Blackbright News - features The Sound System

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Black-Bright NEWS

Stimulates - Educates - Elevates - Motivates(by Challenging the Negative Stereotype)

SPECIAL IINDEPENDENCE EEDITION

DO WE NEED TO SUCK UP TO SUCCEED?

PPLLUUSS THE SSOUND SSYSTEM

NaturalBeauty

Tribute to Haile Selassi’s birthdayand JAMAICAN INDEPENDENCE!

£3

blackbright august 2007.qxp 30/07/2007 20:40

OUR BOYS OF TODAY ARE OUR MEN

OF TOMORROW!

Editorial

INTERVIEW (ADAPTED) ON BBC 3 COUNTIES THURSDAY 12 APRIL 2007 @ 8.45 PM

(as a result of the National Union of Teachers’ Report)

WHAT CAN FATHERS’ DO TO MINIMISE VIOLENCE?

Fathers can explain about consequences. Many boys do not realisethe consequences of the threats they make. Most boys don’t thinkabout the consequence i.e. if I stab him he could die or I could die.They don’t think about ending up in jail, or the victim’s family’sthirst for revenge. They don’t think of the bigger picture.

Sometimes fathers can instill good values in their children but peerpressure can be stronger. It is important therefore for fathers tostress to their sons that they should not give way to their egos orthe need to prove themselves to be accepted by a peer group.

It also extremely important for fathers to teach their children lifelearning and survival skills. Some parents are so busy teachingteenagers manners and how to eat properly but not preparingthem for the skills they need to cope with peer pressure, bullying,who to talk to if they have a problem or how to deal with thingswhen they can’t cope. Many teenagers are taking drugs to escapefrom problems, so parents should intervene.They seem to under-estimate just how influential they are.

HOW MUCH IS DOWN TO THE FATHER?

Not necessarily only the father, because that would mean thatabsentee fathers produce violent children. Having sustainable rolemodels in the form of scout leaders, grandparents relatives andfriends. Emotions also play apart, how and what is the youth con-cerned feeling (more about Youth & Emotions in next issue)

A presence of caring father figure can enhance stability. If a childhas grown up in a consistent and stable environment, this can helphim deal with conflict resolution more effectively and easily. Wealso have to think of mitigating circumstances surrounding individ-ual incidents.

DOES STREET CULTURE AFFECT SCHOOL WORK?

Street culture is a form of acceptance. We need a publicity cam-paign: “Use your brain not your game”; “You have two choices -Up or Under”. Boys can be ridiculed in the classroom for being a‘brain box: “Mr know-it-all” “Smart arse” etc., so some pretendthey don’t know much even if they do. Kids need to be taught thatthere is “no shame in raising your game”. Street culture is all aboutrecognition and being noticed. - more recognition from being“bad” than if they put their hand up in the classroom. A feeling ofacceptance when a peer member says: “That is a baaaad jacket”

WOULD TEENAGERS LEARN BETTER OUTSIDE OFSCHOOL THROUGH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVI-TIES SUCH AS MUSIC AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES?

If by learning better outside school you mean in a stable environ-ment with people they respect and admire, then yes I think they

would and if by music you mean learning an instrument, whichrequires more discipline than spinning a record or being a DJ, thenalso yes. Similarly involvement in sports outside the confines ofthe classroom could help students apply discipline and routine totheir lives.

Kids are taught subjects that do not adequately prepare them forthe outside world. They need to be taught relevant life learningskills that will enable them to make life changing decisions. Theyteach sex education but do not teach them how to deal with peerpressure when it comes to sex. Kids are expected to make deci-sions but are not being taught how to make the best choices.

DO TEACHERS RECEIVED ENOUGH TRAINING INRACE ISSUES?

I am not sure if the answer is teachers receiving enough training inrace issues - they have been given already been given training inRace Equality & Diversity, Cultural Awareness, Social Inclusion/Inclusive Learning and Discrimination. It is a bit like Jade Goodyand Danielle, because they have black friends they don’t realisethat their behaviour can still be perceived as intolerant. Mostteachers need a complete laundering of the mind to negate thestereotype, so that they instinctively accept that all children arecapable of achieving regardless of race, with the correct support.

HOW DOES THE YOUTH CULTURE WHICH ENGULFSSOME OF THESE BOYS POSE A CHALLENGE TOENGAGING THEM IN THEIR SCHOOLWORK?

If youth culture means the need to impress each other, impresswomen, being competitive, protecting one’s ego, then these ele-ments can affect how boys engage in schoolwork. For teenageboys, it is important what their peer groups think of them, whichcan become more important to them than their school work.Boys don’t like to feel inadequate, and this is why they spend mostof their time trying to impress others – if boys’ minds could bechanged so they impress through excellence/education rather thanthrough dress/materialism, half the battle would be won.

DO YOU THINK THAT IF FATHERS WERE MOREINVOLVED IN THEIR CHILD’S EDUCATION ITWOULD HAVE ANY EFFECT AT REDUCING GANGCULTURE AND SUBSEQUENT KILLINGS

A lot of teenagers think about the now instead of the future sofather’s need to get involved in life education not only academiceducation. They also need to engage in activities they enjoy. It’sabout the father being a positive and major influence in his son’slife. The most caring parent (or carer) can miss the signs – justbecause they are working or busy. They assume their children areadults and can cope. Most fathers instruct their boys to stand upto the bullies forgetting that there is a gang/gun culture these dayswhere boys don’t fight fair anymore. Most boys are afraid to talkto their father about problems they face and put on a brave facein front of their fathers. Fathers should not underestimate whattypes of situations their children are involved in or can deal with.They need to empathise with their son’s more and be there forthem, and if fathers cannot be there, then someone else should bethere to support them (an uncle/brother/friend). Boys need tohave their self esteem raised at a very early age to they don’t feelthe need to prove themselves to anyone under any circumstances.

Myrna LoyFounder/Managing EditorBlackbright News

LOOK OUT FOR BRIGHTA NEWS(An enabling tool for youths to help conceptualise their identity)1


Contents Supporters

Editorial

Feedback for the Editor

An insight to Ras Tafari(23 July 1892)

““The Rude Girl Next Door”

(short story)

Do we need to suck up?

The Sound System(it’s not just about music!)

CommemoratingJamaican Independence

Dionne InnerarityLiaison Officer

Lakshmi NarayanGraphic Design (Covers)

Sade MullingsJunior Writer

Jermaine BalfourthGraphic Design

Lejla Resic (Stockholm)Remote Web Designerwww.blackbrightnews.com

Bianca EdwardsJournalist

Ian NanacollasPhotographer

Yolanda RivaMarketing Representativewww.myspace.com/blackbrightnews

Yvonne HectorPhotographer

Zane DzerinaEvents Planner

Page Design and Layout by Loy2


Feedbackfor the Editor

To whom it may concern,

I am a final year student currently finishing a computer animationdegree. For my major project I was required to set my own brief,and due to my upbringing in Peckham and interest in “Urban” musichave chosen to create a series of idents for Channel U.While developing the product and conducting market research inorder to produce an ident that is not only aesthetically pleasing butwould also appeal to the target market, it became apparent that theeasiest way to appeal to this market (11-24, particularly males) wouldbe to focus on the negative aspects of inner city, disenfranchised lifethereby perpetuating the image portrayed by the mainstream mediaand accepted by the public at large.As a young black man myself I find myself in a position of conflictespecially with the recent spate of violent crimes committed by mybrothers in these communities. I grow tired of seeing image depict-ing young black men brandishing guns, draped in jewellery, driving abig car and surrounded by scantily clad sisters! As part of thisdemographic itself, I can see how this has a negative effect on theblack youth of this generation, thrusting images of material posses-sions gained through violent or otherwise nefarious acts, conse-quently leaving them with the impression that the way to attain theseunimportant things is to follow suit.Now whereas this project is not live, in other words I have no agree-ment to have it aired upon its completion, I would rather not rein-force this view by creating an ident along this vein. While I recog-nise that violence and crime are a part of life in our communitiesacross the country, as I am sure you do, I am also aware that it is notthe only way to achieve the things you want in life and am commit-ted to making others realise this too. This is why I have so muchadmiration for what your organisation is trying to achieve and why Iam asking you for help in creating an appropriate image for theseident.I am asking for assistance in establishing a concept which I canrealise through a visual identity which would connect to this groupyet portrays it in a positive light yet also promotes the scope for fur-ther improvement through legitimate means in this case focusing onmusic. Rather than glorifying life on road, expressing the fact thatlife is bigger than it and that music should be viewed as a way out ofit. In short focusing on the music this lifestyle promotes ratherthan the lifestyle itself.To aid me I would like to receive some information on the creativeand marketing techniques you use to achieve this in your field.

