We have entered what is known as the Santa Marija week, the peak of the holiday season. Many companies close down for a few days to give their employees a deserved rest; other workers trudge on in the heat at a time when there is so little motivation to work as the mind wonders to those who are enjoying themselves at the beach. Even politics – and politicians – seems to take a break.
Village feasts are part and parcel of our culture. They are an occasion to celebrate. They attract hundreds of villagers and help turn the economic wheel too. They attract tourists who are overawed by the way that we Maltese go about having a good time in the name of the patron saint.
Over the years, we lost much of the religious meaning of village feasts. Fewer people turn up in the churches for the Masses that are held to celebrate the feast, and many more follow band marches or simply take the opportunity to make merry in streets that are kept free of traffic.
Those who are involved in the organisation of feasts and others who would not miss them for anything do not realise that, many times, feasts are an inconvenience to others who literally have no interest in them.
When we speak of feasts, we tend to do so in a way that it seems that everybody likes them when, in fact, there is a substantial part of the population who would rather not have them at all.
The feast-lovers cannot understand how there could be people who would rather be out of town during the week of the feast. Likewise, those who abhor feasts cannot understand what’s the big deal.
And this is why the two factions have to respect the other. And this is why, in recent years, there have been attempts, especially by the Church, to exercise a stricter control on what goes on during feasts.
Like everything else in life, moderation is the best way forward. This is valid for all aspects of the feasts, be it the roads that are closed, the fireworks that are let off and the behaviour of the people who enjoy the celebrations.
Often, the closure of roads causes so much disruption, especially when there are few alternatives to go from one point to another. When these happen to be arterial roads, matters get worse because this involves other drivers who would probably be oblivious to the feast that is being celebrated, and end up being caught right in the middle. It would be a good idea if the police were to issue a list of the roads that are to be closed to traffic because of feasts, giving the dates and the times of such closure.
With regard to fireworks, there should be a concerted effort to reduce the hours during which they can be let off. While few people seem to have objections to Catherine wheels and colourful displays, what annoys most others are the noisy bangs that seem to have no other meaning except to… make noise.
The behaviour of (small groups) of people has also been under scrutiny, and the Church does well to take action when fights between different factions of the same village erupt. Over the past years there have been instances when some outdoor celebrations were banned by the Church because of the incidents that had taken place earlier.
Without forgetting the religious aspect of feasts, the entertainment they provide for the people who love them should in no way go against the rights of others not to be disturbed by such merry-making.