CANADIAN REGGAE WORLD
  • Home
  • RFL ~ Artists ~ Events
  • Blog

colonialism & reggae

2/27/2014

2 Comments

 
Colonialism and Reggae

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

Picture

2 Comments
deejaysvootz link
2/27/2014 08:11:04 am

"Rise up Mighty People"

Reply
JuLion
2/27/2014 03:57:38 pm

Bless Scootz... Raspect for support always natty...

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    June 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    August 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011

    Author

    Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview.

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.