2015 June 21 | Fiona Vella

Archive for June 21st, 2015

Mad-daqq tal-banda

Sa mill-ibgħad snin tal-eżistenza tiegħu, il-bniedem kien affaxxinat bil-kapaċità tiegħu li joħloq ħoss, liema abbiltà eventwalment evolviet fil-mużika. Maż-żmien, ġew żviluppati konsiderevolment anki l-istrumenti mużikali, sakemm illum, teżisti għażla vasta ta’ tipi differenti.

Firxa minn dawn l-istrumenti varji huma użati mill-baned tagħna li llum saru jiffurmaw parti mill-wirt kulturali tagħna. Infatti, ir-ritratti tal-bandisti Maltin saru sinomini mal-esebizzjonijiet fotografiċi li jkunu relatati mat-tradizzjonijiet u l-kultura lokali.

Hekk kif issa beda l-istaġun tal-festi, tħajjart nesplora kemmxejn id-dinja tal-banda u tal-bandisti. Kif stennejt, ħarġu dettalji u rakkonti tassew interessanti.

Il-festa tar-raħal isservi bħala xrara

Il-folla numeruża kienet qed tifraħ u ċċapċap hekk kif l-istatwa tal-patruna tfaċċat glorjuża fil-bieb tal-parroċċa taż-Żejtun. Għadd ta’ bnadar kbar u kkuluriti kienu qed iżejjnu l-bjut tad-djar u tal-każini tal-madwar, iperpru sbieħ fis-sema kaħlana. It-tiżjin tat-triqat kompla jgħani din l-atmosfera ferriħija tal-festa li kienet qed tiġi ċċelebbrata. Iżda bla dubju, dan l-ambjent allegru kien jonqoslu ħafna mill-briju li kieku ma kienx għall-mużika sabiħa tal-banda.

Kien waqt mument distint bħal dan, lura f’Novembru tal-1973, meta Alexander Vella u ħuħ Raymond, flimkien ma’ grupp ta’ ħbieb oħra, iddeċidew li jibdew jagħmlu parti minn dan l-ispettaklu billi jingħaqdu maż-Żejtun Band Club. Alexander, li kellu 15 il-sena dak iż-żmien, jiftakar li missieru ħa gost ferm b’din l-aħbar, l-aktar minħabba li hu stess kien ilu membru f’din is-soċjetà għal bosta snin. Madanakollu, huwa ma naqasx milli jwissi lil uliedu li jekk tassew riedu jirnexxu f’dan il-qasam, huma kellhom jibdew mill-ewwel jieħdu l-affarijiet bis-serjetà u jintefgħu jistudjaw.

Opportunità għal min xtaq jitgħallem idoqq

Ma kienx diffiċli biex tiġi aċċettat bħala membru fiż-Żejtun Band Club peress li l-għan prinċipali ta’ din is-Soċjetà li twaqqfet fl-1933, minn dejjem kien li jagħti l-opportunità lil kull min xtaq jitgħallem idoqq xi strument tal-banda. Infatti, l-istudenti kienu jiġu mgħallma bla ħlas minn għalliema u maestros professjonali, u hekk kif kienu jaqbżu l-aspett teoretiku, is-Soċjetà kienet saħansitra tislifhom strument sabiex idoqqu bih. B’dan il-mod, is-Soċjetà kienet tispera li l-quddiem għad tħajjar lil dawn l-individwi biex jingħaqdu magħha bħala mużiċisti tal-banda, ħalli b’hekk din tkompli ssaħħaħ ir-reputazzjoni tagħha b’membri validi.

Ridt tkun tassew determinat biex tibqa’

Ċertament, sa mill-ewwel lezzjoni, Vella ntebaħ li din ma kienetx se tkun biċċa xogħol faċli.

