A RHYTHM OF RESISTANCE

FROM A(NTILLES) TO

Z(IMBABWE): The Reggae Tidal

Wave in the Struggle for

Zimbabwe, Colonial to Post-

Colonial Era

Introduction

• Music was a weapon of resistance during liberation struggles and remains a weapon for the future.

• During the dark years of colonialism, music was effectively used to artistically protest colonial oppression, relieve psychological or physical strain and to relay important messages to the fighting liberation forces and the general masses.

• Music reminded people of the exploitative conditions in which they were living, conditions they needed to sing about and fight.

• It inspired, agitated and empowered the people to rise up.

• Musicians today continue to vocalise current national development and empowerment programmes.

• Artistes are social commentators who communicate and comment on important issues in the society.

• It is in this breath that the contribution by reggae, a music genre from the Carribean Island of Jamaica, in the liberation struggles of African nations and in Zimbabwe, in particular, is celebrated through this presentation and this ambassadorial forum at large.

Jamaica

• Independent Carribean country since 1962.

• Member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

• South of Cuba and west of Haiti.

• Third largest island of the Greater Antilles

• Afro-Jamaicans are a majority.

• Once conquered by Spain and England and suffered the slave trade.

• Home of Rastafarianism, a product of Garveyism and Ethiopianism.

Rastafarianism

• Founded by Leonard Howell.

• A weapon to reject colonialism and white racism, encourage black consciousness and protest political and socio-cultural oppression.

• Rastafarians perceive Africa , especially Ethiopia, as their homeland.

• Rastafarianism is a belief system created by under privileged black Jamaicans in the 1930s wanting to reclaim their African heritage and feel empowered in the face of a white Protestant ruling class that had previously run the island as a slave colony.

• Rastafarianism has been a major influential factor in the development of reggae as a music of resistance.

Reggae

• Originated in Jamaica in the 1960s and 70s out of a long tradition of strong resistance to white cultural domination.

• The heartbeat of Jamaica.

• Reggae is truly a part of the world’s musical vocabulary.

• In the 1970s and 80s, Jamaican reggae hit Africa like a tidal wave propelled by the music’s message of Pan-African uplift and Bob Marley’s historic 1980 concert in Harare.

• Reggae features a remarkable variety of styles and influences and is constantly being reinvented.

• Dub is one such reggae recast.

• The impact of reggae transcends class, race, cultural and geographical entities

The influence of reggae in African

liberation struggles • Rastafarianism and reggae greatly stood for the liberation of African

nations.

• The Rastafarian definition of African as a single nation suited liberation movements’ call for assistance, for instance, military, logistical and financial support from neighbouring African states.

• The Rastafarian assertion that all African resources belonged to all Africans also blended well and was buttressed by the Marxist/socialist rhetoric they propounded.

• Rastafarians’ belief that Africa is Zion, the birth place of humankind, gave liberation movements the inspiration to fight for a place that compares to non other. It gave them the urge and the motive to fight on.

• Music established an alternative education system (albeit informal) to colonial formal education.

• Rastafarian spiritualism, which identifies African land as sacred, blended well with the African spirituality of the spirit mediums in guerrilla set ups, for example, Sekuru Kaguvi and Mbuya Nehanda in the case of Zimbabwe. This legitimised armed struggle as fighting for sacred land, it meant fighting the gods’ cause. Reggae is outspoken and is song mixed with spirituality

continued

• Reggae has long been hailed as “the soundtrack to the liberation struggle.”

• Many of its originators were strongly influenced by the struggles facing their number on the continent, for instance in Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia and South Africa where reggae ignited a fire that stayed lit, inspired many guerrilla fighters and encouraging them on their journey.

• For many many years and even in this age of national projects, generations of political prisoners found strength, emancipation and company in reggae music that voiced the aspirations of struggling masses globally.

• Legendary performances were given in South Africa by heroes such as Joseph Hill, popularly known as culture.

• As a result, a slew of African artistes were born that include Lucky Dube, Meta, of Meta, the Cornerstones from Senegal, King Isaac of Zimbabwe, Osagefyo, Ras Droppa.

• Others sprouting from various angles include Damian Marley, Lucians, Sizzla, Antony B, Capleton, Shaggy, Sean Paul and Beenie Man.

