Bob Marley fest swings into full gear in Ethiopia

(From L-R): Late reggae superstar Bob Marley's widow
Rita Marley, mayor of Addis Ababa Akebe Oqubay and
head of the Ethiopian orthodox church Abuna Paulos
launch an exhibition of paintings 1 February 2005,
during the opening ceremony of the 60th anniversary
of the birth of the reggae legend.
AFP PHOTO/LEA LISA WESTERHOFF

Thursday, February 3, 2005

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AFP): Celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the birth of the late reggae superstar Bob Marley moved into full swing here on Wednesday with the opening of art and photo exhibitions and a symposium on African history based on themes in the music legend's songs.

With hundreds of thousands of reggae fans and dreadlocked followers of the Rastafarian movement that Marley championed expected to jam the Ethiopian capital ahead of a gala concert on Sunday, smaller events held sway.

The African country is regarded by Rastafarians as their promised land.

At the offices of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, a symposium bearing the same name as the month-long "Africa Unite" celebrations, got under way to examine the historical perspectives of the African experience.

Speakers there were using Marley's reggae anthems "War" -- which decries the European colonialization of Africa and racism -- and "Exodus" -- which celebrates freedom from oppression -- as reference tools in the discussion.

Elsewhere in Addis Ababa, a collection of rare photographs of Marley's life and music was on display as well as a selection of artifacts from across Africa and an exhibition of the works of more than 30 sculptors, craft makers and jewelers.

The celebration kicked off late Tuesday at an opening ceremony attended by Marley's widow Rita, the grandson of former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, the spiritual leader of the Rastafarians, and Hollywood star Danny Glover.

Others included members of the Rastafarian community, local leaders of the Orthodox and Muslim religions and the mayor of Addis Ababa, Arkebe Oqubay, who granted Rita Marley honorary citizenship of the city.

"I am greatly honoured to receive this award and know that this is brother Bobs dream come true," she said. "We are calling on all the children of Africa to unite and let it be one continent."

Ethiopia, home of the African Union and birthplace of Rastafarianism, was chosen by Marley's family to host events marking what would have been his 60th birthday on February 6th, the first time the annual celebration has taken place outside his native Jamaica.

Adherents of the Rastafarian movement regard former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie (Ras Tafari) as their spiritual leader and two years before his death from cancer aged 36 in 1981 Marley visited the country to pay homage.

"It is a matter of justice that Bob Marley would be celebrated today in Ethiopia," Prince Bede Mariam Mekonnen, grandson of the former emperor, said late Monday.

Festivities this week include a concert by the I-three, the singers who backed Marley, and Angelique Kidjo, the west African singer from the state of Benin.

The highlight in Addis Ababa will be an open-air concert on Sunday in the city's biggest square by members of Marley's family, Senegalese singers Babaa Maal and Youssou N'Dour, as well as Kidjo and Ethiopia's Teddy Afro.

Concerts will take also place during February elsewhere in Ethiopia including the Rastafarian community of Shashemene set up in 1948.

Rita Marley has said she wishes to rebury her husband, now interred in Jamaica, in Shashamene.

"It was a dream of Bob Marley and it is a dream of the family to bury him in Ethiopia," she said. "As we believe in what is to be, must be, it will happen in due course."

  Back...

  Most popular articles: viewed, printed and e-mailed

  Printable version