From traditional Maltese weddings to craft work, The Menhir Qala Folk Group is keeping alive and resurrecting local traditions that are on the brink of extinction. Veronica Stivala discovers how the group has created a fail-safe plan to keep local culture alive.
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Dedicated to promoting local traditions and culture, the Menhir Qala Folk Group picked this name because remains of this stone can be found in the Gozitan village of Qala.
The name of the group works as a good metaphor for what it stands for: keeping alive traditions, be they dance, music, singing, crafts or Maltese folklore that are on the brink of extinction, with special reference to Qala and its history.
Frances Buttigieg, one of the group members explains: “Over time, many customs and traditions began to fade out among the modern generation and it is precisely for this reason that this group is bringing certain customs back to life. Many are either traditions that today’s generation either never knew about or has forgotten them.
Among these are special dances that portray artisan work actually being worked during shows. Costumes are worn, tools are used during the dances while songs portray as realistic a picture of the past as possible.
Many people involved voluntarily offer their contribution by sewing costumes
The group has also put up exhibitions of artisan work in Qala itself. A popular feature in the group’s shows is the re-enactment of weddings of old, including the scene with the notary and the bride’s walk to church underneath the processional tent (baldakkin).
The folk group was founded in 2004, when some people approached the Qala mayor and asked for help in setting up the organisation. The local council agreed and the first costumes and dances materialised. The group and the local council continue to work closely together to promote traditions and culture.
Of course, re-enactments are nothing without costumes and the group makes it a point to recreate outfits of old like the għonella and xall (a form of women’s headdress and shawl).
The Menhir Qala Folk Group comprises 16 dancers aged from 14 to 55, a singer and a guitarist. The group has also taken it upon itself to start training a group of children in order to pass on their skills and traditions to them.
The success of the group, explains Buttigieg, “lies in the fact that many people are involved voluntarily, offering their contribution by sewing costumes and helping during productions”.
Although the group puts up shows all over Malta and Gozo, Buttigieg notes how the traditions stand out most when they perform in St Julian’s. “The contrast between culture of our predecessors and the modern, developed world is quite striking. The shows here are always well-received by both tourists and Maltese alike.”
The folk group has also successfully performed abroad. Its first trip was to Porto Roz in Slovenia in July 2005 for the Val Piran International Folklore Festival. Since then, the group has participated in other folk festivals, held in Italy, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Greece and Tunisia.
On the Tunisia trip, Buttigieg recounts how onlookers were enthralled by our folklore. “People approached us and asked why we wore the għonella. They even tried to copy our dance steps during shows.”
Without doubt, she notes, the country with whom Malta and Gozo share most similarity is Sicily. The group is in contact with Agrigento, where a grand folklore festival is held. The Menhir group has taken part in that and also performed at Qala’s International Folk Festival.
This year will be the ninth edition of what is so far the only international folk festival held on Gozo. Past participants came from Slovenia, Serbia, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria, Sicily and Slovakia.
In addition to re-enactments and shows in the village square, a themed conference is held where both local and international customs and culture are discussed.
The Qala International Folk Festival is being held on September 19-21. For more information, find the group on Facebook.