Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/863487
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 AUGUST 2017 News 5 CALL FOR A FULL-TIME SENIOR MANAGER LITERACY AND INFORMATION SUPPORT UNIT WITHIN THE NATIONAL LITERACY AGENCY Jobsplus: 390/2017 The The National Literacy Agency, within the Ministry of Education and Employment, is seeking to recruit a Senior Manager to administer the Literacy and Information Support Unit (LISU). The eligibility criteria for this post are: • Applicants must at the closing date of receipt of applications have a recognised degree in Education, Languages, Communication or Library and Information Studies at MQF Level 6 or higher. •• All applicants must have at least 5 years work experience preferably in a coordinating role and be able to present documented evidence of their experience in: • Literacy initiatives and/or Parental Empowerment initiatives • Library management and information literacy skills and • formal and non-formal educational experience. •• High competency in ICT applications, especially MS Office systems (in particular, Word, Excel, Web Browsing and Communication, and PowerPoint). Ability to make use of information management systems would be desirable. • High standard of written and spoken Maltese and English. Candidates Candidates should submit their letter of application, together with a summary of qualifications and experience in a European Curriculum Vitae Format, a copy of their relevant scanned certificates and a recent police certificate of conduct, by email to john.b.farrugia@gov.mt or by post to Mr John Farrugia, Executive Secretary, National Curriculum Centre, Joseph Abela Scolaro Street, Hamrun HMR 1304 by not later than Monday 4th September 2017 at noon. Applications Applications by post should be sent by registered mail, allowing sufficient time to ensure delivery by the above deadline. Applications will be acknowledged in writing within seven days. Further information may be obtained from Mr John Farrugia on 2598 2997 or via email at john.b.farrugia@gov.mt Labour of love: The almost century- long family history behind the Gostra DENISE GRECH spoke to Simon Bugeja, whose family have been organising the Gostra for over 60 years, to find out more about the 119-year-old tradition "GOD forbid the gostra would die out," jokes Simon Bugeja, organiser of the St Julian's event, one of the activities for the feast of St Julian. Bugeja, who has been organising the event for over a decade, said the gostra has been part of his family's history for almost a century. "My father organised the event for over 50 years before I took over." Every year, spectators line St Julian's Spinola bay to watch the traditional gos- tra, where 10-12 competitors run along an upward-inclined 10-metre long lard- plastered pole in an effort to win various prizes. Bugeja's passion stems from his father, Nazju Bugeja, whose name is "synony- mous with ġostra", according to a 2012 study by Manoel Pirotta. Nazju's passion motivated young Simon, who vividly re- members his father's work on the yearly event. "[Simon's] job is to keep the tra- dition alive, just like his father wanted," Pirotta says. Simon, like his father before him, is also a member of the St Julian's feast committee. St Julian's commemorated Nazju's work on the fifth year anniversary of his death, when Simon commissioned band director Pirotta to write a band march entitled "Nazju Tal-Gostra". "We've had many dreams for the gos- tra to grow," Bugeja said as he described his efforts to get a garage to store the pole, which his father bought in 1988. Bugeja joked that he thinks about the gostra all year round, and starts prepar- ing the lard that is smeared over the pole, months in advance of the day. Prepara- tions take around two to three months to be completed, after the organising team makes the necessary arrangements for awards and for permits. The organising team is often the same as the competitive team: "Everyone lends a hand and pulls the same rope. If you're competing you're also helping with logistics." The practice, which dates back to the 1800s, has recently been extended to al- low children, seven and up, to take part in the game. Grease is smeared thickly on the 30-year-old pole, which is attached to a barge, and projects at length over the harbour. Although the word itself is Ital- ian-derived, the ġostra dates back to the Neopolitan game of Cockaigne pole. Three flags line the lard-covered pole and contestants tread the pole to cap- ture the flags at various stages. Each of the flags on the gostra pole has a reli- gious meaning – the blue and white flag represents the Holy Mary, the yellow and white flag shows the Vatican stand- ard, and the Belgian tricolor represents the homeland of St Julian. Bugeja has one piece of advice for this weekend's competitors: "Keep running and don't look back, because once you stop, you're out!" This year's gostra started yesterday and will be held again today and on 26th and 27th August at Spinola Bay. Simon Bugeja at the foot of the Gostra pole as it was being laid out with lard, yesterday morning. His one piece of advice for competitors: "Keep running and don't look back, because once you stop, you're out!" Got it! (Above) A Gostra contestant manages to get hold of the first flag, the Vatican coloured-flag, during yesterday afternoon's proceedings at Spinola Bay, where the greasy pole contest is held every year during the feast of St Julian. The event has been a family affair for the Bugejas, and a tradition that every St Julian's resident knows about. ALL PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANGION Contestants have to run up the upwards- inclined greasy pole to reach the flags at the very end. At every try they end up in the sea, taking with them the lard that is smeared on the pole. Bottom: the winner of the Gostra holds up his tricolor flag proudly as he emerges from the sea.