A photo showing young people covered in blue body paint during Żabbar’s traditional festa is in the running to be named one of the year’s best folklore photographs from across the globe.
The photo was taken by Antonella Vella and named the winner of the Malta edition of the Wiki Loves Folklore, the international photography contest.
It will now be in contention to win the global edition of that photo contest, held annually by volunteers contributing to Wikimedia Commons, a sister project of Wikipedia and which is overseen locally by the NGO Wikimedia Community Malta.
Vellai’s photo will be joined in the global competition by another nine taken in Malta, which together made up the Malta finalists.
Other local finalist photos also included scenes depicting celebrations and crafts such as basket weaving, fishing, and breadmaking, one photo showing the traditional Ġostra greased pole game, another showed the age-old method of sea salt production in Gozo while another depicts an ingenious way of picking prickly pears.
Photo: Kikku33, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
The other photos that made the final 10. Scroll right to see more. Photo: Noport, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Bellina 09, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Jonathan Borg Zigli, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Kikku33, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Agustinagava, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Tranceliner, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo:StudioSelinous, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Renata Apan, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
Wiki Loves Folklore is an international photography contest that focuses on the folk culture, traditions, and intangible cultural heritage of different countries. Photos can capture folk games, folk wear, traditional song and dance, customs, and religion, among other such topics.
It is one of various photo competitions organised by the NGO. Others include Wiki Loves Earth, focused on natural natural heritage sites and creatures, and Wiki Loves Monuments.
A total of 412 images were submitted to Wiki Loves Folklore 2024 in Malta. Participants in 131 countries amounted to 1,819, out of which 21 submitted images of folk life in Malta.
As the overall winner, Vella won €200 worth of photographic equipment from PhotoCity in Valletta. While only 10 local photos won prizes for the 2024 edition of Wiki Loves Folklore in Malta, all participants get the chance of bagging $400 (€374) as first prize for the international competition.
International results will be declared by July on the Wiki Loves Folklore 2024 page.