co·lo·ni·al·ism
noun
1.
the control or governing influence of a nation over a dependent country, territory, or people.
2.
the system or policy by which a nation maintains or advocates such control or influence.
3.
the state or condition of being colonial.
4.
an idea, custom, or practice peculiar to a colony.
Knowing one’s role within said colony may aid in finding solutions to the issues that seem insurmountable to date. The ‘colony’ is one of hierarchy where there are ‘royals’ to be bowed down to and reggae has no place for bowing to any human being of false idols for that matter.
The essence of revolution is a breaking away from the normality of “the system” whether physical or mental. We are all members of the colony yet totally unaware of our roles as the slaves to the system. We all think if we work just hard enough or our luck turns we are out of the rat race. An effective illusion!
In order to maintain subservience we are given a myriad of distractions which are actually a series of stimuli that keep our eyes downward never allowing us to truly look up to avoid the obstacles, so always forced into a reactive state, constantly falling from one chaotic moment into the next. Short of rent this month constantly facing eviction notices, payday loan habit that does not really work because you still have the same amount of money, need a visit to the clinic for a possible std, driving a vehicle without insurance for a month or two because public transportation can’t get you to your job and you have a family of five with 3 children under the age of ten years old, bill collectors calling constantly, going through separation / divorce with no aid from deadbeat husband, money earned does not meet bills to be paid, ridiculed for being gay, tired of conversation about gay issues, human rights violations in all countries on the planet, global warming, rising unemployment, lonely singles targeted by a need to online dating, the rising oceans, occupy Toronto, occupy LA, occupy NY, racism, sexism, murder rate, revenue Canada, the IRS, federal / provincial elections, alcoholic, drug abuse, parent teacher meetings, hockey / soccer eight days per week, the IMF, the World Bank, lost millions / thousands in the stock market crash, eight hundred thousand dead in Rwanda in the space of one month, 911, Al-Queda, Afghanistan, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, The Eagle, The Bear, teen suicide based on poor self esteem, child abuse... There are hundreds of issues that are quite unique to many folks that are not mentioned here and at times we all face all of the above and more, all at the same time. “Governing influence and keeping one dependent”.
Distractions... Life!
The ‘colony’ is led by Buckingham palace and everyone else falls into designated slots below the ‘royals’, each more important than the next one beneath it. It is believed that in this way, it gives the lower tiered folks a goal to shoot for in order to achieve a higher standing. So we work in jobs that barely cover the bills, create side businesses, work two or three jobs, try to save and invest in a home or rrsps, and yet never seem to be able to leave the treadmill as there is always a crisis that eats away at the savings. So every Wednesday and Saturday we spend a few ducats on lottery tickets HOPING for the miracle! One good hit and we are right out of our issues! And the lottery and gaming commissions make billions because we remain dependent!
The “system” of the colony is a powerful one as it allows its fiscally more viable members to revel in what they have with only sympathy to offer to the have-nots, believing that it is their right to be ‘better’.
We are kept dependent on this corrupt system. They maintain control creating that dependency.
The ‘colony’ isn’t a place of upliftment. It is a sweat shop for the 99%!
Jazz, the Blues, hip-hop, reggae are the ‘news sources’ to those who do not live in that mental or physical ghetto. With artists like Marley, Tosh, Spear and Culture who painted vivid musical images of knowledge, pain, poverty, love, upliftment and hope, reggae infiltrated into the psyche of many around the globe hence the continued growth of a fan base for this genre.
The objective is to keep us dependent. By definition, it does what it does! Pretty redundant couple of sentences here yet even within that, we all get up and follow this “system” the very next second. Yes we are all victims.
This is how I learn to truly apprecilove what reggae music does for me. I am grateful for the energy reggae music provides for me and billions around this planet. As with the above verbiage, reggae indentifies the issues in communities, towns, governments and countries, then touch on relationship issues, spiritual reggae tunes tend to set us just right, then there is the defiance to said system hence the genre, though quite popular gets no airplay on mainstream radio and the privileged few never wonder why – or more accurately – never crosses their minds why reggae isn’t on radio because the hierarchy of the ‘colony’ insists on reggae “knowing its place’ at the bottom of the heap like the people who invented it.
The thing is, reggae does not care! It keeps blazing and inspiring love, thought and camaraderie from nation to nation. This powerful music comes from a black nation and is appreciloved by all nations and throughout our anger, pain and resentment, the genre seems to speak truth yet search for a solution for “equal rights and justice” four words that don’t work well within the ‘colony’.
The ‘colony’s’ system of distraction to create dependence is well orchestrated while the genre of reggae pushes the conscience of a planet towards equal rights and justice.
Yes I, “Reggae for Life”.
JuLion
www.canadianreggaeworld.com