Kingstons in Harare

• Bob Marley and the Wailers’ songs of freedom and those of other reggae artists such as Peter Tosh influenced and motivated political movements especially in Zimbabwe.

• Marley’s music travelled through the bushes of Zimbabwe to reach the freedom fighters engaged in a guerrilla war.

• The militant verbal text “Zimbabwe” also communicated liberation for Namibia and South Africa under apartheid at that time.

• The watershed in Zimbabwe in relation with reggae was the historic visit by Bob Marley.

• Marley’s tour had a major impact on the status of popular music.

• It also resuscitated the political dimension of music performance.

• After Marley came Misty in Roots and UB40 between 1981 and 1984.

• The concerts and the selling of reggae records in the country after 1980 popularised the genre and Rastafarianism among the African youths.

• It also helped to keep popular music within its pre-independence concern with political and social issues, especially the plight of blacks, (Zindi, 1985).

continued

• The powerful political messages in reggae music influenced African youths to search for their history and identity.

• The messages also appealed to musicians to participate in the task of recapturing African values.

• Marley’s invitation elevated the status of reggae and other popular musicians both politically and economically, (Thornycroft: 1988).

• Revolutionary radio broadcasts originating in neighbouring Mozambique further disseminated Chimurenga (struggle) songs along with news about the progress of the war.

• The programme “Voice of Zimbabwe” broadcast from Mozambique, was massively popular anywhere in Zimbabwe.

• Radios became such prized items among guerrillas that infiltrators used them as tracking devices.

Harare April 1980

• The invitation of Marley by Robert Mugabe to perform at Zimbabwe’s official independence ceremony was a watershed for reggae in Africa.

• This profound honour reconfirmed the importance of Marley throughout the African Diaspora and reggae’s significance as a unifying and liberating force.

• There was pandemonium at Zimbabwe’s Rufaro stadium, with thousands flocking to see the musicians who had inspired their liberation struggle.

• The song “Zimbabwe” that he performed became the talk of town. It was explicitly about the liberation struggle and he made thousands to sing in unison at Rufaro.

• The song was also disseminated by Radio Mozambique, Moscow, Zambia, Cairo and there were underground recordings. (Tenaille: 2002)

• Through reggae they had fought alongside Zimbabwe during the liberation struggle and South Africa during apartheid.

• To be central to the independence celebration, Marley personally financed all the arrangements of the band and crew for $90, 000,00, which showed huge commitment. (Rasta-man-vibration.com)

“Zimbabwe”

• Every man gotta right To decide his own destiny And in this judgment There is no partiality So arm in arms, with arms We will fight this little struggle 'Cause that's the only way We can overcome our little trouble Brother you're right, you're right You're right, you're right, you're so right We gonna fight, we'll have to fight We gonna fight, fight for our rights

continued

• Natty dread it ina Zimbabwe Set it up ina Zimbabwe Mash it up ina Zimbabwe Africans a liberate Zimbabwe No more internal power struggle We come together, to overcome The little trouble Soon we will find out Who is the real revolutionary 'Cause I don't want my people To be contrary Brothers you're right, you're right You're right, you're right, you're so right

continued

• We'll have to fight, we gonna fight We'll have to fight, fighting for our rights Mash it up ina Zimbabwe Natty trash it ina Zimbabwe I and I a liberate Zimbabwe Brother you're right, you're right You're right, you're right, you're so right We gonna fight, we'll have to fight We gonna fight, fighting for our rights

continued

• To divide and rule Could only tear us apart In everyman chest There beats a heart So soon we'll find out Who is the real revolutionaries And I don't want my people To be tricked by mercenaries Brother you're right, you're right You're right, you're right, you're so right We gonna fight, we'll have to fight We gonna fight, fighting for our rights

continued

• Natty trash it ina Zimbabwe Mash it up ina Zimbabwe Set it up ina Zimbabwe Africans a liberate Zimbabwe Africans a liberate Zimbabwe Natty dub it ina Zimbabwe Set it up ina Zimbabwe Africans a liberate Zimbabwe Every man got a right To decide his own destiny

Analysis of “Zimbabwe”

• The song foregrounds the concept of the sovereign subject, one who decides their own destiny, one with choices.

• It campaigns for unity, oneness, togetherness, combined effort and one voice.