Thanking you in advance,Yours sincerely,

Alex Lambert (Tees (UK))

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Hi Myrna,Thanks for the compliment, some subjects just move me because Ifeel very passionate about many things, after all I am a Libra. I havelistened to a seminar hosted by a black woman professor Dr. JoyLeary, who speaks on the very subject. She said from the day wewere so called set free, we as black people never sought to heal ourselves from the ordeal, we did try to come to terms with what hap-pened to us and bring a sense of closure so that we could move on.As of today we still have not done it, and this is why our relation-ship with each other is so screwed up, we are still pitted against eachother and we as a people can not afford that. It has always been forus to do not white people, I remember speaking to a Jewish friendof mine and he said” its not up to my people to awaken your peo-ple” I was chastised by another black co worker in closed quartersafterwards because as he put it- how come at times I seem so problack and always have some thing to say, yet I did not refute oranswer Bob’s comment? I simply told him that I felt no need to chal-lenge that statement because I totally agreed with him! With that saidI realized that there are many black people who are sitting there wait-ing for the upliftment and awakening to come from those who heldus in captivity and still do today-which is ludicrous if you reallythink about it.

Hi Editor I would like to comment on: Fragile Relationshipsby Nancy Noder.I liked her perspective on a touchy issue, however, the fact that theirwas no healing process leading to some type of closure for us as apeople after we became free, has a lot do with our present state. Westill need to heal ourselves, (no one else is going to do it for us) andthen move forward to repair the damage that was done. Still I havealways asked the question - what is my sister to me? As of late ourrelationship is not what it should be. Could it be issues unresolvedfrom our past experience together during slavery? The constantbreaking up of our families and the availability of our women tothose who held us in captivity. What is is my sister to me? As of latewe can’t even casually relate. A simple greeting like ‘good morning’or ‘hello’ are really essential, but to some it’s inconsequential. Whatis my sister to me? She has become an elusive creature that’s becomemore of a mystery to me. A long lasting relationship is not on thecards statistically nor a strong father figure in a two-parent home,which is still a very rare commodity in the black community. Couldit be an after affect of our third class position in the world widecommunity? Lack of respect for our selves and from the larger seg-ments of society? Grown men reduced to boys, still seeking otherpeoples’ exotic toys? Great builders from antiquity - now servantsand centurions for the smaller majority. Descendants from greatkings of renown - reduced to mere athletes, minstrels and step andfetch it clowns! What is my sister to me? So far she is still distantfrom me. The day-to-day respect we should be showing each other,is given freely to others. However, she manages to charge me a fee.What is my sister to me? As of late it’s still hard for her to find agood mate. A woman that’s not too irate about the present pathet-ic state and the real problems that confront a lot of black men.The future seems grim, I pray it’s not too late - yet it’s still very dif-ficult for her-to hook up with her soul mate - a man that can washand iron his own clothes as well as the pots and the plates. Onewho does not abuse drugs or alcohol for some kind of escape. Aman that’s a real man, not some boy at the gate - a man that truth-fully compliments her and brings her fresh flowers and not be latefor the date. A man that will hold onto a decent job - not one whois out to cheat, play childish mind games or rob. A man that willmake her his proper wife without bringing his excess baggage andconstant arguments and strife! What is my sister to me? Fromqueen to concubine - your stature has been diminished severely overtime. Yours and mine, our destiny forever entwined; I would like torestore you - but that will take a lot more time.Amir3


What iis BBlack BBeauty?QUEEN TIYE (above)The Nubian Queen of Kemet (Ancient Egypt) (1415-1340 B.C.)

Was considered “black, beautiful and georgous”.Queen Tiye was regarded as one of the most influentialQueens ever to rule Kemet.A princess of Nubian birth,she married the Kemetan King Amenhotep III whoruled during the New Kingdom Dynasties around1391BC. Queen Tiye held the title of “Great RoyalWife” and acted upon it following the end of her hus-band’s reign. It was Queen Tiye who held sway overKemet during the reign of her three sons AmenhotepIV (Akhenaton), Smenkhare, and the famous child kingTut-ankh-amen. For nearly half of a century, Tiye gov-erned Kemet, regulated her trade, and protected herborders. During this time, she was believed to bethe standard of beauty in the ancient world.Source: http://www.swagga.com/queen.htm

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS/GRADUATESON BLACK BEAUTY By Yolanda Riva

“Black Beauty is when an individual lets her self-respect,personality show through her eyes and beauty and alsoknowing our roots and having self-pride and control isimportant.

Tawanda , 21yrs

Black beauty in my own opinion is showing an apprecia-tion of where we as black people have come from, main-taining and keeping our cultures and traditions alive bybeing proud enough to show these off to the world tohelp other cultures appreciate the beauty of true blackculture.

Chiedza, 21

Black beauty is a question of mind not of physicalappearance. Many believe that when beauty is talked of itis all about how one looks and not the inner spirit! A per-son can look pretty and not be labelled as a beauifulblack woman because she does not have the inner spirit oftrue black beauty - whereas, one who others may notconsider as beautiful may see herself as a black beautybecause she knows her worth as a black person. This willradiate through her and it is also about having principle.Can a person with looks call herself otherwise? Every

MAKEDAQUEEN OF SHEBA

(The symbol of Beauty) (960 B.C.)

"I am black but comely, O ye daughters ofJerusalem; as the tents of Kedar, as the cur-

tains of Solomon, Look not upon me because Iam black because the sun hath scorched me."

(Song of Solomon) 4


black person with self worth will know that they are ablack beauty whether they are labelled as one or not, andbecause God created them with perfection and knowingthat alone will give you morale and a comfort of truebeauty.

Mary O.

Black beauty I’m assuming is referring to the attractionone black male feels for a black female. On an aestheticlevel, I think that maybe it’s a term based around stereo-types of what a black woman is or should be. But inessence I think it should be a quality that encourages theman to treasure having something meaningful with ablack woman. I guess my perception of it is that it stemsfrom the history/culture that black women in a blackcommunity have a lower place in social standing in com-parison to men.

From that the term black beauty goes beyond a roman-tic note to strike a more political one. To say that aswomen who are undervalued, being a black beauty raisesthe status of not just an individual but all black women

It can go even further to liberate black people as a com-munity by stating that “black is beautiful” and that “theidealistic conditioning of the white man/woman beingthe model of what beautiful by definition just isn’t true”.

There is much that comes from what appears to be an“Ideal” such as “black beauty”, but I think what’s impor-tant to note is that its an ideal that can be realised in everyblack person. To simplify, black beauty for me is a phrasethat says “I have the right to say, yes I am black and I am beau-tiful because for so long my people have been treated and have beensaid not to be,” ultimately claiming back the equality we areowed”

In individuals I recognise black beauty as a black personwho values truth and dignity.

Ivan, 21

Sade’sthoughtsonBeauty

(age 15)

“Oh my God, she’s so beautiful, look at her hair.”“Oh my God, she’s so beautiful look at her complexion”“Oh my God, she’s so beautiful, she’s a size 4”

That’s what I think most people love to hear. They loveto hear how amazing they look…on the outside.Theylove to feel that people think they are flawless, but howcan you call someone beautiful if you don’t know them.They could have perfect teeth, and they could have per-fect features and the perfect accent but you can’t judgesomeone on what’s on the outside. Someone should beconsidered beautiful by how they act - kind, polite.

In African tribes they see people with really long necksas beautiful, and apparently in England they find some-one who can fit into the clothes of a child beautiful. Forsomeone to say that you are beautiful should mean onthe inside as well as the outside. People always tend togo on what they see on the outside these days anyway.So I wear a lot of black, I always have loads of coloursin my hair. I basically go around with thatPunk/Goth/Emo/Grunge/Random look. So apparentlyevery single Goth, Punk, Emo or whatever, I’m meantto know them - or apparently I’m meant to like thembecause of how they dress.Well, that’s just stupid isn’tit? How do I know that their not a bunch of cows.People always say “Oh Sade I saw some people that youmight like.They were all wearing black and one of themhad purple hair and the other was wearing a spikynecklace and bla bla bla.” Truth be told. I don’t care.

If you’re going to tell someonethat they’re beautiful perhapsyou should elaborate.Tell themthey are beautiful…on the out-side. Or beautiful…on theinside because you like the waythey.... Or just tell them theyare beautiful because one per-son can’t judge what beauty is.Long hair, flawless figure, that’snot beauty. To some people itis…to others it’s not.

by Sade

God says:

I ambeautifully &purposefully

made”

God’s delight

A crown ofbeauty

Royal Diadem5


Aaron Kedar ‘Rise This Morning’is a very sensitively delivered album.The lyrics are cognisant and specific.Many of the tracks bounce softly offthe ear leaving droplets of wisdom toarouse curiosity. I found myself intune with Kedar's philosophy asmost tracks have been calculated toproduce special thought or feeling.‘Rise This Morning’ produced byTramplaz was released in May thisyear and should form part of the CDcollection of any conscious being.(Loy)

Info: www.myspace.com/bongokannyEmail: [email protected]

Tel: (0)+44 7949 935 645

TTrriibbuuttee ttoo RRaass TTaaffaarrii ((2233 JJuullyy 11889922 - 2277 AAuugguusstt 11997755))Who was Henry Bonsu talking about, when he referred to “econom-ic migrants”. In my opinion, he was talking about those people whohad entered the country and contributed to its stability by becomingentrepreneurs. I first heard this term at the Reggae-Reggae Launchwhich was put on by Levi Roots to celebrate the success of hisReggae Reggae Sauce which was now in the majority of theSainsbury’s stores, being the only store to be ‘commissioned’ to sellthe sauce.I managed to meet Levi Roots who came over as a humble manwith a big smile. A man who had been driven to success through per-severance, sacrifice, reciting Psalm 23 and his listening to his motherwho had encouraged him to go on the Dragons’ Den.Dragon’s Den is – is a TV show where investors put money towardspotentially lucrative business ideas. If they like the concept and thehomework has been done, they will fund the business while securinga percentage of the profit in return for their investment. If theydon’t like the idea, they will ‘slay’ you and send you away.When Levi Roots came on Dragon’s Den, it was by sheer coincidencethat I was watching it that day – and that seemed to apply to manywho watched the show. Seeing a ‘dread’ on TV, facing the ‘dragons’was a surprise. The sheer fact that he was black and a dread wasenough to keep me riveted to my seat to see what would happen.When he mis-calculated the turnover, my heart slumped. However,his error did not deter Peter Jones, who believed in his sauce, encour-aging a fellow dragon to invest £50,000 between them for 40% stake.On the 20th April, at Lambeth Town Hall - a more confident manstood before us and announced "everybody loves me - not just mysauce!" - I agree, humility is a very endearing quality.

