Third World guitarist Stephen “Cat” Coore believes moving the Kaya Fest event to California this year was a master stroke, given the State’s liberal views on ganja. The show’s second staging took place April 28-29 in San Bernardino at Nos Events Center.

“What I saw was out of the top drawer,” said Coore. “Stephen Marley did a good thing by keeping it in California. Reggae has tremendous support there and they’re way ahead in terms of weed, not only for recreational smoking but the medicinal side of things.”

Kaya Fest was first held last year in Miami with Marley and his brothers Ziggy, Ky-Mani, Julian and Damian as headliners. They returned for this year’s show, with Third World, Inner Circle, Chronixx, Kabaka Pyramid, Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill and Tom Morello among the other artistes who also performed.

Kaya Fest II was held under the banner, ‘Education Before Recreation’ and had a number of booths showcasing the benefits of ganja. Several of them, including Marley Natural, are owned by the Marley family.

While most states held a hardline against ganja use for many years, California’s legislators were more tolerant, their hand forced by the hippie counter-culture that emerged in the 60s in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. The Golden State is also home to a large reggae community, which began taking shape during the roots craze of the 1970s.

Launched in February 2016, Marley Natural includes several strains of ganja (red, gold and green) that are its flagship products. It coincided with initial steps by the Jamaican government to decriminalise ganja.

Coore scoffs at talk that rapid legislation in states like Colorado and Washington, as well as Jamaica, means ganja has gone commercial.

“I’m not concerned about that at all. Commerciality for me is what it’s all about,” he said.

— Howard Campbell