Essequibo Bad Cow masquerade attracts thousands

Dec 22, 2009 News

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Fire Red Band flounces away with $200,000 first prize

(By Mondale Smith in Essequibo)
It is a common belief that traditional masquerade in Guyana is a dying art form but judging from the thousands who flocked to the Essequibo Coast on Saturday and the performance of the eleven bands that participated, that is furthest from the truth.
As if it were a Carnival, from 9:00hrs, hundreds lined a one-mile stretch of roadway to witness and join in the festivities at Charity on the Essequibo Coast.
Aimed at ushering in the festive season, the second annual “Masquerade road parade and Bad Cow competition” presented by the Pomeroon Oil Mill in association with the Region Two Democratic Council, was the event of the year.
There was no sign of any elf but super heroes were in abundance and Santa Claus was also part of the merriment but as opposed to his hat flopping to the side, it stood up. Rejuvenating the traditional awakening of the festive spirit, while promoting unity among Guyanese and preserving one of Guyana’s oldest cultural traditions the event brought together persons of all ages, creeds, and ethnicities.
Some of the revelers mimicked animals while others dressed the part and one musician used a Coca Cola bottle instead of a flute to create sweet music.
In each of the 11 bands there were familiar characters such as the Bam Bam Sally, the Big-belly Man, and the Mother Sally, the Cow Catcher, the foul cock and the dreaded Mad Cow, as well as flouncers.
But they were joined by other characters such as superman, Spider man, Count Dracula, several zombies and apes.
Flutes, fifes and drums provided the music for merriment as the masqueraders adorned in colorful costumes pranced, danced and flounced along the Charity Main Road to the judging point outside the Xenon Hotel and Night Club.
There, the competition was staged in two parts with added entertainment from Mingles Sound Machine, and live performances from entertainer Jumo Primo and Chutney sensation, Sandella Craig.
Some reported that while Mashramani and Easter are big events for Guyana they pale into insignificance in comparison to the support showered on the ‘Mad Cow’ masquerade competition that usher in the festive season on the Essequibo Coast.
“In Region Two we don’t have any major entertainment celebrations but since we started the competition last year this is the biggest entertainment event that supports the Masquerade tradition in Guyana,” said organizer, Andron Alphonso, Chief Executive Officer of Pomeroon Oil Mill.
The event is the brainchild Andron and his brother both of whom were afraid of masqueraders and the Bad Cow as children.
There was never a dull moment for several hours for the entertainment-starved patrons who flocked to the main stage area for the competition.
They watched and celebrated equally revelers and musicians who were invited to the stage to display techniques for three minute and the mad cow was the main feature.
Over all the judges and the audience decided who bagged the main prizes totaling $700,000 cash.
The event’s major sponsors were Banks DIH, Japarts, Macorp, and Demerara Bank, Wind Jammer International Hotel and Auto fashion.
It offered much cultural amusement, story telling in dance and costume as well as rich folklore that invited all to catch the bad cow Fever on the Essequibo Coast.
Alphonso said among the aims of the event his group is optimistic that “Masquerade will take it place as an art form of pride that adds to the folklores and customs that make us unique Guyanese.
And it is my hope that our mad cow competition will eventually becomes a national event that ushers in the traditional Christmas spirit nationally and then into Mashramani celebrations”.
Alphonso also dubbed the Bad Cow bands as “the model Guyanese version of Christmas Carolers and for my experience it has been a major part of the awakening of the Christmas feeling since the early 1900s.”
He recalled stories of days of old when through out the months of November and December masqueraders were a common sight dancing through the streets accompanied by flute players, flouncers and drummers, spreading joy in dance and antics.
“These dancers and showmen and women signal a time of year when we forget our differences and unify to enjoy the holiday season as one people,” Alphonso said.
With conviction he noted that “over the last 10 years, this tradition has began to pale into insignificance and the bands no longer beckon the start of the season of great cheer, so we are aiming to bring back the glory days with this competition and it will be bigger and better next year.”
The first Pomeroon Oil Mill Inc. Bad Cow and Masquerade Competition staged at Charity in December 2008 was a success with more than 2,000 patrons in attendance despite torrential rainfall and difficulties associated with such weather patterns.
Part of the proceeds of the premiere event of the festive season on the Essequibo Coast will be used to assist the Charity Youth Sports Club and the Region Two Centre for the disabled.
As part of the event long after the competition was completed patrons partied on the road and in the night clubs close by till the break of dawn.

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