MaltaMedia.com

The National Museum of Ethnography, within Heritage Malta, and the Vittoriosa Local Council are organising a unique festival of traditional Maltese games on Sunday 15th November 2009 between 13:00 and 18:00hrs CET.

Held on the streets of Vittoriosa and within the Inquisitor’s Palace, this festival aims to engage children and parents alike in the revival of games that for decades enlivened the streets of the islands’ towns and villages.

As is the case with other forms of intangible heritage, traditional games risk being forgotten by younger generations who no longer have the opportunity to play them. This festival therefore intends to present games as an integral part of Maltese cultural identity that should not only be preserved but also actively promoted.

During the launch of the event, the Hon Chris Said, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Dialogue and Information praised the collaborative efforts between Heritage Malta and Vittoriosa’s Local Council and stated that one of the aims of the Local Council Reform is for localities to protect their heritage resources.

This activity which is benefiting from the Parliamentary Secretariat’s scheme for events within localities is opening a window on our past and simultaneously is allowing children to discover a world they are barely aware of, stated Chris Said.

Those attending will have the opportunity to try their skill at Passju and test the precision of their aim at Boċċi and Ballun Stop. They may choose to chase a rival team in Gwerra Franċiża, do their best to grab a handkerchief before their opponent during il-Logħba tal-Maktur, try their utmost not to be caught in Ħarba or sprint after the bee in Iż-Żunżana Ddur Iddur.

Those who prefer something less physically demanding may opt for Ħaġa Moħġaġa or Bum Bum il-Bieb, while others may decide to attend a kite-making workshop and fly their self-made manoċċa, as it is known in Żejtun, off St. John’s Cavalier.

The great majority of games mentioned above were at the height of their popularity during the British period when many families were unable to afford the luxury of toys and the streets were still generally traffic-free. Children therefore created their own diversions making use of whatever means were available to them. Balls, used to play Ballun Stop and Iż-Żunżana Ddur Iddur, were often made out of rags, while pebbles or small stones were used to mark the numbers in Passju. Kite flying was also a well-liked pastime since kites were very cheap to make and only required paper, cane, glue paste and thread, all easily available materials.

Particular games also mirrored the socio-political context of the time and represented what was expected from children in their future as adults. Children however, were not the only ones in need of diversion; men looked forward to a game of Boċċi with their friends after a week’s work. Boċċi, whose origins probably go back to Hospitaller times, involves getting closest to the likk and preventing opponents from doing so.

Those attending the festival will, moreover, have the possibility of presenting any pre-1980 toys in their possession as donations to the national collection. They will in turn be awarded an official receipt by the curatorial team at the Inquisitor’s Palace. Visitors at the Museum will also be able to see a temporary exhibition of altar and church models. Such miniatures were for generations popular toys for boys and adults alike.

All those participating at this festival will be presented with a colourful publication detailing each traditional game and the way it used to be played.