Dancehall goes to church?

PROBABLY it’s me, but lately I have been witnessing a growing trend in the way people are attired for church, more specifically funeral services. Nowadays, it seems the mere knowledge that one is entering the house of God is no longer good enough to convince people to cover up.

Instead, what I have witnessed is a progression of fashion that resembles the dancehall attire entering God’s house. The end result is that funerals tend to take on the characteristics of social parties more than that of farewell ceremonies.

Some of us may be aware of the saying, that one should cry when someone is born but celebrate when someone dies. Though for years many of us have witnessed the reverse, now people are indeed celebrating when someone dies. And though there will still be those who express their loss through tears, they are definitely outnumbered by those who are present to simply celebrate the life of the individual.

Jamaican people have always been expressive in the way we dress, and, with the influence of dancehall music, we have created a unique fashion statement that is identifiable through this genre of musical expression. The hair and dress code have transformed into elaborate works of art, which we have come to accept as a significant part of our culture.

But where do we draw the line? When dancehall and religion meet in this nature, there has to be a point where one can safely say, “you have crossed the line”, or “this is enough”. Gone are the days when people would leave the impy-skimpy outfits they deck out in for dances and clubs.

People have taken it up on themselves to wear them to church as well, Christians and non-Christians alike. When Gerald ‘Bogle’ Levy died in 2005, I stood in Spanish Town square and witnessed an entourage of people gyrate in the streets and dance to the music of the dancer’s popular tunes while repeating the line ‘yuh ready?’

as it belted from speaker boxes in vehicles. Yet, while this was taking place and I was naturally amused to see the people, both men and women alike, dangling carelessly from bus doors, some perched on windows of cars, while others rode dangerously in the trunk, I was definitely shocked at the many body parts that were made to deliberately jump from clothes, the bling jewellery, heavy drinking and smoking that was involved.

But after thinking about it for a while, I accepted them as individuals paying respect to their dancehall icon, in the best way they knew how. Bogle lived for dancehall music and his fans saw it fit to make sure that it followed him to his grave. But in spite of it all, the man who should be taken into consideration at all times, the one who gave us life was left in the shadows and it seemed the respect due to him was given to another. We must also remember that these are individuals who (I’m assuming) went to the church service as well.

It was my belief at the time that, given the background of the deceased, the crowd and dress code was understandable and could be termed as a ‘dancehall celeb thing’. Not so. It seems this is now truly a fashion trend that has spilled to the door of the sanctified place, a place where we are always taught to dress modestly, a place that certain activities would not even be allowed to enter our thoughts without the presence of serious ‘body works’ on our conscience.

Now, pedal pushers, leggings, strapless, chiffon material, lavish jewellery and movie star shades swarm the church at funeral proceedings and while I do admit not everyone is involved, those who follow the protocol of the church are greatly outnumbered. Whether it is community funerals or members of the church, the dress code has come a long way and the alterations have been drastic.

After speaking to the secretary of a church in Spanish Town I was informed that the church conducts around two to three community funerals a month and it is selective of the types of funerals it conducts. The family members are however briefed about the rules of the church as they are asked to dress modestly, especially if they have to use the podium. If this request is not followed, the pastor reserves the right to stop the individual/s if he/she feels that they are inappropriately clad.

The dress code, however, is not the only problem that the church has to contend with. There are those individuals who feel the need to enter the church grounds and proceed to drink liquor and smoke.

When approached to desist, the reprimands are often followed by statements such as “Yow, a wha yu feel like, man a man an mi nah stap, so it betta yu step”, or “a wi run dis”. Statements like these often put church members at risk, since individuals who believe they own the community are quick to threaten the church if they are not allowed to have their way.

It is easy to look on and ignore the facts because one is fearful for his life, but when issues as these are beginning to go against the very protocols of the doctrine, then it is easy to create a clash, one that the church will almost certainly lose.