Guyana to mark first-ever Masquerade Day on Saturday 

Guyana’s iconic Masquerade tradition, once a vibrant heartbeat of the Christmas season, is getting a national revival. A newly established civil society group, the Masquerade Association (Guyana) Inc., has announced the launch of Guyana Masquerade Day, to be celebrated annually on 29 November, beginning this year.

The initiative, organisers say, is more than a calendar event. It is a response to an urgent national and international call to safeguard one of Guyana’s most cherished but rapidly declining cultural traditions. That call first came from UNESCO’s Workshop on Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Georgetown in April, and was echoed weeks later at the UNESCO-supported Masquerade Lives On Symposium, which highlighted both the fragility of the artform and the opportunities for its renewal.

The inaugural celebration is set for 29 November 2025 at 14:00 hrs in the compound of the Guyana National Museum, where a restored 13-year-old mural depicting the history of Masquerade Arts will be officially unveiled. The mural, initiated by international Guyanese artist Errol Doris and executed by students of the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, was recently rehabilitated with support from Continental Agencies Ltd. The launch will include remarks from leading cultural voices and will culminate in a spirited Flounce Off by the National Masquerade Bands.

For many Guyanese, Masquerade evokes deep nostalgia—dancing bodies, rolling drums, whipping whips, and the melodic call of the fife moving through city streets and village yards. Distinguished Guyanese artist Hew Locke, OBE, RA captured that sentiment perfectly: “Christmas in Guyana wasn’t complete without a Masquerade band.”

The date, 29 November, carries special meaning. It commemorates the death anniversary of Rudolph “Putagee” Vivieros, a revered Masquerade flautist who passed away in 2023, and symbolically ushers in the Guyanese Christmas season, when Masquerade once brought communities to life.

The Masquerade Association is calling on families, schools, community groups, government agencies, private sector partners, and cultural institutions to rally behind this renewed movement to preserve, teach and celebrate the artform. With plans spanning preservation, education, research, and creative entrepreneurship, the Association hopes to give Masquerade the national platform and sustainability it deserves.

Guyanese interested in supporting or learning more about the initiative can contact the Chair of the Masquerade Association (Guyana) Inc. at [email protected] or via WhatsApp at +592-623-0388.