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Festivals and Holidays

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Christian, Hindu, and Muslim holidays are all celebrated in Guyana as apart of allowing religious freedom to all people. Although most of their holidays are familiar, the Guyanese people have their own traditions used in the celebrations.

Easter
Easter is a popular Christian holiday in Guyana, representing the resurrection of Jesus and like in western countries many businesses are closed on Good Friday and throughout the Easter weekend. In Guyana the “celebration” of the holiday begins on Sunday and Easter Monday when colorful kites can be seen flying all over the sky. The kite season usually begins near Easter and children spend time designing and creating their very own kites. It is important to have the best kite that flies the highest and whistles the loudest. Although is seems mean spirited to some, it is common to put razor blades on the kite strings so that it can “cut” the competitor’s strings. It sounds harsh, but locals say it is all done in the name of fun!

Christmas
Christmas is another important Christian holiday celebrated in Guyana. Typically, women prepare for the holiday by cleaning and making repairs throughout the house. They bake a special “Black Cake” that sounds much like fruit cake. Churches hold special services and people say it does not matter what faith you are, everyone celebrates. There is caroling and Christmas parties and children even travel to stores to see “Father Christmas”. One popular phrase that is commonly heard during this time is:
“Christmas comes once a year
And every man must have his share
Only poor Willy in the jail, drinking sour ginger beer”
If you are anything like me, you probably aren’t sure what that means, but they say it is typically played on radio stations during the season!

Mashramani
Mashramani is an Amerindian word meaning, “the celebration of a job well done,” used to “commemorate the Birth of a Republic”. It commonly falls on February 23, otherwise known as Guyana’s Republic Day. You can think of it as a combination of the American form of 4th of July and Mardi gras with the parades and festivities, minus the fireworks. The holiday is frequently referred to as “Mash” and is a hugely popular day in Guyana.

Other holidays celebrated in Guyana are the Hindu “Divali” and “Phagwah” and the Muslim holiday “Eid-ul-Azha”.

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