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| Trenchtown sound system party |
Jamaica, cracked from
the aftershocks of independence and post-colonialism after 1962, reached out
for a better government, economy, and way of life to lead them through the
transition. At first the people
placed their hopes in politics because all great change needs is better
policies to represent the times.
However, the two opposing political parties, the conservative Jamaica
Labour Party (JLP) and the socialist People’s National Party (PNP), used
underhanded political moves and violence to gain power making the people of
Jamaica “disgusted with where politricks had
led the country.” (Chang 33) Thus,
the people turned to the powerful music of Reggae coming from sound systems
around the block to make their voices heard.
After
independence from Great Britain, Jamaica went into an economic depression from
the lack of colonial funds. Two
political parties rose to prominence to replace what was once the job of Great
Britain, the JLP and the PNP; it was the JLP who first came into power. Edward Seaga, a leading member of the
JLP, was appointed as Minister of Community Development and Welfare and
destroyed a neighborhood that supported the opposing political faction by force,
setting the tone for how things got done.
In line with his position, he then constructed a model community called
Tivoli Gardens and placed “armed young badmen to protect the area and expand
JLP turf.” (Chang 26) Gangs backed
by the two political parties led this turf war and conflicts were never far
away, especially around election time.
The
people were tired of the violence and destruction of their island nation as
their pleas to political powers for progress went unheard. So, the people turned their voices to
the music of Reggae. The Jamaican music scene sent out messages reflecting the
thoughts and feelings of the people. Seaga, once a music executive, knew “it
was hard to tell where the politics ended and the music began.” (Chang 23) The political factions saw the power of
music and used it to gain support, which left the people disgusted. Reggae was now being used as support
for political factions as well as to express the real disgust and changes that
people wanted in the country.
Through
the use of politricks, the socialist PNP came into power, which caught the
attention of the CIA who were drowning in their communist red scare. With the help of the CIA’s influence,
investors stopped investing in Jamaica in fear of them becoming like Cuba, and
sent the country into deeper economic devastation. These economic pressures brought violence to a climax and
the people kept on relying on the solid rhythms of the music and the hopeful
poems in the lyrics to keep steady.
The
unfaltering music of Jamaica, called Reggae, was created in the destruction of
their country. It came at a time
when expression was limited and progress didn’t exist. The people placed their hopes in the
music and the music answered their hopes.
Bob Marley brought the two heads of the opposing political factions
together during one of his concerts, and “culture, it seemed, had transcended
politics.” (Chang 38) Today, Reggae
is internationally recognized and associated with Jamaica, somehow growing out
of the worst environment possible for culture to thrive.
A. Tao
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