Exodus !
History, Culture and Music
of the Rastafarians in Ethiopia
The second edition of
a three days event at the Alliance éthio-française in Addis Ababa
March 15th, 16th
& 17th, 2012
In 1977, Bob Marley composed Exodus, a master piece of reggae evoking the return of the
Rastafarians in Africa. From the exit of Babylon to the arrival into Zion, the
exodus hence takes a Pan African dimension. The amazing journey of the
Rastafarians who left the Caribbean, the United States and England to come to
Ethiopia and contribute to the country’s development is presented to a wide
public on this occasion.
With an art exhibition, a photographic exhibition,
lectures, films, a panel discussion, concerts of Nyabinghi drums and reggae and
an arts & crafts fair, another insight into the Rastafari movement is
eventually possible. The Coronation of Haile Selassie on the 2nd of
November 1930 has given the Rastafari movement its own unique culture and
spiritual understanding which now has an international standing. The Rastafarians
living in Ethiopia are coming from all corners of the globe and are proud to be
involved in Ethiopias’s development.
With the objective to present rich and lively
perspectives on a movement which stands out in 20th century history, and
following the first edition of 2011 which was a success, the second edition of
this festival associating the history, the culture and the music of the
Rastafarians will be held during three days at the Alliance éthio-française in
Addis Ababa, in partnership with the Goethe Institut, the French Center for
Ethiopian Studies, the Research Institute for Development and the University of
the West Indies.
During the three days:
Installation « Africa awaits
its Creator »
Exhibitions « Ras Hailu’s Banana
Art & Ethiopian Artefacts Museum » « Pilgrimage to Ejersa Goro,
July 2011 »
Arts & Crafts & Rastafari
Productions Fair
Thursday March 15th, 2012:
4:30pm Official opening with Drums of Rastafari
5:00pm Film « Marcus Garvey. A Giant of Black
Politics » (2008)
6:00pm Lecture by Dr . Giulia Bonacci (CFEE/IRD) « The
Universal Ethiopian Anthem: a Musical and a ‘National’
Heritage »
7:00pm Lecture by Prof Abiyi Ford (IAS / AAU) « Bridging the Atlantic Divide: Ethiopia in the
Liberation Discourse of Afro-Caribbeans and African Americans ».
8:30pm Drums of Rastafari
Friday March 16th, 2012:
4:30pm Film « The Journey of the Lion » (1992)
6:00pm Lecture by Sir Hilary Beckles (UWI) « Europe’s Black
Debt: Reparations Owed for Slavery »
7:30pm Reggae Concert featuring Ras Kawintseb, and Ras Yohannes
with backing band Natural Groove @ Goethe Institut
Saturday March 17th, 2012:
1:30pm Film « Roots, Rock, Reggae. Inside the Jamaican
Music Scene » (1977)
2:30pm Panel discussion « The Voice of the Elders »
4:30pm Drums
of Rastafari
5 – 11pm Reggae Concert featuring Sydney Salmon
& Imperial Majestic Band, Teddy Dan, Chakula & Goldilocks, Ebony with
backing band Natural Groove @ Alliance
7:00pm Buffet
Ital (RALCO)
Detailed
programme
1. History
Lecture by Dr. Giulia Bonacci, historian, researcher at the
Research Institute for Developement and at the French Center for Ethiopian
Studies in Addis Ababa. She has published a book on the social history of Black
repatriation to Ethiopia and the Shashemene settlement. She will present a
lecture entitled « The Universal
Ethiopian Anthem: a Musical and a ‘ National’ heritage », that
will introduce the continuity of an « Ethiopian » identity in the
Americas during the 20th century as evidenced by the multiple lives of a
particular song.
Lecture by Abiyi Ford, Professor and Research
Coordinator for the newly established African Studies Institute at Addis Ababa
University, and Consultant for the formation of a Film Studies Program
at the Skunder Boghosian College of the Visual and Performing Arts. Prof.
Abiyi Ford will present a conference entitled : « Bridging the Atlantic Divide: Ethiopia in
the Liberation Discourse of Afro-Caribbeans and African Americans ».
Dwelling both on his personal history and his lengthy academic experience, Prof.
Abiyi Ford’s contribution will be instrumental in demonstrating the role played
by Ethiopia in the black experience.
