Oliver Friggieri

Friggieri was born in Floriana in 1947. and was in the Major Seminary until 1967. He entered the University of Malta in 1964, In 1978, he received a Doctorate in Maltese literature and Literary Criticism from the Catholic University of Milan, Italy. == Career ==

After graduating in 1968, Friggeri taught Maltese and Philosophy in secondary schools. In 1976, he moved to the University of Malta; he was promoted from Assistant Lecturer to Lecturer in 1978, and from Lecturer to associate professor in 1988. That same year, he was chosen to be the Chair of the Department of Maltese language, a position which he held until 2002. He was made a professor in 1990. He also co-founded the popular children's literary and cultural magazine Is-Sagħtar (1971). Friggieri also wrote literary analyses of the works of Mikiel Anton Vassalli and Peter Caxaro. His works have been translated into 16 languages, including English, French, German, Italian and Greek. Friggieri supported the Maltese-language press, publishing articles in L-Orizzont and In-Nazzjon. His fiction and poetry were influenced by existentialism. His 1986 novel Fil-Parlament Ma Jikbrux Fjuri, which was also adapted for the stage in 1987, was highly controversial when published due to its unvarnished portrayal of political tribalism in Malta. He also penned a tribute to Karin Grech and Raymond Caruana, casualties of Maltese political violence in the 1980s. Friggieri was part of the committee that translated EU legal texts into Maltese. In 2008, Friggieri published an autobiography, Fjuri li ma Jinxfux (Flowers Which Never Wither), spanning the years 1955–1990. In addition to his own writings, he translated works from English, Italian, and Latin into Maltese. Friggieri died on 21 November 2020. == In popular culture ==

Verses from Friggieri's poem "Jekk" ("If") can be found printed on some bus shelters around Malta. This led to the poem being known as "the bus stop poem" by the general public. In 2018, the Maltese band The Travellers released the song "Ilkoll Flimkien". The lyrics of this song contain excerpts of the poem "Jekk". == Personal life ==

Friggieri and his wife Eileen had one daughter and two grandchildren. He died on 21 November 2020. A funeral organised by the state was held for him In December 2020, PN Floriana Minority Leader James Aaron Ellul announced that part of Triq l-Argotti will be named after the late Maltese poet, writer and lecturer Oliver Friggieri. The proposal was put forward by Ellul within the Local Council, in November 2020. A monument in his honour was erected in his hometown of Floriana and inaugurated in December, 2023. The design of the monument is by the Maltese artist John Grima. == Honours ==

• : Government Literary Award (1988, 1996, 1997) • : Member, National Order of Merit (1999) • : Ġieħ l-Akkademja tal-Malti Gold Medal (2016) ==Partial bibliography==

Poetry • 1967 – Dħaħen fl-imħuħ Short stories • 1979 – Stejjer Għal Qabel Jidlam (Stories Before Nightfall) • 1991 – Fil-Gżira Taparsi Jikbru l-Fjuri (On The Island Where Flowers Pretend To Grow) • 2008 – Fjuri li ma Jinxfux (Flowers Which Never Wither) (English translation of the 2000 novel) Dictionary • ''Dizzjunarju ta' Termini Letterarji'' (Dictionary of Literary Terms), 1986 and 1996 Nonfiction and criticism • Kittieba ta' Żmienna, 1970 • Introduction to Ġ. A. Vassallo's Il-Ġifen Tork, 1975 • Dun Karm – Il-Poeżiji Miġbura, 1980 • Rużar Briffa – Il-Poeżiji Miġbura, 1983 • Ġwann Mamo – Il-Kittieb tar-Riforma Soċjali, 1984 • Il-Ħajja ta' Rużar Briffa, 1984 • Il-Jien u Lil hinn Minnu, 1988 • L-Istudji Kritiċi Miġbura, 1995 • L-Istorja tal-Poeżija Maltija, 2001 • Dun Karm – Le poesie italiane, 2007 Movimenti Letterari e coscienza Romantica Maltese (1800-1921), 1979 Guido Miamo Editore ==See also==