Spectacular Mashramani launch in ‘hometown’ Linden

Sep 18, 2017 News

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– The prodigal celebration has returned, says Linden Mayor

By Enid Joaquin

Linden, the home of Mashramani, on Saturday evening, was the venue for a spectacular launch of the event at the Linden/Georgetown Bus Park.
Encompassing a mini float parade and cultural presentations, the event kicked off at the Linden Technical Institute and culminated at the park.
It was held under the auspices of the Regional Democratic Council and the Ministry of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport.
Lindeners lined Republic Avenue to get an eyeful of the float parade and later flocked the venue to get a glimpse of what Mash 2018 promises to be.
Some saw the launch in September (Indigenous Heritage Month) as fitting, considering that the word ‘Mashramani’ is an Indigenous one, meaning celebration after hard work.
Patrons were well entertained with scintillating cultural presentations, including dancing, calypso singing, and masquerades.
Calypso queens Dianna Chapman and Tashana Cort outdid themselves as they entertained the appreciative and hyped crowd.
Vanilla, like the essence, which shares her name, added sweet “Mash Flava” as she and her costumed dancers gyrated in joyful abundance.
But while the singing was performed with much gusto, it was the dancing, that had patrons on the edges of their seats as the stage creaked and shook as if in protest at the pressure exerted by the performers.
Though many feared its imminent collapse, the stage withstood the onslaught of hundreds of pounds of gyrating bodies.
Some dancers donned umbrellas to gyrate and kick up their heels to the ‘umbrella party song’, one of the liveliest performances to hit the stage.
However, there were some serious messages, including one from Mayor of Linden, Carwyn Holland, who declared,
“The prodigal celebration has returned to her place of origin. It was here that Mashramani was innovated, and here it was perfected. It is time we embrace and execute a return of this legacy by ensuring that Mashramani 2018 embodies the rich cultural heritage of our proud town and region.
“The resurgence of local democracy and with it our new development trajectory, means that we get to chart our own course of advancement, as well as our own brand of celebration. Therefore, it is time that Mashramani emerges as a brand renowned internationally.”
Holland added that, “foreigners must not only plan to attend Carnival and Caribana, but Mashramani as well. This he said, would ensure that Guyana’s culture, craft, fine local products, eco-tourism, and hospitality can be popular internationally.”
The Mayor posited that Mashramani can be showcased as a brand that is “irresistible.”
He emphasised that both the organisers and Lindeners have a role to play in producing an outstanding Mashramani celebration that would eclipse previous “exploits”.
Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Culture Youth and Sport, George Norton, appealed for more support from the private sector, pointing out that Mashramani presents the opportunity to advertise not just locally but internationally. The Minister acknowledged that the Ministry cannot do it without the collaboration of major stakeholders.
“Let us make Mashramani 2018, the best we’ve had so far’’ the Minister exhorted.
Two stalwarts, Jimmy Hamilton and Basil Butcher who were integrally involved with the conceptualisation and execution of the first Mashramani celebrations in Linden, were honoured with plaques. Chairman, Rennis Morian and Sandra Adams, were also presented with plaques in recognition of their contributions to the town.
Hamilton in an exclusive interview with Kaieteur news posited, “Let’s go back to having a truly Guyanese Mashramani. Soca and calypso is good, but we do have our own, which is Shanto, a Guyanese genre of music, which is a marriage between pork-knockers and Amerindian rhythms.”
Hamilton said that he wants to see more participation from Lindeners, instead of what presently pertains with six and seven Ministries featuring big bands parading and Lindeners on the sidelines, watching.
“That is not the way Mashramani was when it started in Linden,” Hamilton lamented.
One of the things that Hamilton said that he hopes to see return is the crowning of a Mashramani queen.
“All ten regions could get involved in this, it would generate a lot of excitement and also revenue.”
Hamilton pointed out that the money that was used to build the Upper Demerara Hospital at Wismar, was accrued from the hosting of the first Miss Mashramani Contest.

He proposed that each Region provide a delegate to vie for the coveted title of Miss Mashramani Guyana.
On reminiscing of the Mashramani Queen Contest in Linden, Hamilton said that it was the most eagerly anticipated event, that garnered much support from both the community and outlying areas.
The first Mashramani Queen was Linden beauty Cathy Rodrigues, Hamilton said. The following year, Verda Andrews, a beauty from Bartica, walked away with the crown.
The Mashramani 2018 theme was unveiled by Jimmy Hamilton and Minister of Social Cohesion, George Norton. Mashramani 2018 would be observed under the theme, “Let’s Co-operate and Celebrate Republic 48.”

Brief History
Mashramani is observed in Guyana on February 23, every year since 1970, to commemorate the country’s Republican status.
Mashramani had its genesis in Linden, where the idea for a celebration to mark Guyana’s Republican status was conceptualised and later executed on Republic Day February 23, 1970.
The event was so immensely successful that it later became a National event, which was observed in Georgetown for the first time in 1972.
Soon after, the Mashramani fever became so contagious, that it was spread all over the country with celebrations in all ten regions, featuring flag-raising ceremonies, sporting events and float parades.
However, Georgetown, the Capital city, takes the cake for sheer magnitude of floats and spectacular displays of costumes on Republic Day.
A group of charismatic individuals calling themselves the Jaycees of Mackenzie had been organising an independence carnival in Mackenzie, ever since Guyana achieved Independence in 1966.
The group later formed the Jaycees Republic Celebrations Committee, with members including Jimmy Hamilton, Jim Blackman and Basil Butcher, who was selected chairman.
However, Jim Blackman was appointed Deputy to act in that capacity as Butcher (a former West Indies cricketer, who was selected to tour Australia with the West Indies team).
But Butcher had already suggested that a name from the nation’s First People be chosen for the Republic celebrations.
Mr. Allan Fietkou was later contacted and during discussions with his grandfather, the name Mashramani came up.
It was easy to convince the Jaycees that the word which meant celebration after hard work, perfectly suited the celebration of Guyana becoming a Republic.
Thus it was, that on February 23, 1970, the festival called Mashramani was celebrated in Linden for the very first time. It was a phenomenal success, with over three days of fun and frolic.
Mr. David Singh, a Government Official, was so impressed with the event, that he later held discussions with the Jaycees Committee, about bringing it to Georgetown.
Approval was subsequently given by then President Forbes Burnham, for Mashramani to be a National event for the celebration of Guyana’s Republic Day.
While Mashramani celebrations have been continuously held in Linden, ever since it was birthed in 1970, Lindeners have underscored that more needs to be plugged into the Linden aspect of the event by central Government, given the contribution of its citizens to its realisation.

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