Matthew Xuereb
Village feasts under spotlight
Leone Band club supporters consider it essential to assert their right to hold their march in rival territory.
The President has convened a series of meetings between band club committees, the police and the Curia to deal with village rivalry during feasts.
George Abela told The Sunday Times that much had been achieved through the meetings and village feasts this year were “more civilised” than those of previous years – though more remained to be done.
The President took it upon himself to do something about the problem and in April last year warned that he would not attend village feasts marred by rivalry.
He admitted that given the passion the Maltese put into their village feast, festa rivalry was “almost impossible” to eradicate completely. He lamented that the younger generations were being given a “very bad example” with the excesses some people indulge in during the feast of their village saint.
The President was asked to comment on photos depicting such excesses in Victoria, which is bitterly divided between the La Stella band club and the Leone philharmonic society.
The photos, posted on the social network site Facebook appear to show supporters of the Leone club taunting, through the use of vulgar gestures, ‘adversaries’ outside St George’s Basilica which is associated with La Stella club.
A man who witnessed the celebrations on August 15 said this year the march took a carnivalesque tinge with a huge effigy of a Paper mache lion and several provocative banners.
Although St George’s is not strictly related to the activities connected with this feast, Leone Band club supporters consider it essential to assert their right to hold their march in rival territory.
One of the banners carried by them made this clear with the words: ‘We will enter your square for sure’.
But Leone Band club president Michael Caruana said these banners were merely a reply to banners put up by La Stella club, saying they would not allow them into the square.
“It is a constitutional right to pass through the square,” Mr Caruana said adding that he did not consider this exchange of banners to be “rivalry”. He pointed out that police were present throughout the celebrations and no action was taken against anyone.
Asked about photos showing a young man gesturing as he sat in St George’s square, Dr Caruana said he condemned such behaviour.
Dr Abela said more had to be done to control “the few” who tarnish village feasts with “ridiculous behaviour”.
In October last year, the Church had published a range of proposals on the celebration of village feasts with the aim of restoring the religious and community aspects of the celebrations. This document was launched and then opened for public consultation.
A final document will be published at the end of the festa season, which is after Wednesday’s celebrations of the feast of the Nativity of Our Lady in Naxxar.
Among other things, the Church proposed giving village festa enthusiasts three years to control outrageous behaviour during morning band marches, after which offending band clubs would be struck off the Church’s list of events.
“Between 2010 and 2012 we will allow time for all those involved to control exaggeration, including the manner of dress, songs and words that are chanted, the consumption of alcohol and the duration of the marches,” the document read.
“If, after these three years, we find that band marches cannot be controlled or reformed, the Church has to decide to no longer consider them an integral part of the feast.”
The document also proposed that morning band marches should not be longer than four hours and should not go past rival clubs. Where this was unavoidable, the march should not stop, for whatever reason.
“The mission of the Church is to deliver the beauty of God’s word. And that’s what the role of feasts should be. There is a lot of tradition in our feasts, which is beautiful. However, through the years, we have forgotten they are there to celebrate a saint,” Archbishop Paul Cremona had said.
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Karl Consiglio
Sep 5th 2010, 18:27
Paganism, village rivalry, how barbaric, you got to be real peasants.
R.Borg
Sep 5th 2010, 17:33
""Village feasts under spotlight"" That's a very good title. They are indeed the feasts of the Village not the feast of the various patron saints the Church has chosen to protect and be a christian role model for the members of the different parochial communities. One simple questions: at least ten new parishes have opted not to celebrate solemnly the feasts of their patron saints. Why? For the simple reason that village feasts in Malta have swayed from the will of God. And their parish priests can dedicate their energies for the christian formation of the members of their flock and for truly pastoral needs.