Continued below...

Levi's success did not come overnight. He had been selling thesauce at Nottinghill Carnival for over 15 years, and had been in themusic business along side Coxsone for 30 years. He told the audi-ence that before he went in front of the ‘dragons’, the strings of hisguitar broke and he started to sweat. He remembered that if youwant good "yuh nose haf fe run", He prayed JAH RASTAFARI! Hedidn’t want to embarrass himself in front of his Rastafarian bredrenwho were watching the show or any black person for that matter! Hewent before the ‘dragons’ with only four strings on his guitar anddisguised the poor tuning with a song - a song that made the dragonssmile. Levi's advice to his audience/supporters was "Believe in your-self, your product, the power of prayer and listen to mummy." Soremain humble Levi - because that it is that humility and your warmsmile that made us love you! (Loy)

Miguel CCollins, aaka SSizzla, wasborn into the close-knit community ofAugust Town, Jamaica, in the foothillsof St Andrew, Jamaica. He joined theranks of the Bobo Ashanti faith in theearly 90's. The Bobo Ashanti group ofRastafarians worship Haile Selassie Iand Prince Emanuel, who was the originalfounder of Bobo Ashanti. Their philosophyembraces repatriation to Africa and fireburns all forms of oppression and theBabylon system which they say is unfairand unjust.

SIZZLASizzla Kalonji, the crowned King ofJamaican reggae, dancehall, roots &culture returns with a brand newalbum 'The Overstanding.' releasedlast November. "The Overstanding" ismarketed and distributed by DDMG /Kalonji Records.

Aaron Kedar was a guest at the Riverside Studios inLondon where he performed with the Royal PhilharmonicOrchestra. The only other artist to have done this being Reggaelegend John Holt. Aaron Kedar was a supporting artist withFoxy Brown/Babysham in 2002 at Stratford Rex where heexploded onto the stage and tore through a set that captivatedand excited the audience. Two years ago Aaron Kedar recentlyhooked up with Reggae legend Delroy Washington who record-ed tracks for him with Neil 'Mad Professor' Fraser at AriwaRecords as a part of the (Adventures In Music) AIM Initiative.At Ariwa Sounds Studio enough tracks were recorded for analbum. Ariwa released a single entitled 'Vexed With The System'in September 2005.

'Rise This Morning' employs the late Great Junior Delgado's'Fort Augustus' rhythm track to full effect rallying Rastafariansto rightousness, life that is Rastafarian culture and reminder notto forget to give prasises to Jah. 'Im Fine' is another analyticalobservation of a system bent on flaunting its power based on theprinciple that might is right.

The tracks feature some of Jamaica's most talented studio musi-cians. Included among these are the Fire House Band andJazzwad. [Extracted]

6


Tribute to H I M Haile Selassie(23 July 1892 - 27 August 1975)

“Any who may wish to profit himself alone fromthe knowledge given him rather than serve othersthrough the knowledge he has gained from learn-ing is betraying knowledge and rendering it worth-less” H.I.M. Haile Selassie.

Haile Selassie was born on 23 July 1892 in EjarsagoroHarar Ethiopia, born Ras Tafari Makonnen. Tafari suc-ceeded Empress Zauditu to the throne in 1930 andassumed the name Haile Selassie (“Might of the Trinity”.

Haile Selassie modernised Ethiopia but fatefully inDecember 1934 the issue between Italy and Ethiopiawas joined. He was exiled in 1936.

Selassie led the resistance against the Italian (Mussolini)invasion. It was sheer genius for Haile Selassie to denythat Italians use dumdum bullets instead of chargingthem with that military offence. It was again genius forhim to cable out that in Ethiopia the local press hadbeen ordered by the Emperor never to apply discour-teous epithets to Benito Mussolini. Finally only a geniuscould enable the Emperor to put himself on terms offriendly respect with robust Anglo-Saxon correspon-dents when they arrived in Addis Ababa and wasrestored to power in 1941- promptly nicknamed him“Little Charlie”.

Although it has been argued that Haile Selassie “ranaway from his country to England leaving his people tobe massacred by the Italians” (Marcus Garvey in “TheFailure of Haile Selassie as Emperor, Black Man –London, March/April 1937), his personal French physi-cian of many years thought he was good and wise andclaims he had never been popular among his turbulentsubjects, but every conversation the physician had withhis Imperial Patient, writes Dr Sassard:“gave me furtherreason to admire and respect this Sovereign who is so dif-ferent from those who surround him and from his own peo-ple, and who is so superior to them… In his motionlessface, only his eyes seem alive – brilliant, elongated, extreme-ly expressive eyes. They bespeak boredom as well as polite

indifference, cold irony, or even anger. The courtiers knowthese different expressions well and retire suddenly whenthe monarch’s glance becomes indifferent, then hard. Onthe other hand, especially when he is dealing withEuropeans, his eyes know how to be soft, caressing, affable– even sincere.”

By the 1970s, the regions droughts and famines hadtaken their toll and it is said that Selassie began to losepopular support. He was deposed in a military coup in1974 and died while under arrest in 1975.

Haile Selassie has been traced back to the descendantof King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and isviewed by many to be the figurehead of African inde-pendence and a central figure in the Rastafarian move-ment.

(Source: adapted & extracted from Time Archives, 6 January 1936).

Dr. William (Lez) Henry was bornin Lewisham, South east London,England of Jamaican Parents and is anexperienced youth worker, a poet, writerand was one of the pioneer, British,Reggae-dancehall Deejays. Dr. Henrylectured in the Department Of Sociology,Goldsmiths College for a number ofyears and is now a Visiting ResearchFellow. Dr. Henry is a researcher, con-

sultant and staff trainer for Nu-Beyond Ltd: Learning ByChoice! [email protected] . www.nubeyond.com

Dr. Henry received an Excellence In Education Award at theChallenging The Genius: Excellent Education for Children:“Our Future is Not a dream”, Conference Chicago, IL, USA,September 16-18th 2005. Dr. Henry is also the proud recipi-ent of an award from the South east London based MandianiProject, For his valuable contribution to the community andthe Mandiani Project, 1st October 2005. His research direc-tion seeks to use cultural history as an educational tool toassist our contemporary understanding of many of the prob-lems that affect the various communities in Britain. Hisresearch is therefore conducted in a manner that will providepractical information to various interested public and privatebodies.

Dr. Henry delivers empowerment, education interventionistpackages in schools, colleges and universities. He collabo-rated on the Challenge to Succeed-Learning By Choice ini-tiative with Greenwich Education that was designed to bridgethe attainment gap between African-African Caribbean stu-dents and other social groups. Dr. Henry is a founder mem-ber of the National Independent Education Coalition (NIEC)who held the 1st annual STOP BLAMING THE CHILDREN -Raising Achievement Through Partnership: Parent, Teacherand Child. He is also the creator of Black Liberation AfrikanKnowledge—B.L.A.K. FRIDAY, where on the last Friday ofeach month, grassroots community speakers presentinsights into the legacy of the MAAFA (Afrikan Holocaust)from various perspectives as a way to provide practical solu-tions to real problems. 7


THE RUDE GIRL NEXT DOOR (By Mickey Diamond)

A warm sunny day is uncommon in West Yorkshire.That’s why around here they say make hay while thesun shines. To go with the magical tropical feel I put onmy golden green summer shirt. Off I went to takeUhuru for a stroll. Uhuru is an African name meaningindependence. Sadly, more than 20 years ago theEnglish school system forced him to adopt an Englishname. Apparently Uhuru was a tongue-twister. What afuss. They called him Tom instead. From then on hebecame another Tom-Dick-and-Harry. A poor soul losthis history and cultural identity in the name of “inte-gration”.

As I knocked on Uhuru’s front door, a young girl ofabout five years old, suddenly popped- up from myside. It was like one of them pop-ups on internet. Shewatched my every move. She looked curious. She wasthe little girl from next door. Anita they called her.Before I knew she started bombarding me with a bar-rage of questions.