“Ridt tkun tassew determinat li tingħaqad mal-banda biex tibqa’ għaddej bl-istudju, l-aktar għaliex qabel jagħtuk l-istrument li mingħalik kont se tibda ddoqq, kien jeħtieġlek titgħallem bl-amment in-noti tal-mużika,” stqarr Vella.

“Qatt qabel ma kont tgħallimt il-mużika u għalkemm kieku ried, missieri seta’ jħarriġni, huwa rriffjuta li jagħmel dan. Minflok insista li noqgħod attent waqt il-lezzjoni u li nisma’ sew x’kellu jgħidli l-għalliem. Niftakar li darbtejn biss azzardajt nistaqsih xi ħaġa wara li ma fhimtx x’għamilna fil-lezzjoni imma fiż-żewġ okkażżjonijiet, huwa ċanfarni u wissieni biex ma naħlix il-ħin tal-għalliem tiegħi. Wara dakinhar, qatt ma ppruvajt nistaqsih xi ħaġa oħra u kont nara li nifhem sew dak li jsir fil-klassi.”

Il-bużillis kien li din l-attitudni ddixxiplinata kienet teżisti anki fil-klassi

“L-għalliem tagħna, Edgar Lowell, kien maestro mill-aqwa imma kien bniedem tassew strett. Kien jippretendi li l-istudenti jattendu regolarment għall-lezzjonijiet u li jsegwuhom b’attenzjoni kbira. Ma ninsa qatt meta fl-ewwel lezzjoni, hu fetaħ idejh beraħ quddiemna u hekk kif beda jipponta lejn subgħajh, qalilna li Alla kien tana ħames swaba’ b’erbgħa spazji bejniethom sabiex niftakru dejjem li kien hemm disgħa noti mużikali bażiċi.”

Ridt tuża l-istint

“Minn dakinhar konna mistennija naħdmu iebes u nimxu ‘l quddiem mingħajr ma jkollna għalfejn nistaqsu wisq għall-għajnuna. Kellna nidraw nużaw l-istint tagħna u widnejna biex nifhmu l-ħsejjes u r-ritmi mużikali korretti. Żball wieħed waqt il-lezzjoni kien ikun biżżejjed biex l-għalliem jaqbdek u jibgħatek id-dar bla kliem u bla sliem ħalli tmur tistudja mill-ġdid id-dar. Dak iż-żmien, it-tifħir ma kienx jeżisti u kont tirrealizza biss li kont sejjer tajjeb meta l-għalliem kien jagħtik titgħallem in-noti li jmiss. Dak kollox!”

Wara erbgħa snin taħriġ, Vella beda jdoqq maż-Żejtun Band Club u ma damx ma beda jservi wkoll ma’ baned oħra. Illum, fl-età ta’ 53 sena, huwa għandu esperjenza ta’ 37 sena ma’ din il-banda u kapaċi jdoqq diversi strumenti. Bi gratitudni lejn din is-Soċjetà li tagħtu tant, fl-2012 hu flimkien ma’ martu Jane, rregalaw sett ta’ bandalori tal-bellus meħjutin bir-rakkmu tad-deheb, bħala tifkira tal-involviment tiegħu magħha, waqt iċ-ċelebrazzjoni tat-80 anniversarju mit-twaqqif tagħha.

Bidla fil-kultura

Maż-żmien dan l-atteġġjament inbidel kompletament, hekk kif stajt nifhem meta tkellimt ma’ Isaac Scicluna; tifel ta’ 11 il-sena li hu l-iżgħar bandist ta’ din is-soċjetà.

Fatt kurjuż huwa li Scicluna tħajjar jissieħeb maż-Żejtun Band Club eżatt bl-istess mod kif ġralu Vella; jiġifieri, waqt il-festa ta’ Santa Katarina tal-2011. Bħal Vella, hu wkoll kellu xi membri tal-familja li kienu jdoqqu, fosthom lil missieru, lil nannuħ u lil bużnannuħ li kollha kienu bandisti ferventi. L-istess bħal sieħbu akbar minnu, Scicluna ħassu pjuttost konfuż meta fl-età ta’ 8 snin daħal għall-ewwel darba biex jitgħallem ma’ din is-Soċjetà u sab ruħu affaċċjat bin-noti tat-teorija flok bl-istrument li xtaq!

