Nadur carnival, quo vadis?

Joseph A Borg - Yes, vulgar and offensive is fun indeed! I wonder how you would react if anyone tries mimicking as the corpse of your dead mother (specifically of course).

ray sacco - You said it, "don't taste it". However, the carnival is public, and all offensive material should be removed, so everyone can enjoy the carnival without other people making it damn stupidly offensive for others to join.

Carmel Cilia - Here's why. You know what happens if you touch any stone of my house for Carnival reasons? You wouldn't want to know.

Pule' Carmel - Sweeping statements like yours is what made life difficult for others.

G. Agius - Because the guy is out shouting "look at me, I'm Christ in the nude"?

Now when the next Isle of MTV comes we tell the bands to censor their lyrics!! halli vera noruwom x'ahna. PAJJIZ TAL MICKEY MOUSE!!!!!!!

Ask the people of Nadur how they feel about being robbed of their traditional carnival. I already have and they hate it.

The intolerant ones are those who want to press their rubbish and mockery of what other people hold dear.

I dedicate Masini's repertoire to you guys.

In all honesty though, how are the police going to arrest someone dressed up as jesus if this guy would be just wearing a white robe? as far as I know, it is not illegal in this forsaken country to don a white robe, sandals and keep your hair and beard long, no?

Human behaviour can be explained. Someone who feels unsuccessful, say, at his place of work, or at school, would balance failure by joining other lower/higher groups and aiming for voluntary behaviour as joining as secretary/cashier of a club or any group of graded clowns where acting the fool does bring attention, which is a form of success to some minds. I knew of men and women whose behaviour in high society was so artificial that they thought that conceiving children was a five minute mating procedure, yet retaining their clowning life. It is not. Behind a clowning activity there are reasons, very serious reasons which surface once you get to know the people.
In some women and men, putting a lot of weight on careers, infertility causes them to seek success in an interesting manner, and though they sometimes join management positions to prove their success, the manner in which they air their authority, includes a little clowning, in the choice of hairstyles and attire worn. I see this in educational circles and even in courts! AnyCarnival is part of our life, it is a continuation of our normal life, and it is only normalClowning with fewer restrictions; to some!

If I am right and I am always subject to correction in a maltese carnival it is not only religious contests that are illigal but also political mymics. Why? nobody knows. Our politicians are above any other citizen with Honourable and excellencies right and left centre. The people should say enough is enough and this island should take itself off the middle ages at once.

@george camilleri:
who decides what's sacred and what is not? should we stop slaughtering cows because they are sacred to hindus? who decides what's bad taste and what is not? what's bad taste for you is not for me and if you find bad taste in something, just don't taste it!

As Nadur kickoff it's Carnival with the outdoor activities, it sure does know how to put on a show. Regardless of what anyone says about Nadur, at least we know how to have fun. As always, Nadurin should be proud and if other gozitans and maltese want to join us, they are always welcome. Keep it clean.

1984!!

If musicans cannot sing what they create, actors cannot perform their plays, young editors not let pushing the boundaries...im asking myself what's next??

is this malta in 2010, trying to show an image of a smart island?? it's more like an island afraid of change and trying to keep away from any form of freedom of expression on the grounds of being immoral?? all of you who find these immoral, just close your internet connection then and your tv, dont buy any books and do not travel. Pathetic lot, and then wonder how come many skilled maltese leave the island and we face a brain drain. grow up, and stop whining.

@ JFormosa and Peter Paul Portell

I remember quite a few years ago when I went to Nadur Carnival for the first time and I was still a child myself, I remember a parade truck with dead rabbit heads all around and live rabbits being killed on the truck. This was in representation of an obvious political figure who was very active at the time. Is this the "clean" Nadur carnival you are talking about??

Let's admit that the Nadur Carnival was always a free-for-all, spontaneous carnival, unregulated and unorganised, and this was its attraction. Remove that, and it will be just be like the rest, and the people with their money will go somewhere else.

Carnival is meant to be vulgar and offensive. Satire gets its bite from being offensive. Carnival is meant to represent the people warts and all.

Why can't we make fun of our politicians be they in government or in opposition ?

Joseph Calleja - 1. I don't get compensation for people damaging my property (nor openly insulting me for the matter).
2. I don't get a cent off any carnival partecipants (including any Maltese coming over from Malta).
3. The carnival in Nadur is not organized, there are no "thousands" spent into it at all.
4. I doubt whether the Maltese are capable to get a working replica of the [Nadur] carnival, since they come here for the obvious lack of regulations which in Malta [according to them] spoils all the fun of carnival.
5. I don't care one bit as to who participates in the carnival.

A.Borg - Imitation is an attempt. Anyone may try to do it, but fail, bringing him/herself and the original person to ridicule.
People have the right to make fun of themselves but not of others which haven't asked for it.

