By Utamu Belle
Looking back over the years at the celebration of Mashramani, a festival with its origin in the bauxite mining town of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), one would note that it has undergone many unique and interesting transformations. This year marks 49 years of Guyana becoming a Republic nation, and approximately 45 years since the birth of the celebration.
The Mashramani celebration started when the Junior Chamber – Jaycees – of Mackenzie (a community that now constitutes part of Linden), who had been organising the country’s Independence celebrations since 1966, sought to have a ‘carnival-like’ festival to commemorate British Guiana gaining its Republican status in 1970. Chaired by popular West Indies cricketer Basil Butcher, the Jaycees Republic Committee was formed. It included members such as Jim Blackman, who was named Deputy to complete the task owing to Butcher being selected to the WI team about to tour Australia; resource personnel Adrian Thompson; Wordsworth McAndrew and Arthur Seymour.
Following the formation of the Committee, its members then began consultations so that a relevant name could be chosen for the festival, which was intended to celebrate the much-anticipated “Birth of the Republic.” It was Butcher, who then made the suggestion that an Amerindian or Indigenous name would be best suited. After the members of the Committee agreed, they contacted several Amerindians, including Allan Fiedtkou, an employee attached to the Geological Department of the then bauxite company, Demba. Fiedtkou suggested a name which he learnt from his
grandfather that was used by Amerindians when they gathered to commemorate an auspicious event. As Fiedtkou explained, the celebration would last over several days, sometimes even up to a week. The men would go hunting and the women and children would gather materials to make a benab. Refreshments would be made and a feast would ensue. According to Fiedtkou, the term for the celebration sounded like “Muster Many” or “Mashirimehi”, and it sounded like “Mashramani” in Arawak. After several authorities were consulted, there were no doubts or confirmations regarding the term. Mashramani became known as an Amerindian term for celebration after hard work or a cooperative effort or the celebration after a job well done. As such, the Committee decided to call the festival Mashramani, with the aim of hosting a national observance. As such, on February 23, 1970, Guyana’s first Republican festival was staged at Linden.
The Jaycees, then headed by Jimmy Hamilton, had appointed the team to successfully organise the celebration, which was deemed a successful one. It featured three exciting days of competition and fun, attracting huge crowds from across the other administrative Regions. The celebration eventually managed to secure sponsorship from the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL). Guyanese were said to have welcomed the observances with as much splendour as they welcomed the status of becoming a Republic nation. There were activities such as ‘the Revolt dance’, a jouvert-like observance which became known as “Fo Day Mawnin Jump Up”; the Cde Mashramani contest; a calypso contest called the “Shanto” contest; a steel band contest and an extravagant float parade. Pageantry, in those days, was also a main attraction of the event, with the first winner of the Mashramani contest in 1970 being Hazel Figueira of Mackenzie, Linden.
In 1971, then Home Affairs Minister David Singh declared the celebrations in Linden open and decided that he would take a proposal to Cabinet to make the celebration a national one. With the assistance of the Jaycees Committee, the Minister travelled across the country to inform residents of the celebration. Since then, various activities were shifted to various areas across Guyana.
Enjoyed by many, Mashramani’s popularity quickly grew as it became a national observance. In 1972, it was taken to the capital city Georgetown, following Singh’s intervention and then President Forbes Burnham granting permission. That year, the bauxite company in Linden sent a 500-strong contingent to Georgetown to participate in the parade. The move also saw the event being held in Linden, Berbice and Georgetown, but Linden failed to garner much sponsorship to sustain the costume and float parade.
Eventually, it was centred in Georgetown and as the years went by, other areas across Guyana joined in. Throughout the decades, the celebrations have evolved. As a witness to the celebrations in those days recalled, it was somewhat different from the “bacchanal-style” prancing down the streets these days.
“It was not like what we see these days, we used to hold hands and do an Amerindian type dance, moving from side to side. We would form a line, and the line would be in so much order, but there was no Soca-style jamming, just an orderly, peaceful dance,” she explained.
Another resident of Linden, Wendy Wellington, noted that revellers in those days were more modestly dressed. “I must say that back then it was just something that people started, but as time goes by, it became more developed,” she noted.
Other witnesses to the event in the past have claimed that the observance would appear to have lost its true intended meaning. According to some, nowadays, more emphasis is placed on the partying aspect. Lindener
Winslow Parris noted that the celebration took on a more cultural demeanour back then.
“We had, back then, things that related to the rebelling of slaves. We would have had like an African troupe and the beating of drums,” he related.
He also reminisced on the masquerades back then and recalled that the costumes were not as large as those in recent times. Another Lindener, Caesar McAlmont said in his opinion, much has not changed over the years.
“Mashramani ain’t change in no way. All that changed is that they carried it away to town,” he said.
He noted too that the musical aspect in those days centred on the use of steel pan.
“Back then, we didn’t have big bands, you know. The generation now is more bacchanal-like than in our time. Steel band was the thing then. When you hear about a big Mash, you talking Steel Band, not (music) set. You trampling down the road, with a steel band. Everybody behind a steel band…Ya chipping down the road, with a steel band. We had the “Invaders” and so much other steel bands,” he recalled.
But youngsters who are accustomed to the atmosphere these days say they look forward to Mashramani celebrations each year.
“Well, Mash is a time where we get together with friends and just have a nice time. You know, no work so we just get together and have fun,” a youngster indicated.
These days, lots of sponsorship is pumped into the celebrations. Each year, thousands line the streets, with hundreds participating in the annual float parade held in Georgetown. The parade is usually an annual competition, with big bands participating. Additionally, many new activities have been incorporated into the celebrations, including the Children’s Costume Competition, the Junior and Senior Calypso and Chutney competitions, Chutney dance competition, duck curry competition, folk evening observance, Bands Concert and National Art exhibition.
Traditional activities have remained, including the steel band concert and Panorama as well as Masquerade Jamboree. However, many long for the return of the Mashramani pageant, which was hosted back in those days. While a few pageants were hosted over the years, it has not been on the annual calendar of events.
As for the community of Linden where it all started, the celebration is held approximately a week after the grand float parade in Georgetown. Costumes are usually sponsored by the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and a few businesses. However, the float parade in the mining town can be considered miniature to that of the capital city. There is also a “Mash Bash” social and cultural event hosted in the community on February 23.
Wellington believes that more should be done to preserve the history of the floats. She said there should be a place where samples are kept, as a reminder to youths of our rich, cultural heritage.
“…when you would have spent all this money to build these costumes, you should have somewhere to put them. You shouldn’t just let them go to waste. There should be some place where you store these costumes and have them protected, where the youths can go and see how things have changed over time,” she told this publication.
Over the years, Lindeners have longed to see the return of the celebration to the town. Officials are presently in talks to have it return next year, as Guyana celebrates its 50th anniversary as a Republic. With all that has changed over the years, few things have remained. These include flamboyant costumes; beaming faces; people dancing to the sounds of masquerade bands, calypso and steel pan music; hundreds lining the streets to get a glimpse of the spectacle and delicious Guyanese cuisine. Over the years, these features, which mark the observance of Guyana becoming a Republican nation back in February 1970, have never failed to delight Guyanese and visitors.
This year, Mashramani is being celebrated under the theme, “Celebrate Mash 49 With Victory In Mind.” (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
