Schools in Region 4 congregated Monday at the Diamond Secondary School for this year’s Mashramani festivities, and showcased riveting and colourful displays in the form of dance, masquerade, drama, calypso, physical display and, of course, costume parade.

Some of the brilliant performances at the Region  4 Children’s School Mash festivities.  (Photos by Adrian Narine)

The varying programmes were all exciting, and displayed a brilliant fusion of dazzling colours as the schools promoted Guyana’s rich heritage and culture. Most schools blazed impressive trails that signalled the dawn of a very innovative and creative future for Mashramani 2013.
In the 5-7 group Dance category, Mocha Arcadia Primary demolished the other contenders to place first with their entry, ‘Mash Celebration’. In second place was Strathspey Primary with ‘Fun in Circles’, followed by Enterprise Primary with ‘Little Angels in Circles’.
The excitement was heightened when schools faced off in the 8-10 group Dance category.
This segment saw spectacular performances from Ann’s Grove Primary, executing their piece, ‘We Ready’. Covent Garden Primary was very impressive with ‘Forgiving Hearts’; whilst Soesdyke Primary executed intense creativity when they showcased their entry, ‘A medley of Guyanese traditions’.
Clonbrook Primary made a good effort with ‘Mahriya’, while Enterprise Primary’s ‘African Vibration’ lacked co-ordination. Mocha Arcadia was very good in bringing to the forum ‘Freedom’, while Helena Primary provided a simple but very emotional execution of ‘Let’s worship Him’.
St. Mary’s Primary was just divine when they performed ‘Held’, and LBI Primary also provided good entertainment performing ‘God is Good’.
Silver Hill Primary, however, needed a lot more for their presentation to be dubbed pleasing when they performed ‘Cultural Creation’. Company Road Primary’s ‘Praising God’ was very impressive, but Diamond Primary failed to please the large audience with ‘Jollification’.
Mon Repos Primary were certainly entertaining when they showcased ‘Mix we Up’, making way for Buxton Primary, with ‘Mixed up Moves’, which really lacked the customary fire that accompany their Mash performances.
The best performance for the day came from Kuru-Kururu Primary, whose students exploded on stage in the 8-10 group Dance category, presenting a pulsating show to Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts’s soca hit, ‘Rage’. They were truly energetic, and unleashed ‘soca fire’ to every hot tempo of the song.
Company Road Primary gave a fair effort when they attempted their entry, ‘Mash Fever’. B.V. Quamina Primary attempted the same song, but their performance to their piece, ‘Mashing with Rage’, could only be dubbed as ‘good’.
Friendship Primary tried really hard to please the crowd with ‘Tramping Invasion’, but they certainly needed a little more energy. Peter’s Hall Primary delivered a smashing performance, depicting riveting ethnic harmony when they came on stage to display ‘Showcasing culture oneness and Pride’. Swami Purnananda Primary was pleasing to the eyes when they performed ‘Dance to the Moves’.
Lusignan Primary literally blew the audience away when they stepped a notch higher with a very electrifying performance; making way for Clonbrook Primary, who were pleasing as well.
The 11-13 Individual Dance segment saw Diamond Primary emerging the winners after a stirring presentation of ‘Explosive Rhythms’ from Jasmin Fraser. Also tying for first place was B.V. Quamina Primary’s ‘’Duma-Duma Duya’, performed by Gaitree Ramjan. A second place was, however, given to Enmore Primary for their ‘Movements to the Rhythms’; while Gibson Primary, performing ‘Indian Remix’, had to settle for third.
The 11-13 group Dance segment saw two schools tying for the top spot. These were Enterprise Primary, executing ‘Rhythms and Feeling’, and Ann’s Grove Secondary, with ‘Mashing in Style’. Taking the next two available spots were LBI Secondary and Virginia Primary, with ‘Colours’ and ‘Guyanese Style’ respectively.
The 8-10 Masquerade category on day one saw a lone performance by St. Andrew Primary’s Loydicia Waldron, flouncing as the ‘Flouncing Princess’. She, however, presented a very lame performance.
There was also a lone entry in the 8-10 Masquerade Band category and it came from Clonbrook Primary School.
In the 11-13 Masquerade Flouncing, it was Lancaster Secondary that took home the top honours, with Shamar Guyadeen portraying the ‘Silver Light Dancer’. In second place was Golden Grove Primary’s Kempton Standford, dancing under the name ‘Skillful Flouncer in 2013’. The third position was allotted to St. Andrew Primary’s Fabean Holder as the ‘Jolly Flouncer’.