 REGGAE MUSIC – THE HISTORY
Rasta
forms the base of reggae music, the vehicle that artists
such as Bob Marley used to spread Rasta thought all over the
world. This indigenous music grew from ska, which had
elements of American R&B and Caribbean styles. It also drew
from folk music, Pocomania church music, Jonkanoo fife and
drum bands, fertility rituals, adaptations of quadrilles,
plantation work songs, and a form called mento. Nyahbingi is
the purest form of music played at Rasta meetings or
grounations. It uses three hand drums of different sizes,
the bass, the funde and the repeater. (An archetypal example
of nyahbingi is the three LP set from Count Ossie and the
Mystic Revelation of Rastafari.) "Roots" reggae explores the
themes of the suffering of ghetto dwellers, slavery in
Babylon, Haile Selassie as a living deity, and the hoped-for
return to Africa.
After
Jamaica's independence in 1962, the lack of political
improvement and the Black Power movement in the U.S. led to
a big Rasta resurgence. In 1964 the body of Marcus Garvey
was returned from England for reburial in his homeland. In
mid-60s reggae evolved a slower and cooler mode called rocksteady which shifted emphasis to bass and drums. In the
late Sixties, Haile Selassie visited the island. Peter
Tosh's "Rasta Shook Them Up" commemorated this major event.
The fact that the emperor presented him with a walking
stick, helped Michael Manley get elected. Manley's term in
office started with wide support from Rasta musicians,
though his leadership later brought disillusionment. "He Who
Feels It Knows It" was one of the first recordings to use
the phrase "I & I," which expresses unity between man and
God. Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus recorded such
forthright Rasta statements as "Ethiopian National Anthem."
In 1969,
Burning Spear's debut album included the exhortation to
"Chant Down Babylon". From other artists in the early
Seventies came such songs as "Conquering Lion," "Deliver
Us," "Rasta Never Fails," and "Africa is Paradise." By 1975,
Rastafarian chants were increasingly heard on records and
the Wailers were in dreadlocks. With the albums and , Bob
Marley became Jamaica's first international superstar. With
a population of only two million, the island nation has sent
into the world more than 100,000 reggae records over four
decades. |
MAIKO ADVOCATES FOR DREADLOCKED CHILDREN IN GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS
Reggae
singer Maiko Zulu who was guest on “Zion Train”, a reggae
show hosted by eminent dreadlocked artiste Chileshe Nshumwa
on CBC Television, has called on the Minister of Education
to allow dreadlocked children entry into government schools.
Maiko also called on the Road Traffic commission not to
discriminate dreadlocked people who are denied their right
to get driver’s licenses.Government schools in Zambia
discriminate against pupils spotting dreadlocks. Zulu said
discrimination against dreadlocks is not in line with the
vision of Africa Freedom when black people needed to be
“proud of who we are and stand strong, head high”. He said
there was need to eradicate colonial laws which are still in
existence today.“Zion Train” is the only Reggae TV show in
Zambia and has received raving reviews from music lovers.
The Africa Freedom Day show also featured a documentary on
the slave trade and African emancipation. The aims to raise
the much needed consciousness and promotion of Reggae music
and Rastafarianism. Catch ‘Zion Train” every Sabbath on CBC
TV at 13:00hrs and 23:00hrs. |
