ATENTION - Burn Reggae.

   ATTENTION:
THE FRENCH CENTER FOR ETHIOPIAN STUDIES
ALLIANCE ETHIOPIA – FRANCAIS
INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT - ETHIOPIA
GOETHE INSTITUTE - ETHIOPIA

Dr. Giuillia Bonacci
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
RE: CLARIFYING - EXODUS! Celebrating The History, Culture, and Music of the Rastafarians in Ethiopia

March 22, 2012

“Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it possible for evil to triumph.” H.I.M. Qadamawi Haile Selassie I. June 30, 1936 @ League of Nations.



Dear Directors,

We write this letter in an effort to clarify and therefore remedy a major misunderstanding on how your organization depicts Ras Tafari history, culture and music in Ethiopia. We pray our self expression regarding your good intentions towards cultural understanding and cooperation will resolve our concerns and desires, leading to greater overstanding and mutual respect.
In 2011 Dr. Giuilia Bonacci, historian, researcher at the Research Institute for Developement and at the French Center for Ethiopian Studies in Addis Ababa, sought support from selected members of the Ras Tafari community in Ethiopia for the launch of her book on migration at Alliance Ethio Francais. The occasion culminated into a “Rasta Festival” where members of the Ras Tafari community were hired or paid expenses to assure attendance and/or participation in the book launch/festival. The event was highly publicized and many Ras Tafari attended to sell their arts and crafts and other goods. Some displayed cultural and historical information; while others sang, dance and drummed for spectators. Several outstanding members of the Pan African, Ras Tafari and Ethiopian communities were invited to the festival but did not attend due to various reasons, however, representatives or well wishes were sent, including the permission granted to screen Africa Unite, a film about Berhane Selassie (Bob Marley’s baptismal name) 60th Birthday celebration hosted in Addis Ababa in 2005. (That event was made possible through the support and recognition of the Ethiopian government and warmth and welcome of Ethiopian people.) Dr. Bonacci’s 2011 book launch/festival was deemed a success by some stakeholders and extensive and repetitive media coverage was provided for the festival and Dr. Giullia.

The event returned this year as an annual event sponsored by your good organization. Several Ras Tafari individuals were hired once again to promote and implement the event which Dr. Bonacci the architect and main coordinator states, “The need is there because bridges have to be created between the Ethiopians and Rastafarians. It is our hope that it will become an annual landmark of entertainment and education.” The festival also maintained its stipulation this year that Qadamawi Haile Selassie I not be mentioned or presented as part of the official program according to sponsors’ policy. The event featured predominently reggae music and various cultural activities and reggae films. While the event provides needed income for up to twenty owned and operated formal and informal Ras Tafari micro businesses and gives foreigners and locals alike a three day cultural experience, Dr. Bonacci’s good intentions have been assessed as harmful to Ras Tafari in Ethiopia and beyond in its present context. We trusted her intentions of a book launch for the first years and now, EXODUS: The History, Culture and Music of Rastafarians in Ethiopia is organized for us and with disregard to our input and/or consent and oversight.
The very name of the event is misleading and the structure and presentation deflect the serious issues and concerns of both the Ethiopian and Ras Tafari Peoples, required to ensure our peaceful and productive future in this country.