“You are Jamaican, aren’t you?” Anita bluntly beganher interrogation. It was a charge more than a question. “No, I’m not Jamaican” I replied inoffensively.“Yes you are” Anita shrilled looking me straight in theeye. She said it with self-assurance I froze.“You are lying aren’t you” she accused. I was stunnedbut I had to keep my cool lest I lost control and beovercame by emotion. From my teaching experience Ihave learnt that children don’t observe the first rule ofconversation: first think then speak. Kids have thecheek, don’t they? I mobilised my supple faculties:

sometimes a soft answer turns away wrath.

“No, I am not, actually I am African” still composed Itook my round and stood my ground. “Whatever…” she grimaced and unwillingly resignedherself. I guess there’s nothing wrong in telling peoplewho you are. But I also think beauty is skin-deep.Anita, like many others before her, is taught to judgeaccording to looks. Should we judge a book by itscover? Should we pass the verdict before the trial?From childhood I was taught to think well of all men.Respect every man you meet for you will see themonce again. It became apparent Anita did not thinkwell of black people. And for her all black people wereJamaicans anyway. She was only five but she wasmean and vicious like a viper. I could tell she hadsomething up her sleeve. She was a tornado in a teacup. She was a little judge on a rush.

“Are you married?” she continued her examination. “No, I am not married” I confessed. If she were a lit-tle older I could have given her a word of advice:advice none to marry or go to war. She was only a kidbut even a child is known by her doings. I rememberher for her foul mouth. “Ooh yes, I knew you were notmarried”, she declared, reinforcing her prejudices. “How did you know…..”, before I finished she inter-jected. “….my, my mum told me Jamaicans don’t marry”Anita reinforced her prejudices. She announced itwith clout. She judged me according to the stereotypeand negative prejudices taught by her family. I waspetrified by her intense and misguided judgments. Shedemeaned and de-racified my people. But she wastaught adversity and not RESPECT. I thought of theold saying that straight trees have crooked roots. Idecided to dig deeper and see for myself.

“Would you want to get married when you grow up?”I asked Anita, distracting her from her accusations. Imight redirect her attention towards a more positiveengagement. With childish enthusiasm Anita cracked awide smile and loudly confessed: “Yeesss.... and mymum told me that I will not marry a black man.” Shebragged about her future marriage. Lucky woman, Ithought: she was so self-assured about her future.Probably every Jill has her Jack. Who am I to judge?Destiny or culture, call it what you may but it’s outra-geous for parents to instil such negative prejudices tochildren. God forbid. The old saying “Like mother likedaughter” does not necessarily hold water any longer.If charity begins at home, so does bad-manners.

I was holding some keys in my hand. Anita was quietfor a moment as if questioning my whole personalexistence. I wished my momma was there to protect

8


me from this mean little monster. It felt like judgmentday: Armageddon. I was embarrassed and belittled.After scanning me from top to bottom her eyes ulti-mately hooked on my keys. By then I knew she wasmobilizing for her next assault: an onslaught about myown keys.

“You nicked them keys didn’t you?” she accused. It wasa serious allegation. Anita gave me a stern look as ifreminding me I was still under oath. She waited for meto confess. How dare she accuse me of stealing my ownkeys? Yes, utter madness. I was mortified and was con-cerned for her sanity as a child. For a second I thoughtof accepting the charges, pleading guilty as charged.But if you run away from battle you will live to fightanother day. I knew for sure I was going to fight anoth-er “cultural clone” like her. Only this time it was ayoung clone. Unfortunately, I couldn’t force myself tothink of her as an innocent child. I am not suggestingthe old school ethic that children are there to be seenand not heard. But I am calling for parents to teach theirchildren respect and wisdom if they have to enjoy thefruits of diversity. Sometimes it’s better an untaughtchild than an ill-taught child? They say that a chapter aday keeps the devil away. In Anita’s case it was a chap-ter a day brings the devil closer. And the devil wasn’t soblack. Her mother taught her negative vibes about blackpeople. I see it as child abuse.

It felt like a bad dream. Anita announced her finalcharge. “My mum say Jamaicans nick stuff!” she vindicatedherself. It was a conclusive declaration. She said it withclout I was speechless. Then she disappeared into herhouse. I was relieved to come to the end of the interro-gation. But I felt lost and cheated. I never saw her again.

(SHORT FICTIONAL STORY)

Did YYou kknow...

...that if your child is attending primaryschool, it is your right as a parent to sit in aclassroom to influence the lesson and that itis also your right as a parent to design yourown lesson and/or intervention? [Source: Dr Lez Henry]

DID YOU ALSO KNOW...

The phenomenon of RReeggggaaee SSoouunndd SSyysstteemmss (alsoknown as “ssoouunnddss” or “sseettss”) is one that has longintrigued many observers in Jamaica and aroundthe world for decades. No where else in theworld can there be found a culture that operatesquite like that of sound systems. First started asan underground movement in the reggae indus-try, sound systems have risen to become a veryintegral part of reggae culture. In fact, the rootsof Dancehall Reggae can be traced to the forma-tion of local and nationally known sound sys-tems (some formed as early as 30 years ago).(Tuffie’s note - Killamanjaro Sound from Jamaica wasformed more than 35 years ago)

Read about the Sound system in thisissue...

Source: Andrew C Campbell(AKA Prince TuFFiE)

It’s about feelingForeign in Jamaica!

9


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Interview with Barrington Irving a 22-year-old Jamaican,who is attemptingto be the first black man to fly solo around the world on 1 Sept 2006By XXavier MMurphy (jamaicans.com)

WHERE IN JAMAICA ARE YOU FROM? Kingston but I have been living in Florida since Iwas 6 years old.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN FLYING? Captain Gary Robinson who is Jamaicanapproached me when I was 16 and asked me if I ever considered becoming a pilot. Iwasn’t that interested at first because I was unaware of the career opportunities and did-n’t see many blacks in the aviation field. Captain Robinson began to mentor me and tookme to the airport to see the Boeing 777 he flew and after taking a tour I was hooked.I eventually turned down football scholarships to pursue a career in aviation even thoughI did not know how I would be able to afford flight lessons.

HOW DID YOU BE COME INVOLVED WITH PLANNING A FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD? Afterearning my first pilot’s license I had the greatest feeling ever and I wanted other youthsin the community to experience the way aviation touched my life. I did not want to waituntil I was 40 because I’m not sure if I would make it pass the age of 21 or even 25in my neighborhood. I told myself if I had one opportunity to make a significant impact,I would fly around the world to show kids that I did it and it didn’t matter where Icame from. It wasn’t until a year later that I found out I would be setting world recordsof being the youngest as well as first of African descent to fly solo around the world.

WHAT WAS YOUR MOTIVATION TO ACCOMPLISH THIS FEAT? To show kids a better alterna-tive from the negative influences on the streets.

I KNOW YOU ARE RAISING FUNDS FOR THE TRIP. HOW IS THAT GOING? I’m currentlyseeking additional funding and I’ve reached 75% of my goal. It is vital that I have thenecessary funding in place in order for me to depart.

WHAT ROUTE WILL YOU TAKE? Eastbound and I will stop in countries such as the Azores,Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Dubai, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, China,Japan, Russia.

DO YOU NEED SPECIAL PERMISSION FROM SOME COUNTRIES TO FLY IN THEIR AIRSPACE?Absolutely, it is a must that I have the proper clearances.Universal Weather is a sponsorof my flight plan. If I’m not cleared I could get shot down or go to jail.

HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY PRACTICE RUNS? I’ve done extensive mountain flying, island flying,icing, and thunderstorm flights.

HOW WILL YOU ENTERTAIN YOURSELF AN EXTREMELY STRENUOUS, LONELY TRIP AROUNDTHE WORLD? As I complete this flight I will be thinking about the many individuals thathelped to make this voyage possible. I will also be thinking about the many students thatare counting on me to succeed.

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP IN JAMAICA I WAS TOLD IF YOU DON’T KNOW MATHEMATICSYOU CAN’T BECOME A PILOT.WHAT EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND AND SUBJECTS WOULD YOUSAY ARE IMPORTANT? Having a good understanding of math, science, eglish, reading com-prehension, and communications is a must. In this industry you will work with many peo-ple and it is important that you are professional on the ground and in the air.

THANKS FOR THE INTERVIEW. DO YOU HAVE ANY WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THEYOUNG JAMAICANS OUT THERE WHO WANT TO BECOME PILOTS? I would like for youngJamaicans to know with God all things are possible. I went from washing planes to own-ing an aircraft worth $600,000. I also dared to follow my dream when everyone said Iwas too young and would not be able to afford it. Also special thanks to mom and dadfor instilling the Jamaican values that have made me the man I am today.(Update: As of April 2007, Barrington had reached Dubai).

