Gozo Carnival

gozocarnival The Malta Independent on Sunday 24 February 2019

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Behind the MASK Short of funds for a trip to Venice carnival?

At least you can make yourself a beautiful mask.

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irst find a cheap, blank face mask to act as a mold, or template. A thin paper maché one is ideal.

Then slowly add water to the flour and whisk thoroughly until you have an even textured paste; it should look like batter and not be runny.

Next tear newspaper or similarly absorbent paper into seemingly endless strips about two centimetres wide and eight or nine long. These will be dipped in the paper maché paste and layered over your mask to make a suitable surface for decorating.

Carefully avoiding covering the eye holes, nostrils and a slit (you may have to make this yourself) for the mouth, cover

your mask with the paper maché strips, by dipping the strips into the paste until it's soaked all over, and sliding your fingers along each one to remove all drips. Tuck left over ends round the mask edges.

Use a pencil or cocktail stick to prevent the tie holes being covered over.

Apply two or three layers in different directions – vertical, horizontal or diagonal making sure the strips of paper overlap smoothly. Repeat this until your template is covered all over.

You can apply extra layers depending on how sturdy your mask needs to be, but allow any more than four layers at a time to dry completely, before

adding another one.

When it is ready put the mask somewhere safe to dry out.

Some time in the fridge will speed up the hardening process. But it needs to be somewhere warm and dry for at least 24 to become dry enough for the decorations to be applied.

After covering the mask in gesso and letting it dry, add your choice of elastic, ribbon or silk cord ties. Fit elastic to your mask by inserting one end through one of holes on either side of the mask. Knot it firmly in place. Next thread the other end of the elastic into the second hole, leaving it loose. Put the mask on with the elastic at the back of your head and care-

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fully pull the loose end of elastic until the mask fits securely and comfortably. Make a mark or put some sellotape where the knot can be made and take off the mask before knotting the second tie in place.

The rest is up to you. Look for inspiration in books and paintings.

It will probably be helpful to draw your design on the mask first. And letting each application of paint dry before adding others will make creating different effects easier. Once all the paint is completely dry it's time to embellish the whole creation with glitz, sparkle and feathers to your heart's content. You will find plenty of inspiration from our illustrations.

YOU WILL NEED: 1 cup of flour, in a large bowl Water A craft knife Gesso, a paint primer to prepare the newspaper surface for decorating which can be bought in craft or art supply stores Acrylic paint and paint brushes Colourless glue or a glue gun Feathers, sequins, jewels, glass beads and pearls for decoration String, elastic or strips of ribbon or fine cord for ties

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If it’s CARNIVAL, it has to be GOZO!

1 – 5 MARCH

Photo by Tonio Schembri

and rhythmic dance for pure family fun. For an extravagant take on carnival, Nadur village is the unmissable choice. This carnival stems from village tradition and is essentially spontaneous. Here, the purpose of costumes is disguise. Join the party, in a palpable atmosphere of authentic, local fun!

Book your Gozo holiday in advance and immerse yourself in a unique, extravagant atmosphere that you will remember for years to come!

Photo by Hush Studios

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arnival is a colourful and fun celebration in Gozo. For five consecutive days, the island’s intense, natural Mediterranean blue and green are rivalled by the vibrant colours of carnival costumes and floats that meander through the main towns and villages in upbeat mood. Join the locals for five days of revelry, with young and old dressing up in intricate costumes or grotesque masks. Follow the Rabat parades with their floats

Photo by Focus Fotos

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MASKIN the obvio Medico Della Peste

Are they spectacular or sinister, wonderful or wicked, exotic or demonic? Whatever your thoughts, masks are fascinating both for their meanings and their appearance.

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The Moretta

An example of the volto, warn either plain or decorated

hey can hide a person’s identity and intentions, their thoughts and expressions.

Meeting someone who is wearing in a mask puts us instinctively on guard, even if the circumstances are supposed to be light or comical.

