Maltese Festas (Feasts) were in the Curia’s spotlight for about a year after October 2009, when it launched the consultative document ‘Restoring feasts together’. The document’s aim was to restore the spiritual nature of feasts and to make feasts an activity that all the family can participate in. The document brought to the surface a number of issues pertaining to the Maltese feasts’ characteristics, however, the hype around it quieted down as the divorce debate took precedence in the past months. A family doctor by profession, Godfrey Farrugia, who has been striving hard to bring to the fore the inextricable social, cultural,and religious identities expressed in the Maltese feasts, discussed the feasts’ past, present and future with Elaine Attard

“Feasts are an important showcase of all that makes us Maltese. They are one facet of our vast Maltese culture”. Dr Farrugia explained when I met him at his clinic in Żebbug.

“Although my father was a very active president of St Philip Band Club of Żebbug throughout my childhood and early youth, I was more involved in the scouting movement of which I am the local president and in St Aloysius College where I was a student, rather than the society itself. In fact I had chosen to learn to play a non-band instrument, the violin. But as I grew older I became fully aware of the commitment required and I was drawn into St Philip Band Club which increased my sense of identity. Cultural formation for me and many others was greatly influenced by what was organised on the annual calendar of this society. My stint as Mayor of Żebbug brought me in close contact with inter-society relationships and the intricacies of village politics. It was not an easy task to find a balance between the needs and expectations of the three societies that thrive at Żebbug,” he explained.

Feasts, religion and spirituality

“Feasts find their origin in the religious calendar. There is no doubt that the celebrations that were initially confined within the church walls spilled over into the piazzas, streets and houses of the inhabitants taking on their social and cultural attire. One cannot imagine a Maltese festa without the Church celebrations or conversely without the band, street decorations and fireworks,” he started.

As much as the local churches were built slab by slab by the local communities to which they therefore belong, so do the festa celebrations which are totally entwined with devotional expressions towards the respective saint.

“Spirituality, on the other hand, is very personal and different people choose to express it in different ways”, he continued. “Feasts offer the opportunity for religious fervor to be expressed in different ways, mainly through artistic devotional works of art, enhancing a sense of community and team work for a common purpose ,” he said.

Band clubs – NGOs with a civic sense

“The band club I represent has helped me in my cultural formation. I see the same happening to a lot of young people who join the society in search of a focused identity and as a platform for exhibiting their artistic skills. Similar societies are in fact the biggest NGOs in Malta. They are voluntary organisations that are run on civic sense,” he added.

“Some of these NGOs are facing a financial crisis or difficulties in finding people who want to work on a voluntary basis. However, other societies are run assiduously like a business enterprise. They are not just feast organisations but have become platforms of cultural activities, promoting the locality throughout the year. But more than anything else they take pride in raising the Maltese identity’s profile by taking part in international competitions or travel abroad to expose Maltese culture as well as making the festa season a main attraction for tourists,” he continued.

Referring to anthropologist Jeremy Boissevain who had said that ‘Feasts will die when people cease to walk barefoot’ meaning that as the Maltese become more affluent, enthusiasm for feasts will dwindle, Dr Farrugia said that the contrary has happened as many societies attract highly accomplished individuals who still remain loyal and nurture the desire to give the same opportunity to others. Such emotion and loyalty is therefore passed from one generation to another.

“Feasts developed hand in hand with secularisation, in that the outside mode of celebration took on the evolutionary development dictated by different realities while within the church all has remained the same with minor exceptions. The need for one to ascertain his sense of belonging is greatly assuaged by village feasts which make people of common roots go back to their villages, at least on these particular occasions,” Dr Farrugia said.

Restoring feasts

“What the Curia’s document lacked was its failure to recognise and acknowledge and partake of the invaluable work put in by the numerous other ‘players’ which make feasts happen. The document implied imposition and lack of consultation. While the Church authorities’ intention was undoubtedly a good one, the way the document was presented was certainly not conducive to keeping all stakeholders on board. If the document were to be imposed, as threatened repeatedly by the ecclesiastical authority, priceless voluntary work would be lost both inside and outside the church making it more difficult for the human resource strapped church to function, even for the internal activities let alone for the outside celebrations,” he said.

“The Curia wanted to restore feasts with the document. Since then Ghaqda Nazzjonali Armar Festi tat-Toroq (GhNAFT) was created and collaborated with Għaqda Każini Baned (Band Clubs Association) in meeting with the church authorities so a common plan of action can be established,” he continued.

Asked about the National Pyrotechnics Organisation’s involvement, he said that unfortunately they have never been invited to the discussions by the church authorities.

“Throughout the consultation phase we put forward our own counter proposals to the church’s and therefore GhNAFT were invited to attend consultative meetings,” he said.

When asked what the way forward after the consultation stage is, he said “that discussions have been adjourned.”

“We are in a status quo at the moment. This could have resulted because the church authorities thought that they were going to reach an agreement which never materialised. An agreement on a final document which is approved by one and all has not been reached yet. We look forward to the day when common ground between church authorities and other players is established and the future of the feasts is ensured within the parameters of their social, cultural and religious connotations,” he explained.

“The document puts all feasts in one basket. In reality, we know that each and every feast has its own unique characteristic which makes them so interesting. Secondly, the organisation, the administration and the direction in which feasts had to take place were going to be dictated by the church. The church failed to recognise or appreciate the NGOs’ input,” he said.