Lecture by Sir Hilary Beckles, Professor and Principal of the Cave
Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies in Barbados. Sir Hilary
Beckles is a reknowned scholar of the Caribbean, he has written extensively on
Atlantic slavery, on the history of Barbados and on the history and culture of
cricket. Sir Hilary Beckles will present a conference entitled « Europe’s Black Debt: Reparations Owed for
Slavery », the topic of his latest book. This will be the opportunity
to learn more about the centuries-old entangled relationship between Europe,
Africa and the Americas and its contemporary challenges.
Panel Discussion with three Rastafarians
elders living in Shashemene. They will talk about their personal history
and their experience of living in Shashemene. The significance of the
Shashemene settlement and the major challenges faced by the Rastafari community
will be presented to the public. This will be a unique occasion for the public
to meet and reason with Rastafarians living in Ethiopia.
2. Culture
Installation: « Africa
awaits its Creator ». A unique installation will represent the
contributions of Rastafarians to local development in Ethiopia.
Exhibitions: « Ras Hailu’s
Banana Art & Ethiopian Artefacts Museum ». Coming from the
Caribbean island of St. Vincent, Ras Hailu has pioneered in Ethiopia art made
of banana leaves, and he will present some of his most spectacular Banana Art
frames. In the exhibition hall, a workshop will be held during the festival to
show to the public the process of creating Banana Art. In addition, Ras Hailu
will present his collection of Ethiopian Artefacts gathered over 17 years, rare
medals, rosettas, badges, stamps and books will be presented to the public on
this unique occasion.
« Pilgrimage to Ejersa Goro, July 2011 » is a photographic
exhibit that testifies to a unique collaboration between the Rastafari
community and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. On July 22nd to July 24th, a
pilgrimage was organized on the occasion of Emperor Haile Selassie’s birthday
in his birthplace, Ejersa Goro, in the province of Harar.
Various films have been selected to illustrate the experience of the
Rastafarians.
« Marcus Garvey. A Giant of
Black Politics » (2008) introduces to the public the life and works of
famous black nationalist Marcus Garvey, considered as a prophet by the
Rastafarians. The film offers an insight into Marcus Garvey’s organisation and
its appeal to black people in Jamaica and in the USA.
« The Journey of the
Lion » (1992) is a beautiful film by Fritz Baumann about Brother Howie, a
Jamaican Rastafarian and a wood carver, who travels to England to visit his
family. From there he continues his travel through Africa up to Ghana’s shores
in search for his African roots.
« Roots, Rock, Reggae.
Inside the Jamaican Music Scene » (1977) offers an insight into the making
of roots reggae at the end of the 1970s. Famous artists are featured as well as
the drums of Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus.
Arts & Crafts & Rastafari Productions Fair: Schools,
businesses, artists, community organisations, crafts and various Rastafari
initiatives from Shashemene, Addis Ababa, Awassa, Debre Zeit and Bahir Dar will
be present during the three days. They will present and sell their productions.
The objective of this fair is to show the variety of Rastafari ventures in the
country.
Ital Cocktail and Ital Buffet: the Rastafarians have a peculiar
diet, called « Ital » which means vital and natural. The public will
have the opportunity to taste the delicious cuisine of the Rastafarians,
catered by Royal Afrakan Link Company (RALCO).
3. Music
The Nyabinghi drums are the ritual drums of
the Rastafarians. The « Drums of Rastafari » will present on three
occasions to the public the particular rhythm and the rich repertoire of the
sacred music of the Rastafarians.
Two reggae concerts will present Rastafarian artists living in Ethiopia
in a co-creation by HIM International
Promotion and Boulibaï Vibration.
On March 16th, the concert will
be held at the Goethe Institut, featuring Ras Kawintseb, and Ras Yohannes with
backing band Natural Groove.
On March 17th, the concert will
be held at the Alliance éthio-française, featuring Sydney Salmon & Imperial
Majestic Band, Teddy Dan, Chakula & Goldilocks, Ebony with backing band
Natural Groove.
Welcome to two unforgetable
nights of reggae music in Addis Ababa !
Festival coordinator: Giulia Bonacci
(historian, IRD / CFEE)
Reggae concerts coordinator: Malik Bouliby (journalist, France
Inter)
Partners: Alliance Ethio-Française
French
Center for Ethiopian Studies
Goethe
Institut
Research
Institute for Developement
University
of the West Indies
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