Mashramani 2015 Magazine by Corbin Media Group

2015

6th EDITION

Guyanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Official 45th Republic Anniversary Commemorative Magazine

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Visit us on republicguyana.com or email us at email@republicguyana.com

2015

6th EDITION

Guyana’s 45th Republic Anniversary Souvenir Magazine The Publisher of Mashramani 2015 Magazine wishes to thank the sponsors, contributors and supporters for their valuable input in making this publication a success

2 • The Georgetown Adult Float Parade Route 4 • FLASH BACK - Mashramani Origin 6 • The Carib Soca monarch Competition Final 8 • Republic Bank Panorama Competition 10 • The National Calypso Competition Final 11 • National Children’s Float Parade 14 • The Georgetown Adult Float Parade 20 • Mash 2015 Competition Results COVER PHOTO by Simeon L Corbin.

PUBLISHER: Simeon L Corbin MANAGING EDITOR: Coretta Corbin-Rival ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER: Tiya Peterkin LAYOUT & DESIGN: Mark James SALES & MARKETING: Tiya Peterkin and Sophia Ramphal CONTRIBUTORS: Simeon Corbin, Carl Croker, Donna Shortt-Gill, Nadia Shansudin, Malika Daniels, Allan Jeffers, Arian Browne ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Dr. Frank Anthony, P.S. Alfred King, Lennox Canterbury and Tracy Toussaint-McRae

Corbin Media Group, Inc. 50 BB | Eccles | East Bank Demerara | Guyana P: 233.2940, 233.3138 E: Mash@Corbinmediagroup.com W: Www.corbinmediagroup.com Reproduction of the MASHRAMANI 2015 Magazine in whole or part without prior permission from the Publisher is strictly prohibited. Carl Croker Photo.

Mashramani 2015

THOMAS LANDS

The Georgetown Adult Float Parade Route Starting point: Church & Camp Streets Ending point: The National Park, Thomas Lands

GPHC

*Alberttown LIGHT STREET

CHURCH STREET

CUMMINGS STREET

EAST STREET

THOMAS STREET

CAMP STREET

WATERLOO STREET

*Cummingsburg

CHURCH STREET

Starting Point Bourda Market

NORTH ROAD

Finishing Point National Park

GDF Headquarters Camp Ayangana

THOMAS LANDS

LAMAHA STREET

IRVING STREET

WOOLFORD AVENUE

ANIRA STREET

VLISSENGEN ROAD

LALUNI STREET

CROWN STREET

CHURCH STREET

NORTH ROAD

STREET

FORSHAW

STREET

IRVING STREET

LANCE GIBBS

PETER ROSE STREET

Queenstown Mosque

NEW GARDEN STREET

ORONOQUE STREET

ALBERT STREET

DCC Cricket Club

FLASHBACK

The Word, Origin and Development

ashramani, the carnival like festival which has become our premier way of commemorating the achievement of our Republican Status, has its roots in what is present day Linden. The original Mashramani was magnificent, so much so that after two successful stagings of the celebration the government approached the chairman of the Greater McKenzie Mashramani Committee on the issue of adopting the celebration as a national one. A small committee then travelled throughout the country explaining Mashramani to the councillors of the various towns and villages. After this effort it was agreed that the festival would become a national one to celebrate the Republican Anniversary and in 1972 it became a national event; for the first time in 1973 it was controlled and organized by the Government of Guyana. The word and festival of Mashramani is of Amerindian heritage. History tells us that there was an Arawak festival which was referred to as ‘muster many’ but sounded like Mashramani in the native Arawak language. The achievement of goals through a collective effort was the embodiment of the ‘muster many’ festival. It envisages a celebration after a co-operative effort and this was deemed to be the ideal celebration for the achievement of Cooperative Republicanism in this great land of Guyana. Mr. Allan Fidetkou is the person who is credited with providing the specific name which the original organising committee accepted. The Jaycees of Greater McKenzie, more specifically community – leaders such as Basil Butcher, Jimmy Hamilton, Claude Saul and Herman Nobreiga, among others, worked in collaboration with cultural consultants to introduce a matchless celebration in honour of this national occasion in 1970. Other principal players at those historic planning sessions included: Burton Gilbert (project manager), William Harris (finance officer), Raymond Hayes (Shanto competition), Victor Smith (Miss Mashramani contest), and L. E (Chubby) Ho (steelband). They envisioned a celebration similar to Trinidad’s carnival with its own Guyanese uniqueness. Jour Ouvert became Fo-Day Mawnin Jump-Up; Ole Mas became Revolt Dance and the Calypso Contest became the Shanto Contest. Further, even the Carnival Queen’s name was replaced with Comrade Mashramani. The costume bands and float parade however, retained their original name.

