… to the Rastafari
Your Eyewitness is very pleased President Granger will be addressing the “National Rastafari Unity for Recognition, Justice and Development” Conference at UG, next month. He (your Eyewitness) has always been bothered that not enough respect’s been given to the Rastafari in the Caribbean. Sure, there’s loads of youths wearing dreads and red, black and yellow knickknacks…but have they bothered to reflect on the philosophy of the Rastas?
Nowadays, most don’t even listen to Reggae – which would be grounded on that philosophy. They gyrate to the parody dancehall. For instance, did most who saw the pic of the Nyabhingi Rastas meeting Granger, reflect on the significance of the hand gesture of all the Rastas – with all the tips of their fingers touching? Guess not!
Now UG is as fit a place as any for having this Conference – but not because of anyone at UG being in a position to teach the Rastas anything. But rather for the Rastas teaching THEM more than a thing or two!! The first thing the 8000 at UG should learn – and this especially includes the VC and his Cabinet – is not to be riding on their high horses because of their “education”.
Very frankly, it’s been mostly MISEDUCATION! Take the mandatory “close reading” of texts that modern and postmodern theorists like Derrida enjoin. UG would be enlightened if they were exposed to the Biblical Hermeneutics of Rastafari. They wouldn’t be prancing around the place praying to a blonde, blue eyed Jesus. But just as the Europeans did, a thousand years after the Bible was in Ethiopia, they INDIGINISED the text so that they weren’t alienated to reach for something that’d always be outside their grasp.
UG would also learn a thing or two about the Rasta concept of “Babylon” vs “Zion”. In the words of Marley – “We refuse to be/What you wanted us to be/We are what we are/That’s the way it’s going to be, if you don’t know/ You can’t educate I.” They wouldn’t be prancing around UG doing all in their powers to become one with their oppressors with their bow-ties! All that does is lead to self-contempt and self-hate.
The objective of the conference is to discuss “reparation, repatriation and restoration”. What better way of summarising the 10 principles of the Caricom Declaration on Reparations? And what better way to remind UG to cease being an instrument of Babylon and begin to insist on the creation of Zion? Again as Marley, echoing Garvey said: “Babylon system is the vampire for the empire/ Sucking the children day by day/
…Building church and university/Deceiving the people continually.”
…for indigenising Parliament
Your Eyewitness knows he’s going to take the road less travelled on this one – but he has to compliment Raphael Trotman for his outburst in Parliament when he let it all hang out against Jagdeo. While Trotman doesn’t look like a Rasta – he’s not to be blamed since he’s crinalously challenged (OK…the fella’s bald!) – he’s also on the indigenising track.
Now let’s get something clear – if Britain (and especially the English) kept us in bondage for hundreds of years – who else can be Babylon? So whatever they taught us, we should know it can’t be good for us. So we arrive at the ridiculous way they taught us to speak in Parliament – “Honourable this” and “Honourable that”!! And the bowing and scraping to the Chair!! Jeez!!
So rather than castigating Trotman for “behaving bad”, we must compliment him for finally throwing of his mental slavery and embracing his true, inner self!!
Next time, expect Trottie to let loose some “F’s” and “S’s”. He’s free at last!!
