Two days after Halloween, Manikata to hold Pumpkin Festival

Denis Catania

Nov 1st 2008, 05:46

@D Vella: Yes you should not use or enjoy any American imports. Matter of fact you should go back to the dark ages. If I were you I wouldn't even jump in a car, since it was an American invention. How about stop using any microsoft programs. So we don't have to read your comments. God Bless America.

Marica Lewisn

Oct 31st 2008, 19:36

To all of you who only have negative comments, try and enjoy life! It is too short! It is my first halloween experience in the US and it is awesome! Yes it is originally a pagan festival and many countries celebrate it differently. It has been beautiful to see the beautiful pumpkin colours displayed all over, hundreds of them. Tonight, the 31st October, kids with their parents will go trick 'n treating in colourful costumes (not as dark as you make it out to be), it is fun, a celebration of life and death. Two facts in life. And for those of you making fun and denegrading everything (a bad Maltese habit) perhaps you should go and travel and enjoy other cultures around the world. Live, learn and enjoy.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Raymond Sammut

Oct 31st 2008, 11:38

@ Anthony Portelli

You mean 'qargha hamra' with 'qargha baghlija'?

The Maltese tongue can be tricky, but Maltese witticism is perhaps a touch trickier still.

A. Mizzi

Oct 30th 2008, 22:36

Quite an innovative pre-budget celebration, what's for next week , a kholrabi and cabbage get together ?

Anthony Portelli

Oct 30th 2008, 22:07

thawdux il qargha mal gdur pls,,,

C. Engwall

Oct 30th 2008, 18:55

It has everything to do with Malta since people have chosen to celebrate it! Whether it is an import or not doesn't matter. As for pathetic, that's a word more fit for people that are closed minded and live in a box or an ivory tower.....instead of wasting it on a celebration that one is free to celebrate or ignore completely. Live and Let Live! But of course that's the hardest thing to do in Malta isn't it?

D Vella

Oct 30th 2008, 18:00

What has halloween to do with Malta?. This is yet another senseless, pathetic American import which has no place here.

Carmen Engwall

Oct 30th 2008, 16:44

I never celebrated Halloween in Malta during my childhood so I found Mr. Sammut's comment about the fanal and huggiega really interesting- thanks :) During the last 10 years I have been living in the US and I have become very fond of this holiday. And not because of its "darkness" as someone put it. It is a wonderful time for children, getting all decked out in a costume and going out trick or treating. Over the years halloween has become quite popular in Malta. What's wrong with that? New things are not a replacement of "old" things. October 31st is All Souls Day and Nov 1st is All Saints Day. Latinos celebrate Dia de los Muertos on October 31st just like the Maltese celebrate "tal-mejtin". Due to the huge amount of latinos in Arizona, Dia de los Muertos is as popular as Halloween but one doesn't take away from the other. Halloween night is also called Angel's night in America, because organized groups of volunteers (called Angels) go around neighborhoods making sure that everything is ok. We all now that "things happen" when people are hiding behind masks!

Raymond Sammut

Oct 30th 2008, 16:42

I don't want to be pedantic, but the 'qara-il hamra' is actually a fruit. Rather strange, but it's the case.

It's one good reason why this plant should be cooked only slightly. Qara-il hamra-il forn, in a pre-heated oven, cooked for just a few minutes, usually does the trick -- with a variety of recipes, of course.

Dawk tal-Manikata will know all about it, surely.

Joe Tabone-Adami

Oct 30th 2008, 15:44

Pumpkin-based recipes are, I should presume, both tasty and healthy - given that the humble pumpkin is very nutritious and, incidentally, very popular with traditional Maltese cooking. It would, perhaps, be useful to point out to the promoters of pumpkin-latry (alias "Halloween") that the vegetable itself stands as a symbol of stupidity in Maltese folklore!!

Jeremy J Camilleri

Oct 30th 2008, 14:47

Well....Catholics stole the date for Christmas .....so let Halloween stand.....

Now if Catholics want to refrain from celebrating it, fair enough...I'm sure crowds of pagans will not be baying for blood and burning them at the stake!

I for one have got myself a nice nice costume....Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!

Reuben Sciberras

Oct 30th 2008, 14:45

Fully agree with Michelle's comments!

Raymond Sammut

Oct 30th 2008, 14:16

@ C.Caruana

Not quite. They are actually the same event.

Halloween was the original festivity celebrated by European pagans (most likely the Maltese being among the pioneers) to appease the dead and thus hope for a good harvest. With the advent of Christianity, it became All Saints Day. The date varies slightly only because of an ambiguity caused by the Gregorian calendar.

Nevertheless, Mr Cauchi should recall that as children we always enjoyed holding the 'fanal' in the streets at night, and the 'huggieg' on the outskirts were always a treat, and sparked everyone's imagination: truck tiers, tree trunks, sticks of furniture, and the lot -- stacked into all kinds of shapes to scare off the evil spirits.

Michelle Gingell

Oct 30th 2008, 12:55

kif ghal kollox tridu tgergru? Depressanti!

M.Galea

Oct 30th 2008, 12:48

@D.Buttigieg. In fact, I really agree with Rocco Cauchi. A Christian feast has been turned into a celebration of death and darkness. I personally prefer to celebrate light and life....and all real Christians should prefer this too. I can imagine that most bloggers will be arguing this idea, but I firmly believe that these little 'compromises' are what's turning this island into an atheist country.

C.Caruana

Oct 30th 2008, 12:45

@ R. Cauchi - Please note that Halloween is celebrated on 31st October whilst All Saints Day is celebrated on 1st November. Two different days, two different events.

D.Buttigieg

Oct 30th 2008, 12:21

@R.Cauchi: Do you have to be negative about this too? Why can't you just let people do their thing?

Rocco Cauchi

Oct 30th 2008, 11:39

Nothing so elevating talking of Halloween. There was a time when we called it All Saints Day and it was a feast of obligation and a recognized public holiday. Yet things have changed, and culture too.