Mashramani 2015

There is some uncertainty of what the word truly means. Guyanese will offer various versions of its meaning. You will hear “celebration of a job well done”, “celebration of the harvest”, and “celebration after a hard co-operative effort” amongst the definitions of the word. It is accepted to mean “celebration after a successful co-operative effort”. The late historian Adrian Thompson once said “I don’t know of the word and its meaning, but I suspect no one else does, therefore go ahead and use it”. Maybe this is why today whilst the meaning is still unclear it’s still accepted as our way of celebrating our Republican anniversary. The general concept is known and accepted and overshadows the deficiency in the lack of an authentic meaning to the word Mashramani. From its inception it has been a colourful festival. Components have included over the years Steel Pan competitions, Street Dancing (a now absent component from modern – day mash celebrations), Costume Competitions, Float Parades, Masquerade Bands, Indian

Bands Competitions in Singing and Dancing (though this has dwindled to only a singing competition in recent years). It is a festival that has always been associated with much dancing and merriment in the streets to the sweet sounds of steel pan along with calypso and soca music in true celebratory style. The children have always been involved in the celebrations. Today, the Allied Arts Unit of the Ministry of Education is primarily responsible for the staging of the Children’s Segment of Mashramani. An annual cultural competition is organised which sees hundreds of eager children competing in dance, drama, calypso, essay writing and costume during the month of February. There is also an annual Children’s Costume Parade where the children are allowed to participate in what is commonly referred to as “Children’s Mashramani”. Every year the competitions and especially the Float Parade become bigger and better as teachers and students work together to infuse much artistry and depict a theme relevant to the social history of the country at that time. This feature however has seen some change over the past forty years. Initially, the children’s participation in the Republican celebrations centred around the magnificent presentation referred to as Mass Games. This massive event, which required much organisation and precision, and which saw students of all ages performing gymnastics and other dances and cultural presentations, was replaced with the current format in the early 1990’s as it had become a financial burden that the country could not bear, if other desirable events were to be hosted. The present day route which commences at the corners of Church Road and Camp Street and travels along Church Road then onto Irving Street before travelling along Thomas Lands was one area which has seen change over the past forty (40) years. From the inception the route used, symbolically commenced at the 1763 Monument; however for reasons not comprehensible it was changed some years ago. Mashramani is celebrated in all the administrative regions as well as in Georgetown. Revellers and spectators travel especially to regions 10 and 6 yearly to participate in the regional productions of Mashramani. There are also other regional programs which are executed yearly in celebration of this anniversary thus making the Mashramani celebration a truly national one. Over the 40 years since Guyana’s Republican birth, Mashramani celebrations have been constant though some will argue that some years it is not as creative and grand as others. One thing remains true in Mashramani we have a great celebration for a great achievement.

Mashramani 2015

CARIB SOCA MONARCH Competition Final February 14, National Park Anthony ‘Chinee Man’ Abrams

CARIB SOCA MONARCH Jumo ‘RubberWaist’ Primo

Kwesi ‘Ace’ Edmonds

Melissa “Vanilla” Roberts

Jory Hector

Kemmyanna Garnett

Orlando “Bonesman” Johashen

Ernesta ‘Nesta’ Nelson

Mashramani 2015

N A P S /MO H /G U Y A

REPUBLIC BANK

Pan-O-Rama Steel Band Competition February 8, Cliff Anderson Sports Hall

NATIONAL STEEL PAN COMPETTITION - LARGE BAND CATEGORY WINNER Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport

Bishop’s High School

Parkside Steel Band

Mashramani 2015

REPUBLIC BANK Pan-O-Rama Steel Band Competition NATIONAL STEEL PAN COMPETTITION - LARGE SCHOOL BAND CATEGORY WINNER The Buxton Pride Steel Orchestra

Guyana Defence Force

Guyana Police Force

Mashramani 2015

The National Calypso Competition Final February 20 @ Banks DIH Demerara Park

NATIONAL CALYPSO MONARCH Manoel Pereira aka “King Pearai”

Diana Chapman

Lester “De Professor” Charles

Mashramani 2015

Martin ‘Mighty Voter’ Byrne

The Georgetown Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;SFebruary Float Parade 14

