Bob Marley for national hero?
PM Holness says recognition conversation continues
Over the years there have been repeated calls for the late reggae icon Robert Nesta Marley to be named a national hero.
Jamaica currently has seven national heroes — Nanny of the Maroons, George William Gordon, Sam Sharpe, Paul Bogle, Marcus Garvey, Sir Alexander Bustamante, and Norman Manley.
In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on the red carpet at the worldwide première of the biopic Bob Marley: One Love at the Carib cinema in Cross Roads, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that recognition for iconic personalities is something being considered.
“We did put together a committee to look at it [naming Bob Marley as a national hero], and believe me, there were commissions before that, established a criteria for national hero. I think the conversation has so far evolved to having a category that identifies iconic personalities, people who have added great value to our countries. So there may be a designation. But, who knows, the conversation continues,” Holness disclosed.
Marley, who died in 1981 at the age of 36, is renown globally for his contribution to reggae music.
His greatest hits album Legend (first released in 1984) is the best-selling reggae album of all time, with more than 75 million copies sold globally.
He has racked up several accolades, including the Order of Merit which was bestowed posthumously by the Government of Jamaica.
Marley ranks #11 on Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Artistes of All Time. He is also the recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and he also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 1994, Marley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
His hits include Redemption Song, Iron Lion Zion, Turn Your Lights Down Low, and Natty Dread.
Said Prime Minister Holness: “Bob Marley has so many songs, but my favourite is Redemption Song.”
Holness described the première of the One Love film as one for the history books.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and to be able to attend the première in the home country of Bob Marley, it’s really important for me. It’s a significant achievement for the people of Jamaica,” said Holness.
Before heading into the cinema, Holness shared what he was looking forward to most about the film.
“I want to see the cinematography; I want to see how they treat our landscapes and how they treat the reproduction of his house and so forth. I also want to see how they capture scenes, the faces, and the expressions. And, clearly, as a Jamaican, I want to see how close they have come to capturing the authentic spirit of Jamaicans,” Holness said.
Asked what a film such as Bob Marley: One Love can do for Jamaica, the prime minister said: “It shows that Jamaica can have a film industry, and I think this is the beginning of a greater journey for Jamaica.”