Alfred Grech
Sep 5th 2010, 19:01
I don't agree with the new parishes which are not celebrating the feast of their patron saint like the others do. Feasts are beautiful. Some hot headed, blanked minded people choose to make them look like a carnival and find a chance to express their hatred towards others. It's up to the police and ecclesiastical authorities to clean them up. The efforts of the local parish and that of the band clubs will definitely help but they don't seem to be too interested in the clean up. Feasts are part of our culture and the majority of people enjoy them.
Andrea Portelli
Sep 5th 2010, 16:13
In a way I do hope that the village idiots in question persist in their uncivilized behaviour towards each others territories (in all of Malta that is) coupled with ear drum shattering petards.... so hopefully by 2012 these street parties hiding behind a weak religious facade would be no more!
A J Vella
Sep 5th 2010, 16:09
So the president of the Leone party approves the offensive placards and obscenities thrown at a Catholic church in Gozo. He justifies it all by claiming constitutional rights. And perhaps the bishop of Gozo smiles.
Gina Borg
Sep 5th 2010, 15:04
Naghmilha cara mal-ewwel li kull insult, jaghmlu minn jaghmlu, sewwa jekk isir f'festa u sewwa jekk le huwa hazin. Pero' niskanta kif il-korrispondent ghogbu jsahhah l-argument tieghu dwar il-hidma tal-President Abela billi jsemmi biss haga li grat fil-festa ta' Santa Maria ta' Ghawdex. Dan qed nghidu ghaliex jekk ried li jittiehed bis-serjeta kien messu semma ukoll ezempji minn festi ohra. Hekk per ezempju bhal meta fil-festa rivali ta' dik imsemmija fir-rapport, saret haga komuni li jkollok folla ta' partitarji jieqfu quddiem certa telgha u joqghod hemm ghal aktar minn tlett kwarti joffendu b'mossi oxxeni u bi kliem hazin! L-istess jigri meta f'gurnata ohra l-istess partitarji jaslu go certa pjazza biex wara joqghodu jaraw 'film' dwar il-kobor tal-qassis Nifhem li ezempji bhal dawn jezistu ukoll f'lokalitajiet ohra.
Nissuspetta li wara dan l-artiklu hemm l-agenda tas-soliti individi li donnhom ghamluha l-missjoni taghhom li jaraw li l-pjaga tal-parrokjalizmu gewwa Victoria tibqa dejjem friska. Wara kollox l-inhieq tal-hmir qatt ma tela' s-sema. U dak li hemm fil-banner hija verita li ilha tigri ghal dawn l-ahhar mija u ghoxrin sena !
Antoine Vassallo
Sep 5th 2010, 16:52
Why should it be OK for Leone supporters to conglomerate in St George's Square and objectionable for the "others" to do the same at the foot of Castle Hill?! Why should it be OK for the march on the eve to include a divisive video right in front of the Astra (and, ironically, of the Curia) and objectionable for the "others" to begin organizing a non-controversial video in Savina Square?!
Shouldn't the solution be found in the elimination of certain incendiary events?
Why are the authorities so reluctant to enforce regulations?
I must unfortunately note the disappointment that the STOM's journalistic standards seem to have gone AWOL in this case! For example, Gozo and Malta situations somehow got entwined (withoput a mention that the 2 dioceses have different rules). Moreover unsavoury gesticulations and slogans genuinly feel on a completely different plane in the restriced special space which is St George's Sq.
pierre mifsud
Sep 5th 2010, 14:09
jaqaw m ghandkomx biex timlewh hawnekk???? ha tibdew ixxewxu kontra l festi??????? sa fejn naf jien ma qatlux nies ghawdex!!!!!!!! ha tibdew taghmlu l ghageb .... ahjar idduru dawra mal problemi li hawn f din il gzira u mela ma bicca streamer... halluna kwieti
Claire Busuttil
Sep 5th 2010, 14:06
u l isqof, x qed jamel biex dan il paganizmu kolletiv, li johloq biss, firda, glied, tajjir, kliem hazin, u sa anke oxxen, sakkra ta nies, u anke tfal.....jispicca daeba al dejjem??!?!
il festi ghandhom isiru biss, bl istatwa, u marci sura ta nies, waraja, bnadar etc,
jekk veru l isqof, irid jaghmel xi haga ghal gid, jaqbad ma dil haga bis serjeta!
