Mash get mash by de pandemic!

Feb 11, 2023 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

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Kaieteur News – Our Republic Day celebrations more often than not coincide with the period during which both Trinidad and Brazil celebrate their carnivals. This year Trinidad and Tobago celebrate their carnival in the same week as our Republic Day celebrations and Brazil Carnival ends on Mash Day.

This has been the trend for a number of years. What it means is that it is very difficult for Guyana to convert Mashramani into a major tourist attraction and to get the sort of visitor arrivals as Trinidad and Brazil do for their carnivals.

But no one dares to suggest that we change the date of our Mash day celebrations. This would lead to uproar and all manner of charges.

Even without the competition provided by two of the region’s largest festivals, Guyana would struggle to attract tourists to Mashramani which is nothing short of a diluted mimicry of Trinidad’s carnival. Over the years, Guyana has failed to move away from copycatting what takes place in Trinidad and to develop our own unique cultural festivals.

Also, Mashramani is a shade of what it used to be, even though the public viewing of Mash Day events now surpasses anything we had in the past. The floats are no way as spectacular as in the past and are far more substandard, but the bands do have greater and more diverse participation, even if what passes for a costume is simply a decorated jersey. And of course far more persons are now lining the streets to watch this spectacle than ever before. Kind of ironic: the poorer Mash gets, the greater the public participation.

Part of the problem with the quality of the parade is that Guyanese have grown accustomed to State sponsorship of Mashramani and even with the private sector coming on board in a bigger way there is just too much dependency on government sponsorship. This is quite unlike what takes place in Brazil and Trinidad where the majority of revelers actually purchase their own costumes.

If there was ever a suggestion that all those willing to participate would have to foot their own costumes, the Float Parade would fold up overnight. And yet the children of Guyana have shown the way forward not only by their enthusiasm but also by the fact that the costumes are funded by the respective schools and parents. So why should bands not sell costumes to adults willing to take to the streets on Mash Day, or rather why should all, not just some, of those willing to be part of the  parade on Mash Day not pay for their costumes?It would be unreasonable for Guyana to expect large numbers of tourists to come to see what we have. Why would anyone forego Trinidad or Brazil’s to come to Guyana?  There was a time when the policy-makers in Guyana were assuming that they could capitalize on the fact that larger numbers of tourists were in the region for these two carnivals and thus could be lured to Guyana.

The assumption was without any basis. Firstly, the kinds of tourists that travel to the carnivals are not awash with funds. So it is not as if they are likely to be carnival hopping from Trinidad to Guyana and then Brazil or vice versa.

Most do only carnival and most do not hold down high paying jobs. Thus cash is important. Secondly, many of them arrive by cruise ship which does not include a Guyana leg. And many also have package tours. For about fifteen hundred dollars, they can have an all-inclusive package which covers their air fare and as much food and drink as they please.The airfare to travel to Guyana alone would be over $900 for an economy seat. And the rates our hotels charge would mean that the average tourist would be left penniless after the first week in Guyana.

However, with twenty five per cent of our visitors coming from the Caribbean and with air fares being relatively cheap, Guyana could capitalize on arrivals from the Caribbean if it schedules its Republican Day events as part of an extended weekend.

There are a number of events slated around Mashramani. But since the celebrations are not likely to be a major tourist attraction, it is left to Guyanese to help sustained this festival. As they have done for years now!

As such, it is much better if instead of trying to attract visitors to Mashramani, greater attention is made to enhance local participation by having varied events which cater to all races, ages and which are hosted in all regions of Guyana.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of this newspaper and its affiliates.)

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• Brazil, cultural festivals, Mashramani, Peeping Tom, Republic Day

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