Rastas celebrate Marcus Garvey

As part of Emancipation month activities, members of the Rastafarian community came together last Thursday, August 17, to celebrate the life of Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

A literature display of his work supported by local Rastafarian poets and musicians ensured that Marcus Garvey’s day was not overlooked here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. {{more}}

Garvey – Jamaica’s first national hero – was born on the 17th of August 1887, in Jamaica. His teachings of black self-empowerment were credited as being the source behind the founding of the Rastafarian religion.

According to public relations officer of the Nyahbingi Order, Ras Yacob, Thursday’s event saw brothers and sisters from the Twelve Tribe, Nyahbingi, Boboshanti and other Rastafarian groups come together to commemorate the life Marcus Garvey.

“It was an opportunity for the Rastafarian community to come together and socialize under Garvey’s call to unite,” he said.

Local rastas were also joined by New York based Haitian-born Educator and Journalist, Empress Modupe Olufunmi.

Her trip to St. Vincent was part of the emancipation celebrations here. “We continue to celebrate the life and works of Marcus Garvey and we continue his rallying call for the total liberation of Africa, we are looking at Garvey as the vehicle through which black people can change,” the Haitian-born journalist shared with Searchlight.

Thursday’s event brought to a close a number of activities organized to mark emancipation month here.

September 11 would be the next big event for members of the Rastafarian community as the mark the start of the Ethiopian New Year.