An explosion of colour and music and movement

Thousands of Guyanese braved the scorching sun, taking the place of the rains most everyone prayed would not come, as they took to the streets for this year’s grand Mashramani parade – which featured a truly Guyanese celebration, reflecting our nation’s diversity and rich culture.
The streets featured most everything one could contemplate – colours galore everywhere you looked, competing stereos mere feet away from each other, and even business people, including one-day entrepreneurs, stepping up to deliver ‘Mash bargains’ to passersby.

The parade itself kicked off just after 11:00hrs, wowing the many that lined the parapets at Merriman’s Mall and Church street to , Vlissengen Road and Irving Streets.
Baton wielding, float lugging and gyrating revellers were sometimes barely recognizable behind the masks, shimmering dust-like substances sticking to their body and costumes – transformative outfits that added particular distinction to the bands.
Each championed a cause of their own under themes ranging from ‘May All See Him (MASH)’ by the Body of Christ to ‘Green Gold – Our Forests Our Pride’ by the Guyana Forestry Commission.

Professional designers and creative minds ‘trying a thing’ had a major platform to showcase their skills and the reception by the crowds made the efforts worthwhile.


Some of the bands, by confining themselves to a vehicle, deprived themselves of that oomph that gave them the extra push that they managed last year.
Case in point was the Chinese who celebrated the Chinese years with a display on a huge truck. The dancing dragon atop the truck was the highlight of the display.

Last year the same contingent left the crowds in awe with the dancing dragons and blast of reds in the costumes donned by revellers who marched along to the National Park.
Nonetheless, the show moved on, stunning and all.
This year bands were thousands strong mixing up dance moves on the roads – we could not call it choreography, really..
The private sector entities that hit the road did so with vigor and incited the crowds with the tangible energy they brought with them – in particular the Carib and Digicel Bands.


The larger bands awed many too, and included the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) contingent.

General Secretary of the PPP, Mr. Donald Ramotar, told the Guyana Chronicle that this year Mashramani was bigger, better and much more.
The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) was not to be outdone and almost matched the numbers seen in the PPP/C band.

One of the bands that drew considerable attention was that of the Commercial Sex Workers whose presentation was the nearest thing to a scandal of the roads yesterday.

There was no denying that this year’ parade had something for everyone, from the smallest tot to the older folks – everyone found a niche and settled in to have fun.

Armed with hats or umbrellas, as well as thingamabobs to wave, the crowd visibly had a rollicking good time.
The face painting teams and the dog decked out in his costume and pushed on a bicycle by his owner were only a few of the regular attractions that were seen again this year.
Adding to that though were those who decided to take things up a notch and stun the crowds solo fashion.


There were no limits to the surprises on the roads yesterday, everything from a boy and his monkey to a shirtless cowboy.


The new features were the exclusive Masquerade Band from Essequibo and the Surinamese delegation, which gave Guyana a taste of their culture.
The crowds themselves were not to be left out and each person not in a band made statements of their own and whether it was a fashion styles or ‘spoils’ as ‘them boys’ called it, statements were made reflecting the diversity of Guyanese society.

All in all a good time was had by all, rollicking good time, for all Guyanese on the roads yesterday – all Guyanese proud of the Nation’s accomplishments celebrated through the parade that promoted ‘Showcasing our Culture, Sustaining our Pride’.