Maltese ‘għana’ : folksinging, representation and performance

Abstract

Malta’s National Festival of Għana (the name of a certain type of traditional singing performances), begun in 1998 and since rebranded several times, has alienated the very performers who embody the music tradition. Why? It is argued, based on ethnographic and archival research, that Għana means different things to different people. To the għannejja (performers) and guitarists, Għana is a living tradition to be interpreted in what is an active field of cultural production; għannejja do not ‘sing’ but rather perform in an intense representation and performance of self, to which guitarists and aficionados contribute, both during the performance itself and in intense discussions afterwards that contribute to an Għana hypertextuality. To many “not born in Għana”, including some festival organisers, Għana has the status of a folkloric artefact, not art; it is represented as part of a vanished world; and its performances need saving by finding new audiences — so Għana, and the għannejja, must change. The dissertation examines various aspects of these divergent views. It outlines how Għana is an autonomous social field with distinct roles, a market and careers. It explores the history of the National Festival and shows how the successive artistic directors had different visions but a shared rhetoric about the identity of Għana. It also shows how the logic of festivals promotes the idea of Għana as an ethnic showcase and spectacle, while the Għana community embraces a different aesthetic. The dissertation concludes with some general proposals for more creative dialogue between the Għana community and festival organisers, and other cultural producers.