This year COVID has deprived us of all public gatherings, including the celebration of the feast I always look forward to so much - L-IMNARJA. This is a distortion of the word 'Illuminaria' because the Mdina cathedral and surroundings were traditionally illuminated with an impressive number of candles and fjakkoli on the eve of the feast.
Postcard - Verdala Palace and Boschetto, Apel.
This celebration usually started on the 28th of June, when people gathered in the gardens of Buskett, the little forestation created by the Grandmasters of the Order of St John. There they sang the night away, feasting on rabbit and drinking wine. This is one of the occasions when folk singing known as għana can still be heard to the accompaniment of guitars.
As from 1857, through the initiative of Governor William Reid, the festivity also came to be associated with an exhibition of animals and agricultural products, for which prizes were awarded for the best exhibits. The Societa Agricola, established in 1844 with the intention of encouraging the farming communities, organised this event and continues to do so.
The following morning a Mass in the Mdina Cathedral celebrated the feast of Saints Peter and Paul followed by a procession.
L-IMNARJA
Rari li tissemma l-kitba ta' Dun Ġużepp Farrugia fuq id-drawwiet tal-Maltin. Fl-1909, Dun Gużepp kiteb fuq il-festi tagħna u d-drawwiet marbutin magħhom fil-Mogħdija taz-Zmien nru 85, serje ta' kotba li kien jippublika Alfonsu Maria Galea. Għalhekk għażilt li nieħu żewġ siltiet fuq il-festa tal-Imnarja minn din il-kitba intitolata Id-Drauujiet tal Maltin ta' Dun Ġużepp. L-ortografija hija dik li kienet tintuża fl-1909 li dak iz-zmien kienet għadha ma kenitx 'standard'.
Wara l-Purċissjoni:
U biex nisimgħu ftit għana spirtu pront mill-aqwa - Karmnu Xuereb In-Namru jgħanni ma' Fredu Abela l-Bamboċċu u Toni Fenech ta' Scalambja, kif kienu jħobbu jagħmlu l-għannejja fl-Imnarja.
And here is one of my favourite għannejja - Karmnu Xuereb In-Namru, together with Fredu Abela il-Bamboccu, and Toni Fenech ta' Scalambja, providing improvised entertainment as għannejja would have done in Mnarja.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSBPvh1lTxA&list=RDKSBPvh1lTxA&start_radio=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSBPvh1lTxA&list=RDKSBPvh1lTxA&start_radio=1