Mashramani 2015

The Children Float Parade

Mashramani 2015

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Mashramani 2015

The Georgetown Adult Float Parade P

erhaps just as other cosmopolitan carnivals succeed in accommodating unity in diversity, as nationals of all religions, races, political affiliations and cultural backgrounds collectively celebrate their Carnival Season of mas and goodwill, so too has Guyana’s Mashramani developed to promote oneness in joyful observance of the nation’s Republican Anniversary. Mashramani promotes all that is good in our diversity. The rainbow of colours and creeds converge to set aside differences and disagreements for a season. The kaleidoscope of the Guyanese fabric of creativity and celebration is made most manifest on Mash Day in the capital

Mashramani 2015

when massive Floats and Costume Bands engulf the capital city of Georgetown. “Celebration by national consensus” could very well be the sub-theme of all Mashramani Days and Seasons. Guyanese tramp together side by side setting aside all of their differences to celebrate what was earned on 23rd February many years ago. There is another face of Mash however; Guyanese are not the only ones tramping through the streets of Georgetown on this day. This festival has seen several foreign contingents ‘planned’ participation in the festivities. It is this fact that allows us to boast of a truly diverse celebration. So you too are invited to

join in reminiscing, in pictures, that diversity that we call “Mashramani”. MAJOR EVENTS OF MASHRAMANI • Schools’ Dramatic Presentation, Physical Display & Dance Competition • Chutney Music Competition • Junior & Adult Calypso Competition • Soca Monarch Competition • Panorama Competition • Illuminated/Decorated Buildings Competition • Schools’ Costume & Float Parade • The Flag–Raising Ceremony • Adult Costume & Float Parade

Mashramani 2015

The Georgetown Adult Float Parade

Mashramani 2015

The Georgetown Adult Float Parade

Mashramani 2015

2015 MASHRAMANI COMPETITION RESULTS NATIONAL CHUTNEY COMPETITION Roger “Young Bill Rogers” Hinds

FULL COSTUME SMALL CATEGORY Ministry of Education

RESULTS FOR CHILDREN’S MASHRAMANI COMPETITIONS 2015 - COSTUME NURSERY BAND Happy Hearts Nursery PRIMARY BAND Tucville Primary SECONDARY BAND Cummings Lodge Secondary OTHER CHILDREN’S ORGANISATIONS Hinterland Scholarship Division REGIONAL PRESENTATION Region # 3

MEDIUM CATEGORY Ministry of Amerindian Affairs

NATIONAL STEEL PAN COMPETTITION LARGE SCHOOL BAND CATEGORY The Buxton Pride Steel Orchestra

NON-COMMERCIAL FLOATS CATEGORY Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport

NATIONAL STEEL PAN COMPETTITION SMALL SCHOOL BAND CATEGORY Dolphin Secondary School NATIONAL STEEL PAN COMPETTITION LARGE BAND CATEGORY Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport CARIB SOCA MONARCH COMPETION Jumo Primo JUNIOR CALYPSO COMPETITION William Prowell NATIONAL CALYPSO COMPETITION Manoel Pereira aka “King Pearai” COSTUME BAND AND FLOAT PARADE KING Ministry of Education COSTUME BAND AND FLOAT PARADE QUEEN DIGICEL COSTUME BAND AND FLOAT PARADE INDIVIDUAL MALE DIGICEL COSTUME BAND AND FLOAT PARADE INDIVIDUAL FEMALE DIGICEL

Mashramani 2015

SEMI-COSTUME SMALL CATEGORY Ministry of Housing and Water SEMI-COSTUME MEDIUM CATEGORY DIGICEL followed SEMI-COSTUME LARGE CATEGORY Guyana Police Force

ROAD MARCH KING Jomo Primo REGIONAL COMPETITION FULL COSTUME SMALL CATEGORY Region Five REGIONAL COMPETITION FULL COSTUME MEDIUM CATEGORY Region Ten REGIONAL COMPETITION SEMI COSTUME SMALL CATEGORY Ministry of Local Government REGIONAL COMPETITION SEMI COSTUME MEDIUM CATEGORY Region Six REGIONAL COMPETITION KING Region Three REGIONAL COMPETITION QUEEN Region Six REGIONAL COMPETITION MALE Region Four REGIONAL COMPETITION FEMALE Region Ten

NATIONAL CHUTNEY MONARCH Roger “Young Bill Rogers” Hinds

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