Makonnen Blake-Hanna on the power of Volunteerism at 50th Anniversary of Coral Gardens

CORAL GARDENS - KEYNOTE ADDRESS
by Makonnen Blake-Hanna

I am a child of the third generation of Rastafari, the most important group of people in the world today. I am here on a special mission today. I am here to speak of the importance of VOLUNTEERISM.

What is VOLUNTEERISM? Volunteerism is about fulfilling the Rastafari Creed – seeing that the hungry be fed, the sick nourished, the aged protected and the infants cared for. Volunteerism is about people’s need to participate in their societies and help them develop, and by so doing, to feel that they matter to others.

In the 50 years that have passed since Coral Gardens, Rastafari has flourished like a spreading bay tree. The name and philosophy of Rastafari, the exaltation of the Divine Emperor Haile Selassie the First, our own Ras Tafari, has spread around the world as a force of good vibrations, good morality, good philosophy. Through the music and the musical messengers, the word of Rastafari is in every nations minds and hearts. Through Rastafari, the world has finally come to accept that the ganja plant is good for the healing of the nation

I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors. I remember the great Elder Bongo Daniel – no one could play the harps like him – I remember Big Daddy and Brother Zadik of Debre Zeit by the river in the August Town hills, who grew me as a young boy. Prof-I is my teacher and Ras Iyah-V is my Ganja Farmer. Mutabaruka has known me before I was born and I remember Ras Isstajay, now dearly departed. I have sat and listened to my mother talk with Bro Sam Clayton and Bro. Dougie Mack who were her teachers in her 'school room' at Wareika Hills. I am a son of one of Rastafari's most blessed Empresses, who received a Gold Medal from Emperor Haile Selassie's grandson Prince Ermias and the order of Distinction from the Jamaican representative of the Queen of England. These Elders have been my Professors in the Rasta University and I have graduated with Honours.

When I see society developing with hardly a thought about the Rastafari nation that has made Jamaica so famous and so loved, I think about how we, the young and hearty inheritors of the foundation set with blood and brutal suffering, exclusion and discrimination, can gain the rightful benefits due to this noble tribe of descendants of slavery. Rastafari are the modern Maroons who fled from Babylon to the hills of Wareika, August Town, Orange Hill and Pinnacle who have forged a new and positive identity for a nation that was born in brutality and oppression.

Yes, Africa is out ultimate goal and destination, but while we wait and while we prepare, we live here on land inherited from the blood, sweat and tears of our ancestors. We have title to this land Jamaica and while we have been here, we have left out stamp on it in ways that make this land uniquely ours. We made a religion, RASTAFARI, and we made a music REGGAE.

I could live anywhere in the world. I have seen a good deal of the world on many travels, I've been so far as to speak at the United Nations – twice. But I choose to live in Jamaica and make my contribution here because I am proud to be tied to Jamaica, and most of my pride comes from being RASTAFARI, a member of the best, bravest and most blessed people on earth. I give RASpect to all those who sacrificed so much for ones like me to be here today standing tall with my locks flying freely.

I think it is time that we, the young a hearty grand-children and great-grandchildren of the Elders who suffered the years of brutality, discrimination, imprisonment and social exclusion that our Elders faced, stand up and occupy some of the seats of power and influence that organize and control our daily lives. We need to confront those who today are grabbing the hairstyle and music of Rastafari to advertise political ambitions with divisive messages that have nothing to do with true Rastafari principles and rise up themselves into positions of power. We have to stop them flaunting the symbols of our faith and giving a warped image of what I&I truly represent that sets us back into the age of hatred, misinformation and discrimination, back to Coral Gardens days.

I think it's time that we, the young and healthy inheritors of the foundation set with the blood and brutal suffering of our Elders, show there is a genuine Rastafari that is a positive difference from those who robe themselves in the Rastafari banner to sell themselves, products, ideas and even our sacrament. I think it's time for the Rastafari banner to be flying in many more places than just reggae shows.

But have we capitalized on what the actions and aspirations of our Elders have already achieved? Or have we been carefully staying out of the limelight, ignorant of our potential? As a young warrior, I ask if we are still in recovery or in hiding from the bad beating Rastafari received at Coral Gardens? Are we not strong enough to have recovered, after FIFTY YEARS? Are we still numb?

