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Mash in Guyana
Kaieteur News – Thursday, February 23 is Mashramani Day; a national holiday we celebrate in Guyana with much excitement and enjoyment. Thursday will be a demonstration of true Guyanese love, unity and harmony, as the roads in the capital city, Georgetown, become a melding pot of Guyanese culture. It is always a pleasant sight to see Guyanese from all walks of life, race, status and political ideology, mixing and mashing as one people; Guyanese people. Mashramani truly is a brilliant showcase of the diversity of the Guyanese people in living colour.
A brief history of Mashramani
The festival of Mashramani was conceptualised in 1970 to commemorate Guyana achieving Republic status after Independence in 1966. The word Mashramani has its origin in indigenous language and means “celebration after cooperative or hard work.”
A festival which originated in Linden, Region 10, Mashramani has since become a national celebration, that involves the participation of all ethnic groups.
Mashramani in its current form
The Mash season as it is commonly referred to, involves a variety of cultural events. Each region does something special for Mashramani and showcases their respective interpretations of the festival. Centrally, in Georgetown, there are a variety of competitions ranging from steel pan’s panorama, to the calypso chutney and soca monarchs, as well as the children’s costume parades. There are also cultural symposiums and exhibitions. On February 23, is the spectacular parade of the bands, when the National Costume and Float Parade move through the streets of Georgetown. Mash Day is day of revel and celebration. It is a day to showcase our Guyanese diversity in vivid colour and high energy.
Mixing and Mashing as ‘One Guyana’ in 2023
The theme chosen for Mash 23 is: “Mixing and Mashing as One Guyana.” The relevance and timeliness of this year’s theme cannot be overstated, as it is right in-line with His Excellency’s President. Dr. Irfaan Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ concept. Though we may be from different ethnic, religious, political and societal backgrounds, we are all Guyanese. Out of many races we are one people.
The significance of national unity in a modern Guyana is fairly obvious; it makes the arrival at a national consensus much easier and much faster, which in turn will accelerate the rate of development of the nation. Living united allows for leaders to harvest citizens’ commitment and contributions to nation-building and national development. More can be accomplished when we work together than working separately. The acronym TEAM sums it up nicely: Together Each Achieves More.
As we celebrate Mash 2023, let us truly celebrate in line with this year’s theme. Mashramani brings people together. It is an excellent opportunity for Guyanese to show the world something different as we mix and mash as one Guyana in 2023.
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