Xaghra Parish » Gallery » 2008 » 17 AUG 08 FESTA YOUTH GAMES
17 AUG 08 XAGHRA YOUTH GAMES Xaghra, on the island of Gozo, is associated not just with natural beauty but also with prehistory and later ages. Nature regaled it with the islandstrade; most beautiful bay, the golden sandy Ramla, Calypso Cave, stalactite and stalagmite caves and ridges overlooking fertile green valleys. Prehistoric man later left his mark as witnessed by the world renowned Ggantija Temples (considered to be the oldest free standing structures in the world #339; Guinness Book of Records), the Xaghra Circle, the Gebla tatrade; Sansuna, the remains of the temples of Santa Verna, all bear witness to this. In later years, circa 750 and 650 BC, the Greek epic poet Homer found space in his adventures of the Greek hero, Odysseus, by shipwrecking him on the beach of Xaghratrade;s Ramla bay. All this and other historical events form the basis of the Xaghra Youth Games organized by the Xaghra Youth Centre. This is an annual event preceding the village feast dedicated to the Birth of The Virgin Mary also known as the Feast of Our Lady of Victory. The games depict Xaghra through the ages. Four teams take part in the games each carrying a name associated with different phases in the history of Xaghra. Each team is made up of twelve lads and two from the fairer sex. The four teams are #339; Giganti, Odissini, Sansuniti and SanVernini. They respectively depict the building of the Ggantija temples, the shipwreck of Ulysses on the sandy beach of Ramla and his nine year stay in Calypso Cave, the mysterious rock of the giantess Sansuna and finally the Neolithic remains of Santa Verna. Canon Fr Anthony Refalo, director of the Xaghra Youth Centre was the brains behind these games. Joe Louis Xiberras was again in charge of presenting and compeering the games. Two Maltese judges, had the unenviable task awarded the right points to the right team, a job sometimes not always easy especially when losers have their own and their friendstrade; conflicting judgements. But in the end the judges have their say. This yeartrade;s winners were the Sanvernini with 30 points followed by Sansuniti 26, Odissini 17, with wooden spoonists Giganti garnering just 13 points. Game 1 BUILDING GGANTIJA TEMPLES In this first game the teams compete to build Ggantija, Neolithic temples older than the Pyramids of Egypt built around the year 3500 B.C. Two lads pull pellets with a boulder on them held by two girls while another lad places rollers under the pellet. A lad carrying a boulder on his back follows. Four competitors are next to carry another boulder. Two others push another boulder using long wooden sticks. In the end a dolmen is carried to complete the temple and a lady priest lights the torch in sacrifice. Winner is the team who succeeds in building his temple in the shortest time. Game 2 ODISSEA In Greek mythology, the great Greek writer, Homer, writes about Ulysses and how he was shipwrecked on the island of Ogygia (Gozo?) on a sandy beach with a cave overlooking it and vines hanging down the cliffs. This description fits well with Ramla Bay on the outskirts of Xaghra with Calypso Cave overlooking it. The Goddess Calypso who lived in this cave fell in love with the strong and courageous sailor and held him for nine long years as her prisoner of love. Ulyssestrade; voyages were full of mishaps and obstacles. In this game, the teams run in boats with sails while opposing teams put obstacles in their way. The first team in deserves the love of Calypso and wins the game. Game 3 RELEASE FROM CAPTIVITY Being in the middle of the Mediterranean, the Maltese islands stood within easy reach of pirates who used to disembark from their galleys, plundering villages and taking away men, women and children as slaves. Gozitans used to ransom them from North African slave markets giving them back their freedom. In this third game an abducted farmer prays to God and the Madonna, known as Maria Bambina, for his release. Through the lattertrade;s intervention, he obtained his freedom and kept his promise by installing a statue of the Madonna at his home. In this game, a competitor from each team overcomes four enemy guards and ends up hurling stones at the Sultan. Having succeeded he returns to the starting point from where a girl (the slave) is carried shoulder high to the finishing line. Game 4 THE GREAT SIEGE OF 1565 In May 1565, an armada of the great Ottoman Empire, eager to set foothold on Malta, came to our shores and so started the Great Siege of Malta. Under the command of Grand Master Jean Parisot de La Valette the locals and the knights, outnumbered ten to one, fought bravely. For five long months the siege went on, one fortification after another falling into the hands of the enemy. When it looked like the islands were on the brink of surrendering, victory came their way and on the 7th September the Turks, beaten and in disarray, retreated to their galleys. On the 8th of September, feast of the Birth of the Virgin Mary, the armada disappeared over the horizon and the first Great Siege of Malta was over. The tower represents Fort St Elmo which was taken over by the Turks after a long and fierce attack. These attacks are re-enacted in this fourth game when competitors climb up the fortifications while opposing lads shower them with balloons filled with water on their way up. Game 5 THE FRENCH OCCUPATION On 10th June 1798, French troops landed in Malta with the aim of annexing the islands to the French Republic. The Knights of Malta capitulated to the French, under the command of the great General Napoleon Bonaparte. On 17th June the Knights left Malta which therefore became French property. Contrary to their promises the French started pilfering the churches of all silver objects. The silver titular statue of the Bambina in the Xaghra Parish Church met this fate and was carried away on board one of the French ships. In this fifth game, two competitors carry a votive candle to the altar. The third man climbs up the side of a French galleon while French sailors pour buckets of water on him in the process. Once on board he climbs up a pole, which is difficult to do as his hands would be all wet. If he succeeds to reach the top, he will take down the French flag. This is a re enactment of the episode when the French were compelled to retreat from the tower they were occupying in Xaghra and which one of their first retreats leading to the end of French rule in Malta lasting only for two years. Game 6 TRADITIONAL HORSE RACING. On festa day, it is a tradition to hold horse races, but in years gone by men competed in races. These are held on a day very near to the village feast, this year on the 5th September, on the main road to Victoria. In this game one follows the competitors racing in relays. The first team in will be declared the winner and receiving the traditional �€Å“palju�€. Game 7 FEAST OF OUR LADY OF VICTORY On the 8th of September each year, Xaghra celebrates the titular feast dedicated to the Birth of the Virgin Mary. The day is a public holiday with strong historical ties. It is known also as Our Lady of Victory as Maltatrade;s two great Sieges in 1565 and during the Second World War both ended exactly on this day after the population had been praying earnestly to the Virgin Mary. This game depicts the villagers putting up the street decorations, kindling the lights on the Church façade and ending with the best decorated cart for the festa. Each cart will be carrying items in daily use. Game 8 TUG OF WAR Many years ago, on the eve of the feast, bonfires used to light the sky on the outskirts of the village. The winner of the tug of war will have the honour to light this bonfire.
Rating 4.0 (4 votes)
