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Festas
The Maltese are very hospitable - a distinct
characteristic of most Mediterranean people. They are extremely
extrovert and love to do things in a showy kind of way. If one understands
this basic trait of the Maltese character one immediately grasps
why village festas in Malta and Gozo are so - to say the least -
spectacular.
Way back in the 1960’s a renowned anthropologist had inaccurately
predicted that the Maltese would gradually loose interest in their
feasts. The process of secularisation would be so strong, he argued,
the Maltese would be so affluent, that the exterior manifestation
of religious devotion would eventually subside. Alas, the contrary
has proved to be correct! At the end of the second millenium, the
festa is still in many ways the main cultural event of the village.
Many foreigners marvel at the zeal with which the Maltese prepare
for their feast. In the scorching summer weather (when temperatures
frequently go above 40 degrees C) one is practically dead-tired
sitting down in the shade let alone running about from street to
street to get things ready. The dry humid climate, however, does
not seem to detract the Maltese to celebrate the feast appropriately.
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Each village has a nucleus of ardent supporters who willingly and volontarily
go about through all sorts of hassle for one single reason; the glory
of the village patron saint. These supporters (young and old) start to
prepare for the great day weeks (if not months) ahead. Band clubs practise
the musical programmes and marches which will be executed on the feast
day throughout the streets, others gather funds for the fireworks, the
rest take care of decorating the streets and the church facade...
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