They are almost always associated with disguise and deceit and criminal activities; or with misfortune and concealment, as in the Phantom of the Opera. But on a lighter side they can often be brilliant additions to fancy dress costumes, from cartoon super heroes to realistic animals.

It is during parties, carnival parades and balls, lavish opera and ballet performances that the very best examples go back to the 17th century, when a

The Zanni

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NG ous An exotic Colombina mask were not allowed to wear masks in public at all.

Considering their brief number of appearances, the quantity, variety and value of carnival and masquerade masks in museums, collections, costume houses and homes is amazing. So too are the designs and the skill used in making authentic examples.

They were originally made of leather and, surprisingly, glass and Another example of the volto porcelain. Today the main materials are mask was a papier-mâché and status symbol and gesso and also fabric. a significant part of All sorts of items the annual carnival in from gems, metallic Venice. leaf, feathers and During this pre-Lenten lace are used in celebration people from all their decoration. social classes would mix, – not And these depend something that happened for on the type of mask the rest of the year – and while wearing a mask each man or or the character woman could, ostensively, associated with it. remain anonymous. In a society where social classes Some of the were very well defined and not main Venetian intended to interact with each masks are other, such anonymity meant no one around was influenced Arlecchino – Arlecchino is by where the mask wearers one of the most popular 16th came from, their religion, century Commedia del’Arte whether they were young, old, characters. Often depicted as male or female. This would the servant of Pantalone, he is have been a real attraction at a not ruled by reason and is a time when there was nothing prankster and lover of life and like the sources of fun. entertainment we have today.

Colombina – Colombina, the Public behaviour was sweetheart of Arlecchino, is considerably less free and open not a complete mask, since the than it is in our century too. character keeps her own face This makes it natural enough or, perhaps a half mask. But to understand why the these half-masks may still be wearing of masks is so beautifully decorated restricted, even, or perhaps especially, today. In 17th Medico Della Peste – Medico century Venice, and most other Della Peste is another character countries, it was forbidden to from Commedia del’Arte. His wear masks except during the carnival period, and other mask developed from clothes particular times. They could worn as a protection against never be worn in holy places; the plague. They included a and prostitutes, by the way long black coat or gown of

heavy, often waxed, fabric waxed, protective gloves and a mask resembling a bird with a long beak. It was very distinctive being mostly white and having round ‘eyes’, covered with glass. The two small nose holes were filled with strong herbs, spices and pungent aromatic mixes that were meant to purify the air around plague victims.

wherever they went.

Zanni is another servant character of the Commedia dell’Arte, an unlearned, meddling, and comic personage whose mask is characterized by a low forehead and elongated nose, not to be confused with the Plague Doctor.

Bauta – is the name of a costume worn by men and women as part of one of the

Gnaga – is the name of a Venetian mask that was worn by men disguised as women. It portrays a female cat, and the wearer often carried a little kitten in a basket. He would also strut around like a common courtesan, mocking those nearby with high pitched meow sounds

The volto was a generic ‘face in the crowd’, mask, made in a simple oval shape with holes cut for the eyes and nose and coloured white. Venetian citizens would wear it during carnival and for important feast days and occasions with their own more exotic costumes.

Moretta – This mask gets its name from the word moro, which means black. It is made of velvet has no opening for mouth, probably because it is only kept in place by a button held between the teeth. This would account for its other name, servetta muta or mute mask, and possibly for its limited popularity.

Pantalone – Pantalone is also a famous Commedia del’Arte character. All sorts of theories surround the name of his mask, which is one of the most ancient Venetian masks The more plausible one is that it comes from pianta-leone or plant-the-lion, which is a reference to the Venetian habit of planting their flag, which bore the traditional symbol of Venice, a winged lion,

An Arlecchino

most popular costumes. In fact, it is still a favourite today and consists of a black, tricorn hat with a veil and a frilled or fringed mantle, worn over the shoulders. Strict rules were issued as to how this costume should be worn, because it could easily conceal weapons, and anyone breaking them was severely punished. A very severe punishment was inflicted on any person violating these rules. The name for the mask worn with the Bautu is the Larva.

