The time of the Knights
With six centuries of tradition, the Malta Carnival is one of the oldest in Europe. And it is first and foremost a matter of knights and the decisions of great masters. The first carnival was held in 1535 in Vittoriosa (Birgu), at the time of the great master Pietro del Ponte. Prior to Lent, the Knights newly landed from Rhodes were granted exceptional permission - in order to maintain their military qualities - to organise games, tournaments and battles with fake weapons to the glory of the Order. As early as 1560, the carnival was to change its atmosphere when the Grand Master Jean de Valette, more flexible, allowed the public to wear masks and decorate boats for Mardi Gras. But in 1639, the carnival suffered a conservative setback with the decision of Grand Master Jean-Paul de Lascaris-Castellar to ban devil costumes and the wearing of masks by women. The latter risked no less than being whipped in public. Afterwards, it will last three days and will begin with the hanging of a stone on the façade of the Castellania, the courthouse, which meant that all legal proceedings were suspended for the time of the carnival. Little by little, the carnival was nourished by many influences, including commemorations and traditions. Under the Knights, they began to commemorate Malta's victory over the Turks in 1565 by dancing the parata, a sword dance in which everyone is dressed as a Christian or a Turk. Today, it is mainly children who take part in the dance, but this parata is of particular importance in the history of the Maltese carnival. In 1721, the great master Marc'Antonio Zondarari added the traditional game of kukkanja (land of plenty). On Carnival Monday, the crowds gathered in the Palace Square must set off on an assault on beams tied to rope ladders and covered with tree leaves from which eggs, sausages and sometimes live animals are hung, the aim being to bring back as many provisions as possible.
Time for satire
Under the British occupation, the carnival was to become an opportunity to make fun of the settlers. And little by little, political satire became part of the carnival scene, like all carnivals taking place in countries under British rule. This was particularly the case in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Bitingly ironic floats made a point of mocking local political figures and broaching unpopular government decisions. So much so that a law passed in 1936 banned this political satire and that this ban will continue until 2013... 2014 will also see the return of another practice, the quarcilla, or wandering farce that was held during the Valletta carnival until the beginning of the 20th century. It is a parody of a wedding ceremony: a man dressed as a notary reads a marriage contract written in verse and very green language. The first one was written for the 1760 carnival by the poet P. Felic Demarco and the one for 2014 by Trevor Zahra, a Maltese writer. Performed by various actors, this parody of a wedding ceremony took to the streets of Valletta.
Variations on the carnival theme
The year 2014 saw another first, that of the twinning of the Malta Carnival with the carnival with Caribbean accents of Notting Hill in London, and as the star of this edition: Sureya John, queen of the British carnival. But now, it is organized by the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts and for a year, it is the subject of a meticulous preparation by all local associations of cities and villages of Malta. All this to arrive at a festival that takes place over 5 days in February, exactly 7 Sundays before Easter. The most important festivities take place in Valletta and in the neighboring district of Floriana, but many towns and villages also have their parades, just like the island of Gozo, which gives it a special touch. Satire always has its place but the festivities also include many other cultural activities: dance competitions, float parades and children in costume, etc. Prizes are awarded for the best artistic dances, the best costumes and the best floats and masks. In Valletta, the festivities begin in George's Square with a dance competition. There will also be DJ performances in Triton Square, which will be broadcast on social networks, and the highlight is the big parade on Saturday. The floats leave from Castille Square and then pass through the Granaries, Floriana, and later circulate on some emblematic places like Great Siege Road, Merchants Street, Archbishop Street, Republic Street and City Gate. As a climax, there will be a great masked ball and a fireworks display, shot from the Marsamxett harbor. If the carnival embraces the whole archipelago of its wind of madness and its festivities, the island of Gozo has given it a particular aspect. It was in 1952 that Gozo first organized its own float parades. In Victoria, the capital, the festivities take place in its main squares: It Tokk and Nadur. On this occasion, there will be performances of traditional and spontaneous Gozitan folk groups known as "L-Ghana". And if you want to opt for a more informal atmosphere, go to Nadur, another important town in Gozo, where the carnival is more macabre, more satirical and also more spontaneous, even explosive. Nothing is prepared in advance, many revelers simply gather on the squares of the city, dressed in strange and grotesque costumes most often. We are more on a Halloween atmosphere with meetings in bars where DJs officiate. Whatever the mood you want to immerse yourself in, festive but family or more frankly crazy, you will find your happiness. But there is one tradition that you absolutely must follow: tasting the Prinjolata, the pastry traditionally made at carnival time, a bell-shaped cake made of almonds and eggs and covered with meringue, chocolate and candied fruit. A must to follow the frantic rhythm of these carnivals.
