Nhar il-Ġimgħa 3 ta’ Marzu 2023, L-Università ta’ Malta tat l-Honoris Causa, dottorat onorarju, lis-Sa Maria Grech Ganado, mill-Fakultà tal-Arti, u lill-Imħallef Giovanni Bonello, mill-Fakultà tal-Liġi. L-Università talbitna biex nagħmel id-diskors f’ġieħ Maria u dan li ġej huwa t-test tad-diskors.
Is-“citation” li ktibt, li tispjega għaliex Maria ngħatat dan il-ġieħ, hija din:
for writing poetry that fosters a more humane, respectful and inclusive society;
adrian grima
for documenting the beauty and vicissitudes of human life with the dignity and
magic of poetry;
for coaching, supporting and encouraging other women writers to work
together and give voice to their individual and collective thoughts and
experiences;
for teaching literature in insightful and stimulating ways, and with rare passion;
for helping to carve a place for Maltese literature in international literary
networks.
Ir-ritratti uffiċjali jinsabu hawnhekk.
Diskors f’Ġieħ Maria Grech Ganado
Prof. Adrian Grima B.A., B.A.(Hons), M.A., Ph.D.(Melit.)
Il-Ġimgħa 3 ta’ Marzu 2023
Knisja tal-Ġiżwiti, il-Belt Valletta
Eċċellenza tiegħek Aġent President ta’ Malta u s-sinjura Bezzina, Kanċillier, Rettur, Pro-Retturi, membri tas-Senat u tal-Kunsill, akkademiċi, gradwati onorarji, mistednin distinti,
Qabelxejn, nixtieq nifraħ lil Maria Grech Ganado għal dan l-unur. Permezz tiegħu, l-Università ta’ Malta qed tirrikonoxxi l-kontribut imprezzabbli li tat, mhux biss bħala poetessa, imma wkoll bħala lettriċi fl-Università ta’ Malta, għalliema li xegħlet l-imħabba għal-letteratura u l-arti f’mijiet ta’ studenti, awtriċi li ispirat u indukrat lil kittieba oħra, traduttriċi, u omm. Imma fil-poeżija naħseb li tinġabar ħafna mill-forza umana u kreattiva tagħha, dejjem imġarrba, dejjem intelliġenti.
Fi żmien meta l-poeżija hawn min iqisha bħala kapriċċ individwali, l-Università qed tagħti l-ogħla ġieħ lil poetessa li rrakkontat fraġilità intima, rabja ħelliesa, senswalità bla mistħija żejda, u dan għamlitu bi xbihat u emozzjonijiet li jibqgħu ingastati fina. L-aqwa poeżija, bħal dik ta’ Maria Grech Ganado, kapaċi tisfida ċ-ċertezzi tagħna, il-formuli stabbiliti, il-frażijiet faċli. Kapaċi tilliberana.
Meta l-vuċi lirika fil-poeżija “Sqaq Nru 2” tkellimna fl-ewwel persuna, “jiena,” m’għandniex inħalluha tqarraq bina: Mhux qed tkellimna fuq it-tiġrib ta’ persuna waħda biss:
U jekk jien ħabbejtu, ħabbejtu għall-belt
illi sibt ġewwa fih. Jien kont kamra ġo dar
qed tistenna ħa tkennen. Meta ħareġ ’il barra
biex jibni, jippjana, u jkabbar il-belt, jien
bqajt kamra ġo dar mirduma mid-djar
tal-għelieqi ġol-qsari – mhux imdejqa,
mhux ferħana; la kampanjola, la beltija,
bla xewqat u bla ħsieb. F’dil-belt, f’did-dar
jiena xemgħa tinħall fil-ħolm ta’ ħaddieħor,
kamra bla numru tinkera bis-siegħa.
maria grech ganado
F’dawn il-versi Maria tgħaddi mil-letterali għall-metaforiku u lura bil-ħeffa ta’ bniedma li l-poeżija tgħixha. Minkejja s-saffi li tinseġ, ħafna nies, ħafna nisa jidentifikaw mal-vuċi li tara lilha nfisha bħala “kamra bla numru tinkera bis-siegħa,” bħala “xemgħa tinħall fil-ħolm ta’ ħaddieħor.” Il-ġmiel tal-lingwa ma jmewwet xejn mit-tiġrib u mit-twegħir.