We descendants of Africa, Elders, Leaders, Representatives, Administrators and adherents of the faith of Ras Tafari residing and working in Ethiopia, returned home based on our uncompromised faith and reverence in the divine Qadamawi Haile Selassie I and our love and loyalty for Ethiopia. The omission of The Majesty's name, works and teachings are of the highest insult and disappointment. That participants have siad they called on His name and presented materials/books in defiance to this policy is unacceptable as Majesty has taught us respect for organizations and nations. The Holy Bible says, we should not light a candle then hide it under a basket. We have a duty and right to voice our observations and serious concerns in an effort to provide clarity and ensure the festival is put in its proper context and not perpetuate myths and misunderstanding.
We are a spiritual people, and our Exodus represents a reverent biblical movement and present day prophesy of the return of the great great grand children of survivors of the worst crime against humanity, the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. Our ancestors suffered and we continue to experience various manifestations of discrimination and human rights violations at the hands of colonial and neo-colonial powers, which have yet to be recognized much less reconciled. Hence, our repatriation is not merely a reggae song with a nice beat, nor Bonacci's academic study to assist the French address african migration issues. The lyrics of EXODUS say, “…we’re leaving Babylon, we’re going to our Father’s land…” indicating out intention to leave a place where discrimination and oppression have been meted out generously with no hope on the horizon. Our only salvation and place of safety is Ethiopia/Africa. This is not a simple migration but a vision of a spiritual movement/repatriation, of a people home in mass numbers, likened to the 1st Exodus of the Hebrews out of Egypt into the Promised Land. We handful are simply here to help prepare for the repatriation which includes Ethiopia's development.

We object to and are surprised by Dr. Bonacci’s misrepresentation, as an educated scholar, to declare and promote reggae music as Ras Tafari music. Nyahbingi is the music of Ras Tafari, as mentioned in the promotional flier. The sacred songs and ceremonies are derived from ancient African tradition and post slavery spiritual expressions which use a special battery of drums played by selected priests, prophets and drummers for praise unto the Most High or for destruction of the enemies of Qadamawi Haile Selassie I and Ethiopia/Africa and Her children. On the other hand, Reggae music is a popular genre which ranges from spiritual to degrading lyrics, further accompanied by explicit sexual dances. Ras Tafari reject these expressions as the representative music of our divine faith. We recognize that Ras Tafari musicians have used reggae to spread the culture, however we object to cultural institutions and academicians whose word and actions today become part of the history books tomorrow that usually do not represent our voices.Further, we do not appreciate the promotion of Ras Tafari synoymous with reggae and thereby reducing and our painful struggle and journey to a mere minstrel show or festival.
Neither the approximately 20 minutes per day of Nyahbinghi chants, nor the 3 presentations on Pan Africanism nor the reggae films; represent nor address our history, culture or music, much less our concerns and priorities as Ras Tafari in Ethiopia. Reggae music has had spiritual, social and cultural impact world wide. However, it is one thing to be inspired by a song and another to stereotype an entire People based on popular cultural musical expression. It is insensitive and misleading. We object to the disregard of the Ras Tafari community, who made this event possible by their participation, promotion and mere presence, yet are not mentioned along with other valuable sponsors on promotional materials. Is our input of no value hence not worth mentioning or worst can only be mentioned for marketing purposes as in the title? Or are we expected to express silent gratitude for being a benefactor of the organizer’s good intentions - which include 300 birr for transportation, a hot meal each day, and a chance to appear on TV? Is this truly a goodwill gesture based on appreciation and understanding of our culture or is this an attempt to use culture to re-define and re-focus a serious spiritual Movement with a strong Pan African vision filled with African pride and fighting for repatriation and reparations from colonial powers for Africa's development? 

We object to Dr. Bonacci’s desire to “create a bridge between Ethiopian and Ras Tafari” through this event. Qadamawi Haile Selassie I said, “We are all blood brothers…”. This evidenced by His invitation for us to return home and gifting the landgrant in Shashamane exclusively to Black people of the West for their show of solidarity to end Italian occupation and aggression against Ethiopia decades ago. We have lived, loved, worked and even laid ones to permanent rest in this land for over 50 years. We have intermarried and now have a generation of children who share Ras Tafari and Ethiopia parents. The Ethiopian government has treated us with due respect and though Ethiopians may not fully understand us and our reason for being here, they express love, courtesy and respect for us the Black people returning to our Motherland, our inheritance, the land of our Fathers. We also object to what appears to be an attempt to undermine Ras Tafari: The Majesty & The Movement Exhibition being planned since 2010 and advertised at Bonacci’s book launch in 2011. People are now confused and think our major exhibit being planned and supported by Ethiopian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Addis Ababa University Institute of Ethiopian Studies and the National Museum of Ethiopia Gallery - scheduled to open on May 25th, 2014, is your festival. Our exhibit is a multi media academic and inspiring presentation and motivated by the closing of “Discovering Ras Tafari Exhibit” which ran for 4 years at the Smithsonian Institute until 2011. It was organized with the full participation of Ras Tafari through representatives from the major mansions, the Nyahbinghi Order, Ethiopia Black International Congress aka Boboshanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel according to years of standing protocol for organizing public events with external organizations. No written notification was given to mansions in this case, ensuring our inclusion in the formulation of the event. Instead individuals were solicited and hired to implement which is unacceptable and divisive and have subsequently created internal investigations into this matter. Would your institution organize an event to showcase the history, music and culture of the Jewish or Christian or Islamic faith in Jerusalem, Mecca or the Vatican and invite them only to set up stalls or perform their songs and dances? We deserve the human right to tell our own story as we see fit, and any other faith would surely defend this right.

