Tradition, religion, agriculture, food and folk music come together in one of Malta’s most historic and best loved feasts on 29th June. And it’s even a public holiday.
The 29th of June is a red letter day in the Maltese calendar, for many reasons. For children it generally marks the end of the school year and the start of their three-month long summer holidays. For workers, it’s one of the 14 public and national holidays and, with it falling on a Friday this year, you can well imagine how much we’re looking forward to it!
For the residents of Nadur, in Gozo, it’s the long-awaited feast of their parish patron saints of St Peter and St Paul. And as befitting two such important personages of the Catholic faith, especially one who was a past visitor to the islands, the Nadur festa is celebrated with the appropriate pomp and circumstance punctuated by fireworks galore.
But for the agricultural community and the rest of us, Mnarja is a centuries-old feast which was already celebrated as a national holiday even in the days of the Knights of St John’s rule, a harvest festival of sorts.
Traditionally, Mnarja was so important to the Maltese that a groom had to promise to take his bride to the feast within the first year of their marriage. And, for good luck, many brides would turn up in their wedding dress and veil.
The word Mnarja is derived from the Italian Luminaria (illumination) with reference to the torches and bonfires that traditionally would light up feasts and celebrations.
Just as it did back in the 16th century, Mnarja kicks off with the reading of the bandu, an official announcement spelling out the rules for the equine races which are one of the most iconic feature of the festivities.This year, the bandu was read on Saturday 23rd June at 11:30am in Mdina, outside the local council’s office. Re-enactors in medieval costume accompanied by the Attard scout group and several horses and donkeys led by hand walked out of Mdina, through the streets of Rabat ending outside St Paul’s niche on Saqqajja Hill, where the elaborately brocaded banners (Palji) which will be awarded to the race winners are blessed.
Mnarja used to be celebrated outside St Paul’s Grotto in Rabat, which is believed to have been the saint’s residence during his stay in Malta in AD60. By 1613, the festivities had moved to the Cathedral in Mdina and featured “torchlight processions, the firing of 100 petards, horse races and races for men, boys and slaves.” Later Mnarja moved to Buskett, a woodland outside Rabat that used to be the hunting grounds of the Knights of St John, and has remained there ever since.
The horse races through the country roads from Rabat towards Siggiewi are said to pre-date the Knights. Such races were a common feature of many feasts around Malta, and the Knights encouraged such events as a means of entertainment and distraction from an otherwise rather monotonous lifestyle.
L-Imnarja 2017 - Horse Races from Steve Zammit Lupi on Vimeo.
A grandstand was built in 1696 on the aptly named Racecourse Street from which the Grand Master could follow the races in style. The stone arched loggia was designed by Lorenzo Gafa and constructed by master builder Salvu Borg of Siggiewi, and replaced an earlier timber structure that was regularly damaged by high winds. The loggia still stands today and an inscription inside it marks its inauguration. The race winners would be presented with their palji at this grandstand and, in turn, they would donate their winning banner to their parish church to be draped over the altar.
Mnarja eventually evolved into an agricultural show, and the first such show was held on 29th June 1854 on the initiative of then governor of Malta Sir William Reid, who felt that the Mnarja celebrations needed a new lease of life. The governor was so eager to make this a success that he personally offered £50 in prize money. Farmers were encouraged to show off their produce and their animals as well as exchange ideas and learn new farming techniques. And that has pretty much remained the ethos of the show till this day.
When it comes to food (for what is a Maltese celebration without food) there is one dish in particular that is forever associated with Mnarja: rabbit. Under the Knights, the Maltese were only allowed to hunt and eat wild rabbit on one day every year, Mnarja, as otherwise such pleasure was exclusively reserved for the Knights. Rabbit stew (fenkata) has remained the dish of the day ever since.
The main celebrations take place on the eve of the feast, starting with a procession of beautifully decorated horse-drawn carts and carriages from Rabat to Buskett followed by a giant picnic under the stars accompanied by traditional folk singing and dancing till late.
After a sunrise Mass at Buskett on the morning of the 29th of June and the blessing of the livestock, the judges get down to the business of choosing the best-in-show. Prizes are awarded at noon by the President of Malta.
The traditional horse races start at around 3pm featuring some 100 horses competing in 30 races. There are three different categories of races: bare back, serkin (harness) and trot. Secure a place at the finish line near Saqqajja Hill for the best vantage point.
Bonus: Verdala Palace opens to the public
Visitors to Mnarja this year are in for a special treat. Verdala Palace, the President's official summer residence, will be open to the public for the first time ever on 29th June. Built in 1586 during the reign of Grandmaster Hugues Loubenx de Verdalle on the site of a former hunting lodge, Verdala dominates the skyline of Buskett. It was designed by Girolamo Cassar, architect and resident military engineer of the Order of St John who took over the construction of Valletta from Francesco Laparelli and was responsible for designing the Grandmaster's Palace, St John's Co-Cathedral and several auberges in the "new" city.
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Full programme:
Thursday 28th June
5:30pm - midnight, Buskett, Rabat: the agricultural show opens.
6:30pm: Procession of decorated horse-drawn carts start at Buskett Road, Rabat (near Ta’ Klaric Restaurant) and proceeds towards Buskett arriving at around 7:15pm.
7:45pm, Buskett: Entertainment programme featuring traditional folk singing and folk dancing begins.
Friday 29th June
6:30am, Buskett: Holy Mass on the main stage.
8am, Buskett: Blessing of livestock and start of livestock and equine judging. Folk singing continues throughout the morning.
12pm: Presentation of prizes by the President of Malta. Show of agricultural produce closes.
3pm, Racecourse Street, Rabat to Siggiewi Road: start of horse races.