Din poeżija li kapaċi tagħmilna bnedmin aħjar, iktar umani, iktar konxji mill-fraġilitajiet tagħna, mill-ħtieġa li nwaqqgħu l-ħitan tal-kamra li toħnoqna biex noħorġu aħna wkoll fil-belt fejn nistgħu nsawru lilna nfusna. Kapaċi tagħmilna bnedmin iktar inkwetati, iktar impenjati, iktar ħalliema, iktar lesti li nħaddmu moħħna mingħajr ma nibżgħu mill-emozzjonijiet, u fl-istess ħin inħarsu lejn it-tbatijiet tal-oħrajn, tan-nisa, tal-immigranti, tal-irġiel maqbudin f’mentalità li toħnoq l-umanità sħiħa tagħhom.
Meta kitbet “Sqaq Nru 2” għall-ħabta tal-2003, Maria kienet attiva f’Inizjamed, għaqda indipendenti magħmula l-aktar minn awturi żgħażagħ li riedu jagħtu leħen ġdid lil-letteratura Maltija u jibnu rabtiet ma’ awturi fil-Mediterran, fl-Ewropa u lil hinn. Wara li ħadet sehem f’avveniment letterarju f’Mukkola, il-Finlandja, Maria riedet li bħala Inizjamed, bil-mezzi finanzjarji redikoli li kellna, nissieħbu fi proġett ta’ network Ewropew bl-isem ta’ Literature Across Frontiers. Għedtilha, “Maria, kif jista’ jkun? Fondi m’għandniex!” Imma Maria insistiet. U meta Maria tinsisti, emmnuni, tinsisti. Kienet konvinta li dik kienet it-triq li kellna naqbdu aħna “ż-żgħar.” Mill-ewwel qaltli li s-somma sostanzjali li kellna bżonn kienet lesta toħroġha mill-but tagħha hi.
U b’hekk dħalna f’LAF u l-letteratura Maltija bdiet issiefer bħala parti minn xibka sħiħa ta’ festivals, laboratorji tat-traduzzjoni, u proġetti letterarji u artistiċi ta’ kull xorta, xibka li għadha attiva ħafna sal-lum. Maria kellha wkoll sehem kbir f’dawn l-iskambji għax ittraduċiet ħafna xogħlijiet tal-awturi “ż-żgħar” għall-Ingliż, anki kotba sħaħ, biex jidhru u jinqraw barra minn Malta. It-twelid tal-Festival Mediterranju tal-Letteratura ta’ Malta, li issa wasal fit-tmintax-il sena tiegħu, kien konsegwenza diretta tal-viżjoni u l-insistenza tagħha.
Maria kienet tieħu l-vokazzjoni tagħha ta’ għalliema b’serjetà kbira, imma t-tagħlim ma kinitx tgħabbih b’serjetà żejda. Ħija Andrew jiftakar il-lezzjonijiet tagħha tal-letteratura Ingliża b’għożża kbira. Ma kienx ifalli lezzjoni waħda, minn tagħha. Aktar milli tgħallem il-letteratura kienet “titkellem fuqha mill-qalb,” mill-esperjenza personali bħala qarrejja intelliġenti, bħala awtriċi u bħala omm. “Dixxiplina ta’ xejn, ovvjament.” Aktarx ma kellhiex bżonnha. Bl-umanità tagħha u l-għarfien profond ta’ xogħlijiet letterarji kbar, kellha l-ħila tifhem l-istudenti bħala individwi, bil-kumplessità kollha tagħhom. U għalhekk il-lezzjoni tal-letteratura “kienet diskussjoni aktar milli lezzjoni.”