Iżda t-tixbiħ ma’ Vella s’hawn jieqaf peress li bil-bidla fil-kultura, li fil-preżent aktar tikkunsidra li tgħin milli li żżomm dixxiplina iebsa, huwa jsib għajnuna kbira kemm mill-ġenituri tiegħu u kif ukoll mill-għalliem meta jkollu bżonn l-assistenza tagħhom.

“Fl-ewwel lezzjoni ntroduċewni man-noti tal-mużika,” qalli Scicluna. “Ftit ftit bdejt nitgħallem isimhom, it-tip u l-valur tagħhom. Imbagħad ngħatajt sett noti mużikali u ġejt mitlub nikkupjahom u nistudjahom. Missieri għeni nsib it-triq sakemm ġejt fuq saqajja u stajt inkompli naħdem waħdi. Fir-realtà, anki jekk issib tant sapport, jiddependi ħafna mill-ambizzjoni tiegħek sabiex tirnexxi għax aktar ma jgħaddi ż-żmien, il-lezzjonijiet kull ma jmur jitqalu. Meta tkun għadek student l-iskola, jeħtieġlek ukoll titgħallem tqassam ħinek sewwa ħalli tlaħħaq mal-istudju tal-iskola u xorta ssib ħin x’tiddedika għall-banda.”

“Peress li jiena xellugi, kelli nderri lili nnifsi biex nitgħallem inżomm ir-ritmu b’saqajja l-leminija u ngħodd in-noti b’idejja l-leminija sabiex inkompli mal-bqija tal-grupp. Wara xi żmien nistudja, intlabt ukoll nibda nkanta n-noti ħalli b’hekk widnejja jintunaw ruħhom għall-mużika bi preparazzjoni għall-istrument li kont se ndoqq.”

Filwaqt li Vella dam aktar minn tliet snin jistudja t-teorija, Scicluna kien meqjus pront biex jitgħallem l-istrument f’nofs dak il-perjodu. Min-naħa l-oħra, mentri Vella ġie rrakkommandat idoqq is-saksafon peress li kien twil imma minflok għażel il-klarinett bħal dak li kien idoqq missieru, Scicluna li xtaq idoqq is-saksafon, kellu joqgħod għall-klarin peress li subgħajh għadhom wisq qosra għall-istrument l-ieħor.

L-iżgħar bandist

Sadanittant, is-sena 2013 kienet waħda sinifikanti ferm għal Scicluna u l-familja tiegħu, meta hu ġie ntrodott bħala l-iżgħar bandist taż-Żejtun Band Club. Fatt interessanti huwa illi din iċ-ċelebrazzjoni kienet pjuttost insolita peress li s-soltu, bandist ġdid jiddaħħal fil-banda biss waqt iċ-ċelebrazzjonijiet tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira. Iżda, minħabba l-mewt għall-għarrieda tal-arċipriet taż-Żejtun, Dun Eric Overend, bosta mill-attivitajiet kellhom jiġu posposti u b’hekk Scicluna ngħata l-opportunità li jdoqq għall-ewwel darba waqt il-Programm Mużikali Annwali tal-2013.

Nibqa’ ndoqq sal-aħħar

Illum, kemm Vella u Scicluna, huma ħerqana biex ikomplu jagħtu s-servizz tagħhom f’din il-banda u għalkemm hemm baħar jaqsam bejn l-età ta’ dawn iż-żewġ individwi, it-tnejn sostnew li xtaqu jkomplu jdoqqu sakemm Alla jibqa’ jagħtihom is-saħħa. Għalissa, Scicluna daqq biss maż-Żejtun Band Club iżda xorta waħda, hu diġà kellu ċ-ċans jieħu sehem f’funzjonijiet importanti bħal meta l-banda daqqet fil-funeral tal-eks-ministru, Wistin Abela.

