Until he is called to the grave U.S based Guyanese entertainer John Drepaul Slingshot says he will keep tradition alive by producing a mash band for the February 23 celebrations and this year will be no different from in previous years. Yesterday on a much smaller scale and with a heavy heart the artiest in the company of his wife Ingrid and a few diehard friends Slingshot launched his 300 strong costume band at the Pegasus.
Unlike in previous years the costumes are not as extravagant but non-the-less are focused on a serious issue that is a world talking point: Climate change and the low Carbon development strategy. His designer this year Paul Burnette said the theme is Guyana: An Oasis of Hope and will focus on showcasing the nations ecotourism possibilities while focused on the flora and fauna that make Guyana a unique tourist destination while being the lungs of the world.
All told the band will feature 100 in full costumes in several sections while there will also be a Tee shirt section that will depict tourists. He does not have sponsors for the band thus far but he will be offering costumes free of charge to all who seek to be part of his band on mash day. Slingshot also used the opportunity to say thanks to GT&T for their support thus far and is encouraging other corporate citizens to come on board. “My band is a Guyanese band void of race issues, political issues and any other issue that will seek to cause division.”
He also said that “Anyone, regardless of your political, religious, and matrimonial persuasion; be you rich, poor, tourist, or just plain old curious, can be assured of a costume, snacks along the way, water, and a nutritious meal at the end of our National Park rounds.”
Slingshot says he’s expecting about 300 strong to join his band and that “we will be assembling, as usual, at the corner of Waterloo and Church Streets from 9:00hrs on Mash Day.”
In addition he said “wear comfortable footwear, and light clothing as costumes will be provided and use suntan lotion, leave home all jewelry and keep your cell phones with you.”
He reiterated that the Slingshot band is dependent entirely on sponsorship and support from corporate Guyana and individuals and as such he is appealing to anyone who wants to be part of the band to lend support in any way possible.
Slingshot’s active interest in Mashramani was fueled after he was greatly disappointed that while Mash is a Guyanese Republic celebration only ethnic group was taking to the road. “As a bystander it appeared to be a lopsided ethnic participation on the road and I still see that to some degree; but I’m hoping that that will change soon” he said.
His active participating in the Mash Celebrations began with Floats, Costumes and a Road March Song in 2004 and these consistently won in categories entered and while he fell off his dray cart transportation on Mash Day 2007, badly injuring himself he said, “I am in no way deterred.”
Slingshot prides himself in saying that his is the only Mash Camp that plans the theme and Road March songs in harmony with Float and Costumes.
Given his team’s talent for composing good music, he sees the transition as meaningful, and at the same time, setting a good example for those future Mashers to emulate.
His theme “Guyana: An Oasis of Hope” and was planned since 2008 and he said yesterday that “We usually plan for our Mash participation two years in a row and already our Mash theme for 2011 is “Tek ah Taste of Guyana”.
He slammed all ideas of Guyana being presented as a bad country and said that “A country is never bad. It is the human inhabitants of that country that creates the negatives”.
Further explaining his theme he said his band reinforces President Jagdeo’s discussion at the Copenhagen Conference in December concerning Rainforest, Low Carbon, Indigenous inhabitants, and possible medicinal cures from the various fauna found here.
With the present global economic meltdown, Slingshot noted that corporate Guyana has not been spared the deep bite from the many issues affecting the planet.
When asked what form of involvement the Slingshot costume band will be taking he said that the float will consist of the Kaieteur Falls atop the float-truck, with appropriate flora and fauna representative of Guyana’s interior. The male revelers will depict the fauna representation that is native to Guyana while the females will portray the flora and there will be some very colorful, patriotic and eye-catching displays, Slingshot assured.
Persons desirous of supporting the Slingshot band tangibly may contact Donna Stanford: (592) 682-3745
By Mondale Smith