TONIGHT Club East Point (formerly Jazz 105) in the capital hosts a reggae concerts as part of the Black History Month celebrations.
The annual celebrations seek to honour the achievements of people of colour in their fight against white supremacy.
Dubbed Celebrating Black I , Story Month, the concert will see cultural activist and Jamaica-born Rastafari elder, Ras Jabulani born Trevor Hall performing alongside Redemption Sound.
The roster also includes Moosafah King, Gidian Boot Sound, Revealers, Brimstone and various other surprise artistes.
Ras Jabulani, who is also the event organiser, told NewsDay Life & Style that celebrations will spill over to Saturday when all roads lead to Sorrel Restaurant and Lounge, an upmarket Jamaican restaurant in Avondale.
“We are opening on a spiritual level with Dangwe Arts Nyabinghi community drumming. We will also have a little reasoning (discussion) about black history and the way forward in this new dispensation,” he said.
“A lot of our liberation revolutionary plans and ideas have stagnated. We want to look at how we are going to create a better future for the future generation or leaders of the continent. Also look into what we have learnt from our history.”
There has always been a cultural exchange between Zimbabwe and Jamaica, beginning with Bob Marley's visit to Zimbabwe in 1980 paving way for other Jamaican artistes such as Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and Misty in Roots among others who have been coming to Zimbabwe from the 80s through to the 90s and into the new millennium which saw the arrival of dancehall artistes such as Beenie Man, Busy Signal, Capleton, Sizzla Kalonji to mention a few.
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In turn, Zimbabwe has seen bands and artistes such as House of Stone, King Isaacs, Winky D, Nutty O and others making inroads through collaborations with Jamaican artistes and music projects.
Reggae band Transit Crew previously backed Sizzla Kalonji (2010), while Hotta Fire band supported Tony Rebel when he performed at the Aquatic Complex in Chitungwiza (2013).
“What has not fully happened is our cultural ministries connecting to a point of having thoughtful interactions between Jamaica and Zimbabwe. When we look at Jamaican music and the arts industry it has been one of the main industries holding the people's economy in Jamaica. When we look at the Jamaican population it is less than the population of Harare,” Ras Jabu said, adding that it was a matter of looking at how both governments can enter into bilateral agreements and ensure that locals are also supported to be part and parcel of crafting those bilateral agreements.
He also spoke strongly about some of the topics that will be discussed on the concert day and pointed out how Pan-African consciousness was being subdued.
“As Africans, we see ourselves doing serious business using our products to build our economies and further our expectations and aspirations. However, as a people, we are still bogged down by colonisers,” he noted.
“We are now witnessing recolonisation by the Chinese and the Asians because we are selling all their products which are not made in the country, but are made from our raw materials. All these things culminate in us not having full control of our economy.
“We are the biggest consumers of everyone else’s goods which are goods that are made from minerals and agricultural products taken from our country which we are buying back. How do we build ourselves if we are always consuming and not being the real producers?”
To celebrate the reggae month, there will be music performances by House of Stone, Rockers International, Gringo, and Satis as well as some dub poetry by Sekuru Tozi.
For US$1, attendees can purchase tickets to tonight’s concert, while those attending tomorrow’s event at Sorrel they will need to pay US$25 for ordinary or US$40 for VIP, which includes a complimentary drink and buffet dinner.
