Drums for peace, give and take

Saturday evening came as a relief in the wake of the flow of depressing news from the local councils scene. It was an events evening at my adopted village of Attard, cleverly titled Lejla Għat-Tard (Late Evening). It was held in the core of the village, one of the most lovely and unspoilt in Malta. Too many village cores are being ripped apart to be replaced by new buildings. Attard, one of the famed Three Villages (along with Balzan and Lija), has remained relatively untouched.

Thereby the narrow streets and alleyways cuddling the beautiful Tumas Dingli pre-baroque Santa Marija church exude an air of tradition, which begins to be lost a few streets away until it vanishes along the widespread development that has taken place over the years, now being made worse with the ability to build three storeys in the midst of lakes of two-storeyed houses and bungalows.

Much of the population of Attard came out to enjoy the evening. Local talent, leavened with some imports, was mobilised over a vast range of attractions. They showed what the village had stood for in years gone by. The old skills and trades, the little grocery and other shops, bakers producing crusty Maltese bread as it is still appreciated by many of us and hang the calories.

That particular stall offered humour as well. The lady manning a fishmonger’s stall next to the baker called out to watch it: the bread on display was stale. Actually, it was deliciously fresh, as those who tried it could tell. It was the fish that were artificial, as they had to be.

The talent on display took all forms. They included a drums band, inspirationally titled Drums for Peace, going around the crowded events area once the miniature train brought along for the occasion had gone by. The band, all local, has a problem. It needs somewhere to practise and nobody has been able to help out so far.

The attractions, aside from other music for all ages, also included live belly dancing. Attard is the village where invading Saracens were reputed to seek shelter. But I doubt they had brought belly dancers along. Yet, there they were, and skilful too, as those who ogled them clearly seemed to think.

A restful evening, yes but why – you might ask – a relief from the depressing flow of local council news? Because it was organised by the local council, that’s why. And you don’t get such successful presentation unless those who organise are united in purpose and effect. The Attard local council was clearly that.

I asked a councillor among the crowd whether our council too might have its problems. Well, it’s not always easy, he said. Nevertheless, we work together and get results – it’s a matter of give and take.

It is that, is it not? Local councils have been riven by politics since they were set up. They should not be. Their basic reason for being is to be in closer touch with the citizenry than the central government can be. Enough politics being played daily on the national stage.

They could give better results, as Saturday evening at Attard showed. Other towns and villages too, it must be said, are organising similar events, plus fruit festivals throughout the summer and wine festivals like that coming up at Qormi.

These village events should be coordinated to become tourist attractions in addition to outlets of fun and interest for us. There is scope for deeper collaboration by the parliamentary secretaries for tourism and local councils, with village tourism being one of the areas noted by the former for greater attention. It should be high on the agenda of local councils, with full scope for the involvement of the voluntary organisations and of the economic segments in the localities.

Village tourism should bring unity of the type demonstrated at Attard on Saturday evening, much better than the endless politicking between parties and even within them, which has led to the shenanigans so cruelly undermining the credibility of local councils.