Creative opportunities

Training others in this trade has always been crucial for Alda. After seeking ways how to channel herself in this direction, she was commissioned by various government departments, including the Department of Industry, the Employment and Training Corporation, the Department of Education and the

Department for Lifelong Learning to give courses on weaving. Her students range in age from six to over eighty years old.

“When I share my knowledge with others, I feel as if I am breathing life into this trade again. I am constantly inviting people to try their hand at weaving. I even give tourists visiting Gozo the opportunity to spend a few hours at my shop to weave a small bag or a mat which they take home with them as a keepsake. They always cherish this unique experience to try out an ancient local trade.”

“It is a pity that weaving is no longer taught in schools or colleges anymore. When I was attending primary school, we spent an afternoon a week dedicated to one trade or another, including weaving. This trade is still very relevant and still has great business potential. I wonder why it has not yet found its place among the multitude of courses that are available at The Malta College of Art, Science and Technology.”

Equipped with an inherited philosophy to turn challenges into opportunities, Alda succeeded to reach out with her ideas even during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

“I was asked by the Għarb Local Council whether I could come up with twenty lessons to inspire people to do something interesting during these difficult times. Since most of the shops were closed, I had to focus on ways how to work with recycled things that were already in hand. So I filmed twenty short videos3 showing the whole process of weaving by utilising substitutes that one could easily find at home. For example, instead of a traditional wooden loom, I explained how to construct a loom made out of cardboard. As an alternative to wool, I used cotton yarn or the long fur of furry cats, dogs and rabbits. To demonstrate how cotton could be twisted into single fibres, I unfurled cotton buds and rolled the thin fibres by simply using a pencil.”

Although weaving might seem complicated, Alda insists that this trade is actually very easy to learn. She also claims that it is also deeply therapeutic both mentally and physically.

“

In the 1960s and late 1970s, weaving was used as a therapy in hospitals, since it involves the constant movement of arms and legs. Besides aiding movement, weaving provides a sense of calmness and satisfaction as one is creating new things. There are many steps to weaving, starting from simple items such as small bags and mats, to moving up to bespoke clothes.”

Below: Assortment and variety of threads, Inset: Alda discussing the intricate details of her woven design

For the Apostolic Journey of Pope Francis to Malta in 2022, Alda had the privilege to weave a stole that the pope wore during the celebration of mass. She has proudly kept the specimen she produced before working on the original stole.

“The limits to weaving are your creativity and inventiveness. The fact that times are changing and that technology is advancing, should not be seen as a difficulty, but more of an opportunity. Household wooden looms are still manufactured by local carpenters and they can be constructed according to one’s particular requirements, such as height and size. Good quality sheep’s wool can still be found at some farms, whereas cotton can still be planted in fields.”

Indeed, Alda is currently collaborating with a Gozitan farmer to experiment with the revival of cotton cultivation.

“Until now, results have been very promising. Modern agricultural techniques, such as drip systems, have helped cotton plants to grow strong and tall yielding richer harvests.”

Conclusion

Last March (2023), Alda Bugeja was one of sixty artisans who opened up their creative spaces to the public as Malta participated for the first time in the European Artistic Crafts Days (EACD).

“I was pleased to see that people responded positively to this opportunity, particularly the young ones. Contrary to the general perception, the younger generation is interested and emotionally connected to learn more about the techniques, as well as the weaving skills that cannot be found in books or the media. This means that there is still hope for this tradition to continue to flourish.”

Alda believes that exposing children and adolescents to weaving at an early age is a sure way for the tradition to survive for generations to come. Hence, her ardent efforts to promote weaving throughout her career, and her emphasis to access the educational sector. Apart from its therapeutic effects in an age full of stress and mental health issues benefitting the user as a creative therapy, there is always a deep sense of satisfaction when finishing a woven item, both in the connection it brings with our forefathers through our Cultural Heritage, as well as the surprise in discovering our creative potential.

Endnotes

1 The ‘għonnella’ was a woman’s traditional cloak worn outside to cover the head.

2 The Times of Malta article announcing award winning documentary dated 30 October 2004, access link: https://timesofmalta.com/articles view/documentary-on-spinning-and-wea ing.108487

3 These videos can still be viewed on the Facebook Page of the Għarb Local Council, access link: https://www.facebook.com/gharb.lc/videos