Jean-Paul Bonett lived for the Ħamrun feast and for carnival, so it was particularly tragic when he died while working on a float last summer.
Better known as ‘iċ-Chippy’ among family and friends, the 45-year-old was electrocuted as he put the finishing touches to a display for the summer carnival in August.
Now his carnival company has decided to pay tribute to him in the best possible way: by creating a float dedicated to him.
The float, aptly titled Għext għall-festa u l-karnival (I lived for the feast and the carnival), features effigies of Mr Bonett taking part in the activities he loved.
In one, he is dressed as a statue bearer, accompanied by two altar boys, with the belfry of the parish church of his hometown, Ħamrun, representing his commitment to the feast of St Cajetan.
Iċ-Chippy used to tell me that should anything ever happen to him, I should replace him with my son Tyrone
It also includes some fruit, representing the feast of Mnajra, and a traditional Maltese boat representing the regatta, which iċ-Chippy would annually attend.
At the back of the float is another effigy of Mr Bonett dressed as a knight, the carnival symbol he loved most.
“It’s the best tribute we could give him,” Sean Curmi, who co-led Buffalo and Co. Carnival Company together with Mr Bonett, said at their warehouse and workshop in Xatt il-Mollijiet, Marsa.
Mr Curmi admits that, at first, he did not want to take part in this year’s festivities and thought about quitting carnival forever after the death of his best friend and former Progress Press colleague.
“We would always hang out together… everywhere. Probably I used to spend more time with him than with my wife!” Mr Curmi said.
But through the support of Jason Busuttil, the artistic director of Festivals Malta, and his fellow helpers, he plucked up the courage to set foot in the warehouse again.
He then changed the theme of the company’s float to honour his friend but decided not to enter it in the competition: “It did not seem right… you cannot compete using your friend’s image.”
Mr Curmi misses his friend’s company and workmanship but said that in the wake of his death, many new helpers have joined the company.
“We’ve managed to assemble a good team,” he said.
Mr Curmi also had to find a new co-leader but that wasn’t a difficult choice.
“Iċ-Chippy used to tell me that should anything ever happen to him, I should replace him with my son Tyrone and that is what I did,” Mr Curmi said with a smile.
Now the company is looking forward to Friday, when the carnival celebrations start, and Sunday morning, when their triumphal float will make its grand entry in Ħamrun.
Mr Curmi finds solace in the thought that although iċ-Chippy will not be beside him during the colourful défiles this year, he will be with him in spirit.