Carnival enthusiasts presenting small floats in Valletta squares and other localities to keep the spirit alive

For the first time since World War II, there will be no carnival parades, dances, confetti and merrymaking along the streets of Valletta.

Carnival as we know it has been called off due to the current pandemic but an effort is being made to keep the tradition and carnival spirit alive.

Carnival participants were invited to come up with smaller versions of their usual triumphal floats to take part in a competitive ‘artistic installations’ category or in a non-competitive ‘street installations’ category.

The six floats in competition have been put on display in various squares in Valletta and six other floats will occupy main spots in Ħamrun, Qormi, Swieqi, Marsa and Paola and at the main entrance to Mater Dei Hospital. King Carnival reigns at Freedom Square in the capital city.

The enthusiasts were glad to at least be able to take part in this special carnival edition but they admit they miss the usual grand celebrations.

“We’re feeling a big void,” Clyde Axisa said. Together with his brother Clint, he leads Landa Carnival Company, which is behind the King Carnival float.

“As soon as last year’s carnival came to an end, we had already started planning for this year’s edition. But when the committee of Festivals Malta informed us that, due to the pandemic, the carnival was taking a different format, we started working on a smaller version of King Carnival... We were happy to work on this float but it’s totally different,” he added with a tinge of sadness.

Dreamteam Carnival Company was no less affected.

“We feel saddened and demoralised. Although we are presenting our work in Valletta anyway, we wish it were a normal carnival,” helper Jeremy Mercieca noted.

Shaun Curmi, co-leader of Buffalo Carnival Company, fully agrees. He is assisted by his son, Tyrone.

“It’s a bit painful this year because we usually would be working ‘gas down’ to finish our float in time. However, they gave us this opportunity to work on these smaller floats. They will be exhibited and will be shown on TV to, at least, keep the Maltese tradition alive,” he said.

A message of hope in these difficult times

Fellow enthusiast Charlie Briffa, who runs Tal-Kaptan Carnival Company with his son Owen, explained that his team had already started planning for Carnival 2021 after last year’s edition but had to scrap all plans.

“COVID-19 emerged just days after last year’s carnival and we ended up having to cancel everything. At least, we were given this opportunity to take part in this alternative edition in a bid to create some carnival atmosphere,” he said.

For young duo Bjorn Bonnet and James Azzopardi, “it was a double blow”. They formed their own company,  ĊaqquBon, only two years ago and after winning last year’s Maskaruni competition, they were all geared up to compete in the floats sections.

“But since carnival is not being held as usual we were given a sketch to work on by the Festival Malta committee,” Bonnet said. They are taking part in the non-competitive street installations category.

The participants’ sombre mood, however, is surely not mirrored in their floats, which are as colourful and creative as ever. Most of them also aim to convey a message of hope in these difficult times.

Buffalo Carnival Company’s installation in St George’s Square cele­brates the Maltese fisherman. It is about a fisherman who is dragged to the Maltese shores by a huge lampuka (dolphin fish) and arrives just in time for carnival. The float is aptly titled ‘Minn sajda tradizzjonali, qbadna lampuka fenomenali’.

Sunday being Valentine’s Day, Tal-Kaptan Carnival Company decided to present a Valentine’s Day card featuring a masked Cupid, the god of love, shooting arrows and spreading love. Titled Għall-karnival ġejna bil-kartolina f’idejna, the float is also on show in St George’s Square.

The ĊaqquBon team created an environment-themed installation based on a sketch by Lisa Kähler. On display in Paola Square and titled O2, it highlights the importance of trees and a pollution-free environment, where flowers and mushrooms grow in abundance and where humans and animals can roam freely and safely.

The floats of both the Landa and Dreamteam companies take aim at the pandemic. Landa’s King Carnival float, ‘Fil-pandemija armajt, rasi ’l isfel spiċċajt’, reflects the way the world has turned upside down due to the pandemic. It features a topsy-turvy King Carnival, fortifications representing carnival and Valletta, and a large sphere, half of which represents the world and the other half representing a coronavirus particle.

Dreamteam’s float, also on display in St George’s Square, merged the pandemic theme with the stories of St Paul’s Shipwreck and the Santa Maria Convoy in World War II. It tells how a group of pirates shipwrecked at the Grand Harbour and brought to Malta not only a stash of money and jewels but also the richest treasure of them all: the COVID-19 vaccine! It is humorously named ‘X’ferħa ħadu l-Maltin meta l-pirati daħlu bil-vaċċin’.

The special edition of Carnival 2021 is being held between today and Tuesday. Besides the installations, a costume exhibition is being held at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta. For more information, visit www.festivals.mt/karnival.