“During the discussions, we were faced with very rigid proposals that hindered reaching a consensus, unlike everywhere in Europe, where devolution of power is encouraged to enable the man on the street to participate in the decision making process”, he highlighted.

“The church suggested the formation of an administrative structure that excluded band clubs and societies’ participation. It was suggested that commissions forming part of the pastoral councils would solely administer, organise and direct the way feasts are held”, he said.

“In such a structure we wouldn’t have been active participants but instead would have been reduced to mere passive bodies. Another committee where representatives of stakeholders would be invited to coordinate would then be appointed to implement the decisions taken,” he added.

This is where discussions stopped prior to the divorce debate around March, he continued.

“We always emphasised a proactive and educational role. We should learn from the past and move forward. To be modern does not mean being only contemporary but to advance while respecting the past,” Dr Farrugia illustrated.

He believes that any reform should indicate a change not only within an institution but also within a person by removing undesirable qualities but without removing the fundamental characteristics that make the Maltese festa. In so doing, one has to seek the real roots of the problems and not the causative effects.

Reformation towards emphasising the religious and cultural roots in more rational ways should happen in a conciliatory and not divisive manner. Our religious and cultural patrimony is too precious to put on the line simply because of stubbornness of any of the actors who have preserved and enhanced the Maltese village festa for hundreds of years. Change should be continuous,” he added.

Pique and rivalry

“It is human nature to compete with compatriots. Outdoing your neighbour seems to be an inbuilt instinct. If the competitive spirit results in better feasts then the rivalry and competition is good. If, on the other hand, pique is fueled by hatred of old, more often than not fueled by church practices of unequal treatment to societies in the same village, then isn’t it more practical and reasonable to eradicate the hatred by removing the cause? The church can go a long way towards being fair to societies in all villages especially within the same community. Let the competition be fueled by the desire to outshine in the devotional expression rather than the desire to equalise what cannot be equaled by societies on their own,” he explained.

External festivities

Each component that makes the Maltese festa is not just important, it is crucial. The external festivities revolve around what happens in the church.

Dr Farrugia described fireworks as that art that heralds the onset of the village feast.

Regarding fireworks, he pointed out that he is a license A holder, adding that the Pyrotechnics Association was a very constructive player in the drawing up of a revised Explosives Ordinance last year.

“Comprehensively, one notices that it protects the health and safety standards of pyrotechnic artists when it comes to storage, manufacturing, transport and letting off of fireworks. It creates the desired balance to protect the public’s interest, without hindering the longstanding traditional schedule of letting off fireworks that is intrinsically related with the religious schedule”, he said.

“While a painter uses paint to portray his message through vibrant colours, a pyrotechnic artist does the same to a bigger extent by using the largest frameless canvas available, the sky itself. This art form tickles all the senses through its dynamic and changing patterns and colours. It is a continually changing expressive and spontaneous art,” he said.

“Under that sky lit by fireworks, there are the pyrotechnic artists. Fireworks are the culmination of where art and science meet. We should be proud of being amongst the world leaders in this. We have developed our product in a very singular manner,” he said.

Another essential part of the Maltese feast is band clubs. “Mention one country where there’s a music school that educates students free of charge and gives students a free instrument in each locality? Band clubs’ contribution to culture is invaluable and should be nurtured,” he said.

Dr Farrugia thinks that the warehouses housing feast street decorations are art schools in themselves. These voluntary organisations offer a holistic formation in many areas such as administration, leadership qualities, artistic awareness and skills such as gilding and restoration.

“Street decorations have a religious theme as well as a theme linked to locality. Churches are dressed at their best for feast day. Our homes are embellished for the feasts. Street decorations are a continuation between households and the church with the best streets decorations lining up the procession’s path. Street decorations are a statement that turns the village into a demarcated common home” he explained.

Way forward

“When in 1935 the regional ecclesiastical council categorised feasts as titular and secondary, differences were drawn between feasts. The Church still abides to these categorisations when it comes to internal celebrations transforming village citizens into primary and secondary citizens. Until 1975 the church imposed its authority on the civil aspect too, however, changes were introduced by former Prime Minister Dom Mintoff which stipulated that any feast should be celebrated equally, without any discrepancies. The sector was rightfully addressed by allowing band clubs, street decorations and fireworks to flourish,” he added.

“If what was proposed during the consultative discussions had to be approved and implemented, we would go back to pre 1975. The Curia’s proposals aim to enforce, but lack empowerment and self-regulation. The fact that the NGOs are recognised by the state is an added bonus. They opened the doors for NGOs to develop. Feasts should develop in a natural but guided way,” he pointed out.

“We still have to map the route. We still have to challenge the fundamental problems before we tackle the side issues. We have to change the person not the institution, hence the need for education and a gradual reform,” he added.

A think-tank that brings together scholars and all stakeholders would go a long way towards helping to weed out any unwelcomed practices that have marred or tend to spoil out precious Maltese festas. We can achieve results if we come together and discuss on an equal footing and to make feasts a more beautiful moment for every locality.

Profile

• Born on 4 May 1960, Godfrey Farrugia was brought up in Zebbug.

• He graduated as a Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Malta in 1985.

• Dr Farrugia works as a family doctor in an established group practice of Zebbug and Siggiewi.

• He was Zebbug’s mayor between 1990 and 1999 and won the Zebbug Civil Sense Award in 1999.

• He is also a licensed pyrotechnician and regularly contributes to various historical and cultural publications.