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10


What makes up a Sound System?By Andrew C Campbell (aka Prince TuFFiE)

People are often surprised by the amount of staff andcomponents that go into the make-up of a sound sys-tem. Although there is no set composition to a sound,an ideal sound is made up of the following : a Selector,Mike Chatter (MC), Owner/Manager, Technicians, MovingStaff, Equipment, Sound Followers, and last but definitelynot least....the Records, CDs, and Dubplates. It is impor-tant to note that while not every sound has all of thesecomponents, some of them are indispensable; for exam-ple, a sound without a selector or records is like a televi-sion without electricity - “it jus naw go work!” It is alsoimportant to realize that some roles may be shared aswell (for example, the selector might also be the MC and owner ofthe sound). There are generally three classes of sound sys-tems :- home sounds, mid-size sounds, and professionalsounds.

The Selector

Probably one of the most important roles on a sound isthat of the Selector. The selector is responsible for manag-ing the turntables - selecting and playing the records & CDs.The immense knowledge and skill required for this role(at least if you want to be considered any good) and thedifficulty of this position is often under estimated. Agood selector has to know hundreds of records and CDs(including the name of the artist and record/CD’s loca-tion in the record box) off the top of his/her head.Playing the records in an order and manner that is pleas-ing to the crowd (or selecting) requires a high level of dili-gence. A selector must also be skilled in making asmooth transition from one record to the next (mixing).These skills often take years to develop, but are done withsuch style and ease by the good selectors that they oftengo unnoticed. A bad selector, on the other hand, can beeasily pointed out, and a displeased crowd will usually nothesitate to make their disapproval known (those whoknow what the Shandi Bottle routine is can attest to this).(Tuffie’s Note - Rory (one of the pioneers of the popular “radio per-sonality voice” ) from Stone Love Movements is said to be the bestSound System Selector in the world, but with the rise of so manyyoung selectors - such as Squingy from Bass Odyssey Sound andRicky Trooper from Killamanjaro- this can be easily be disputed.)

The Mic Chatter (MC)

The Mic Chatter (or MC) isthe selector’s right handman (and visa-versa). He isresponsible for introducingthe records being played(intros), hyping up the crowd(“building vibes”), encourag-

ing crowd participation in singing the popular tunes(“conducting choir”), and requesting that a record bestopped and played again immediately (also referred toas a “forward” or “wheel”). The MC duties at a dance aremuch like those of an MC at a live stage show - for-warding the records immediately upon indication by thecrowd (much like an MC at a concert requesting anencore). The crowd requests a forward by screams,shouts, chants, whistles, holding up lit lighters, poundingon the walls, waving hand kerchiefs (“wipers”), lightingfirecrackers, using air horns, or even the firing of gunsin the air (called “gun salutes”). The MC may also makeannouncements of upcoming events, tell jokes, controlthe crowd in the case of a dispute, and in some caseseven make political commentaries. In a Sound Clash, theMC’s role becomes even more crucial. In this settinghe/she is responsible for verbally ridiculing his oppo-nents (the other sounds) by taunting them (this practiceis called toasting), or telling embarrassing jokes which maybe true or not true (also called “drawing cards”). (Tuffie’sNote - It is disputed in the biz that one of the following three -Ricky Trooper who selects for Killamanjaro Sound , Pink Pantherfrom Black Kat Sound, and Tony Matterhorn (formerly of KingAddies) from Tony Matterhorn Movements - is the best MC inthe world. Rory from Stone Love Movements remains a favoriteamong the females).

Other Staff Members

In addition to the selector and MC there are several otherpeople behind the scenes making sure that the soundoperates the way it should. The Owner/Manager owns theactual equipment and is in charge of hiring and dictatingthe duties of the other members. This person is alsoresponsible for arranging contracts and bookingdates for the sound to perform (or “play”). TheTechnicians are in charge of assembling (or “stringing up”)the electrical components of the sound system, and mak-ing sure that everything sounds perfect. If a problemarises with the sound before, during, or after an event, itis the technician’s duty to fix it or arrange to have it fixed.The Moving Staff (or “box bwoys” as they are called b/c theylift a lot of speaker boxes) are in charge of transportingand setting up/positioning the equipment. (Tuffie’s Note -some sounds go as far as purchasing a truck and hiring a permanenttruck driver to haul the massive amounts of equipment.)

[In the next issue, find out about Sound Equipment, SoundFollowers, & Sound Clash ]

A K Tramplaz & Lady LoySocial &Topical Commentary,

Interviews, History, DiscussingArtists & Music Tracks

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WW hh aa tt dd oo ee ss aa MM aa nn hh aa vv ee tt oo dd oo tt oo ss uu cc cc ee ee dd ??by Bianca Edwards

It has often been the issue that Black men are doing worseat school than their white counterparts. Although, as men-tioned in my article, ‘Can black boys lead?’ (WinterEdition) it has been proven that in some areas ofLondon, Black men are performing better. However ingeneral Black boys have been said to be more disruptive inschools and achieving less. The issue of why this happenshas been debated time and time again, in fact the trueanswer may be more than one reason. Some have suggest-ed that racism has been a reason for black men’s regres-sion, in that Black students are being subjected to racismand discrimination by teachers. It has been the idea thatteachers do not believe in their Black pupils, and have usedprejudice to judge and class Black children as delinquent,rude and incapable.A report by Ian Griggs (the Independent) says: “Blackpupils are three times more likely to be excluded thanwhite, and five times less likely to be on the official regis-ter of gifted and talented students because teachers inEngland and Wales are unconsciously prejudiced againstCaribbean-origin pupils”Peter Wanless, the Director of school performance andreform at the Department for Education and Skills(DfES) said: “The exclusions gap is caused by largely

unwitting, but systematic, racial discrimination in theapplication of disciplinary and exclusions policies.”

“unintentional racism stems from long-standing socialconditioning involving negative images of black people,particularly black men, which stereotype them as threaten-ing. Such conditioning is reinforced by the media portray-al of black ‘street culture’. It encourages school staff toexpect black pupils to be worse behaved and to perceive agreater level of threat.” A term that best fits this descrip-tion is institutionalised racism. But a key question iswhether the behaviour of black children is generally worsethan their white peers, or can the higher proportion ofexclusions be explained by teachers’ unwitting prejudice?

Some Black boys have used racism effectively as a excusenot to achieve, blaming the system for their laziness andunwillingness to learn (unlike the two young men in thephoto above who have started a T-shirt business). Thereare others who have been branded disruptive, becausethey stand up for themselves, strongly express an opinionand this can be misinterpreted as having an aggressive atti-tude. But what does exclusion do to a child? Can this besimilar to that of neglect in the child’s mind, that someonehas given up hope on them, What effect can this cause on12


a child? It could damage their self-esteem not to mentiontheir education. How will they achieve when they are outof school? With huge numbers of Black children, beingexpelled, no wander why they turn to the streets, itbecomes inset in their minds that the system doesn’t wantthem. Let’s not forget, at secondary and primary schoolswhere exclusion occurs, they are only children - vulnerablechildren.This problem of progression has extended beyond theschools into the work environment, that even Black menwho have achieved through the educational system arefinding it hard to be accepted and progress. The issue hasoften been that Black men acquire the lower-status jobsthan their counterparts, and find it hard to progress up theoccupational ladder. So, why in this modern and cosmo-politan society does racism still exist in this context? Whydoes a successful Black man become subjected to racismin a work environment, in a society that some would argueas ‘not racist.’ My point is, does racism still exist in thesubconscious mind? Are Black men prejudged accordingto the negative stereotypes, and if so, how are Black menaffected by this? How does a non-black racist employerreact to a Black man and employee they view as negative?Are they giving him the perception of being untrustwor-thy in his Company -. can this man, or does this man everprogress? Some men have argued that they have to work twice ashard as their non-black counterparts and often feel thatthey are not being recognised for their efforts. It has beenargued that Black men have to do all the ‘donkey work’, inan effort to prove themselves and are still not gainingrecognition for this.Craig Lee, 26, administrator said: “I work as a administra-tor for a school. I have been working at the school for4months and I feel that I forever have to prove myself. Ican accept that I have to make an impression and I haveto work hard. I don’t expect that I should laze about andget credit. But my non-black colleague does not feel thatpressure and does less work than me and it’s not fair. Iwork hard, I feel pressured and on top of that I have beentold that I don’t smile and I have an attitude. This dis-heartens me because I haven’t been rude to anyone. I justenjoy my job and I like to get on with it.”“I have asked the Head of the school why I appear to berude, and he has said, quote for quote, ‘I don’t know - youjust don’t smile that much and I don’t think you enjoy ithere.”To that I asked Do you think that I am not working hard?and I told him all the work that I had done, and heresponded with a shrug of the shoulders.”“I asked Craig, do you feel as if you have to suck to getanywhere? “Not really – but I expect that you have to, asyou put it ‘suck up’ because you have to get into youremployers’ good books. But I don’t expect that after 4months of hard work, that I am not been recognised forthis. I don’t feel like I fit in that workplace, because don-

key work upsets me and I do not accept this.”

