The humble masquerade band is an integral part of Mashramani celebrations. The bands come out from wherever they have been hiding only twice a year – we saw them last Christmas and we will inevitably see them in the Masharmani Competitions and on the road during the season. Nowadays these bands are joined by all sorts of characters –Superheroes, zombies and apes not excluded but, some traditional characters always remain.
There is the BAM BAM SALLY- a “woman” known for her largely developed ‘Gluteus Maximus muscles’, The BIG – BELLY MAN – usually a man in drag imitating a heavily pregnant woman., the LONG LADY – a man in drag on stilts, the BAD COW – A person in a frame which has been covered in cloth to resemble a cow and a special favourite the GOADY MAN- a man who stuffs the crotch of his pants to form a hydrocelic bulge. These are accompanied by flouncers.
The display put on by these performers, is one of the surviving traditions in the Caribbean that have come to be an essential element of Mashramani.
Traditionally flutes, fifes and drums provide the music for merriment as the masqueraders adorned in colorful costumes, prance and dance and the streets spreading joy and laughter.

Birth of the Masquerade
During the 18th century, the West Indian Plantocracy celebrated a festival period, which started at Christmas. It was a season of goodwill where the revelry included masked balls, performances and dances.  Rules were relaxed and slaves were given more freedom and   allowed a bit more food, luxuries and free time. They used some of this time to practice their own music and performance arts.
Work stopped on the estates and the slaves had more time to indulge in their own devices when Martial Law was declared at Christmas in the British West Indies colonies.
These conditions allowed them to revive African traditions brought over by the slaves to the Caribbean and many of them became grouped around this period because the slaves had full opportunity to practice the unimpeded. The traditions became integrated into the traditions of the season. One of these traditions was the masquerade.
Masquerade bands could be found in the religious festivals of both the Ibo and the Yoruba of West Africa. The seasonal masquerade was traditionally practiced from December to January period in Africa at the time of the Harmattan and the celebration of the harvest. It was believed that at this time the gods came to visit and it was also for some, a celebration of victory in war.

Masquerade Characters
There was much merry making with processions through the streets where costumes and effigies representing ancestors as well as such qualities as strength, acrobatic agility, fertility and terror.
As the years went by, the masquerade developed many more masks, costumes and characters. The big belly woman in the modern times represents the `WHORE GIRL’ which is descended from the fertility symbol.  The devil with his pitchfork which is present in some masquerades came from the Christian influence.
The `BAD COW’ represents fear and acrobatic agility .The LONG LADY is one of the few features that survived to contemporary times. This originated from the acrobatic agility displayed in the past by Koo Joo or Actor Boy.
Combined the Masquerade Band represents a significant part of Guyanese culture which is being celebrated around this time.