In February 1977 the bakers of Malta went on an unprecedented strike.

It sent shock waves through the Maltese people who couldn’t imagine life without their favourite food… bread.

Before long the military was guarding bakeries, the panicked population had created a bread black market and local prisoners were enlisted to bake for the public.

Forty-five years later Maltese cultural historian Noel Buttigieg shares his memories of the time, with Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty.

(Photo: A queue outside of a bakery during the 1977 strike. Credit: Noel Buttigieg)