Jah Mission looks to form cultural bridge

DJ Ras Tariq of Jah Mission sound system is excited about the cultural possibilities of its current Africa tour.

"They (fans) love reggae music, the reception has been incredible so far. It's been a great vibe," DJ Ras Tariq, whose given name is Tariq Khan, said. The Jah Mission sound system has carved out a reputation in Amsterdam in The Netherlands, for offering a mix of roots reggae, conscious dancehall, and revolutionary musical messages.

The tour kicked off in Banjul, The Gambia on August 27, before travelling through several cities like Freetown, Sierra Leone, and Accra in Ghana, where the Jah Mission sound did two shows. The tour rolls on through Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia, before climaxing in South Africa on September 13.

According to DJ Ras Tariq, Jah Mission will seek to collaborate with local artistes and musicians to strengthen the cultural bridge between Amsterdam, Africa, and Jamaica.

"The tour aims to use the power of sound system culture to inject reggae, promote Rastafari, and cultural unity across the African continent. For me, this is more than just a tour. It is a return to the roots, a tribute to the source of so much musical and spiritual inspiration. We come not only to play and share music with the people, but also to learn, connect, and grow together," said DJ Ras Tariq, who is a Rastafarian.

The selector, who is of mixed heritage - Muslim Pakistani father and a white Christian Dutch mother - believes that reggae music has the unique ability to break down language barriers and build unity between cultures that are often vastly different in religion, history and political ideology.

"I am creating linkages, building communities through sound system culture and reggae music. The problem is that there are Jamaican artistes who want to go to Africa but don't know how to make it happen. There are massive communities that are in Africa, but there is no regular conduit for artistes to go there, so I want to create a bridge by playing Jamaican music for those who love the culture and value connection," he said.

DJ Ras Tariq pointed to the political and cultural realities that are transforming the European continent that are of particular concern to people of colour and immigrants. Far-right parties have become the largest force on the right in Europe. Experts say that within a decade, mainstream conservative parties will seek to copy the hardline agendas of the far right, especially on immigration, in a vain effort to win back votes and make Europe an ugly place for outsiders. The rumblings across Europe are ominous.

"But reggae music creates safe spaces to come and co-exist, it is bringing people together, people can still come and share," DJ Ras Tariq opined.