“Ethiopia has stretched forth her hands…” and we the survivors have returned home because of Biblical prophesy, fleeing the contemporary ignoble conditions of oppression in the West which were unleashed on Africa for centuries in various forms. The grace of Qadamawi Haile Selassie I and His teachings have ensured our return home. We work side by side with Ethiopians, the most tolerant people on the face of the earth, as we work collectively to reconcile our repatriation and our true identity in this historic sovereign land. We recognize the challenges we face as we progressively integrate in Africa, but the bridges and bonds which holds us - the remnant of the stolen children of Africa wrongfully dispersed - could and have never been broken.
We are ever grateful for the love of Ethiopians in all things great and small from the smiles on the street, to the calls of Jah, to even the critical analysis and caution, but mostly for the equal rights provided for us to live here and partake in the development of Ethiopia/Africa freely. There are no gaps to be filled or bridges to be built. We are one. Ethiopia has lifted the dignity of Ras Tafari who have been imprisoned, maligned by friends and family, and even murdered for defending Ethiopia’s dignity and destiny for over 8 decades. We are Ethiopians possessing all the genetic and spiritual authority to represent and present ourselves. We are one with Ethiopians and will continue working on our landmark events in our country which meet our goals and our aspirations.

  

   We invite your institution and respective country, as His Majesty did, and as the gracious country of Ethiopia presently does, to continue supporting cultural events which are mutually beneficial and positive for all stakeholders. Addis Ababa is the diplomatic capital of Africa and as we work towards African unity and the realization of world peace, we appreciate and anticipate your continued support. In closing and in resolution, we waited to send this letter till after the event as your organization had done so much to plan the event when it ame to our attention. However, at this date we kindly request recognition and/or response to this letter as a sign of respect and we recommend strongly this annual event be titled as a reggae cultural omitting the name Rastafarians, if it is to go forward. This will allow the continuation of your event which is fun, enlightening and economically advantageous to Ras Tafari people and others making an honest living in Ethiopia by sale of locally produced items. Finally, the overstanding and appreciation of Ethiopians is our priority and we want to be viewed as the spiritual people we are - not as the stereotypical beer drinking, ganja smoking/smuggling, red gold and green and lock wearing people from around the world who love to dance to reggae music and once a year you might can take a picture with us. We do not want to create the Rent A Dread image which feeds the Jamaican tourist market. We want to see the development of Shashamane, the historic world known settlement of Ras Tafari and welcome you to visit there and experience the culture, history and music of Ras Tafari. We the descendants and foundation people of this Movement who have been taught by the Elders and founders of the Movement, some of whom are now Ancestors, owe it to them and our future generations to set the record straight. We still earnestly seek African liberation from colonial mentality and spiritual salvation from the Most High as we work towards world peace and harmony. We look forward to your close attention to our heartfelt concerns and anticipate your full courtesy and cooperation in the spirit of human dignity and respect. We are available to meet with you to discuss this further if needed. May the Most High guide and protect us in all our endeavours.
One Perfect Love.

ATENTION TO ONE ATENTION TO ALL

Jah is love let us all love