22 years after Malta removed the May carnival, a summer festival will be held in Bugibba today and tomorrow – although it will not replace the main festival in February. In this brief feature, which includes a short trip down memory lane to Carnival 1928/1929, Anthony Zarb Dimech traces the origins of Carnival in Malta are examined as well as the pagan and Christian roots of Carnival.
The Malta Council for Culture and the Arts organises the yearly carnival activities that are held during February over a period of 4 days. Folklore celebrations in Malta have, over time, included satirical forms of public rituals with massive public participation.
In Christian countries, Carnival is the last opportunity to eat and make merry before Lent, the 40 day period of fasting in preparation of Easter and no wonder in Malta it is called Zmien ta’ bluha (‘a time of foolishness’), as it is characterised by all sorts of excesses and sometimes even rivalries that know no limits. Carnival is celebrated right before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. But since the 13th century the popular festival started to be held even earlier. The Carnival season can now extend from right after Epiphany to the eve of Ash Wednesday.
Carnival dates (Mardi Gras):
• 2007: Ash Wednesday was on 19 February so Mardi Gras was on 20 February
• 2008: 5 February
• 2009: 24 February
But Carnival existed before Christianity, and its roots can be traced to its pagan forms which persisted well into the Christian era. Carnival floats also rolled in Babylon, in honour of the God Marduk, and in Egypt, for Isis, the queen-goddess of life and light, who opens the year. Elements of this Isis-cult persevered in early Christianity (Isis was even connected to Mary, mother of Jesus). They point to Carnival’s nature as a celebration of the waning of winter, the return of a new year, and fertility.
Other elements derive from the Roman Saturnalia, a festival with lots of food and drink, dress-up and parades. The social order was reversed and rules of behaviour were suspended: higher classes had no authority over the lower, masters waited on their slaves, men dressed like women. A temporary King was crowned and everyone had to abide by his most ludicrous whims. Even today, revelers elect a King Carnival.
Maltese festivities, such as Carnival are very significant social occasions, but are often marked by long traditions of rivalry and tension between local groups. Social cohesion was not a distinguishing feature on these occasions and Carnival was frowned upon by a section of critics, art connoisseurs, academics and the professional class. It is no great wonder that the current organisers of Carnival while stimulating past traditions in Carnival are pruning them of excessive rivalry and revelry.
Carnival has been celebrated in Malta since the 15th century, but it received a major boost in 1535, five years after the arrival of the Order of St. John and started taking place officially in Birgu where a number of knights played games and displayed their skills in various pageants and tournaments.
Carnival in Malta has always been associated with excesses and rivalry to the point where the Knights under Grandmaster Lascaris and later on under British rule, imposed several bans and abolitions on the celebrations.
Carnival Tragedy
In his book, Malta: People, Places and Events – Historical Sketches (1994), A.E. Abela mentions the carnival tragedy which took place on 11 February 1823 and another incident on 22 February 1846 which could have had tragic consequences but thankfully was avoided by a whisker. The former incident was very serious in that over 100 boys were smothered and trampled to death. During this period Malta was impoverished with rampant famine and the boys were treated to a ration of bread at the Ta’ Giesu Church on Carnival. It was the custom that when all the boys had gathered in the corridor of the convent, the sacristy door was locked to prevent boys who had received their bread from returning for more. But a group of outsiders forced themselves in pushing the boys down the steps by the pressure of the crowd and they tumbled over. Fortunately the door was unlocked at the bottom of the steps and many recovered from unconsciousness but still the death toll was high with 110 boys losing their lives.
The latter incident of 1846 was more of a tragic comedy as the Governor of the time, Sir Patrick Stuart did not allow people to wear masks on Carnival Sunday and this was met with much disgruntlement from the Maltese people. The people decided to dress up their horses, mules, donkeys, dogs and other animals instead to parade them in Valletta. During this time feelings between the British Protestant and the Maltese Catholic population were strained and since some of the Maltese dressed up their animals in the guise of Protestant clergymen, this irked the British. The matter reached boiling point when some Maltese youngsters assaulted bandsmen of the 42nd Highlanders. A.E Abela quotes Rev. Henry Seddall’s book: Malta, Past and Present (1870), where he wrote: “If the order had been given to them (the Highlanders) to disperse the mob… torrents of blood would probably have been shed.”
Carnival 1929 started on Saturday 9 February up to Tuesday 12 February. The programme started off with a Maltese Parata from 7am to sunset. The Parata ushered in Carnival. During the Knights, the Parata was taken very seriously both by the Knights and the people in general as its part was of special historical significance. It was the custom for some farmers and country folk and later carnival companies of young dancers to gather early under the balcony of the Grandmaster’s Palace eagerly waiting until they received formal permission from him to celebrate Carnival. When the sign was given, the companies dressed as Christians and Turks performed a mock fight re-enacting the Great Siege of 1565
The following day the Maltese Parata took part again from 8am to noon followed by a defile’ and competition of schoolboys and other boys’ associations. In the afternoon, King Carnival arrived followed by a defile’ and competition of companies in costumes and then Grotesque Marches. The following day a defile’ and competition of triumphal cars was organised and a defile’ and competition of Decorated Motor Cars. Dancing and Figure Displaying Competition by held at Piazza S. Giorgio at 3.45 pm followed by a continuation of the Grotesque Marches Competition. The day was wrapped up with a Venetian March.
Just like all Carnivals under British rule especially in the 19th century and early 20th century, Carnival 1929 parades, was famous for their biting satirical themes and many of the intricate floats were designed to poke fun at political figures and unpopular government decisions; however, political satire was essentially banned as a result of a law passed in 1936.
The last day of Carnival 1929 consisted of a farewell Parade of King Carnival, the last Parade of Companies in Costume, a continuation of Grotesque Marches competition and a Pyrotechnical Display on Piazza S. Giorgio. The Pyrotechnical display consisted of:
• Aux Flambeaux
• Magic Lightening
• Niagara Falls
• Roman Candles Display
• Revolving Stars
• Departure of King Carnival on Airship ‘Ramadan’
It is encouraging to read that carnival is being revived to its former character and is being spread to villages with the help of local councils and promoted as a cultural attraction for locals and tourists alike. A carnival village to house float makers and a carnival museum are also in the pipeline.