Ir-rwol tal-banda

“Ir-rwol tal-banda hu li tferraħ in-nies bil-mużika tagħha,” qalli Vella. “Madanakollu, bħal f’kollox, anki din għandha l-lati diffiċli tagħha. Ngħidu aħna, għalkemm jiena nħobb nisma’ ħafna l-marċi funebri illi l-banda tagħna ddoqq waqt l-attivitajiet tal-Ġimgħa l-Kbira, meta nsib ruħi qiegħed nakkumpanja funeral bid-daqq tiegħi, inħossni emozzjonat. Minn dejjem kont hekk, imma din is-sensazzjoni kompliet tiżdied wara li kelli ndoqq waqt il-funeral ta’ missieri u hemm ħassejt l-uġiegħ u n-niket li kapaċi jiġi espress permezz tal-istrumenti differenti. Dakinhar, deherli li l-ħoss tagħhom kien jixbaħ il-bikja tas-soċjetà li kienet għadha kif tilfet lil wieħed mill-membri tagħha.”

Anki t-tfajjel Scicluna qabel ma dan.

“Jien ukoll inħossni daqsxejn skomdu meta jkolli ndoqq waqt funeral. Imma fl-istess ħin, jien konxju li bil-mużika tiegħi nkun qed nuri rispett lil dak l-individwu li jkun ħalliena. Xorta waħda nħares dejjem il-quddiem biex jiġi ż-żmien tal-festi meta nkunu nistgħu nferrħu n-nies bid-daqq tal-istrumenti tagħna.”

(Dan l-artiklu ġie ppubblikat fis-sensiela MINN RITRATT (14 il-Parti) fit-Torċa tal-21 ta’ Ġunju 2015)

Share on Facebook

2015.06.21 / no responses / Category: Torca - Features & Articles
Unlocking the Great Wall’s stories

‘He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man’ declares a Chinese saying.

After being confronted by the challenging steps of this legenday wall, I must admit that I understand fully the meaning behind this expression.

Constructing the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall consists of a massive series of fortifications which extend over five thousand kilometres from east to west in north China. Since it outstretches over a number of provinces, one can visit its diverse sections from various locations. Its construction took around two thousand years and it involved the input of several dynasties which were ruling the country during different period.

Since for many years, various Chinese states were at war against each other, by the 7th century BC, the locals had already mastered an excellent skill in the building of protective walls with which to defend their villages. It was from this period that construction of the Great Wall commenced.

In 221 BC, Qin Shi Huang succeeded to win over all his opponents. He unified China for the first time, established the Qin Dynasty, and became the first Emperor. To impose a centralization of authority, he ordered the destruction of various defensive walls which had been built around the country by different feudal lords. Instead, he constructed new walls which connected a number of fortifications that were situated in the northern side of his empire. These were intended to shield his people and his country from the opponent nomadic tribe Xiongnu which resided in this area (today known as Mongolia).

It was no easy feat to construct these walls in the chosen locations which winded throughout valleys or climbed across mountains. At the time, no machinery was available to facilitate this grueling work. Yet, the Chinese managed to erect these walls by utilizing the material that was available in each particular zone and by working according to the contours of the terrain.

No one knows how many people worked or died during the construction of this wall. Many insist that the total number could easily reach millions. Certainly, their effort led to the creation of a unique masterpiece which today is regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In 1987, the Great Wall of China became also part of the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A popular legend

This wall is imbued with many narratives and legends. Yet the most popular is surely that of Meng Jiang Nü; a young woman who is believed to have lived during the 3rd century BC, in the Qin Dynasty.

Her story recounts that one day, Fan Qi Liang, a young man who had been engaged to work on the Great Wall, succeeded to escape from this strenuous job. He ran with all his might along the way until at one point, he was so exhausted that he stopped to hide in the garden of Meng’s father.