Perhaps what has caused us to keep our heads down and seem like we have deferred our challenge to the system, is the very incident that we are memorializing today, the infamous Coral Gardens – some say Incident, some say Massacre - when too many members of the Rastafari community in St. James and all across the island, were abused by the State as retribution for the emotional reactions a few men had taken to revenge personal abuse.

The wound is healing slowly, but it is healing. Sad to see the Elders passing who suffered then and are suffering still. I have seen it and it's not pretty. Glad to see that this is the Government that has finally stepped up to the plate to address the wrongs of past Governments, and use their power to bring as much compensation as possible to enable the healing to spread as widely and as completely as possible.

But as youth, we always wonder how come Rastafari has not yet been able to become a self-sufficient economically prosperous community? Where are our national institutions reflecting the cultural reality and power of Rastafari? Where is Rastafari representation in national organizations, groups, citizens associations, school boards, labour organizations, that run all levels of life in Jamaica?

Coral Gardens has held the headlines of any and all stories about Rastafari for 50 years, understandably so. It's a sad story. A BAD story.

But half a Century later, I think it's time for a Rastafari success story to become the shining example of Rastafari greatnesss. We can, of course, point to Bob Marley, our great and shining light, who took the Rastafari message of ONE LOVE to the world.

Two more generations of Rastafari are now trodding the Earth. We must stop and see how our Rastafari branches have spread, and what fruit is bearing, what fruit is ripe for picking, what fruit is being eaten, and by whom.

Today everyone sees how influential Rastafari is by the global spread of its culture and music. The power of our music is changing the world and how it is organized. Bob sang 'Get up, stand up for your rights,” and people are doing that. Groups and minorities now have rights and voices that make changes that reorganize their communities. What we may not see is how to help, how to be part of the reorganization.

Volunteerism is the way to do so. We should use the rights of being Jamaicans to make our presence felt in groups that tackle community issues, environmental issues, join organizations that help to eliminate poverty and improve basic health and education, that help to reduce the risk of disasters or combat social problems and conflict.

We need to make our presence felt in places and issues that matter. We must have a presence in the anti-plastic movement, the save-the-beaches campaign, the anti-dengue neighbourhood clean-ups. Our local old people's home must know us, we must be on good terms with the Supe at our local police station, the MPs must consult us regularly to know what is going on in our communities and the school-children using public transportation must see us as their protectors. We should be sitting on all the important committees that rule our lives in Jamaica – the committees that help run our schools, that agitate for better roads, that organize fund-raising events for our local hospitals. Even sitting in Parliament!

Volunteers sit on school boards, they visit the sick and aged.They work with governments and civil society to hold those in power to account and to represent the voices of those who are often left out of development decisions such as women, youth and marginalized groups like Rastafari. This is the way that, one by one, we Rastafari shall help lead the development of this land we have inherited.

Repatriation is still on the agenda, but meantime, we still have to send our children to school, use hospitals, drive on roads, expect water and light to be connected to our homes. So as we continue to work for and hope for the desired Homeland dream, we realize the necessity to nurture and build the plantation that we now own and control. Jamaica is valuable real estate that we have inherited for our children. We even think of a time when we, and our view of a united Jamaica, will establish a successful political system under which our country is organized to become a model to the world of social harmony, economic independence, indigenous food supply and international interdependence.

After all, from the very beginning that has been the dream and intention of Rastafari's earliest dreamers, Elders and founders of the philosophy and lifestyle. Those who ruled us, who brutalized and demonized and held I&I down, were trying to exterminate all Rastafari and the way of thinking that had grown indiginously out of us and our wisdom and experiences, because they saw that one day I&I could successfully reorganize their system and build a new one based on how I&I view life.
We will do that one day.

The load the Elders carried so nobly and bravely, is on the shoulders of the young today. Volunteerism is the load I bear in tribute to my Elders.

I stand here to confirm that I will carry my load with pride and honour, for it is lighter than the load of the Elders that preserved me and brought me here today.
I cannot thank them enough.
LET THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OF MY HEART BE ACCEPTABLE IN THY SIGHT, O FARI.