What is the definition of Malta Studies?

Malta studies is a delightfully peculiar academic pursuit that involves delving deep into the mysteries of Malta's ancient history, folklore, and the peculiar way its people still celebrate St. Elmo's Fire. It's like studying the local legends of a place where the only thing more intriguing than the history is the fact that they still believe in fire dancing with the wind.

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Here's a grittier, unsettling example sentence: "Malta studies revealed that the local fishermen still use the 'Malta Sign' to predict the weather, which turns out to be a cryptic series of hand gestures resembling a cross with a crescent moon and stars, and they're convinced it's a sign from the gods to sail with the wind."