• Promotes the Che Guevara spirit of rallying where the is a problem, conquer, look around for another problem and solve it together.

• It invokes the use of violence in the decolonisation process and is in agreement with Franz Fanon’s thinking that decolonisation is a violent undertaking.

• Discourages discordant voices in a choir that is supposed to stand together, that is, a people or a nation that is expected to fight a similar cause.

Bob Marley

• Jamaica’s most popular and internationally renowned reggae star.

• Transformed reggae from entertainment to philosophical discourse in political and racial consciousness.

• In the 1970s, under his Prime Ministership, Jamaica took a more active and aggressive role in international affairs. Penned politically charged songs that called for action, eg “Get Up Stand Up and “I shot the Sheriff.”

• Was seen as a leader in African affairs in the developing world. Had Pan-African beliefs stemming from his Rastafarian faith.

• A global reggae ambassador who internationally popularised Rastafarian beliefs.

• Marley in an interview once said “instead of New York, why wont we go to Ghana? Go to Nigeria, meet some people and learn a new language” for he saw Africa as a place where the black man could live in dignity and prosperity.

• He also performed in Gabon, Kenya and Ethiopia as well as in Boston to raise funds for the freedom fighters of Namibia at a concert named Amandla short for Amandla Ngawetu (power to the people).

continued

• Bob Marley was not only a humanist, he was a Pan African freedom fighter.

• He is part of a long line of African musicians who fought the struggle for African liberation through his musical genius and as a means of confronting the corrupt social order. He combined creativity with activism.

• He is part of a tradition that includes Fela Kuti, Miriam Makeba, Ladysmith Mambazo , Hugh Masekela and Thomas Mapfumo whose music is popularly known as Chimurenga music.

• Marley was a part of a generation of musicians and activists such as Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Burning Spear and Mortimmo Planno who sought to fight the forces of imperialism and liberate Africa.

Jamaica and the African leadership

• “Africa Unite” is an important indication of the philosophy of Marley.

• It highlights an intense connection with the politics on the ground in Africa.

• Is in line with calls by African leaders at the time such as Haille Selassie and Kwame Nkrumah for a united African continent.

• In a sense, Marley was able to function as a mediator between the various scholarly and intellectual discourses and make the connection with grassroots both on the continent and in the Diaspora.

• Jamaica stood strong on issues of colonialism, imperialism, racial segregation, discrimination and exploitation.

• Was in front of demanding for a new international economic order and member of the Non-aligned Movement.

• 1999 hosted and chaired the Group 15 member nations calling for changes in international trade and monetary systems to give developing nations leverage in the global economy.

• Has forged close alliances with the African continent through visits by leading African revolutionary leaders from Haille Salassie1, 1966, Julius Nyerere, 1974,1977, Desmond Tutu, 1986, Nelson Mandela, 1995, Robert Mugabe, 1996, Jerry Rowlings, 1997.

Reggae in Zimbabwe today: the

battle continues unabated • Currently the battle for Zimbabwe continues with

the resurgency of the national project, the urge to continue with the decolonisation of African land, the nationalisation of mines and through it all reggae continues to feature as a means to conscientise the masses.

• A prominent group in Zimbabwe in this category is Mbare Chimurenga Choir.

• They have recently released “Nhamo Yaiona Vakomana” (the suffering the boys endured) which urges people to value the contribution of war heroes during the liberation struggle.

Conclusion

• In conclusion, reggae is a music genre with a revolutionary spirit.

• A politically conscious music popularised in Africa by Bob Marley who, through it, celebrated life and embraced the struggles against colonialism.

• Marley’s music was not only admired but was a source of inspiration for many African musicians, for instance, songs such as “Chant Down Babylon”, “Buffalo Soldier”, and “Zimbabwe” which made him an international icon.

• Marley took the world as his thematic concern and established himself as a voice of international relevance. He positioned himself comfortably from the system of political intrigue.

• He articulated real issues that touched Africa as a sacred land and land of the spirit mediums.

• Undoubtedly, reggae music and the Rastafari culture have played a significant role in drawing the world’s attention to the real issues of the African liberation movement and have provided Africa and its Diaspora a channel for building self-identity, consciousness, resilience, liberation and ONE LOVE. (the role of reggae music in the African liberation struggle).

END

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