By Aaliyah McFarlane
Despite the intermittent rain, thousands of Guyanese from all walks of life flooded the streets of Georgetown yesterday with a sea of colours to witness this year’s Mashramani float parade. This yearly celebration had a two-year hiatus due to the restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Revellers traversed the streets and later tramped into the National Park as a part of Guyana’s 53rd Republic Anniversary, which was hosted under the theme “Mixing and Mashing as One Guyana.” Not only did the public come out in large numbers but both the private and public sectors played their part with a total of 22 floats participating in this year’s festivities.
The costumes and floats were of a high quality with lots of gold, blue, yellow, red, orange, and white, with much glitter and many feathers. The Ministry of Education’s Queen Costume was particularly vibrant and active, ‘mashing’ under the theme “Wheels of Progress-Creating and Promoting Diversity and Inclusion for All”. Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and other officials within the ministry were seen in the band thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Meanwhile as promised, Guyanese were treated to a dazzling and colourful array of costumes depicting Guyanese culture, lifestyle, and industries, which tantalized the eyes of viewers. There were also costumes depicting Guyana’s rich vegetation, rare wildlife, and many other alluring attractions were also showcased and imitated this year’s Mashramani theme.
Jubilant revellers within the floats of the Ministry of Agriculture, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Guyana Police Force, Ministry of Housing and Water, Ministry of Public Service, GTT, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, Central Housing and Planning Authority, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Men on Mission, and Buxton Pride, were seen dancing and waving to the pounding music with expressions of joy.
The Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce focussed on flora and fauna. The costumes were designed by Olympia Small, with some 50 revellers aged 17 years and older. Meanwhile, the Guyana Police Force float was filled with 1,000 revellers in colours of blue, red, white, yellow, and black.
From the marshalling point on Main Street, the parade headed south, then east on Church Street, then north on Irving Street, and finally west on Thomas Lands, and into to the National Park, the route was splashed with bright, rich blends of colour worn by both revellers and spectators alike, some of whom sang lustily to the customary Soca music as they gyrated merrily behind the bands. In addition lined along the Church and Irving streets sections of the route of the parade, were hundreds of families who decided to comfortably sit and picnic while others were more fascinated by the action in the streets.
It would have been impossible to ignore the loud booming of sound systems on just about every truck. Men, women, and children of every size, race, and age, were seen jumping and dancing under the showers of rain and far too little sun. Admittedly, not the perfect weather which every Guyanese was hoping for.
The party continued late into the night after the floats made their way to the National Park for judging, with many, including a number of tourists, taking to the streets, especially on Vlissengen Road to mingle.