John Azzopardi - You should give a look to the picture on this page:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100207/local/police-to-vet-nadur-carnival-song-lyrics

lol @ C.Zarb's comment
Good one mate

To bands playing at the Nadur Carnival:

Play all songs as instrumental (without words) and submit a blank sheet to the local council and police. Wear a sign saying "The sound of free speech".

I cannot understand all this hype around this issue....if police and local councils really what to stop offensive language and indecent dressing up, we would end up with no TV/Cinema/Radio to watch or listen to....if one skims through TV adverts (or even magazine adverts) or programs one is bound to find someone half naked (if not completely!), using foul language, killing someone....so what? are we such dumb idiots that we need to ban everthing so as not be influenced or offended by such things? John Bundy was wrong when he sang we're a 'Pajjiz tal-Mickey Mouse' - we've become MUCH WORSE!

PS: I personally find more offensive and repulsive public figures talking in favour of abortion, rather than somone dressep up at Jesus - but no one stops these from claiming their opinions and instead we pick on everything else!

@ all Maltese crossing over - don't you realise that we're not wanted in Nadur. Just look at the comments of Peter Paul Portelli, Gordon J grech and others. They want it back to what it used to be (without the Maltese). I suppose they believe we're a bad influence on their youngsters. We are the bad ones. Just stay away.

Dear Gozitan friends, dont let the maltese foreigners ruin your much appreciated Carnival atmosphere. These Maltese marmalji who cross to Gozo so that their Maltese counterparts will not see them making a mess of themselves and playing the fools in the sister island. So yes, there has to be constant police surveillance.

Then avoid the Nadur Carnival and next year round the authorities would think diffferently!

@C. Zarb

What is this mentality. What has whatever Gonzi to do with the Nadur carnival. Aren't we capable of distinguishing between the responsibilities of the P.M. and the running of the daily routines? This festivity is organised by the Nadur council, and the police are responsible for law and order. Irrespective of whether the decision is right or wrong, personally I don't agree, at no point in time has the executive to get involved. Lets us not go back to the 70's and the 80's.

It's been over 10 years since I last visited the Nadur carnival, and I was amazed. It couldn't be more different from the fluorescent, highly choreographed displays of other localities. Costumes were dark, macabre - but often highly imaginative. The "floats" consisted of old banged-up cars transformed with some spray paint into anything from an ambulance to a hearse. There were rock bands performing (with unapproved lyrics). I don't particularly remember any nun costumes but if there were, I wouldn't have been surprised. I considered it a cultural experience unlike any other I've witnessed in Malta. I felt like I had travelled to a different, exotic country.

Now the authorities have decided to bring it under control, place it in a straitjacket, restrict its movements with shackles. Such spontaneous activities cannot be choreographed or restricted in this way. Unless the authorities back off now, it will be the end of Nadur's carnival as something different and worth experiencing. It will become just another place with colourful floats, prepared dance routines and music piped in through loudspeakers.

Please give Nadur carnival some air, it's suffocating.

Anthony Mizzi!! That is a great idea!! would be hilarious! :)

@ Mr Camilleri. If that's the case, then I hope that we don't end up with Gozo's brochures spamming in our letter box. We had already more then we asked for it.

BTW if the Gozitans are so morally correct then why they don't plead Govanna to set up an open center in the eco island? I am sure that the Gozitan church will offer the property needed for such a noble act. Lets face it Malta is already carrying its fair share so a bit of help from Gozo won't be refused. In that way, their Christianity will be put to real practice, rather then just relegated to just costumes.

@William Attard McCarthy - i like your reasoning and agree 100% with you!

@C.ZARB - lol

Carnival is supposed to be (and used to be) funny. Can't see anything funny in impersonating Christ.

@JFormosa, George Camilleri, Gordon J Grech etc - Nadur Carnival is simply progressing, getting modern and moving on with the times. It is so easy to sound and look modern and open minded nowadays - all you need to do is to insult and ridicule the Catholic Faith, its spiritual leaders and the faithful.

Next in line is the "morality police" ; just like Iran!

revelers should all dress up as Dionysus…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dionysus#Suggested_parallels_with_Christianity

I'm surprised they didn't arrest the women in the picture for baring their thighs.

Welcome to the People's Democratic Republic of Kor... sorry, Malta - the country where public expression needs police pre-approval. Incredible. Astounding. Shocking. I needed to check the calendar to confirm it's not 7 February 1810.

G. Attard
The authorities and the Church should back off and let people express themselves the way they wish.

mux izzeblah ir religjon habib....dak mandux xjaqsam mal karnival!!

The best way for Nadur to retain its Carnival is to restore good taste. Ridiculing what is sacred is bad taste. People who dress up as sacred figures to try to ridicule them are indeed either desperate for attention or intent to offend. In both cases, poor fare for carnival!

