Wait-and-see for Bunny’s send-off
THERE is still no date set for the funeral of reggae legend Bunny Wailer, according to his former manager and partner Maxine Stowe.
“My understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic and what obtains in Jamaica right now is that sacrifices from close family and friends will be required, it is definitely not business as usual. I hope that the April 12th announcement by the prime minister may hold some way forward, but we shall see,” Stowe told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.
“It has been a very stressful time. I haven’t even had the time to properly grieve Bunny’s death. I know that his soul ascended on the ninth day and he is reunited with Bob and Peter. His fans, family in Jamaica and abroad continue to grieve him terribly, but it is a time of sacrifice. It is what it is,” she continued.
Carl Livingston, elder brother of Bunny Wailer, said an initial funeral date was planned but had to be cancelled due to the Government’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Bunny Wailer died on Tuesday, March 2, at the Medical Associates Hospital in St Andrew. He will be buried at his Dreamland Farm on the border of St Thomas and Portland.
The singer, a devout Rastafarian, reportedly left a “significant” percentage of his estate to the Rastafari community, the first major reggae artiste to have made such a bold stipulation in his final will and testament.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic and other dust settles with the burial of Bunny at his estate, the various beneficiaries will be satisfied. Bunny stayed true all his life towards addressing the plight of the Rastafari community that he holds so dearly to his heart will benefit. The community continues to suffer cultural misappropriation and marginalisation. The fight continues,” she said.
Hailing from Trench Town, Bunny Wailer’s given name is Neville Livingston. He is a founding member of The Wailers, which included Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
Marley died of cancer in May 11, 1981, while Tosh was killed at his St Andrew home on September 11, 1987.
Bunny Wailer’s albums include Blackheart Man, released in 1976, and Rock ‘n’ Groove which came out five years later. His hit songs include Cool Runnings, Ballroom Floor, Crucial, and Bald Head Jesus.
In 2017, the Jamaican Government awarded Bunny Wailer an Order of Merit, the country’s fourth highest honour.
