Ritmu Roots Festival 2025: A Living Tapestry of Music, Memory, and Maltese Identity

Festivals Malta is once again bringing tradition to life with the highly anticipated Ritmu Roots Festival 2025—a vibrant, four-day celebration of folk music, cultural heritage, and communal storytelling. Taking place across some of Malta’s most iconic cultural venues, this year’s festival boldly bridges the gap between ancestral roots and contemporary expression. With a powerful programme steeped in Maltese identity and enriched by international collaborations, Ritmu 2025 is more than a music festival—it’s an evolving archive of tradition.

Described as a space “where heritage meets innovation,” Ritmu Roots Festival 2025 champions a wide spectrum of folk traditions with a strong emphasis on Malta’s own għana—the island’s soulful and improvisational musical style. Events throughout the festival showcase everything from traditional spirtu pront duels to modern reinterpretations by women and international artists, ensuring that the oral traditions of the past are preserved, questioned, and transformed in the present.

“The aim is not only to celebrate these traditions,” say festival organizers, “but to open them up—to conversation, reinterpretation, and new generations.”

The festival opens on May 21 with a thought-provoking presentation by renowned filmmaker and ethnomusicologist Vincent Moon at The Splendid. Known for his global exploration of ritual and sound, Moon will delve into how cinema and music intertwine across cultures. His lens, both literal and figurative, captures the unseen magic of folk practices worldwide. This sets the tone for a festival that respects the roots of tradition while inviting innovation.

The Art of Għana: Raw, Poetic, and Alive

Central to Ritmu 2025 is the deep dive into għana, Malta’s traditional form of sung poetry. Events such as Boċċi u Għana Spirtu Pront (May 22) at the Floriana Boċċi Club pair the vocal duels of għannejja with the communal joy of traditional boċċi games, inviting attendees to “not just listen to tradition, but live it.”

Intimate sessions such as Wiċċ Imb Wiċċ mal-Għannej (Face to Face with the Għannej) on May 23 and 24 feature masters of the genre like Jesmond Galea ‘Tal-Kalora’ and Joe Busuttil ‘Il-Bużu’, offering rare insights into the improvisational process. “Għana is not just singing,” says Galea, “it is thinking in rhyme—it is life in verse.”

Evenings at Argotti Gardens pulse with energy as għannejja and guitarists engage in live duelling sessions (Għana Ġewwa L-Argotti), blending quick wit with poignant commentary, rhythm with tradition.

Expanding the Circle: Women, Dance, and the Mediterranean

This year, Ritmu also highlights the role of women in folk traditions. Nisa, Jgħannu (May 23) presents an all-female reinterpretation of għana, combining voice, movement, and bold storytelling in a tribute to women’s often-silenced cultural contributions.

Dance takes center stage in Il-Kumittiva – Stedina għaż-Żfin! (Invitation to Dance), a lively performance-workshop held both on May 23 and 24. Rooted in ancient carnival traditions, this interactive experience revives the communal dance rituals of Gozo, offering participants a chance to learn nine traditional dances guided by live folk music.

Mediterranean Dialogues: Rebetiko and Beyond

Ritmu also casts a Mediterranean net with featured guests like Greek ensemble Pliri Ntaxei. Their concert Rebétiko! (May 23) immerses audiences in the haunting and rebellious sounds of 1930s Greece, revived through bouzouki, baglama, and heartfelt harmonies.

The accompanying talk, “You Have Me Enchanted”, explores the life of rebetiko legend Dimitris Gkogos – ‘Bagianteras’, drawing parallels between Greek and Maltese folk traditions.

Spanish duo Tarta Relena further expand the sonic landscape with their modern a cappella explorations of sacred and secular songs from across the Mediterranean. Their performance És Pregunta (May 24) and the workshop Exploring Vocal Musical Traditions promise to deepen the festival’s focus on vocal heritage.

A Poetic Finale

As the festival draws to a close on May 24, attendees will be treated to Għana tal-Fatt—a deeply emotional tradition of narrative singing that weaves tales of love, loss, and legend through lyrical storytelling. This is followed by Vincent Moon’s Live Cinéma, an immersive audio-visual performance that combines global trance rituals with Maltese soundscapes. Here, Moon collaborates with local artists to craft a live, improvised cinematic experience—"a ritual of its own," as he describes it.

A Festival for All Generations

Whether you're an aficionado of folk music or a curious newcomer, Ritmu Roots Festival 2025 offers a space to connect with Malta’s musical soul. Through its dynamic blend of concerts, conversations, and participatory events, the festival not only preserves tradition but animates it—ensuring its resonance for future generations.

For full programme details and ticket information, visit Festivals Malta – Ritmu Roots Festival.

Contact info

2334 7301

Email info.fm@festivals.mt

Websites and social links

http://www.festivals.mt/ritmu

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