Ritual, Play and Identity: Changing Patterns of Celebration in Maltese Villages1

The fluorescence of celebrations in contemporary society is truly striking…throughout both the industrialized and developing nations, new celebrations are being created and older ones revived on a scale that is surely unmatched in human history (:4).

There has been a remarkable increase in certain Maltese celebrations during the past three decades. While some parish processions have declined or disappeared, the celebration of Holy Week and of parish and, especially, neighbourhood patron saints have grown.

The decline of traditional liturgical processions is due to rival leisure activities and the disappearance of the confraternities which used to organize them. The growth of religious celebrations involving custumes, theatre, bands and fireworks is more complex. The expansion of tourism alone does not account for this, since many of the expanded celebrations are closed to outsiders. The causes lie in the profound changes in village life since 1960.

Rising prosperity and materialism, the influx of outsiders and intense political factionalism have reduced the intensity of interaction between neighbours. People who grew up together in poverty but are now separated by prosperity wish to celebrate their mutual bonds, their common identity. They do this by playing, demonstrating and celebrating together.

Remigration, unemployment, tourism, the declining power of the Church and political developments favouring popular culture have provided conditions which facilitated this revitalization.