–That Christmas with a Guyanese twist

YOU hear the drums beating amidst the sounds of vehicles passing along Regent Street,and you see young children dressed in multi-coloured clothing prancing around,sometimes in the middle of the road.

You hear it; you see it; you know it’s the masqueraders.
The masqueraders in the street signal that the Christmas Season is upon us with a Guyanese twist of jubilation.
For Claudia Garraway, who spoke to the Guyana Chronicle, these masqueraders present a creative expression for Guyana that reminds us of our history.
“I believe it gives individuals the opportunity to express without the worrying about our identity,” she said.

This identity she spoke of dates back to the planation days of enslavement, where the masquerade style of dance was one of the very few traditions to survive the cultural erasure that occurred in that era.

It has its origins in the Yoruba and Ibo traditions of Nigeria, but would over time entrench itself in the Afro-Guyanese culture and much later, the wider Guyanese culture.
But nowadays, how much can be said of the preservation of this tradition? Where is the traditional ‘Mother Sally’, the ‘Long Lady’ or the ‘Mad Cow’?
What you might see at the traffic stops is a group of young males adorned in red, green and yellow or orange clothing dancing around with their arms outstretched, hoping to collect some money from vehicles passing by.

You might hear and even see another group at the side of the road beating drums of different sizes, but it would truly be a surprise if you saw someone playing the flute or the triangle, another tradition which has seemingly been forgotten.
What has happened to these features of the masquerade band? Weren’t these the very same things that would make the masquerade band, well, a masquerade band?

SPELL-BOUND

“When I was younger I was fascinated to see the masqueraders perform. It was always a way that welcomed you into the Christmas spirit in Guyana, and encouraged you to be a part of it,” teenager, Adiah Gomes reflected.

She, however, bemoaned the fact that it seems like the sense of Christmas brought by the masqueraders has somewhat diminished into being just a nuisance. For her, it would appear as though those persons parading as masqueraders don’t even try to learn that distinctive heel-to-toe dance technique and are just concerned with the monetary donation.
“If this could change and return to the days when I was younger, it could somewhat help usher in the Christmas spirit within Guyanese once more,” Young Adiah said.
Walking the streets of Georgetown during the busy shopping season, it came as no surprise to see the ‘masqueraders’, but it was not until Christmas Eve that you saw the emergence of the ‘Mother Sally’, ‘Mad Cow’ or even the ‘Long Man on Stilts’.

And, as for the sound of the flute? There was one drummer whistling at the corner of Camp and Robb Streets, trying for all he was worth to imitate the sounds.
Perhaps, in their own way, these masqueraders are trying to keep the tradition alive. Or just maybe the acquisition of monetary donation overshadows the love and joy for masquerading. But more and more, persons are seeing this as a way of scoring a small change rather than a promotion of Guyanese traditions and culture.
While echoing sentiments shared by Gomes, one young man, Jude Corlette shared his feelings about the masqueraders.

“This might surprise you, but my honest opinion is that they are a nuisance; holding up traffic,” he said.
Don’t get him wrong, he said. He doesn’t mind the masqueraders soliciting funds for a cause, or keeping their culture alive. Just,just do it on the sidewalks!