Culture of Qala

Since then, the group has participated in other Folk Festivals, held in Lanciano, Italy, Serbia, Czech Republic and Lefkada, Greece. For the near future the group is being enlarged with the involvement of four male dancers. Traditional costumes are worn and tools are used during the dances and songs to provide a better picture to the audience especially for tourists when performing locally and also when participating in international events abroad.

With great success our folk group, in collaboration with the Qala Local Council has organised the Qala International Folk Festival, which this year will be the 6th edition since its inception. This folk festival is the only international folk festival held on the island of Gozo and it is very much anticipated by both the local communities and the tourists visiting the island at the time. Folk groups from abroad who have so far participated in this event hail from countries such as, Slovenia, Serbia, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria, Sicily and Slovakia to name but a few. During this festival the Menhir Qala Folk Group are responsible in the re-enactment of a traditional Maltese wedding. Another event held during the festival is a half day conference covering a different subject related with our customs and culture. For this conference, even the foreign groups attending the festival, participate.

The Menhir Qala Folk Group has recently acquired premises in the village of Qala, which used to be the old police station and which eventually, with the assistance of the Local Council, these premises will be transformed into a folklore museum, and obviously will be the headquarters for the Menhir group.

The Menhir Qala Folk Group committee is made up of 7 members and the president is Mr Paul Buttigieg, Mayor of Qala