BOB Marley’s global reach was on full display yesterday during his birthday celebration at the Kingston museum named in his honour.

Locals and foreigners made the annual pilgrimage and rocked and revelled in the music and message of the late reggae king.

Japanese Ayumi Kobayashi, holding her Rastafarian flag, was among them. She said she has been visiting Jamaica for the past 20 years and it was important to attend the celebration.

“Is a Rasta moment. Bob Marley is di greatest singer. Him is I and I leader in reggae music, also Rasta. I also know Mortimo Planno, him is my long-time bredrin. Peter Tosh, Bob Marley, and Bunny Wailer are my idol(s),” said Kobayashi in a thick accent. “I come from Tokyo, a concrete jungle. Many people have money and not so happy. So Bob Marley say natural and, you know, one love.”

Planno was a Rastafari elder and mentor of Marley. He died in 2006 at 77 years old.

Tosh and Wailer, along with Marley, were founders of The Wailers.

For German Juergen Steinmeier, it was a homecoming of sorts.

“I’m here for this special thing going on here; it’s Bob Marley birthday. So it’s all about what he done and what he influenced. I’ve been here in ’86, ’88, ’93, ’94, ’95, ’97, and after 22 years, it feels like I’m coming home again. It’s great,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

Swedish visitors Sofia Granstrand and Filippa Apelgren were making their first sojourn to Marley’s former home. They were not disappointed.

“We have been in MoBay and Negril. So we thought it would be nice to visit the museum. For Swedish people, he is a great music icon. His message is a lot about love and it’s wonderful,” said Granstrand.

Apelgren said they were fortunate to be at the “earthday” tribute as “Bob Marley is the king of Jamaica and I like his music.”

Wife-and-husband Dajana and Premek Koterski were on their maiden voyage from Poland.

“It is important to be here, to see everything happening today. We love the atmosphere,” said a dreadlocked Premek Koterski, in faltering English.

He admitted to challenges understanding Marley’s lyrics.

“I don’t understand everything he (Marley) is saying, but I am trying and doing my best. So I use a translator, but what I can say is that he’s a good man. I’m happy to be here today,” he said.

Son-and-mother Joaquim DaCruz Alves and Sandra Chaudron hail from Amsterdam in The Netherlands.

Chaudron, a balloon artist, said Marley’s music gave her courage through rough times.

“I’ve waited to come to here (Marley’s celebration) for many years. I been to Jamaica before in 2015. Bob Marley means a lot to me because I’ve been challenged a lot as a single mother and an entreprenuer making a living for me and my son. Bob Marley has always kept me going; his lyrics, his music, the positive thinking, so I’m very grateful. He’s not physically around, but all the people here love him as I do, so that’s why I wanted to be here with the people,” she said.

Ursla Munch and her daughter, Greta, were making their fifth and second visit, respectively.

“Reggae is basically my life. I listen to reggae for such a long time. My husband is drummer Alex Drummy, he plays with Omi. My entire life is always somehow related to reggae. I spend a lot of time in Jamaica. It builds you as a person,” she said.

“This is where Bob Marley used to live. So it is special to celebrate his earthstrong in the very spot he walked around. It gives you a special feeling, more than just sitting somewhere and listening to the music… just being on the grounds. I think that is what he would have loved, just having people around,” Munch continued.

In the morning, there were tributes from Mystic Revelation of Rastafari drummers, as well as performances by Charlie Smith High School, St Andrew Preparatory, Mona High School, Merl Grove High School and King’s Gate Preparatory. Spoken word artistes Amina Blackwood-Meeks and South African Jessica Mbangeni also took the stage.

Marley would have turned 74 yesterday. He died of cancer on May 11, 1981 at age 36.