So what do we get up to in January, after celebrating nearly for a whole month in December? Well, there is a lot to do with Valentine’s Day round the corner, together with Carnival and Easter coming so early this year! Just as we detoxify from our Christmas ‘spirit’, more festivities are on their way. I get the feeling that something grand is up for the weekend of the 13th and 14th of February, as the hotel will be in a party mood with 2 special events on both nights.
The 12-16th February sees the official Carnival celebrations of Malta taking place. A great atmosphere will be awaiting the crowds in the Valletta / Floriana area with the main activities falling on the last days. The rest of the island sees many other parties taking place and also smaller more local Carnival events in village cores. These festivities, in various forms, have taken place since Grandmaster Piero de Ponte introduced them in 1534.
Today the elements making up our Carnival include dancing, colourful floats, public games and food. Traditional dances include the parata, which is a light-hearted re-enactment of the 1565 victory of the Knights over the Turks, and an 18th century court dance known as il-Maltija.
Grand Master Marc' Antonio Zondadari introduced the game of kukkanja (cockaigne) to carnival in 1721: on a given signal, the crowd assembled in Palace Square converged on a collection of hams, sausages and live animals hidden beneath leafy branches outside the guard house. The provisions became the property of those who, having seized them, were able to carry them off. This game carries on till today but is less carnal as in the past!
Popular Carnival food includes: perlini (multi-coloured, sugar-coated almonds) and the very colourful prinjolata, which is a towering assembly of sponge cake, biscuits, almonds and citrus fruits, topped up with cream and pine nuts.
Another work of art and beauty are the colourful floats that are built for the occasion out of papier-mâché and wooden frames. Groups of youths (or the young at heart) form companies on voluntary bases to create these moving floats that snake their way around Floriana and Valletta in a grand parade with bands and dancers along the way. They all enter a national competition and thus the rivalry can also be seen in the fun.
For those lucky ones who will be in Malta this weekend, make sure not to miss the Citta’ Magica activities in Valletta on Saturday. Valletta will be a hive of activities of all sorts, from noon till Midnight. (See Visitmalta's list of events)
Our plate is also full, so be sure you make the most of our specials and get your self down for some modest fun! I leave you with my ‘food for thought’ on the year ahead. Do not miss any opportunity that comes your way, or as once said: ‘When you come to a fork in the road, take it’.
Adieu,
Ale x
No comments:
Post a Comment