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HIDDEN IN HUMOUR, serious messages float past For many, carnival is a way of letting off steam in the guise of boisterous celebrations. Others see the satire beyond its garish masquerade

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asically, satire uses humour and irony to highlight or ridicule people and institutions which wield power to the detriment of others; or are clearly unfit for purpose. In areas where a strong hold on the media means this cannot be done in the open, such celebrations are a big, bright, loud, way to trumpet messages that are ambiguous enough to claim perfectly innocent references, if necessary. But people can read what they like into them and be amused and cheered that there are still ways to have their say.

And because satire is such an effective way to ridicule all elements of society, the need to strike back means that, in some places, carnivals are still either heavily controlled as to what floats and characters, or examples of blatant propaganda and posturing can be portrayed.

During the British presence on Malta a police notice issued in 1935, stated: “No one shall carry emblems, flags or other signs relating to foreign political questions, or by any masquerade or other means make allusions to the same.� British sensitivities about the amount of fun made at the expense of prominent members of the political classes is believed to have been the reason for such an edict.

And this ban was in force for a further 70 odd years, until it was pointed out that the police notice only referred to political references and not satire in general, which was alive and kicking in entertainments such as pantomimes anyway.

The actual or perceived official ban on satire is no more. We have apparently

matured enough to be able to laugh at ourselves, yes really, and carnival frivolities can carry whatever serious undertones of criticism as they like.

There is, however, an onus on all concerned that this should never take the form of cruelty.

So what it is about human nature that makes us want to taunt, ridicule and simply laugh at those we are expected to respect or revere? Basically, it is when their power is something we feel unable or unwilling to confront, their effect on our way and quality of life is negative and uncontrollable, and their global policies and local idiosyncrasies range from annoying to dangerous. In short seeing humour in whatever disturbs us takes some of the sting away, and seeing it shown up in such a context reassures us that people are aware of certain situations, even if they cannot quite bring themselves to take to the streets in protest.

Laughter has the ability to dilute what is bad, and draw attention to those responsible in a way that can show them up in the bad light they most likely deserve. The very fact that many

regimes and some laws still strive to prevent or at least limit satirical humour, and not just during carnivals, proves how powerful it is.

The skill and dedication of Malta and

Gozo's float makers will soon be seen in the parades this year. Hopefully there will hundreds there to enjoy the floats, costumes and characters, and the smiles behind the masks.

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It’s not CARNIVAL without cake No sooner do we get used to at least trying to eat healthily after the excesses of Christmas than another traditional temptation reappears.

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rinjulata, the Utopia of sweets, a rich deliciousness that comes with carnival is, possibly, the Marmite of cakes. You either love it or you hate it.

Made as either an enormous dome, to be sold in slices by weight, or bought whole in smaller sizes, this has to be one of the richest confections ever.

It is named for the fact that an important ingredient is pine nuts and pine nut in Maltese is prinjo. In Italian it is pinoli but that’s not to say the original recipe came from there. It is enough to know that the very sight of a prinjulata on a cafe counter or in a shop window is enough to dispel a dieter’s best intentions, and the idea of giving up sweets for Lent a perfect excuse to guzzle as much as possible.

Carnival in past centuries meant days and nights of far more intense, excessive feasting than goes on today, comparatively. So, perhaps this cake came about because the combination of ingredients including everything from meringue icing, nuts, candied peel, sponge cake, cherries, chocolate and various generous splashes of booze from Vermouth to whisky, according to taste, was seen as a way to use up all the delicious but frivolous foods that people were encouraged to avoid during the fasting period of Lent.

The important thing is that

you source your prinjulata very carefully. You could, of course, make it yourself. This would guarantee its integrity and give you the freedom to tweak the ingredients to your specific taste. It would also, very likely, take upwards of a whole day and be a true labour of love. In case you’re feeling brave enough, but don’t have a tried and tested recipe, see below. It suggests ingredients and method but feel free to put your own take on it so the outcome is exactly as you would like it.

