This is the first of a five-part series, commissioned by Digicel, on the life and legacy of the Honourable Robert Nesta Marley, OM, on the 72nd anniversary of his birth.

AT a time when most schools have been dismissed for the day, students are scattered on the compound of Charlie Smith High School in Trench Town; some are studying, others eating and laughing.

The faint sound of drumming could be heard on entering the gates of the school.

When asked where Bongo Herman could be found, the security guard responds: “Just follow the sound of the drums.”

One of Jamaica’s renowned percussionists, Bongo Herman was a close friend of reggae icon Bob Marley. As part of The Wailers, Marley spent the fledgling years of his career living in the community.

Most afternoons, Bongo Herman is hunkered down among a group of students, teaching them the traditional ‘one-two’ drum beat — signature sound of the Nyahbinghi.

“That’s the kind of drumming that played a key role in a lot of Bob’s music,” shared Bongo Herman. “And it lives on to this day. Teaching it to students at Charlie Smith is a means of preservation, because as Bob Marley and many others used to say, ‘Music alone shall live’. We have the youths dem here, and we want the music to live on through them.”

His commitment to keeping Marley’s legacy alive in Trench Town got a big boost in November. Marley’s son Ziggy Marley, made a donation of instruments through his foundation, Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE).

Charlie Smith received seven bongo drums, a bass kete drum and 24 recorders.

“Ziggy wanted to bring back the music to Trench Town and, of course, the children are the future. So what better way to do it than through the students from the community,” said Herman. “They love the music and the dancing too. Right now, I have to be looking to get some more drums, because all the students want to get involved in one way or another.”

With its roots deep in Africa, Nyahbinghi drumming is a feature of Rastafari. It can be heard prominently in several Marley songs including

Rastaman Chant and Babylon System.

The demand for drumming classes has not gone unnoticed by the school’s administration, which is looking to raise cultural awareness among students with initiatives like Bongo Herman’s classes.

“At the moment, we hardly have enough space to accommodate the students, given that everyone wants to join in and be a part of it,” said Dayon Gray, theatre arts teacher at Charlie Smith High School. “But you have to understand that, even though the music comes from outside of their generation, the inner-city has always been a melting pot for dance, music or drama, so it’s right in their corner and they absolutely love it.”

He added that, “Music has taken a lot of these students from communities like Trench Town all over the world, and that’s what we want to see happen at Charlie Smith High with these drumming classes. With the help we’ve received from the Marley family and foundation, we know it’s within reach.”

Charlie Smith High School’s drummers are scheduled to perform at the Redemption Live free concert, hosted by Digicel and Red Stripe, at the Half-Way-Tree Transport Centre on February 5.

Other performers include Ky-Mani Marley, Beenie Man, Capleton, Ikaya, Richie Spice, Garnet Silk Jr, Jah9, and Kabaka Pyramid.

Marley died in May 1981 from cancer. He was 36.