Simona Browne, 21, student at the University ofBedfordshire said: “I don’t think it is wrong to suck up.You have to adapt to different contexts and situations.The same way I would talk to my mum is not the sameway I would talk to my friends. There are different func-tions to my personality, and different people may see dif-ferent sides. This doesn’t necessarily mean I am putting ona fake personality, it’s just me in a different situation.”Daniel, 29, said: “Sometimes to create a good impressionand to make the employer feel that you are employablelong term, you have to show off your skills and proveyourself. Whether it be that you are Black, White or Asianit doesn’t exclude you from this ideal, that to gain trust youmust earn it, to create a good impression - you must giveone.I feel that in any job that you are privileged to get, giventhe opportunity you should make the most of it. Nodoubt there is some prejudice against Black people, andsome employees are naïve to believe that every Black manis a thug. However everyone has to prove themselves inone way or the other, so why should it be different for ablack man? Once you have earned the trust, then you canstart dictating how you would like to be treated. It isunfortunate that prejudice, sometimes means that a Blackperson has to work harder, but all that means is that yourproving yourself in a different way to that of a non-blackperson. This does not necessarily mean that other peopleare not sucking up in one way or the other, its just thatthey have LESS to prove, not nothing but LESS!.Some, Black men use racism as an excuse not to push

themselves. Whether you feel hard done by or not, whileyou are starting out you should show gratification for thechance that you have been given and NO, not becauseyour Black, but because it’s the right thing to do!Sometimes Black men have to put their pride aside and behumble and accept that as a man you also have to be toldto do things, sometimes by women, and often by a man.Proving yourself, showing off your skills doesn’t make youless of a man; it doesn’t mean that you are been targetedor picked on - just think of it as part of the job descrip-tion! To be considered as an employable person, you mustbe liked, fit in and show enthusiasm. Don’t take it forgranted that anyone owes you a favour - your employee orcolleagues don’t have to like you, but you have to showthem that you are a likable person.

Youths Steppin Up!

Find out more about these T-shirts

www.myspace.jermsta13


BESIDE EEVERY GGREAT MMAN IIS AA GGREAT WWOMAN by Sista Beloved

It is said that beside every great man there is a greatwoman and this can be given credence even where HisImperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia isconcerned. Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Menen heldHer own and was regarded in high esteem by all thosewho were associated with Her. As with the Emperor,Empress Menen was of Royal lineage and could trace Herancestry from the Solomonic Dynasty.

She was born in the Wollo Province on 25th March 1889to Her father Jantirar Asfaw and Her Mother WoizeroSehin Michael. Ethiopians are given a second name upontheir baptism and Her Christian name was WoleteGiorgis. The name Menen was given to the most respect-ed and beautiful ladies. She was well educated at homelearning to read and write in Her native language ofAmharic. Home economics was also taught in Her role asa noble woman.

When Princess Woizero Menen Asfaw met the youngDejazmach Tafari they struck up a mutual admiration andspiritual bond. They were married in August 1911.Their first daughter was born on the 22nd of January,1905 followed by the birth of a son, named Asfa Wossenon the 8th of July 1908. She bore The Emperor six chil-dren in total.

On the 2nd of November 1930 (October 23rd, 1923, inaccordance with the Ethiopian calendar) Haile Selassiewas crowned King of Kings in Ethiopia. He ordained

that His wife was also crowned at the same time, anunprecedented event that was attended by dignitariesfrom all over the world.

She was a very dutiful wife often consorting with andadvising Her Husband but would also competently man-age Her commitments independent of the political worldof His Majesty. The Empress would attend events withor without Her Husband, devoting and donating to muchneeded causes concerning the wellbeing of her Ethiopiansubjects.

Empress Menen supported many organisations and char-ities promoting women’s wellbeing and development suchas the Ethiopian Red Cross and the Ethiopian Women’sCharitable Organization. She travelled to Jerusalem andwas the Patron for a society that arranged pilgrimagesover there. She used Her own money to build and supplyorphanages and schools such as the Empress MenenSchool for Girls in Addis Ababa. She also funded thebuilding and renovation of many churches. Her generos-ity and graciousness was legendary and she sponsoredmany programs for the sick, poor and disabled.

During the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in September1928 The Empress rallied Her country women and sup-plied them with first aid materials so that they could aidthe men on the battle fields. In that same period Sheaddressed the World Women Association where Shevoiced differences in race, religion and cultures. She thenunified women by speaking of their shared interestsworldwide in wanting peace and justice.

When The Emperor went away to war The Empress car-ried on her duties with care and courage travelling aroundby car. She continued to support and pray for Her nationin a spiritual battle against the enemy. She accompaniedHer Husband to Europe where He appealed to theLeague of Nations for assistance. They then moved toBritain living in exhile for five years from 1928 – 1933(1936 – 1941) in a place called Bath before returning toEthiopia triumphant, the only country in Africa not tohave been colonised.

Both The Emperor and The Empress were devoutly reli-gious, His Majesty being the Head of the EthiopianOrthodox Church. It was their faith and moral disciplinewhich upheld their honour and dignity in the most turbu-lent times. She was the feminine balance, Queen ofQueens to the King of Kings.

(Sista Beloved lives in NW London and teaches BlackHistory in Schools).

15


GOVERNOR-GGENERAL’S MMESSAGE FFORJAMAICA’S 441st AANNIVERSARY

OF IINDEPENDENCE

Howard Cooke Governor-General (30 July 2003)

Today we celebrate our forty-first anniversary ofIndependence. How do we feel about it? Do wesee our country and her people as havingachieved much? Are we proud of beingJamaican? Our answer cannot be less than posi-tive.

Are there aspects of our lifestyles that we areunhappy about? Since the answer is yes, whatare we doing to change them, individually and col-lectively? After all it is up to us.

As we mark this anniversary period may I invite us

all as Jamaican citizens to ponder seriously andhonestly on these questions.Marcus Garvey said in his “Building The NewJamaica Speech” in 1932 - “Those of us who loveour country cannot but interest ourselves in thisdesire to see our country taking a place andstanding second to none in the world. When I saysecond to none, I mean it only in a limited sense,because our country is small. I mean it from aneconomical, industrial, social, educational point ofview... There is no reason why we should not doeverything for the development of our country tomake Jamaicans the happiest people in theworld... satisfied and contented. Nature hasblessed us with everything conducive to this ...Arise Jamaicans and do!”

Many of our great patriots and leaders took upGarvey’s challenge, and now, to say the gainingof Independence was a highly symbolic and noble

Jamaican Independence6 August 1962

16


feat for our country, is an understatement.Independence brought with it a sense of greataccomplishment, pride and joy by those who hadzealously worked to bring it to fruition and whowanted to see their country and her peopleprogress and take her rightful place amidst othernations.

For the most part, on that momentous occasionon August 6, 1962, Jamaicans saw themselves asjoint partners in the fervour to take their countryforward. It was a moment of joy, exultation andexcitement. We saw Independence as a challeng-ing but highly progressive move for our country.The expectations immediately made us realisethat there had to be a new dynamism. I was thereand I felt the ferment.

I can recall how Jamaicans from Morant Point toNegril spoke with pride about this milestone in ourcountry’s history. The then Prime Minister, SirAlexander Bustamante urged us to respond to thechallenges of the new era within which we wereentering and to the difficult tasks and responsibil-ities ahead.

Independence, he said, meant the opportunity forus to frame our own destiny and the need to relyon ourselves in so doing. It was not a license to doas we liked but meant work, law and order.

Norman Manley, the other father of our nation, inhis remarks in Parliament endorsing these senti-ments said - “I believe that as an independentnation we can so manage ourselves as to demon-strate, how, by making our great Motto “Out OfMany One People”, come to speak the truth aboutourselves, we can become a worthwhile and shin-ing example of the sort of world men sometimesdream about.”

I remind you of these things so that we can be fur-ther inspired to take our country forward.

Where we have reached is a result of our ownendeavours tailored in part by assistance from ourbrothers and sisters around the world. Let me atthis point, on behalf of our nation, thank thosecountries that have contributed to our pursuit fornationhood.

We need not be ashamed at our progress to date.I thank God that to this day - despite our strugglesand setbacks, despite wars and rumours of war,despite droughts and hurricanes, despite eco-

nomic distress - we have been achievers and insome instances, conquerors in the world.

In so many areas of development Jamaica hasmade a mark on the world scene to the envy ofother nations. In sports, music, international rela-tions, medicine, education, agriculture we havemade our name.

Just recently, the prestigious University of Oxfordbestowed one of its highest honours on one of ourdistinguished sons of the soil. In responding tocongratulations extended to him, Professor theHonourable Rex Nettleford said “I am of coursepleased because it says far more about Jamaicathan about the recipient who is merely the manifes-tation of the great and wonderful blessings thiscountry has to offer all who tenant it.”

If I might give you another example - our own MollyRhone was recently made President of theInternational Netball Association, the firstJamaican to hold such a post in an internationalsporting body. Nettleford and Rhone are only twoof the many persons that we can add to the longlist of persons in our Jamaican Hall of Fame.

All these persons whom I have mentioned haveshown us that we can achieve when we think big,

passionately, unselfishly and with vision, workingtowards the “upliftment” of our country and people.

I must confess that as a nation I do not think thatwe have done enough to show off our history,development and achievements. We need tospeak of our accomplishments or else we will getbogged down in the negative situations that mightbe affecting us and which, if I might add, are affect-ing many countries around the world. It is in theknowledge and appreciation of our achievementsthat we get inspiration and become committed tocarrying on the struggles.

