With Jamaica’s focus on honouring our heroes and the positive impact of their philosophies, deeds and creative works on our national psyche, fittingly, over the last fortnight, some prime activities executed by the cultural industries of Jamaica amply demonstrated acknowledgement, reaffirmation and provided evidence of the continuity of the potency and visionary role of our industry.

Manifesto/JA’s Festival of Art’ical Empowerment, at the Edna Manley College from October 14-17, was, by public perception, unique and uncharacteristic in two dimensions. Firstly, here were some enlightened entertainers and allied professionals from the cultural industries sector demonstrating philanthropy: through vision, vigour and social activism. As far as many members of the society are concerned, our sector doesn’t usually practice voluntarism by helping to expose, train and provide opportunities for the less fortunate — who in many instances are themselves the source of our inspirations and core fan base; and so admire and look up to us for direction. Of greater significance is the fact that the main organisers are all in their 20s.

Youths in entertainment willing to do voluntary social work is a positive aberration!

To quote the founder of the prototype — Manifesto Festival of Community and Culture, in Toronto Canada — “All live performances of the festival were top notch and carried a strong message of positivity, love and progress.

“The workshops achieved their objectives of empowering and educating community members with knowledge of everything from self-defence, yoga, film-making, the business of culinary arts, dance and more; and it was so beautiful to see that every single room was bursting with full capacity attendance and enthused participation.”

The lead-up outreach initiatives to the festival and the volunteer programme engaged young people from various communities to help run the festival, passing on the knowledge, skills and experience for others to create their own dreams. Of significant note: in its inaugural year Manifesto/JA attracted over 25 people from Canada to experience and participate as artistes, documenters, and volunteers. This exemplifies its inherent cross-cultural genesis and impact, as well as its future potential to increasingly contribute to Jamaica’s cultural tourism in our drive to attract more Canadian visitors to the island.

Speaking of icons, on Tuesday, October 19, the University of the West Indies held a symposium, titled ‘Peter Tosh: The Man, The Music, and the Message: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of a Musical Icon’. In giving his rationale for resurrecting the symposium, Dr Michael Barnett, the chief organiser, says, “He really seems to be one of Jamaica’s unsung heroes. Peter Tosh’s music resonated so much in South Africa that not only were the black South Africans strengthened in their resolve to fight apartheid, but a Lucky Dube — unmistakenly inspired by him — arose out of their midst. It highlighted his pioneering contacts with African liberation movements, as well as the continued relevance and vitality of Peter Tosh’s worldview and overarching philosophy, encapsulated in his catalogue of songs and participation in significant anti-imperialist events across the world. Peter’s social activism was as strident as his lyrics were uncompromisingly militant. For instance, in 1982, when his backing band recoiled from an invitation to tour revolutionary Grenada, Peter doggedly stuck to his commitment and travelled all over the country, playing spontaneous concerts, accompanied only by his guitar. On another occasion, invited to perform in Madison Square Garden at a rally in protest of the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian Lands, Peter made his stage appearance wearing classic Arafat headgear and dressed in Arab raiments, infuriating USA’s powerful Jewish minority.”

My favourite Peter Tosh story is his response from the dock, when asked by the judge how he pleaded to the charge of possession of ganja. Peter deliberately turned and squarely faced the judge, then responded calmly, “Not guilty, Your Honour. How can one man gang Jah?” Peter’s most memorable statement, uttered at the famous Peace Treaty Show at the National Stadium in 1979, was that, “There can be no peace, without equal rights and justice.”

Peter was eventually awarded the United Nations peace award, and addressed the General Assembly of the UN.

The Peter Tosh symposium was followed by the Walter Rodney lecture on Friday, October 22. Almost single-handedly, this Caribbean historian and Black Power activist was responsible for raising the political consciousness of the cultural fraternity, Rastafari elders and adherents, dis-enchanted ghetto youths and university students, through his incessant series of ‘groundings with my bredrin’. It is as much a blemish on our national conscience to keep his deportation on the books as it is for the USA to retain the conviction and deportation of Marcus Garvey for mail fraud. Without Rodney, Michael Manley’s message would have fallen on barren ground.

“Of all our local politicians, Rodney’s political philosophy and programme had the most consistent and relevant sense of direction”(Jerry Small — historian). Long live the works of Walter and Peter, brothers in the struggle for cultural liberation and against eurocentric hegemony.

Email:che.campbell@gmail.com