Bejn l-1999, meta ħarġet, Iżda Mhux Biss, u l-2005, meta ħarġet, Fil-Ħofra bejn Spallejha, Maria kienet qed tlaqqa’ lil għadd ta’ kittieba nisa żgħażagħ biex taqsam magħhom l-għarfien u l-esperjenza tagħha, biex turi li kienet temmen fihom u fl-istess ħin li riedet titgħallem mingħandhom. Ir-rivoluzzjoni siekta, ikolli ngħid, seħħet hemmhekk, f’laqgħat li wħud minnhom saru għandha. Kien spazju intellettwalment u artistikament stimulanti li fih l-awturi setgħu jiddiskutu l-kotba u l-films, u fuq kollox il-letteratura li kienu qed jiktbu. Sadattant, Inizjamed u Poeżijaplus ħolqu spazju letterarju pubbliku, li għal ħafna żmien kien maħnuq mill-irġiel, fejn Maria u l-kittieba nisa żgħażagħ setgħu jaqraw xogħolhom.
Fid-daħla għal Skont Eva tal-2001, Maria tgħid li l-poeżiji huma bbażati fuq l-esperjenzi attwali u immaġinarji tagħha. “Bilfors ikollhom perspettiva femminili la jiena mara – terġa’ u tgħid mara f’soċjetà li għadha kemm bdiet tagħti widen lil-lingwaġġ femminili. Wara l-pubblikazzjoni ta’ Iżda Mhux Biss ħafna nisa waqqfuni biex jgħiduli illi sabu lilhom infushom f’xi poeżiji tal-ktieb. Naħseb li l-aqwa sodisfazzjon illi kelli kien li ħassew li tajthom leħen biex ifissru l-emozzjonijiet tagħhom lilhom infushom.”
Fl-aħħar versi tal-poeżija ikonika “Iżda Mhux Biss,” Maria titkellem fuq “il-mara sħiħa / li naf li jien u li rrid inkun / ukoll għalikom / ukoll għalija / ukoll… iżda mhux biss.” Għalija din l-istqarrija tirrifletti qalb kbira, qalb miftuħa, imma anki fiduċja fil-qawwa saħħarija u ħelliesa tal-kelma. Tirrifletti l-konvinzjoni ta’ mara li tara lilha nfisha bħala bniedma kompluta imma li l-ħin kollu ssawwar lilha nfisha mill-ġdid, fi proċess kontinwu ta’ skoperta u tiftix.
Illum qed niċċelebraw lil Maria Grech Ganado, il-poeżija intelliġenti tagħha. Qed niċċelebraw ix-xbihat u l-metafori memorabbli li toħloq; ir-ritratti li jaqbdu t-tensjoni ta’ mument; l-intensità tal-emozzjonijiet meta tgħixhom b’mod sħiħ, mingħajr kompromessi; it-trasformazzjoni tat-tiġrib fil-maġija tal-arti; il-fiduċja bla qies fil-ħajja, fl-armonija bejn il-bnedmin u n-natura, fl-imħabba. Qed niċċelebraw il-ħolqien u l-poeżija. Grazzi Maria, għax f’dil-belt, f’did-dar, int xemgħa li ddawwal l-umanità dejjem imġarrba, dejjem ħalliema, tagħna.
Filmat taċ-Ċerimonja u d-Diskorsi
Filmat taċ-ċerimonja li fiha s-Sa Maria Grech Ganado u l-Imħallef Giovanni Bonello ngħataw Dottorat Onorarju mill-Università ta’ Malta. Jien tkellimt (minn 16:30) fuq il-figura u l-poeżija ta’ Maria Grech Ganado u wara Maria (minn 34:20) għamlet diskors ta’ ringrazzjament li fih tkellmet dwar l-esperjenza tagħha tal-letteratura.