The two fell in love immediately as soon as their eyes met, and some time after, they got married. Yet unfortunately, their happinness did not last long as the man was located by soldiers and he was taken back to work on the wall.

The woman waited and waited for her husband’s return. But when winter was close and he still did not come back, she sewed some warm clothes for him in order to protect him from the cold. She went in search of him at his work place but after she looked out for him wherever she could and inquired about him, she was finally informed that her husband had died and that he had been buried within the wall itself.

This tragic news shattered the woman’s spirit and she was so griefed that she spent a whole day and a whole night weeping beneath the wall. Her desperation ran so deep that suddenly, the wall in front of her crumbled and a number of corpses slid out of it.

Shocked at this gruesome scene, Meng Jiang Nü cut her finger and she allowed her blood to trickle on the corpses. At one point, she noticed that all her blood ran to a particular corpse and it was then that she recognized her husband’s body. She gathered him lovingly and gave him a decent burial. Then, she walked to a river and ended her life within.

Juyongguan Pass – Beijing

I had read and heard so much about the greatness of this wall that when I arrived at one of its sections in Beijing, known as Juyongguan Pass, I simply stood in silence and in awe.

My eyes ran afar, up into the sky where a thick fog was hiding the highest part that was visible from the ground. Located at around fifty kilometres away from Beijing, this part of the wall is about 4000 metre long and is situated amongst the mountains of Changping District.

This pass has always been renowned for its strategic significance and its impenetrability. Notwithstanding this, in 1644, a group of rebellious farmers led by Li Zicheng, managed to enter into Beijing by overcoming this area. It is said that this happenned not because of any weakness in the wall but due the fact that the local people were too impoverished to resist.

Today, Juyongguan Pass is distinguished for its lovely scenic views of the surrounding forests, particularly since these change their colours according to season.

Experiencing the magic of the Great Wall

We arrived at nine in the morning in order to avoid the crowds but there were already many visitors climbing the wall. The weather was not very welcoming as it was drizzling and the fog made it difficult to take very good photos. Yet nothing could stop us from climbing that legendary wall which we had all dreamt so much about!

Up we went the first steps but soon we realized that it was not going to be that easy to climb too far. For the Great Wall’s steps were constructed in differing heights in order to make it difficult for the enemy to run up and make a surprise attack. Whilst some of the steps were low, others were quite high and after a short time, if you’re not the sporty kind, you’ll definitely find yourself out of breath.

Step after step, we arrived at the first tower which consisted of a number of small rooms. I decided to check out a set of narrow stairs which led to the tower’s roof and from there, the overview of the open landscape was even more splendid. I looked around in a blending state of rapture, wonder and disbelief as I imagined that this could have been the same view that the legendary soldiers watched over. For a moment, time seemed to stop and the present melted into the past as I simply stood there holding on to the ancient stones.

I could have stayed there to absorb within me all the history of the place but the group needed to move on and so, we climbed further. Over all, the set up of the wall repeats itself as its length is divided into steps and a number of towers. Yet I can say that I would have continued to climb all day if we did not have planned to visit other sites.

Going down the steps was relatively easy but by then, the place had become quite crowded with people of all nationalities who came to visit.

A love bound to eternity

As I stole a last glance at this architectural and historic marvel, I noticed a quantity of lovelocks that were fastened to chains running along the Great Wall. On a closer look, I found out that these were decorated with heart designs and the names of couples were engraved on each of them. Our guide told us that those lovelocks formed part of an old Chinese tradition which stated that if a couple wrote their names on a lock and closed it on this chain, their love would be eternal, just like the destiny of this mythical wall.

(This article was published in the Travel Supplement of the Sunday Times of Malta dated 21st June 2015)

Share on Facebook

2015.06.21 / no responses / Category: The Sunday Times - Articles