“I am not a politician..I only suffer the consequences”
Peter Tosh
In a departure from my usual sabbath activities, I traveled some 20 miles from home to listen, or maybe just to hear, the new Jamaican Prime Minister(PM) Andrew Holness, speak at a church in Miramar, Fl. I motivated myself to be there out of an unanswered curiosity as to the mission of this new PM in these very uneasy days, in Jamaica and ever increasingly worldwide. With all curiosity and tepid enthusiasm, you'd think I would have arrived at the scheduled event time. But my lateness would prove to pale in comparison to that of the PM, who himself had, as of 5 pm, only just gotten on the plane for a scheduled 3 o'clock event.
As a first generation born US citizen with Jamaican ties, I found it very interesting that Holness, only recently dubbed PM, was not that much older than myself. I will be honest when saying that maybe that point more than any gave me a moment to question his future effectiveness, as most young people, including myself, lack a certain humility and wisdom that can only come from age and experience. Add to that, from my early years, I have always been a little leery of the "uptown" Jamaican, especially those that are "red" or "high" complected.
Don't take me for leaning on ignorant prejudices. My own family is full of these very same individuals, some may even be related to the PM, so I have first hand knowledge. In fact before I had manifested the "Beardman" traits of many of the original Rastafari adherents, I was made privy to many of the hush hush conversations and turned up nosings towards many of the social and economic disenfranchised. People oft times don't take the time to effectively poll the room if there seem no strange faces.
These tendencies were not solely limited to the uptown set. For you see the hyper christian church community of Jamaicans, wherever they may currently be resting their heads, are as if not more prejudice to people outside their circles. I never understood that growing up. It did however take my turning towards Rastafari, as faith consciousness and Nationhood, for it to manifest itself in open daylight.
Even now, as I sit in the back row of this church, as not to block anyone's view by the height of my turban, the almost obsequious looks of disdain, ignorance and just plain hateful epithets have been my constant companions. It's funny how, even during this present intermission and with the space almost bereft of attendees, it's as if people are going out of their way to look over into my small space. If I hadn't grown up in and around this type of community I would likely be feeling very paranoid.
Sadly though, I have accepted that many people will just remain ignorant. As a matter of fact it was only yesterday that I heard the same ignorant argument from my father, so truly none are immune.
It is now 5:35 pm and for an event slated for 3-5 pm we are well behind schedule. As stated, we are presently in intermission and the new Jamaican PM is still not in the building. It should be noted that Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness, alleged distant relative of the PM, opened up the main event today, however dryly. I will say however that there was an already most memorable presentation given by a one Father Easton Lee, a Chinese-Jamaican television and theatre personality turned clergy. Actually more than one presentation, as he was interrupted several times by the PM calling in to apologize for his lateness.
Nevertheless, Lee was masterful as he commanded the podium and riveted the crowd with the same borderline bawdy jokes that make my parents giddy. Taking a moment to reminisce I have no doubt that even my grandmother would have been brought to certain joy watching this performer, who I might add, evoked the very visage of the trickster Anancy that flavoured bedtime stories. Different as some of our views may be, me Rastafari and he Anglican, he made me laugh from deep down in my spirit and brought to remembrance members of my family and community that I have not seen in many moons.
10 past 6 and we are still waiting. The only thing happening now is some dead tired gospel which I can only assume is supposed to be inspirational. I wonder to myself sometimes why I don't walk with Nyabinghi music on deck to drown out the noise other people call music. (See I do it myself. It, the ability to so easily dismiss other people, has got to be empirically and inherently Jamaican.)
I plan on staying on until this event is over. I could stand to eat something though. I never thought to travel with anything and while I never even attempted to see what they had for refreshments, I am thankful that I know well how to fast and not desire for much.
Did I mention that it is now 20 past 6 and still no sign of Holness? One thing is for sure, he and Jamaican Olympic Gold medalist Usain Bolt must certainly not be related. I joke, but seriously this is bordering on ridiculous.
I will say this before Holness arrives: I pray that Jamaica and the Caribbean region in general, see their way through the trying times ahead. The over indulgence of the wealthy and the hyper consumerism infrastructure has devastatingly weakened the poor peoples of the region and the world at large. Poor people suffer largely while wealthy peoples continue to flit about unaffected. I cannot say if I know the proper way to remedy all this but there has got to be a better way. To borrow a phrase, "Better Mus Come." Still yet my vision travels far beyond Jamaican shores and Caribbean waters.
There are many things left to be done in Africa by all Africans, including and especially by us who, whether we hail from Jamaica, Trinidad, Brazil, Suriname, Louisiana or NYC, are ascendants of African souls. So while I applaude the coming together of the Jamaican diaspora to listen to and challenge the new PM to uphold what I remember as the highest of Jamaican standards and ideals, I would also implore them to remember that we are a much larger Nation of peoples than a few well placed and well timed words by the interim PM speaking to his party supporters might imply.
10 past 7 and we are now hearing from the JA Counsul General, Hon. Sandra Grant-Griffiths, that PM Andrew Holness will not be making an appearance at this venue. He is currently in the air and should be landing inside of 90 minutes. We have though been offered an opportunity to catch a previously scheduled private event at a location in Davie but that will be something I will have to decline. I have seriously got to get something in my stomach. Besides, I've had enough of more than my share of bad mind eyes on me today and no doubt a previously $500 a plate fundraiser would begrudge this Rastaman for coming up in their coterie, scoffing at their food and turning up my nose the whole time. Bet you what though, it would have given grandpa and grandma both a grand laugh.
