Mash foh so!
by Amanda Wilson and Shirley Thomas
IT WAS a resounding success.
`We mashing as one in 2001" was the theme for the main event of the Republic anniversary celebrations, the grand float parade around the streets of Georgetown yesterday.
Showers came down as darkness stepped in but by then the Mash Day 2001 bug had bitten deep and hard and Guyanese and visitors were caught up in the full swing of the pulsating rhythms.
It was a grand start to the Mash weekend and those who watched the proceedings yesterday were last night preparing for a string of 31st anniversary fetes around the country.
President Bharrat Jagdeo was at the flag-raising ceremony in the forecourt of Parliament Buildings yesterday morning and he and several of his Cabinet ministers were very visible in the fun later in the day.
The Costume Band and Float parade was a spectacular show of colour and glitter highlighting the wonder of Guyanese culture and artistry.
Throughout the day, the weather was favourable - bright sunshine everywhere.
And the turnout was massive.
Guyanese of all races, ages, forms and sizes just came forward to `Mash as One in 2001'.
There was a common reaction to the day's festivities.
"Mashramani 2001 was simply great, and it was the best mood in which to move into the upcoming elections", one reveller summed it up.
Folk came from the east, west, north and south of Guyana; from across the Caribbean and further afield to celebrate the grand national occasion, get a wisp of the fresh Atlantic breeze wafting across the capital city, and not least, to `Catch de Mash Fever'.
The streets of Georgetown were transformed into a large festive cultural pot as the old, the young and the in-between sought to capture every vantage spot to see the Mash 2001 Float Parade.
Revellers were led by live bands, stereo systems and steel bands as they tramped along the streets of Georgetown.
Their destination was the National Park which was converted into a `Mash City', as anxious eyes waited to see the kaleidoscopic costumes.
The weather was ideal for the parade. Large multicoloured hats, some depicting the famous Kaieteur Fall, Mount Roraima, the Golden Arrow Head and some Guyana's wildlife, bobbed in and out among the crowds.
Most persons went the `jean and top' way of dress while others took a more festive approach, shaded short tops and short pants with their heads tied with bright handkerchiefs.
Glitters and body painting were the way to fete yesterday. Some painted just their faces, others their arms and back, but a courageous few ventured out and covered their entire bodies.
Long before the parade, which started shortly before 11:00 hrs, the Merriman's Mall, in the centre of the celebrations, was overspilling with tourists and Guyanese, some of whom had travelled home to be a part of the fun.
Music, ranging from soca, calypso, dub, chutney, reggae and hip-hop reverberated from every corner of the mall.
FOOD GALORE
The choice was yours. Yesterday's menus consisted of spicy dishes, bar-b-que, curry-que, fish fries, cook-up rice, fried rice, vegetable rice, roti, puri and channa.
The two major beverage companies, Banks DIH Limited and Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), were out in full force and occupied prime spots along the route to the National Park.
Snow cone charts, cool-down carts, coconut water vendors and sweet vendors all made profits yesterday. No one was left out, that's for sure.
Participating in the costume band and float parade were 34 intricately and exquisitely made-up contingents representing seven of the 10 regions of Guyana; the Georgetown Municipality and several ministries; non-governmental organisations and private sector agencies.
The Opposition People's National Congress REFORM contingent was decidedly the largest on parade.
Rayon House of Fashion's `Gateway to the Interior'; the Ministry of Health's multi-contingent entry and Region Ten's, among others were simply spectacular.
So good were the entries that the judges had a difficult time deciding on the winners.
And the parade came to a close without the winners being announced.
Among the teeming thousands viewing the float and parade were President Jagdeo and First Lady Varshnie Jagdeo; Prime Minister Sam Hinds and Mrs Yvonne Hinds.
Minister of Sports and Culture, Ms Gail Teixeira was all over in glee and expressed delight at the success of the occasion.
The groups are getting better organised; they are doing more choreography, and the quality of the costumes is definitely improving.
Teixeira said that while some were just fun bands and presented a fine spectacle, it was evident that others had worked on practising their steps and so appeared superb.
She was appreciative that this year there was a break from the old tradition and bands had managed to come out on parade very early, enabling the show to leave the National Park before sunset.
She said, "Now we just want the Guyanese public to understand that when we say get out there on time, we mean 'on time', otherwise they'll miss some of the best floats."
And M.C. Bobby Viera was simply delighted.
Elated and smiling from ear to ear he told the Chronicle, "Mashramani 2001 was simply great this year...Mashramani, like everything else will be Mashramani."
"People came out; beautiful colours; wonderful spectacle; jollification; enjoyment."
He, however, felt, "We still need to work a little bit more on our costumes."
"But I note that the people are a little bit more uniform, and I think we are getting there."
Noting that folk all know what Mashramani used to be like in the good old days, Viera said, "I'm hoping and looking forward to the day and the moment when we could get back to that level."
But above that he observed, "I certainly think it was good. People have put aside the election activity for the day, and they've come out and 'free up' themselves, irrespective of where their loyalty lies."
"And that was a very good thing to observe," the popular Guyana-North American broadcaster said.
"Mashramani, as usual, has always been good, and I am delighted that I could have been here once again to share the festivities," he said.
Viera was high in praise for the Ministry of Health and Labour's costume band, noting that it was well designed and made a great impact.
He feels all the other ministries and agencies participating could take a look at that and take note.
And in relation to the music, he said he thought `Arrow Head' really ran away with the Soca and Road March competition.
"He's a very promising young Guyanese," Viera concluded.
The work of the local designers really paid off.
Many were impressed with some bands, including the Rayon House of Fashions', the Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Industry group and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
Even though some complained about the long delay between bands passing by, no one packed up their picnic baskets and left.
Many onlookers were also surprised at the large number of persons including children who participated in the parade.
One woman admitted that she did not expect to see such a large turnout in the parade and on the streets yesterday.
She added that she was especially glad to see the float congratulating Andrew `Six Heads' Lewis in the Don Gomes Optical band.
Persons commended the Police Force for their strong presence along the streets yesterday.
Some of the other bands which participated in the parade were the Mayor and City Council, Office of the President, John Fernandes, Roraima Airways, Ministry of Human Services, Didco, Ministry of Agriculture, Le Meridien Pegasus and the Ministry of Local Government.
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