What the people say about…Mashramani

Interviews and photos
by Cathy Richards

Dr Joseph Haynes – ‘Mashramani was a household name in Linden and for some strange reason we have allowed it to be taken away from us. The Mashramani celebration should have been held in Linden now it’s being held among the masses in Georgetown. We have to work hard here in Linden to bring back the baby that was born here. That baby is now a grown adult and we have to work hard to bring that adult back to Linden that it can feel its value and importance of being at home; to remember and find its roots where it belongs and it is here in Linden. So whatever it takes we have to do our best to bring that adult to its place of origin.’

Gladwin Webster – ‘I feel that Linden is being disenfranchised. We all know that Mashramani started here in Linden and it diverted and has gone to the central part of Guyana which is Georgetown but I still feel that we should have been having much more activities for Mashramani in Linden. Not just a calypso semi or quarter final, and when the Mash celebrations finish in Georgetown we just have two floats coming to parade around the place. I firmly believe that some significant part of Mashramani should be kept in this community as we are the forerunners of that. The authorities should look very deeply in this. People must be able to see that Linden still has sound heritage here that people can see. Lots of Lindeners don’t really support the Mash here because we don’t get anything meaningful out of it.’

Albert Deen –  ‘The thing about it is that Mashramani started here but now nothing is really going on for us here. Just like they took away the football the other day, it is the same way Mashramani was taken away from us. Georgetown is a big area and most people support everything there now but we would be very glad to know if we could get some steel pan and things like that and rebuild the celebrations here so we could get things going just like Georgetown. It could come back to a standard seeing that it started here. It would be such a lovely thing to see our Linden youngsters getting into the pan yard and doing a really nice thing. We could get real costumes and start back something of significance because I know a lot of people from Georgetown would be happy to come up here just like they use to when we had the football. This is a town too and we can’t just let go of the town and let things fall down like that. We have lost so much taking into consideration the bauxite company and other areas but we still have a lot to offer and we need to be respected for who we are and what we have done for this country.’

Alicia Cromwell-Warner – ‘Mashramani was in Linden and I think we have been neglected for the longest while in most areas and most aspects. I strongly feel that we the people of Linden should take a stand that when we have our day of Mash celebrations the Government of Guyana, particularly the minister of culture, should look into it and bring most of the floats to recognize Linden as the place where Mashramani originated and it must remain in Linden as a main event and not just as a secondary one. Right now the celebrations here are very scanty with just a few people marching behind a band and dancing and you have to look with a microscope or a magnifying glass to see the costumes because they are usually so few and far apart.  What happens is that they would bring out one or two of the costumes that the schools prepared and other than that there is no big really exciting costumes they have in Georgetown or the other regions like Berbice. As a matter of fact when it comes to Mashramani, they recognize Berbice more than Linden and that is not right and just.’


Claudia Wishart
– ‘Mashramani in Linden is no longer what it was. It used to be so very nice in Linden but the government or whoever has taken it away from us. As it is presently, we are just going through the motion and it’s just a set of wining down and taking the little children on the streets to do things that they shouldn’t be doing. I really think that we need to look into this even a little more and put up a better plan for the Linden community because everything started here and now it has all gone and nothing is being done for us. Every time we do or start something it is being taken away. We need to get back proper Mash celebrations in Linden and in its correct form.’

Luanna Boyce – ‘I think that Mashramani in Linden is nothing but a big sport. We hardly see any costumes or so and that should be the main thing depicting the many areas of things like we have it done in Georgetown with the business entities putting big investments into floats and such like. Some great efforts should be made to have most if not all of the bands and floats or even sections of those coming to Linden to tramp through the streets in the true Mash style. That gives our children and even us adults something of value to look forward to and not just a set of people behind a truck with music and no costumes.’

Hyacinth Sandiford – ‘What I know is that Mashramani originated in Linden and because of that more of the celebrations should be brought to Linden at some point in time. And when there is the regional celebrations we should see more participation from other regions and business entities.  I ask myself what Mashramani is doing for Linden. And my answer is absolutely nothing. If they should bring more floats and things like that and make it more attractive and fun like it can garner the support of 90% of the residents of Region Ten. So I think that they should put some more emphasis on bringing back the celebrations to Linden.’
Royston Warde – ‘From my observation the essence of Mashramani has gone and it’s sheer vulgarity right now. We have no proper floats and nothing that would contribute to the real sense and significance of Mashramani as it was started in Linden. What I think the heads of Linden should look at is the beginning and the end of Mashramani in Linden and put a foot forward. Look at something that could make a better celebration in Linden.’

Ronald Niles – ‘It’s like people say everything originate from Linden and then is taken out of Linden and I don’t know the reason for this. I remember vividly as a little boy we use to tramp through the streets with our nice floats and things but now I don’t know what has happened. Now everything is all Georgetown. A real float parade is what we know and it’s what we would love to have again. I remember the last time we had a real Mashramani celebration in Linden is when Wisroc Housing Scheme was opened. We marched from Mackenzie straight to Wisroc and it was so wonderful, really wonderful. I am talking this now and it’s like I am going down memory lane. You see me smiling? It’s because I am remembering the real wonderful mash parades we use to have right here in Linden, it was so nice. I would be so happy if they could bring back something to Linden something of value so when the children of today are grown they could tell their children and have them continue the tradition. What they do is when everything done in Georgetown, then they try to bring something like a camouflage, but we need the real thing.’

Judy Gravesande-Nole – ‘What I really think of Mashramani? This is our 40th Anniversary and it was birthed in Linden. I wouldn’t want to be one to say that it was taken away from Linden because we are the ones who have to put our hearts and hands into it and get something done. For example, I work at the Linden Museum and we are putting on an exhibition from the 25th to the 28th of February. I know the importance of keeping Mash in Linden and that’s my part that I can do. So everybody else can come up with something like the new cycling club – they are doing a cycling event and that’s the way we have to go. We should put our hearts and hands together knowing that here is the birth place and reclaim it through a noteworthy contribution.’