Peter Tosh
In a departure from my usual sabbath activities, I traveled some 20 miles from home to listen, or maybe just to hear, the new Jamaican Prime Minister(PM) Andrew Holness, speak at a church in Miramar, Fl. I motivated myself to be there out of an unanswered curiosity as to the mission of this new PM in these very uneasy days, in Jamaica and ever increasingly worldwide. With all curiosity and tepid enthusiasm, you'd think I would have arrived at the scheduled event time. But my lateness would prove to pale in comparison to that of the PM, who himself had, as of 5 pm, only just gotten on the plane for a scheduled 3 o'clock event.
As a first generation born US citizen with Jamaican ties, I found it very interesting that Holness, only recently dubbed PM, was not that much older than myself. I will be honest when saying that maybe that point more than any gave me a moment to question his future effectiveness, as most young people, including myself, lack a certain humility and wisdom that can only come from age and experience. Add to that, from my early years, I have always been a little leery of the "uptown" Jamaican, especially those that are "red" or "high" complected.
Don't take me for leaning on ignorant prejudices. My own family is full of these very same individuals, some may even be related to the PM, so I have first hand knowledge. In fact before I had manifested the "Beardman" traits of many of the original Rastafari adherents, I was made privy to many of the hush hush conversations and turned up nosings towards many of the social and economic disenfranchised. People oft times don't take the time to effectively poll the room if there seem no strange faces.
These tendencies were not solely limited to the uptown set. For you see the hyper christian church community of Jamaicans, wherever they may currently be resting their heads, are as if not more prejudice to people outside their circles. I never understood that growing up. It did however take my turning towards Rastafari, as faith consciousness and Nationhood, for it to manifest itself in open daylight.
Even now, as I sit in the back row of this church, as not to block anyone's view by the height of my turban, the almost obsequious looks of disdain, ignorance and just plain hateful epithets have been my constant companions. It's funny how, even during this present intermission and with the space almost bereft of attendees, it's as if people are going out of their way to look over into my small space. If I hadn't grown up in and around this type of community I would likely be feeling very paranoid.
Sadly though, I have accepted that many people will just remain ignorant. As a matter of fact it was only yesterday that I heard the same ignorant argument from my father, so truly none are immune.
It is now 5:35 pm and for an event slated for 3-5 pm we are well behind schedule. As stated, we are presently in intermission and the new Jamaican PM is still not in the building. It should be noted that Broward County Commissioner Dale Holness, alleged distant relative of the PM, opened up the main event today, however dryly. I will say however that there was an already most memorable presentation given by a one Father Easton Lee, a Chinese-Jamaican television and theatre personality turned clergy. Actually more than one presentation, as he was interrupted several times by the PM calling in to apologize for his lateness.
Nevertheless, Lee was masterful as he commanded the podium and riveted the crowd with the same borderline bawdy jokes that make my parents giddy. Taking a moment to reminisce I have no doubt that even my grandmother would have been brought to certain joy watching this performer, who I might add, evoked the very visage of the trickster Anancy that flavoured bedtime stories. Different as some of our views may be, me Rastafari and he Anglican, he made me laugh from deep down in my spirit and brought to remembrance members of my family and community that I have not seen in many moons.
10 past 6 and we are still waiting. The only thing happening now is some dead tired gospel which I can only assume is supposed to be inspirational. I wonder to myself sometimes why I don't walk with Nyabinghi music on deck to drown out the noise other people call music. (See I do it myself. It, the ability to so easily dismiss other people, has got to be empirically and inherently Jamaican.)
I plan on staying on until this event is over. I could stand to eat something though. I never thought to travel with anything and while I never even attempted to see what they had for refreshments, I am thankful that I know well how to fast and not desire for much.
Did I mention that it is now 20 past 6 and still no sign of Holness? One thing is for sure, he and Jamaican Olympic Gold medalist Usain Bolt must certainly not be related. I joke, but seriously this is bordering on ridiculous.
I will say this before Holness arrives: I pray that Jamaica and the Caribbean region in general, see their way through the trying times ahead. The over indulgence of the wealthy and the hyper consumerism infrastructure has devastatingly weakened the poor peoples of the region and the world at large. Poor people suffer largely while wealthy peoples continue to flit about unaffected. I cannot say if I know the proper way to remedy all this but there has got to be a better way. To borrow a phrase, "Better Mus Come." Still yet my vision travels far beyond Jamaican shores and Caribbean waters.
There are many things left to be done in Africa by all Africans, including and especially by us who, whether we hail from Jamaica, Trinidad, Brazil, Suriname, Louisiana or NYC, are ascendants of African souls. So while I applaude the coming together of the Jamaican diaspora to listen to and challenge the new PM to uphold what I remember as the highest of Jamaican standards and ideals, I would also implore them to remember that we are a much larger Nation of peoples than a few well placed and well timed words by the interim PM speaking to his party supporters might imply.
10 past 7 and we are now hearing from the JA Counsul General, Hon. Sandra Grant-Griffiths, that PM Andrew Holness will not be making an appearance at this venue. He is currently in the air and should be landing inside of 90 minutes. We have though been offered an opportunity to catch a previously scheduled private event at a location in Davie but that will be something I will have to decline. I have seriously got to get something in my stomach. Besides, I've had enough of more than my share of bad mind eyes on me today and no doubt a previously $500 a plate fundraiser would begrudge this Rastaman for coming up in their coterie, scoffing at their food and turning up my nose the whole time. Bet you what though, it would have given grandpa and grandma both a grand laugh.
I found this funny as hell while not losing the underlying message. How many of I and I came to Rastafari as a rejection of the obvious prejudices and hypocrisy of our families and communities? If they only knew the impact of their actions/reactions.
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