Intrinsic to the total framework of our national lives17


and development is the need to weave in soundsocial values and attitudes. Our quest to achievethe highest social standards must begin within our-selves and within our families. We must rememberthat whoever we are, whatever our circumstanceswe can make a difference and be masters of ourand our country’s destiny.

It is not enough to identify and harp on our prob-lems but we have to make up our minds to solvethem. It may mean that we have to change ourlifestyles, be more conservative in our spending,plan our saving more carefully and ensure thatthere is the creation of capital.

In deciding how we will solve these problems, wemust identify clearly where we are going and donot allow ourselves to be distracted from our goal.We must stay the course.

Today we stand on the threshold of a new dimen-sion in our upward and forward movement. Wehave fashioned our laws to accommodate greaterchanges in our society. We are restructuring ourcommunity development programme to effectchanges and to improve the living standards of ourpeople.

We must seek goodness, mercy and truth, so letus ask God for guidance as we seek to make ourcountry truly be one of the greatest countries in thisworld. It is totally possible.

In 1962 we experienced a vision reflected in ourNational Anthem and National Pledge. Let usrevisit them and make them truly be a part of ourlives.

Our leaders and people in 1962 made their impactand now it is the responsibility of each succeedinggeneration to understand and profit from theirexperience and continue taking steps to make thevision for Jamaica a reality.

Let us go forward with faith and commitment forthe good of all.

Proud to beProud to be

JJamaicanamaicanIn January 1962, a draft of the IndependenceConstitution was brought before both Houses andafter a full debate was unanimously approved. It wasalso agreed that the 300 year old Coat of Arms wouldbe retained and the Latin motto “Indus UterqueServiet Uni” changed to one in English “Out of ManyOne People”.

At midnight 5th August 1962 the British Flag was low-ered and the Jamaican Flag was hoisted for the firsttime. On the 6th of August 1962 Jamaica was given itsindependence. Sir Kenneth Blackburne was the lastColonial Governor and the first Governor General.Afterwards, Sir Clifford Campbell, formerly Presidentof the Senate, became the first Jamaican GovernorGeneral.

The Jamaica Constitution was drafted by a bipartisanjoint committee of the Jamaican legislature in 1961-62,approved in the United Kingdom and included as theSecond Schedule of the Jamaica (Constitution) Orderin Council, 1962 under the West Indies Act, 1962. Itcame into force with the Jamaica Independence Act,1962 of the United Kingdom Parliament, which gave

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Jamaica political independence.

The Jamaican Parliament is bicameral, consisting of theHouse of Representatives and the Senate. Members ofthe House (known as ‘Members of Parliament’ or MPs)are directly elected, and the leader of the majorityparty in the House becomes the Prime Minister.Senators are appointed by the Prime Minister, and theparliamentary Leader of the Opposition.

Jamaica has traditionally had a two party system, withpower often alternating between the People’s NationalParty and Jamaican Labour Party.

Jamaica is a full and participating member of theCaribbean Community (CARICOM).

www.jamaicansociety.com

Portia Simpson, Prime Minister of Jamaica

The Prime Minister of Jamaica is Jamaica’s head of gov-ernment, currently Portia Simpson-Miller. PortiaSimpson-Miller was elected as the new leader of the gov-erning PNP and succeeded P. J. Patterson to becomeJamaica’s first female Prime Minister.

As is the case with most democratic nations that followthe Westminster system of the parliamentary system, thePrime Minister is usually the leader of the majority partyin the lower house of parliament, the House ofRepresentatives.

The Prime Minister is formally appointed into office bythe Governor General of Jamaica, who representsElizabeth II, the Queen of Jamaica (Jamaica’s Head ofState).

Chief Ministers of Jamaica:

Sir Alexander Bustamante (JLP): 5 May 1953 to 2February 1955; Norman Manley (PNP): 2 February 1955to 29 April 1962

Prime Ministers of Jamaica

Sir Alexander Bustamante (JLP): 29 April 1962 to 23February 1967; Sir Donald Sangster (JLP): 23 Februaryto 11 April 1967; Hugh Shearer (JLP): 11 April 1967 to 2March 1972; Michael Manley (PNP): 2 March 1972 to 1November 1980; Edward Seaga (JLP): 1 November1980 to 10 February;1Michael Manley (PNP): 10February 1989 to 30 March 1992; P. J. Patterson: (30March 2006

Portia Simpson-Miller (PNP): 30 March 2006 to date

Retrieved from“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Minister_of_Jamaica”

Photo: www.jis.gov.jm

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SPACE & IDENTITY

My space. My identityCreating space for my identity..

But what is my identitywithin this space?

My parents are Jamaican,They migrated to Great Britain,

And adopted a cultureWhich was not their own.

Then I was born in BritainAnd had a British education,but then married a Jamaican

and merged two cultures into one.

I learned the Jamaican customI cook Rice ‘n’ peas and chicken,

A British-born JamaicanThat is what I am!

But in Jamaica they call me ‘foreign’And an immigrant in Britain

So pray tell me somethingWhere do I belong?

I have been acknowledging an ancestryWhich really doesn’t belong to me,

Because Britain is where I was bornAnd therefore where I’m from.

[“Negated Identity” © 2003 by Myrna Loy]


she was subsequently encouraged by teachers and peers alike topursue a career in the creative field. A student of dance and the-atre, Marcia received local accolades when by the age of 17 shehad formed her own theatre company, Catalyst, and had writtenand published and performed two musical plays and severalpieces of prose. Her first play Ella was performed to sold-outaudiences at two renowned Liverpool theatres, The LiverpoolPlayhouse and the Everyman Theatre. This encouraged theenterprising Marcia to write more and she was soon DJ-ing andsinging on local sound systems.

After emigrating to the US in 1987, Marcia’s passion for musicand her business talent enabled her to work as ProductionAssistant/Booking Agent, for well-known reggae artists such as;John Holt, SuperCat, Trevor Sparks and Shaggy and Rayvon Inthe subsequent years, after taking time out to raise her family,Marcia continued to write and was soon ready to work with aband. After singing back-up and briefly fronting other reggaebands, she finally found her home with Marcia Davis & Outrocomprised of transient members of her musical family.

Marcia’s dream is visibly clear when she emotes in her sultrycontralto and her visionary lyrics and catchy beats haveunlocked the door to a very promising future.

www.myspace.com/marciadavis www.marciadavisband.com

1650 Project

In the year 2005, as Jamaica’s crime rate spiraled out of control,expatriates abroad worried that the island nation would soonimplode unto itself. The murder rate was on a par never beforewitnessed on the island. Jamaica had set a new and dangerousprecedent for itself and it appeared that the authorities wereunable to effectively stem the daily loss of human lives. Thenewspaper headlines bore witness to the ever mounting deathtoll and macabre wages were being made in the streets as to howhigh the body count would eventually reach. To make mattersworse, the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago was also bat-tling their own spiraling crime wave.

When the death toll in Jamaica finally reached 1,650, New Yorkbased singer-songwriter/ producer/musician, Laury Webb,brought together some of his friends within the NY reggae com-munity and created the 1650 album. Utilizing just one riddim,that he constructed, the singers were asked to write songs thatspoke to both the poor people suffering under the tyranny ofwanton, unabated violence, and the cowardly perpetrators ofthe bloody carnage. The artists all rose superbly to the occasionand nine original songs were recorded. The styles range fromGospel Reggae to Rap Reggae and each song is poignant andtouching without being syrupy or cliché.

The 1650 project was not created as a career enriching enter-prise, or as a means to reap huge financial rewards. It was borneout of an overwhelming desire to do something, to say some-thing. To say that the madness that is taking place in Jamaicaand elsewhere cannot be allowed to continue. It is up to us afterall, isn’t it?

Marcia among others are involved with the 1650 Project.

Marcia DavisReggae Songbird

Reggae music for your heart mind and soul, an apt descriptionof her music and an appropriate signature for singer/songwriterMarcia Davis. As a result Marcia’s pure talent and persuasiveperformance style has been captivating audiences on the NewYork live music circuit.

Ms. Davis currently performs and records solo as well as frontingthe New York based, female fronted harmony group MarciaDavis & Outro. She has opened concerts for reggae greats suchas Burning Spear, Mykal Rose, and Third World and has alsoshared the stage with other reggae legends, including; GregoryIsaacs, Luciano and the Abyssinians. Working constantly on herown blend of roots and lovers rock , Marcia has been able toincorporate her catchy originals and selected covers into avibrant well produced stage performance not to be missed. Hersoon-to-be released CD “The Pressure That Made The Diamond”is filled with lyrics that embrace many areas of life, all marriedto heartfelt reggae music – the real deal. The singles “Too MuchWar”, and “You Don’t Know…”, both covering totally differenttopics, are sure hits, and speak volumes on her diverse writingskills.