Alternatively, you could buy one and while it is highly likely you have a favourite confectioner or outlet which you know will provide a perfect example, visitors and first-time buyers need to remember that the most expensive are not always the best. Look for colour – yes the whole thing is colourful but is it from the natural jewel-like effect of shiny fruit, snow-white icing, creamy filling and deep, dark chocolate or the rather chemical day-glo

More sweet treats

effect of too many E numbers?

Texture is important too. Does it stand up firmly with loads of fruit and nuts dispersed fully and evenly throughout? And is there the right proportion of topping to middle so the whole thing is neither too dry, nor too sickly? It’s really best to ask for a tiny piece. Most sellers are confident enough to let you have a little taste and if they are not – well there’s your answer.

A good prinjulata can be utterly heavenly and, at a slight stretch of the healthy foods’ scale (nuts, eggs, dark chocolate) there is some goodness in it. So go ahead and enjoy. You have 40 days to recover.

PRINJULATA RECIPE For the sponge, if you don’t want to use sponge fingers or bought cake • 200 grms self-raising flour • 200 grms castor sugar • 4 eggs

• Vanilla essence and grated lemon peel, no pith, to taste

For the filling • 100 grms of chopped pine nuts, roasted if you like.

• 100 grms of glace cherries – 50 grms chopped, 50 halved • And/or 50 grms of candied peel • 2 heaped tbsp of icing sugar • 250 grms of butter or margarine • 250 ml of double cream • 200ml condensed milk.

• 1tbsp each of vermouth and whisky • 50 grms of melted chocolate and some grated chocolate • Angelica and extra nuts for decorating

To make sponge If you are making the sponge, heat the oven to 220 C Beat the eggs, sugar, half vanilla essence and lemon rind until it becomes a smooth mixture.

Fold in the flour, pour the mixture into a greased tin and

bake for about 25. Test with a skewer to check that it is cooked.

To make prinjulata Break the sponge into small pieces and put in a large bowl.

Drizzle over the whisky and add most of the pine nuts, cherries and candied fruit and grated chocolate, as liked.

Beat margarine and sugar into a smooth mixture then mix in the condensed milk and the rest of the vanilla essence.

Add to the sponge mixture and beat together with a mixer until it can be formed into a dome. Use a pudding basin if you like.

To decorate Completely cover the dome with whipped cream, thickened with a little topping mix if necessary and decorate with halved cherries, piped chocolate, angelica and nuts however you like. Refrigerate before serving.

ust before you wave goodbye to sweets and cakes JCenci for Lent, here are some carnival treats to enjoy. are typical sweet biscuits from Tuscany, in

Italy, although they can be found all over the country under different names. The name Cenci meaning rags, comes from the irregular shapes in which the mixture is cut, making it look like bits of rag. They are made from a rich, eggy pastry flavoured with rum or grappa, which is rolled out and cut into strips then swiftly deep fried, drained and sprinkled with sugar.

Recipe for cenci

Beat the two eggs and add two tbsp of olive and one tbsp of brandy or grappa while beating. Then add 80g of icing sugar and when well mixed sieve 300g of flour on top. Mix till it resembles pastry and knead till smooth. Roll the mixture into a ball, wrap it in cellophane and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Then roll out to a thickness of three millimetres and cut into strips of about 15 cm x 3 cm, a pastry. Then use the pastry wheel to cut a line in the middle of each strip, avoiding the edges.

Deep fry the strips in hot oil. Test the temperature by dropping in a small piece of the pastry. It is hot enough if the pastry immediately starts to sizzle and brown. within seconds. When the strips become golden remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Then sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

Perlini, are the small, bullet-hard sweets made from

almonds covered in a crunchy sugar icing, which is usually in pastel colours and a metallic effect of gold or silver. In olden days they were showered gently down from the top of carnival floats to the children below which, if they cost anything like the amount they do today, was a gesture of extreme extravagance.

Recipe for perlini

If you wanted to try making your own perlini the easiest way is probably to use blanched almonds, coated in royal icing, tinted with different coloured food dyes. Enjoying them made this way will be kinder to your teeth too.