History of Maltese "Ghana"

Josephine Ebejer Grech

San {or[ Preca BJL

}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

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• Maltese għana (song), pronounced aana, the għ is silent, is the generalised term for the indigenous Maltese folk-singing which

consists of quatrains, ideally extemporised, following a rhyme scheme of a-b-c-b, and sung to traditional tunes, generally accompanied by a number of

guitars.


San {or[ Preca BJL

}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

}amrun Malta

• Maltese għana singing has been with the Maltese nation for centuries, and has

always been regarded as the music of the peasant, the farmer, the labourer, the

washer-woman and has generally been associated with the working classes.


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

}amrun Malta

• The Maltese have a natural in-built ability to sing and rhyme. And this was

documented by a number of visitors to the islands who were impressed by this

phenomenon. We will look at some of their impressions as outsiders as well as others from Maltese academics which are views

from within.


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

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• A typical Maltese quatrain is the four-line poem or stanza, with each strofa (verse)

consisting mostly of eight syllables. Għana verses are half-oriental airs, something

between a Sicilian ballad and the rhythmic wail of an Arabic tune. There are various forms of ghana - these are some of them:


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

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• BOTTA U RISPOSTA: This type of għana is also commonly known "Spirtu-Pront". Nowadays this is the most popular type of għana. It is sung by two or more għannejja (singers) as a song-

duel. The għannejja carry on an impromptu conversation, stanza for stanza with a guitar

interlude between each stanza. This requires a great deal of quick thinking as well as the ability

to rhyme. If four għannejja are taking part, għannej one sings with għannej three, and ghannej two sings with għannej four. This

usually last for an hour, ending with a KADENZA which has two or more stanzas.


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

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• GĦANA BIL-QASMA: This type of għana is like the above, but the stanza is

split between two għannejja. The second għannej replies

within the same quatrain immediately after the first two verses presented by the first

għannej. The għannej who finishes the last two verses, starts the next stanza and so

on.


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

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• GĦANA FIL-GHOLI: Also known as LA BORMLIZA. This type of ghana is sung on a high note and the phrases are long. It is not frequently sung nowadays, which is a great pity, but there are still one or two places in Malta where you can hear this type of ghana.


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

}amrun Malta

• GĦANA TAL-FATT: Is usually melancholic. In this form of għana, the għannej recounts a tale of a tragic event.


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• MAKJETTA: This type of għana is more like a song and is usually very lively.


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• In modern times the guitar has become the most popular backing instrument for għana, but there were times where other instruments where said to have been used, such as:

IŻ-ŻAQQ: Which is a form of bagpipes IŻ-ŻAVŻAVA or IR-RABBABA:A friction drum. IT-TAMBUR:A kettledrum or tambourine. L-ARGUNETT:Simply a mouth organ or mouth harp. ACCORDION:In more modern times the

accordion has been used as well.


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}amrun Malta


San {or[ Preca BJL

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• Nowadays a group of three guitars accompany the għannejja. The lead guitarist is called IL-PRIM. Between each stanza of ghana, IL-PRIM plays what is called PREJJEM. This is where IL-PRIM shows how good he is to the delight of the audience.


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History of Maltese "Ghana"

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Transcript of History of Maltese "Ghana"