Marley gripe and fluxy complaint
APRIL 1980, the newly-independent Zimbabwe was celebrating the latest bite of the self-government pie, south of the Sahara Desert. A little Jamaican man, no taller than five feet seven inches, a hybrid of a British father and an Afro-Jamaican mother, took the stage and chanted “Natty Dread it in-a (Zimbabwe)! Set it up in (Zimbabwe)! Mash it up-a in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)! Africans a-liberate (Zimbabwe), yeah.”
It was electrifying, embracing his Africanity and carrying forward the ethnic language and religion of this country, Jamaica, Robert Nesta ‘Bob’ Marley had demigod status. Marley was not born with any kind of inherited title, he had no knighthood or Order of the British Empire. In fact, it took a hell of a long time for his own Jamaicans and government to accept that this Rastafarian was not only a great man with a great message, but an icon that helped to keep Jamaica on the map.
Don’t be mistaken, Jamaica had been kicking rear ends globally for centuries. But the 20th century version gave the world Marcus Garvey, the second greatest black man to have walked the earth.
Four years after universal adult suffrage, the third nation after Great Britain and New Zealand to have an election along this line, we strolled into our Monarch’s front yard, London, and won three track and field medals including one gold, outperforming our colonial master like discourteous invited guests. Great Britain gained no gold medals in track and field in its own Olympics.
MOST RECOGNISED NAMES
Some 43 years after the death of Marley, he is doubtless one of the most recognised names. Irish in origin, hands down Bob is the most famous Marley ever, with the fictional ghost Jacob, from Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol, being next. Bob Marley is unquestionably one of the most recognisable faces today. Every single national from more than 120 countries I have personally met, could visually identify Bob. His face is more distinguishable than that of Jah Jah Hasile Selassie I, the only black Monarch in modernity and the deific focus of Rastafari.
Marley’s influence is so profound widespread and powerful that at Zimbabwe’s aforementioned ceremony, the population, understandably not yet familiar with their own national anthem, sang along with him.
Mick Jagger, Britain’s most durable singer, recognised the greatness of Bob Marley and the Wailers, comprising Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Go to YouTube, search the performance of Jagger along with Marley and Tosh singing with them Get Up Stand Up and Walk and Don’t Look Back.
The point is, to the average individual outside of England and Jamaica, it is a no-brainer as to who is more well known and seen as more relevant; no disrespect to His Majesty King Charles and other members of the Royal family, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who have one foot out the door.
Dress any unobtrusive individual in a black T-shirt bedecked with the face of Bob Marley. Then, do the same to any member of the modern Royal family, including the late great Elizabeth II, without her crown. For all their presence on the GB£1= J$198, Marley wins in the recognition competition.
Against this background, therefore, it is simply that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended an event surrounding a popular global brand. No politics behind it. Only extremist elements in the UK, antipathic to the couple, would make something negative out of this.
It is an insult to the legendary British intellect to equate ‘anti-Royalist’ with ‘prorepublican’ in the Jamaican context. It is the same kind of bigotry by radicals which draws parallels between not being homophile and thus being homophobic.
STRONG AFFECTION
Possibly a minuscule non-representative sample of Jamaicans dislike the Royal family. Indeed, recent polls did indicate a strong affection for and a curious attachment to Elizabeth II, although understandably, the King does not inherit such personal popularity. Nevertheless, it is deceitful and dishonest to suggest that Jamaicans abhor the monarchy.
Grown adults are not suddenly hostile or antagonistic to their parents, when they cut the umbilical cord and remove their rubber stamp over their decisions. What really is clear here, though, is that for whatever reason, and perhaps because of the way in which she was introduced within the Royal family and was disruptive to its traditions, an air of disapproval surrounds the couple. Of course, it could very well have to do with her obvious African ancestry. However, they both knew what they were getting into and Markle should understand the old adage about being in Rome and speaking Italian. It is unrealistic and even disrespectful for her to expect that she could go into an exclusive institution with norms and traditions and expect them to bend for her.
Be that as it may, the waning popularity of the Monarchy is not only outside of the UK. Recent British opinion polls indicate that its approval is at its lowest historically. For the record, Barbados, a smaller country than Jamaica, ditched the King as its head of state in 2022 with a ripple no larger than when a child passes gas in a swimming pool.
One British Royalist extremist suggested that the Monarchy should remove all titles held by Jamaicans. Doubtless, this demonstrates a level of ignorance which goes to the heart of the issue, and assumes that true nationalists want external validation. Still, I agree with her, because independent nations should not need extraneous titles. And it is for this reason that I have been unrepentant, and sometimes with recriminating consequences, that absolutely none of the Caribbean spokespersons for reparations or replacement of the Privy Council or Monarchy should hold any British title.
Absolutely no King’s Counsel, Sir or Dame, even if such designation were given by special Royal Charter prior to the rise of the reparations movement in the early 2000s, should utter a word on these issues.
Such dissonance goes to the heart of the royalist criticism and raises the question, “where is the ventriloquist?”
Dr Orville Taylor is senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com.