The idea that a person can cause harm to another simply by looking at them or by wishing them bad luck seems to be ubiquitous.
Belief in the evil eye dates back about 5,000 years and transcends cultures and religions, but seems to still be very common in the Mediterranean region.
Although Malta is predominantly Roman Catholic, religious beliefs and superstition seem to live comfortably side by side, and the belief in curses is widespread.
This is one of the topics explored in the next issue of Sunday Circle, out tomorrow with The Sunday Times of Malta.
In the cover story, ŻfinMalta artistic director and choreographer Paolo Mangiola speaks about the young company’s achievements and his vision for the future. He talks about the challenges of the dance scene in Malta that include retaining talent and the need to better invest in dancers and the dance world.
In this issue, Maltese-born journalist Deborah Bonello, who lives in Mexico, talks about her upcoming book in which she is looking into the under-documented female bosses of organised crime.
Composer and writer Luke Saydon talks about his work It-Teatru tal-Miskin, a Maltese musical that sheds light on people’s innate fear of ‘the other’.
The musical, which premieres in September on occasion of Pride Week, is a queer coming of age story inspired by acts of intolerance in Maltese history and the resilience shown by the LGBTIQ+ community.
On the theme of resilience, we speak to the woman behind the setting up of a monument in Sliema that seeks to mark the resilience of the elderly in the face of the fear and anxiety brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.
Circle magazine also looks at the two contrasting sides of having a child on the autism spectrum. One mother talks about the mind-blowing and heartbreaking moments she has lived ever since her daughter was diagnosed with what can sometimes be an invisible disability.
Singer Alexia Micallef explains how the song Fil-Kexxun encouraged her to open up about her past eating disorder to support others going through it.
We also get to know Mark Galea Pace who combined his lust for adventure with his love of the environment to collect rubbish from Malta’s land and sea.