International Reggae Day + Jamaica Blog Day = Blog about Reggae on JulyOne!
Just before Jamaica (Ja) Blog Day on May 23, the folks over at the International Reggae Day (IRD) invited us up partner with them for a special 2014 edition “Ja Blog Day: International Reggae Day.” We agreed of course! This year IRD has a number of activities planned for its annual one day global Reggae Festival on JulyOne. Among those activities is inviting bloggers to post about Reggae and its potential and influence. Specifically, is this potential and influence truly appreciated by Jamaicans? Reggae is perhaps Jamaica’s best known and most influential “export.” It has influenced social movements and numerous non-Jamaican artists, been the soundtrack for many a protest, and attracted folks to Jamaica physically and spiritually. Its progeny, Dancehall, has also gained world renown as an energetic if sometimes controversial genre. For both, the question persists and is often the subject of hot debate: Do Jamaicans understand and appreciate the influence of these decidedly Jamaican musical forms?
We have all seen the debate when a “big name” artist gets a buss off Reggae: “Dem t’ief wi t’ing!” or “Why none ah we cyaan mek it suh big?” We have wrung our hands at the commentary – though we may not have accepted the fact – that France is considered a major Reggae capital, if not the Reggae capital of the world. During the recent Schools’ Challenge Quiz, watchers were aghast that contestants from both schools did not recognize a picture of Peter Tosh. There are frequent…skirmishes…between Reggae and Dancehall show promoters and the Jamaican authorities about late night events and street dances. If it is that Jamaicans and Jamaican leadership don’t “get it” about Reggae (and Dancehall), why is that? Are we afraid to embrace it? And, then, how do we change whatever it is that is not quite right so that Jamaicans are the main producers, influencers, and consumers of Reggae and Dancehall? How do we reclaim what we created but still share it with the world (because make no mistake, Reggae and Dancehall are meant to be shared)?
On July 1, 2014, we invite Jamaican bloggers to lively up demself for IRD 2014. Post about Reggae, its influence, and its potential. Speak and write about Jamaicans’ and Jamaica’s lack of appreciation for the genre and offer ways for us to navigate the scene so that we can catch up. Or take a historical approach: What are some of the institutions, like the Alpha Boys’ School, that have molded Reggae music into the well-respected genre it is? How do they do it and how can they be supported? Share your experiences with Reggae: everything from the increasingly popular Dub Club on a Sunday night in the hills above Kingston to your favourite Reggae sub-genre or book, or a memorable Reggae experience.
Be sure to use the hashtags #ThisIsMyReggae and #JaBlogDayIRD2014 when you publish you post so that we can curate all of your contributions on the Ja Blog Day blog.
We also encourage you to get out and immerse yourself in the other activities planned for IRD 2014, including a free yoga dub session at Emancipation Park, Kingston, Jamaica while Reggae posters are projected onto the nearby Jamaica Pegasus hotel. Or – and this is actually consistent with the theme of Ja Blog Day on May 23, 2014 – get out and Plant for the Planet. Reinforcing the concept of you reap what you sow, IRD2014 has partnered with the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) to encourage Reggae lovers across the world to wear their Reggae colours (red, green, and gold) on JulyOne while planting a tree. This activity could also be the focal point of your blog for your special edition Ja Blog Day post; simply post about your Plant for the Planet experience and why you chose to participate as part of IRD2014. Be sure to also use the hashtag #MyReggaeTree to help IRD2014 curate all the tree planting activities across the world.