Murder, moral panic and masked pigs are not the things most people would naturally associate with carnival, however, Malta’s long-running tradition has always carried a darker side beneath the bright costumes and sugary treats.
Carnival’s roots in Malta stretch back centuries. Historians believe the Knights of St John introduced the celebrations to the islands in the 16th century and what began as a lead-up to Lent soon became one of the most anticipated events in the Maltese calendar.
Yet, the history of carnival is not only one of revelry. Researcher and licensed tourist guide Mario Cacciottolo, who runs Dark Malta Tours, told Times of Malta that carnival has also inspired darker tales as well.
An illustration of a Maltese courtesan in 1577Moral crusade
Cacciottolo shared the story of Gio Domenico Ottonelli, a Jesuit from Italy who lived in the 1600s. “He was a moral crusader who wrote all about the scandalous lechery, debauchery and fornication in Malta in an effort to scare people from sin,” Cacciottolo said.
Ottonelli wrote more than 20 books and one of them includes a reference to carnival in Malta in 1636, centred on the sudden death of a prostitute during the festivities.
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“There was a masked woman who was a prostitute and she was celebrating by dancing away.
“She was with a man who was probably her client when, all of a sudden, she dropped down dead,” Cacciottolo said. He noted that she died so quickly she was unable to receive the last rites. “A very big deal back in those day,” he pointed out.
The incident caused alarm at the time, particularly among prostitutes, and Ottonelli’s account spread widely. The narrative, Cacciottolo explained, suggested that those living sinful lives could be struck down without warning.
It was even reported that some women abandoned the profession out of fear that the same fate could befall them.
Cacciottolo believes the woman most likely died of a heart-related issue but in an age shaped by religious anxiety, the death was interpreted as divine judgement. “No one would say she had a weak heart, instead, that’s it, they thought it was a sign of a depraved life,” he said.
Masked madness
“Masks and the carnival have a difficult relationship,” Cacciottolo noted.
Throughout Malta’s history, masks have repeatedly been banned, largely because they allowed wearers to conceal their identities. The authorities often viewed carnival as a headache, both under the Knights and, later, during British rule.
One example comes from historian Vicki Anne Cremona’s book Carnival and Power, which recounts events involving governor Patrick Stuart in 1846. Stuart banned masks from carnival Sunday, a move that was deeply unpopular.
“Needless to say, the Maltese weren’t pleased about this, so when they came to carnival that Sunday instead, they dressed their animals,” Cacciottolo said. Among them were pigs dressed as Protestant priests, a pointed act of mockery aimed at the British governor.
The protest was not taken lightly. Tensions escalated to the point where soldiers and locals came close to blows and even the threat of gunfire emerged. The situation did not escalate due to a level-headed commanding officer.
Murder
Maturin Murray Ballou, an American author who visited Malta in 1893. Photo: WikipediaCacciottolo also recounted a tale drawn from an 1893 travel guide, The Story of Malta, by American writer Maturin Murray Ballou. The book sits somewhere between a tourist handbook and a historical account and includes one particularly grim carnival episode.
It tells of a man attending carnival who spotted his lover speaking with a masked stranger.
“The masked man was giving her sweets and he saw the pair giggling between themselves,” Cacciottolo said.
Consumed by jealousy, the man produced a knife and stabbed the masked figure in the chest. “The masked man dropped dead at the feet of the angry lover. He took off his mask and learnt that he killed his lover’s brother,” he said.
The story reflects how carnival’s disguises, meant for playfulness and escape, could also lead to fatal misunderstandings.
As Malta is well into this year’s celebrations, Cacciottolo suggests remembering that carnival has always been about more than spectacle. Behind the masks lie centuries of stories, some of them unsettling.
Dark Malta Tours is now launching a new experience, Horny Knights and Scandalous Behaviour, promising “the titillating truth about the naughty Knights of the Order of St John and the people they ruled over”. The tour begins in Valletta and explores the city’s back streets and alleys.
Adult themes are discussed throughout and attendance is restricted to those aged 16 and over.