POSTCOLONIAL MINSCAPES AND CONTEMPORARY CARIBBEAN REGGAE

Abstract

That Caribbean music forms and their sonic influences are steeped in a vibrant culture of social awareness and ethereal consciousness is incontestable. Roots reggae’s protest appeal, rhythmic syncopations, and deeply religious impulses attest to a rich, aware and reactive tradition forged from post-slavery legacies to engage the rotary realities of mid–late 20th century West Indies. Contemporary Caribbean reggae follows in this tradition. With a very deep root in the religious beliefs of the people, Reggae music developed as the medium for the masses to cope with the social, economic and political realities of the day in Jamaica and many other Caribbean communities. Consequently, the Reggae music has proven to be relevant as long as there is suffering and injustices among the masses, this is not to say Reggae music does not reflect some other aspects of life. The emphasis in this paper is to trace the history and development of Reggae, especially its connection to the Rastafari lifestyle. The paper considers some key pillars of Reggae music, which includes but not limited to the believe by the Rastafarians that Haile Selassie is the black Jesus which Marcus Garvey had prophesied about and that he is bringing salvation to the black community in Jamaica.