Scores of Guyanese turned out at the explosion of colour, culture, food and entertainment that characterised the Guyana Family Fun Day held last Sunday at the Prospect Heights School Campus in Brooklyn.
In a press release, the Guyana Cultural Association (GCA), which hosted the event, said patrons were treated to pulsating performances by Eze Rockliffe, Michelle ‘Big Red’ King, Charmaine Blackman and the Mighty Enchanter who were among the many Guyanese who travelled to New York to celebrate to be a part of the fun day. The gathering dined on a variety of traditional Guyanese dishes and viewed art and craft and a display mounted by the Ministry of Tourism. There was also Maypole plaiting, hoo-la-hoop, Saul, Roller and a unique wooden scooter (as was built in the old days).
Several of the performers also received awards at the annual GCA award ceremony held at the Brooklyn Borough Hall. The ceremony was hosted by the president of Brooklyn borough Marty Markowitz. City Councillor Eon Andrews who represented the Georgetown City Council also received a proclamation from Markowitz marking the 200th anniversary of the renaming of Georgetown. The Georgetown municipality also received the Senatorial Proclamation from Senator John Sampson, New York State Democratic Majority Leader. Each honoree also received citations from the New York City Council members Dr Mathieu Eugene and Jumaane Williams.
Several local politicians and elected officials also paid tribute to the continued efforts of the GCA to maintain Guyana’s cultural identity. Guyana’s Consul General in New York Brentnol Evans opened the festivities and Bobby Vieira was the co Master of Ceremonies along with Rose October. Vieira highlighted the opportunities to invest in Guyana and invited the gathering to visit during the upcoming GuyExpo 2012 which is set for month-end. He also touted the Tourism Ministry’s ‘Rediscover Home’ programme which will soon be launched in New York.
The Family Fun Day is part of a roster of events held in the last week of August, just prior to the Labor Day weekend as part of the annual ‘Guyana Folk Festival’. The popular event often includes summer camp for children, the ‘Kwe-Kwe’ display and the awards ceremony. This year’s, theme ‘Masquerade Lives’ was highlighted throughout the event. Rooted in the African festive custom, masquerade has and continues to be an art form primarily expressed through street performance that traces its development and survival to multi-cultural traditions.
This “new world” phenomenon emerged in Guyana before emancipation and is characterised by melodious rhythms with the principal dance performers including flouncers, Mad Bull, Mother Sally and later traditions Bam Bam Sally and Stilt dancers. They dance energetically to the fife, the snare (aka kittle) drum, the tenor drum and the steel or triangle.
The characters, dressed in brightly coloured costumes, and reflecting the melding of African, East Indian and European cultures did their best to represent the masquerade tradition, parodying the colonial ruling class and entertaining the vast crowd.
