Mashramani (Mash for short)
is Guyana's patriotic holiday that commemorates the day that it
became a republic in 1970. There are parades, music, games, and
cooking—the most colorful festival of the year—with floats,
masquerade bands, and dancing in the streets, elaborate costumes,
calypso competitions, and the crowning of a Mash king or
queen.
Guyana
is one of the smallest nations in South America. Its official
language is English, although it was a Dutch colony before it was
taken over by Britain, and the largest group of people living in the
nation are descendents of immigrants from India! Other Guyanese
groups include descendents of the following groups: enslaved
Africans, Amerindians (the peoples who lived in the area before the
coming of Columbus) such as Arawaks and Caribs, Portuguese and other
European settlers, and Chinese immigrants. With all this ethnic
diversity, it is perhaps not a surprise that Caribbean languages,
Spanish, and Portuguese are spoken by small minorities; but I was
surprised to read that a national language called Guyanese Creole is
widely spoken.
A
creole language is a stable language that is created by the mixing of
two or more parent languages. Scholars who study languages
(linguists) tell us that a creole language is created by children in
mixed-language locations, just naturally as they play together and
try to communicate with each other. A creole language can become the
primary language for many people.
Guyanese
Creole is based on English with African and East Indian syntax
(grammar).
Explore
Guyana
Here
is a super-short tourism video of Guyana.
This five-minute video is much more informative.
Also
on this date:
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