The Jamaica Star :: Entertainment :: Global Reggae Conference opens at UWI

Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Dr Carolyn Cooper - Nathaniel Stewart

Dean Fraser took small steps backward as he played the refrain of So Jah Seh lower and lower; the ladies of the University Singers rocked as Welcome To Jamrock got harmonic, chorale treatment; Dr Erna Brodber clenched her fists near shoulder height as she did the 'tighten-up', which preceded rocksteady; and the ladies of the L'Acadco Dancers put some hip movement into their interpretation of Sattamassagana, Third World style.

Monday night's opening ceremony of the Global Reggae Conference, Jamaican Popular Music a Yard and Abroad was rich with the music the conference will explore throughout the week leading up to the Smile Jamaica - Africa Unite concert at James Bond Beach, St Mary, on Saturday night. The following night will be the last event on the agenda, the first Reggae Academy Awards, to be held at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

Marley love

The music of the Marleys, Bob and Junior Gong and Third World came with the speeches outlining the significance of the weeklong conference. And Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports Olivia Grange was especially pleased with the inclusion of "the business side of what is poised to become our most important national industry".

There is one aspect of that 'business', though, with which she is not pleased and there was applause when she said, "We have to ensure that we stamp out payola in this country.

"Let us discuss how we can keep reggae music as the positive expression it began as," Grange said, referring to the focus of many lyricists under the women's skirts.

Reggae and Rasta's long-time acceptance at UWI was underscored by Vice-Chancellor Emeritus Rex Nettleford, who said that with the Global Reggae Conference the institution has once again stood on the right side of history.

Principal of the Mona campus, Professor Gordon Shirley, illustrated the conference's impact through its success in attracting presenters from across the world, its alliance with RIAJam, the Bob Marley Foundation and the Jamaica Tourist Board, the blend of academics, people from the music industry and artistes and the scope of the issues it will explore.

Black african

Nana Asante Frempong, chairman (textiles sector) of the Association of Ghana Industries, agreed with "the great Peter Tosh, who said wherever you live, if you are black you are African".

The role of Governor General Sir Kenneth Hall, who was present, in the earliest stages of the Global Reggae Conference as principal of the Mona campus, was acknowledged.

Brodber, who gave the opening address, played one song during her presentation on 'Reggae as Black Space', Max Romeo's 1971 Maccabee Version to which members of the audience sang along to the chorus.

Using the lyrics of several songs, The Ethiopians' Every-thing Crash, Young Gifted and Black, The Wailers' Duppy Conqueror and Burning Spear's Marcus Garvey among the others, Brodber examined as she analysed how early reggae performers repositioned the concept of Black.

Brodber concluded that "reggae of the 1970s created a black space". She said the performers "have pried the word black from poor, ugly and stupid" and their work "gives it a sweet-smelling rose that we can accept".