Maria Grech Ganado’s Acceptance Speech
D.Litt (Honoris Causa)
Your Excellence, the Acting President, Chancellor, Rector and pro-Rectors, Senate and Council, Registrar, Deans, Professor Adrian Grima, Prof JosAnn Cutajar, who nominated me, academic staff and students, distinguished guests, family and friends, Good Afternoon. I must straightaway express my recognition of and gratitude for the honour I have just received today
I fell for creative Literature as a schoolgirl – literally – when, as I walked from school in Valletta to my home in Floriana on the low wall skirting the stretch of trees between it and the KG V, today Boffa Hospital, while simultaneously and inadvertently engrossed in yet another novel, I fell from a certain height. All I remember is a man above asking whether I’d hurt myself and realising, as I scrambled up, that I hadn’t felt a thing physically but was still absorbed by what I’d been reading.
Since then, apart from my family, Literature has been the greatest passion of my life. I have studied it, taught it, written and published it in both Maltese and English, themselves translated into more than 10 other languages. It makes me feel complete to be thought of by some as a pioneer in the field of women’s academic and literary achievement in Malta, since whatever I have done has been gratifyingly and proudly done from the very core of my experience as a Maltese woman. It is, therefore, with immense pride and sense of privilege that I receive this prestigious honour now.
But why Literature?
I believe that Literature encompasses areas of knowledge such as those covered by history, philosophy, sociology, psychology and other aspects of humanity, perhaps with less professional detail but with the greater pleasure gifted by the imagination. Through it we can travel the world, past and present and sometimes even future.
More significantly, however, it can also produce and hone critical and analytic thought, sensitivity and compassion, because of sharpening discernment, perspective and understanding. Sometimes, throughout the centuries, Literature has also played a significant part in furthering the course of justice. By bringing situations and characters to life, it is able to paint detailed pictures and provide a voice wherever there is still need of both. It does this by structuring perennial themes in ordered patterns not accessible to a limited consciousness. This is true in Malta, for example, of Literature written by women or about women. The purpose of fiction can be one of seriousness even while it gratifies the mind with imagination, form, structure and complexity of language.
Of course, this complexity is to be found mainly in my specific area, Poetry, with its demand for the linguistic discipline of conciseness, concentration, musicality, etc. Like music, Poetry harmonises but requires as well the deeper understanding of a language very different from that employed in everyday communication or even other branches of learning.
A poem may, in fact, take the form of a lyric, an epic, a political discourse, a narrative, a description, a metaphysical, philosophic, spiritual contemplation but may also be informative. It may be argumentative, serious, ironic, satirical, humorous, comic, erotic, or simply an exposition of a simple mood. It was once considered far more prestigious than it is now, especially when, as did Aristotle, literary creativity (poesis) was believed to be closer to truth than history.
In fact, Poetry is not linear but primarily metaphorical and multilayered. It appeals mainly to the feelings, not only those of love, as many think and songs emulate, but of allthose requiring catharsis. There is such a thing as intellectual emotion too and as human beings we possess emotions and mental attributes, besides knowledge, that should inform and be responsible for that knowledge. As such its language must inevitably be vibrant and communicate energy. It is easy to understand that in today’s societies, including Malta’s, a language which is not precise, practical, fast or simply one-dimensional, is not considered serviceable. Social media outlets do not demand more.
And yet, poetry is even now making inroads all over the world again, perhaps because a need for deeper emotions and their expression is being recognized as essential as is science and is therefore growing. It is possible to learn how to relate peaceably to all aspects of Nature, including human, through Literature.
The philosopher Ursula K. Le Guin stresses this:
“Science describes accurately from outside, poetry describes accurately from inside. Science explicates, poetry implicates. Both celebrate what they describe. We need the languages of both science and poetry to save us from merely stockpiling endless “information” that fails to inform our ignorance or our irresponsibility” Ursula K. Le Guin
Basically, apart from keeping alive, safe and comfortable there must be feelings, values and achievements that we are glad to be alive for without converting them into a greed that subordinates others. Sharing them forms the basis of a civilised society.
I could not be more grateful for the privileges my own life has afforded me, including the talent that has brought me here today – that of the ability to communicate the joy of Literature both as teacher and as writer.
Again, I thank the University of Malta and all who have contributed to it for their recognition of this talent and for conferring upon it the magnificent honour I have just received.
maria grech ganado
adriangrima.org 