Gozitans will not mind losing custom from people of bad taste. Far from it. In fact, go ahead, and good riddance!

Sometimes I find it hard to understand which Gonzi is truly leading our nation.

Why not invite over Marco Massini and all join in , and dedicate his chart topping all time hit "Va a quel posto....... to the repressive forces on the island.

Will the police be asking the bands participating in the Isle of MTV for their lyrics too, just in case they have something offensive or vulgar?

Pitiful!

This should not be a question of having a right or not having a right, because everyone can simply dress as they wish. However some people forgot what the word "respect" stands for.

@Pat Muscat, you call conservative unbearable, I love it

Nadur spontaneous carnival has lost its soul. It has mutated in something so horrendous vis-a-vis its originality and spontaneity that it is no longer recognisable. It has been transformed into a normal street party in costume....it no longer deserves to be called Nadur Carnival.

I think the Nadurin should get together, discuss with whoever studied this cultural event, debate with the staunch Nadur carnival enthusiasts and decide where to go from now......but I really fear that the metamorphosis is now irreversible...

At least let's not repeat what happened in Nadur with the other remining traditional spontaneous carnival in Malta. (obviously I will not disclose the location)

let us all work to bring 'carnival' to Nadur the way it used to be a few years back. nowadays it is simply a street party where the attitude 'free for all' reigns high. This is not what we used to enjoy so much and without having to ridicule others' values and morals. we used to have a good laugh during our carnival and this without the need to hurt nobody.... unfortunately not any more. the way it is now we cannot even allow children to be on the streets for them to keep the tradition going.... and please dont anyone tell us not to bring the children.... this is their village... this is where they live... if any one wants to be vulgur let him/her stay inside and do as they please.

Unless anyone has ever met Jesus, how can one say we're imitating Him?

Funny how in the 21 century, Malta regards the act of rape as an immoral act and not as a criminal act but offending the church is?

What i would like to know is how wearing white sheets impersonates Jesus Christ...

If the town of Nadur does not appreciate the thousands of euros being spent in their city during the carnival week, then maybe it's time to move the celebration on to another location. If the city of Nadur don't want to sponsor the carnival festivities, then they should say so. The name carnival is what it is. Either way, no crime has been committed yet, so why the early censorship and threats by the police?

...well, I am Roman Catholic and yes I guess would be offended if I see someone mock Jesus...but that does NOT give me the right to stop him/her from doing so. If I'm offended, I'll simply look the other way...everyone has their Constitutional Rights and forgive me if I'm wrong, but I guess Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression are two of those rights.

All of you who are commenting, you dont know exactly how Nadur Carnival used to be till some years ago. Lot of people used to go out parading in the main streets of Nadur wearing of some old woman looking behind her to see who s looking at her (konca) and old man acting in the street. That's what called carnival and no one used to hurt other people's feelings. Nowadays you can only see drunked and drugged people with the majority of them ladies , wearing nothing but a bra .

Brian Farrugia, Robert Agius -
Look at the picture above. Do you see anyone faking jesus?
Yet it is still lively.

Can't you just have fun without messing it up for others?
Or am I just talking to walking walls?

This is what happens when there is no seperation between the State and the Church. The State (under the Nationalists) becomes unbearable and conservative and the Big Government orders you what to write,controls your relationship with your loved one, and yes, orders you when to joke, what to dress and what to sing! This is not the Movement of Progressivi u Moderati; this is the Conservative PN Party!

Do we need to be vulgar and base to have fun? Is spontaneous vulgarity and obscenity something which is to be cherished and put on a pedestal?

You can put on those horrible satanic horror masks but wear anything Christian and you are in trouble.Confusing.

Is it possible to dress up as Brian (as in life of Brian - Monthy Python) or would one get arrested?

Is it just me or anyone thinks Malta has become a police state?

Xerri

I agree 100%.

@G.Attard

The only way to pass the message through is to boycott the event and Gozo during Carnical. It is only then that the GTA and Business association will panic because their cash flow statement will be in the red. I am sure they will then convince the talibans that ordered this (in modern day Malta?) to back off.

Vote with your money - if you go, you're basically passing the message that next year you will also have to send a formal request to the council and police force on what you will be wearing for carnical for approval.

Cancel flat/hotel/etc bookings and state the reason why you are doing so. So the message gets through.

prevention is better than cure.
To be 'original' or spontanious there,s no need to be vulgar or offensive

why can't we have fun without hurting anybody's sentiments. dressing up as Christ is not enjoying carnival, it is making fun of the Catholic religion. Let us leave the image of Christ where it's place is, in our hearts and minds and in our churches . certainly not parading the streets of Nadur.

One does not have to be obscene or to offend people to have fun .

The authorities and the Church should back off and let people express themselves the way they wish.