Born in Liverpool, England of Jamaican parents, Marcia Davis’smusical journey was primarily influenced by other musical fam-ily members. Her obvious talent bloomed at an early age and

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Lady Loy & A K Tramplazevery Saturday Morning

from 10 - 12Debating & DJ-ing

socio-political issues onTHE DIY REGGAE SHOW

www.lifefm.org.uk - Tel: 0208 965 1717

Greetings, I am Lady Loy, co-Presenter with A K Tramplaz on theDIY Reggae Show which can be heard on the radio or internet viawww.lifefm.org.uk every Saturday morning from 10 - 12 noon(GMT). If you are a conscious and positive artist and your lyricscontain no curse words or derogatory phrases but edify listenersand promote good leadership for our youth, then please send thetrack to [email protected] with your name and title trackin the subject box so that I can review it. I am working on thestation in collaboration with Blackbright News (www.blackbright-news.com or www.myspace.com/blackbrightnews) and debate ontopics already published or soon to be published in the mag.

Anyway.... What is Life FM 103.6? Life FM is a legal communityradio station based in Harlesden (NW London) in the UK. Myselfand Ras AK Tramplaz (aka artist Aaron Kedar) co-present our own‘parenting’ show called The DIY Reggae Show every Saturdaymorning from 10 -12 (GMT) Our target audience is the youthbecause we feel that since the youth are influenced largely bylyrics, we would deliberately select tracks which could subliminal-ly positively influence those who listen into our show.

Life FM 103.6 is accessible worldwide via the internet -www.lifefm.org.uk and the DIY REGGAE SHOW is the only showon Life FM dedicated to reggae and its derivatives, and which pro-motes reggae artists all over the world to help stimulate ouryouths in the UK! We have already featured reggae artists fromGreece, Ghana, France, Germany, Sweden, St Lucia, Trinidad andJamaica to name a few.

Vocalist AK Tramplaz’s lyrics were born to educate (check his newCD “Rise This Morning” via www.myspace.com/bongokanny) andteaming up with Lady Loy (aka Myrna Loy) Founder, ManagingEditor and Publisher of this magazine and its online supplement‘Brighta News,’ means that the union is quite dynamic. As manyof you know the ethos of Blackbright News is to challenge nega-tive stereotypes (see www.myspace/blackbrightnews) so byworking together we have ONE AIM and ONE DESTINY throughthe DIY Reggae Show, which is teaching youths how to do “it”themselves!!

As a separate project, I locate artists whose lyrics are consciousand edifying enough to air on our DIY Reggae Show to compli-ment our ethos, so please drop me a line if you feel your trackcan teach young people about life experiences, alternative lifechoices, better options and simply how to adopt a more positivelifestyle. I not only want to air the tracks of the artists I locate, Ialso want to discover something about the values and principlesof the artist, which is why I will be asking three questions if thetrack is accepted for airplay. I am therefore requesting that whensubmitting a track you would like me to air under the “Lady LoySelection”, that you answer the 3 questions I will send to you andemail them to [email protected] with your track via mp3”I will be documenting the messages provided by the artists in anonline Brighta News supplement called Musical Truth so that notonly the youth who listened to our station can benefit, but every-one else.

Brighta News (The Edutainment Edition) will be the first of itskind to promote its Creators at no cost to the artists themselves,but purely to acknowledge their contribution to our young. If youwould like to receive a free copy of this musical edition when itcomes out, please, email [email protected].

One Love.

Jamaica has more to offer than hot weather,white beaches, rum punch and other sensual

pleasures, her treasures are found in the personalities of her people.

READ “THE OTHER SIDE OF TOURISM”(“Jamaica Re-Visited”)

Written by Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy, born in Britain of Jamaican descent, has writtenand published her first book based on the impact of beingborn in a dual cultured environment under a project called0,1 Space & Identity. Myrna says: “Spending most of myadolescent and adult life trying to cultivate myself into beinga Jamaican, I arrived in Jamaica to find that I was totally dif-ferent from Jamaicans both in identity and culture. Comicaland Candid reactions are depicted in her book.

1. Title: THE OTHER SIDE OF TOURISM”2. Publisher: “Art’s Own Gallery”3. Price: £9.99 (including p & p)4. Email: [email protected]. Category: Travel Literature/mores & customs6. ISBN No. 0-9632388 1-77. Payment: BY PAYPAL

Review by Patricia Lashley, Momentum Arts

Good evening, Buenas Tardes, Bomate!

The Other Side of Tourism is indeed an incredible novel! An IncredibleJourney for the Author or was it? Did the Author really discover who shewas? Did she find her true identity? Who is she? Is she Black British,Jamaican, Black-British Jamaican, African-Caribbean? Did the disparity inyears between her visits to Jamaica do much to enhance her own cultur-al identity and self-awareness? The Author wants her readers to decideand alas I felt I had made my own decision having to review this incred-ible tiny novel as a Trinidadian, a Caribbean woman of the soil, living inBritain. The book is filled with personal experiences, self-discovery, andhonesty. I had the honour of reading the first manuscript and then look-ing on as the author developed a novel with much determination anddeep aspirations to tell her story and share her experiences with us andthe rest of the world. To understand the Other Side of Tourism, is tounderstand the Author, a truly incredible, creative person, who’s share willpower to find her identity inspired a book that is written with such wit,

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humour, gaiety and honesty, one cannot help but read it to the end andread it again and again, each time discovering something new, somethingmore amusing, or discovering a bit more about the Author herself.

From a Tourism perspective, it is important to note that the more youtravel throughout an island the more you discover, different classes ofpeople, hospitality differs, sometimes one can lose the essence of awhole country by being too myopic in one’s vision about where youare at that point in time, coming with your own pre-conceptions,assumptions about how a country is and should be, especially in theAuthor’s case having her Jamaican heritage negated by her mother. Formany people and for Jamaicans themselves, Jamaica remains a trulyincredible place, rich in cultural heritage, with a culture that has beenembraced globally. Jamaica has its own unique identity amongst itsCaribbean neighbours, to discover that, is to truly find a place, a spaceand identity of one’s own.

Gwe Mercie! I thank You! by PPatricia LLashley

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Independent Jamaica

Jamaica gained a degree of local political control in themid-1940s. The People’s National Party (PNP) wasfounded in 1938. Its main rival, the Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) was established five years later.The first electionsunder universal adult suffrage was held in 1944. Jamaicajoined nine other UK territories in the Federation ofthe West Indies in 1958 but withdrew after Jamaicanvoters rejected membership in 1961. Jamaica gainedindependence on August 6, 1962, remaining a memberof the Commonwealth of Nations. The first PrimeMinister was Alexander Bustamante of the JamaicaLabour Party.

Initially, power swapped between the People’s NationalParty and the Jamaican Labour Party regularly. MichaelManley was the first PNP prime minister in 1972 and heintroduced socialist policies and improved relationswith Cuba. His second term elections marked the startof repeated political violence. When the PNP lostpower in 1980 Edward Seaga immediately began toreverse the policies of his predecessor, bringing in pri-vatization and seeking closer ties with the USA.Whenthe PNP and Manley returned to power in 1989 theycontinued the more moderate policies and werereturned in the elections of 1993 and 1998. Manleyresigned for health reasons in 1992 and was succeededas leader of the PNP by Percival Patterson.

Historically, Jamaican emigration has been heavy. In thelate 19th and early 20th centuries, many Jamaicansmigrated to Central America, Cuba, and the DominicanRepublic to work in the banana and cane fields. In the1950s and 1960s the primary destination was theUnited Kingdom; since the United Kingdom restricted

emigration in 1962, the major flow has been to theUnited States and Canada.About 20,000 Jamaicans emi-grated to the United States each year; another 200,000visit annually. New York, Miami, Chicago, and Hartfordare among the U.S. cities with a significant Jamaicanpopulation. Remittances from the expatriate communi-ties in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canadamake increasingly significant contributions to Jamaica’seconomy.

Source: Wikipedia

FACTS ABOUT JAMAICA

The name Jamaica comes from a word of the ArawakIndians, “Xaymaca”, meaning land of wood and water.

The words: ‘barbecue’, ‘canoe’, ‘hurricane’, ‘potato’ and‘tobacco’ come from the language of the first colonistsof Jamaica, the Arawak Indians.

Bananas, a crop for which Jamaica became famous, werebrought from the Canary Islands in the sixteenth centu-ry.

The Abolition of the Slave Trade Act (1807) prohibitedthe slave trade within the British Empire. (Slaves in theBritish colonies did not gain their freedom until the1830s. The Abolition of Slavery Act (1833) began theprocess leading to emancipation).

The ancestors of the Indian people of Jamaica werebrought to the island to work on the sugar plantations inplace of the freed African slaves.

Rum is the national drink of Jamaica; the island was theworld’s first commercial producer of rum.

Coffee from Jamaica’s Blue Mountains is among theworld’s most famous and expensive.

The Blue Mountains are named for the mists that oftencover them, which look blue from a distance.

Ian Fleming designed and built his home “Goldeneye” inJamaica and wrote ten of his James Bond novels there.

Marcus Garvey, who fought for the rights of black peo-ple in America, Africa and the Caribbean and foundedthe Universal Negro Improvement Association (1914),was born and brought up in Jamaica.


BLACKBRIGHT NNEWSEmpowering OOur YYoung

www.myspace.com/blackbrightnewsor wwww.blackbrightnews.comHands by Jermaine Balfourth

Young Girl, Photo by Garfield Hall


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