1922), the Gozo Seminary (1923–1927), St Aloysius' College Malta (1928–1930) and the University of Malta
, where he graduated Bachelor of Arts
in 1934 and Doctor of Laws in 1940.
In 1944 he married the late Carmen Bezzina and had three children - John, Rose and Emanuel.
In 1953 he married the late Connie Scicluna. The death of his two wives seem to have been the major tragedies of his life and they have been reflected in his poetry. In 1975 he married Margery Patterson.
(1942–1944) he served in the Police Force as Inspector and thereafter he practised Law. In 1955 he also served as an acting Magistrate. He was the Law reporter and leader writer of the Times of Malta from 1946 to 1948 and the Editor of The Voice of Malta from 1959 to 1970.
in the labour party
interest in 1955. He was re-elected in all subsequent elections and held his seat in Parliament up to the time of his resignation in October 1976. From 1959 to 1961 he was President of the Malta Labour Party
and from 1962 to 1976 its Deputy Leader. When the present administration took office in 1971, he served his country as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
He was a delegate to the Malta Constitutional Conferences held in London in 1958 and in 1964. He was also a representative to the Consultative Assembly in the Council of Europe
(1967–1971), where he was elected Vice-President (1967–1968).
In October 1976 he resigned from the House of Representatives.
Dr. Anton Buttigieg was also President of the St. Gaetano Band Club of Ħamrun.
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
political figure and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He served as the second President of Malta from 1976 until 1981.
Early life
Anton Buttigieg was born in QalaQala
Qala is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 1,609 people . Nearby is Ħondoq ir-Rummien, a coastline with salt pans and caves popular with snorkellers....
, Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
, on February 19, 1912, the third child of Salvatore and Concetta (née Falzon). He was educated at the Government Primary School, Qala
Qala
Qala is a village on Gozo Island, Malta, with a population of 1,609 people . Nearby is Ħondoq ir-Rummien, a coastline with salt pans and caves popular with snorkellers....
(1916–1922), the Gozo Seminary (1923–1927), St Aloysius' College Malta (1928–1930) and the University of Malta
University of Malta
The University of Malta is the highest educational institution in Malta Europe and is one of the most respected universities in Europe. The University offers undergraduate Bachelor's Degrees, postgraduate Master's Degrees and postgraduate Doctorates .-History:The University of Malta was founded in...
, where he graduated Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1934 and Doctor of Laws in 1940.
In 1944 he married the late Carmen Bezzina and had three children - John, Rose and Emanuel.
In 1953 he married the late Connie Scicluna. The death of his two wives seem to have been the major tragedies of his life and they have been reflected in his poetry. In 1975 he married Margery Patterson.
Career
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(1942–1944) he served in the Police Force as Inspector and thereafter he practised Law. In 1955 he also served as an acting Magistrate. He was the Law reporter and leader writer of the Times of Malta from 1946 to 1948 and the Editor of The Voice of Malta from 1959 to 1970.
Political life
He embarked on a political career and was first elected to the House of Representatives of MaltaHouse of Representatives of Malta
The House of Representatives is the unicameral legislature of Malta and a component of the Parliament of Malta.The House is composed of an odd number of members elected for a five year term...
in the labour party
Malta Labour Party
The Labour Party is, along with the Nationalist Party, one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta. It is the party of opposition in the Maltese House of Representatives where it has thirty-four of the sixty-nine seats.- Party Structure :...
interest in 1955. He was re-elected in all subsequent elections and held his seat in Parliament up to the time of his resignation in October 1976. From 1959 to 1961 he was President of the Malta Labour Party
Malta Labour Party
The Labour Party is, along with the Nationalist Party, one of two major contemporary political parties in Malta. It is the party of opposition in the Maltese House of Representatives where it has thirty-four of the sixty-nine seats.- Party Structure :...
and from 1962 to 1976 its Deputy Leader. When the present administration took office in 1971, he served his country as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
He was a delegate to the Malta Constitutional Conferences held in London in 1958 and in 1964. He was also a representative to the Consultative Assembly in the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
(1967–1971), where he was elected Vice-President (1967–1968).
In October 1976 he resigned from the House of Representatives.
Poetry
Dr. Anton Buttigieg also distinguished himself in the field of literature. During his undergraduate days he was one of the founder members of the 'Għaqda tal-Malti - Università' (26-1-1931). He was a Member of "L-Akkademja tal-Malti" (Academy of the Maltese Language) (20-3-1938).Hobbies
His leisure interests were horse racing and gardening.Dr. Anton Buttigieg was also President of the St. Gaetano Band Club of Ħamrun.
Awards
- In 1971 he won First Prize for Poetry - Malta Government.
- In 1972 he won the "Ġuzé Muscat Azzopardi" prize for poetry.
- In 1975 the "Circolo Culturale Rhegium Julii" of Reggio Calabria awarded him with a silver plaque for his poetry.
- In 1977 he won the "International Prize of Mediterranean Culture for Poetry" awarded by the "Centro di Cultura Mediterranea" of Palermo.
- In 1979 he was awarded First Prize and a Special Diploma for Poetry in the First Category by the Centro Culturale Artistico Letterario - Città di Brindisi.
- In 1979 he won "First Prize for the first volume of his auto-biography "Toni tal-Baħri" (Toni the Seaman's Son) in the "Malta Literary Award".
Lyrical poetry
- "Mill-Gallarija ta' Żgħożiti" - From the Balcony of my Youth - 1949
- "Fanali bil-Lejl" - Lamps in the Night - 1949
- "Fl-Arena" - In the Arena - 1970
- "Ballati Maltin" - Maltese Ballads - 1973
- "Il Mare di Malta" - The Sea of Malta, a selection of poems translated into Italian - 1974
- "Il-Għanja tas-Sittin" - The Song of the Sixty Year Old - 1975
- "The Lamplighter" - A selection of poems translated into English - 1977. They are also being translated into Slovene, and into the GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. - "Qabs el Mosbah" - A selection of poems translated into ArabicArabic languageArabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
- 1978 - "Poeżiji Miġbura - L-ewwel Volum" - The first two books.
- "From the Balcony of my Youth" and "Lamps in the Night" have been published in one volume under the title "Collected Poems" - 1978.
Humorous poetry
- "Ejjew nidħku ftit" - Let us laugh a little - 1963
- "Ejjew nidħku ftit ieħor"' - Let us laugh a little more - 1966
Haiku and tanka
- "Il-Muża bil-Kimono" - The Muse in Kimono. This book was translated both into JapaneseJapanese languageis a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and into English - 1968.
His books in preparation
- A collection of speeches and short stories.
- "Żibeg u Boċċi" - (Beads and Marbles). A collection of Haikus and Tankas.
- The first volume "Toni tal-Baħri" - Toni the Seaman's Son was published in 1978.