J Borg
Sep 5th 2010, 13:10
Is the fuss all about such a banner?? I do not know who was insulted. They were stating a mere fact.
Please Matthew you are representing the most sought paper on the island, do not try to create controversy out of nothing.
You should consult the commissioner of police and take their views about trouble during the feat of Saint Mary. There was none.
Reference to the facebook photo - you cannot use 1 photo which had 1 person by himself making valgar signs and condemn the whole march and band club as provocative and abusive.
Grow up people... be more mature.
Raymond Camilleri
Sep 5th 2010, 14:46
whatever they (and the others) were stating it is silly, ridiculous and childish and shows that some people have nothing better to do in life! these shenanigans betray small-mindedness and sheer ignorance
M.Attard
Sep 5th 2010, 12:46
Dawn in-nies taqtalhom il-pika ma jibqalhom xejn.Li jkun hemm farka pika sabiha imma imbaghad mhux tezzagera.Ghal dawk in-nies li stghagbu meta l-monsinjur Gouder hareg ir-rapport fuq il-festi u qal li certu armar u sorprizi qeghdin jintuzaw biex iqajmu il-pika zgur li kien qed jirreferi ghal dawn in-nies.Dawn jekk jaghmlu pavaljun jew bandiera ibqa cert li mhux biex isebbhu it-triqat ikunu qed jaghmluha imma biex jinku. Bhal nighdu ahna bnadar ta San Mikiel jew xi dati fuq pavaljuni biex ifakkru xi avveniment, xi kultant mhux korreti . Jekk jaghmlu xi sorpriza jew banner l-istess, ma jkun fiha valur artistiku ta xejn hlief biex tqajjem il-pika. Imbaghad xi nighdu ghal-marc ta filghodu.......
M.Attard
Sep 5th 2010, 12:27
Sur Caruana dawn x' banners huma li qed isemmi?
Emanuel Farrugia
Sep 5th 2010, 11:09
Il-festi kollha tal-Knisja huma mwaqqfa fuq il-Misteri tal-Ghid ta' Kristu. Il-Lhud ifakkru l-grajjiet tal-poplu taghhom; il-Knisja, bhala l-poplu l-gdid ta' Alla, bil-festi tfakkar il-grajjiet tas-salvazzjoni mwettqin minn Kristu darba ghla dejjem. Hu ghalhekk li ahna, bhala l-Knisja ta' Kristu, ghandna niccelebraw il-Misteru tal-Ghid imfakkar fl-Ewkaristija kull nhar ta' Hadd, il-Jum li fih il-Mulej qam mill-mewt. Jekk nixtiequ li l-festi taghna jkunu jissejhu festi nsara, dawn iridu jkunu espressjoni tal-ghaqda tal-poplu ta' Alla, u okkazjoni ta' rikonciljazzjoni vera ma' Alla u mal-bnedmin.
Emanuel Farrugia former Executive Secretary Mtarfa Local Council
Alfred Grech
Sep 5th 2010, 10:59
I cannot understand the reason why one side has to insult the other side when the feast which is supposedly to honor the saint is celebrated. Simple logic tells me that both sides should enjoy the other's side celebrations. Why not?
Many say they are devotees of the saint. Many in fact are "dilettanti' tal-qaddis u mhux devoti.
It's a gross ignorance which I hope will be acknowledged and eventually discontinued.
All feasts are beautiful and worth attending to. Let outsiders attend and don't chase them away with irrational behavior.
A Zammit
Sep 5th 2010, 10:33
Dr Caruana, could you kindly furnish the Times with pictures of ""the banners put up by La Stella club""? Hardly... they did not exist.
While at it, it would be educational to tell us where in the Constitution is a person entitled to insult another one.