Grass up pon Blue Dance

poem by Rasuli


Babylon raid I blue dance
Someone mass grass up
Why then the popo show up at the entrance
and mash everyone into a pulp

Dey come and pack upfront
By de main door and order everyone around
They cover the backway with their boys and baton
and restrain the patrons to the ground

They drink up de bar
and empty de till
they eat up de jar
the slap me with a hefty bill

Down at the station
I cyan believe what a tell a lie
and mek a big deal out of the situation
The squealer mass have an eye of the pie in the sky

I get a week of community service
Down at the fisherman's wharf
scooping murk with a spatula device
A heap a stunk dunk a dwarf

President Obama vs Fredrick Douglass

There has been no time as trying in the United States of America, as was the 1800s and as comparatively fulfilling as the 2000s. The former was when the abolition of slavery and crusade on manumission was just ‘hotting’ up, the latter has had the near ‘impossible’ happen. The dream has been realized and lived. The first African-American President has been elected by a popular mandate to lead the most powerful nation in the world. The world awakes to the 44th newly elect US President Barack Hussein Obama.

Though consistent, the relentless forge for the improvement of African people in the American continent is far from over. This fact is commonly known among the coloured nations in America today. President Barack Obama, has been cited to have acknowledged the struggle that preceded his historical victory by saying that he wouldn’t be where he’s today were it not that t[his] torch been passed from generation to generation. He does not however promise in on manner of way to erase the past that has made his bones. No leader can turn the wheels of time at least no black leader can overcome such expectation.

Fredrick Douglass comes to mind. Often romanticized in American literature as the “first African president”, Douglass probably comes close to what Obama might relate to in terms of the political power, centre of attention and eloquence at speech. Douglass could have probably shaped events differently if he ran for office then. But during his time running away from lynching mobs of the South was the most preoccupation many Negroes had in mind. The Negro suffrage that he was actively involved in would have had him turning in his grave had it not been for what the Obama’s campaign aimed at. Simply getting new voting-aged black youngsters to register and for all to vote.

Barack Obama is as was Douglass, a mutt, though I don’t think he would have approved as much as he would stomach being called a nigger. Both pretty much raised by their mothers with their grandmothers playing the most influential parts in their upbringing. Tracing their kin to Native American heritage Obama and Douglass find and found it easy to amass the confidence to mobilize the citizenry towards causes he feels and felt should head. Obama’s chequered community organization goes to show that leaders are not made but are born made not made ready but already made. On the other hand Douglass contravened a law that stated that any marshalling of a Negro army battalion would lead to imprisonment and or attract a death sentence during the 1860s civil war. Despite this ordinance it didn’t deter him from aiding in recruiting the 54^th Massachusetts Regiment in preparation for the standoff at Wagner.

Both leaders have had to fight their own battles at their own time. Howbeit similar in calling they have been able to seamlessly made it look like the same battle has to be fought again as long as the torch’s flame still burns and the disfranchise, discrimination and stereotyping ceases not by man’s own free and good will.

Picture: Page iv Race,Class and Party – A history of Negro suffrage and White politics in the South by Paul Lewinson

The Lion and the Eagle

Poem and photo by Rasuli

For how long will the Lion
spare the eagle.

For how long will it fly the high skies
and swoop down for the meaty remains

For how long will the stars spangle
and at night startle brawls among the pride

How long..
how long?

Who is this king?

In August 2008 an eccentric Muammar Gaddafi was conferred upon the title king of kings of Africa by more than 200 kings, shiekhs and traditional African chieftainship. However, the authenticity of these chiefs was brought to question immediately by Uganda's Head of state Yoweri Museveni who has been an antagonist of the Libya's longest serving State leader. Apparently some of the chiefs were from his East African country. The ceremony took place in Libya's old city of Benghazi seven months ahead of the 12th African Union summit, whose main agenda was to be the integration of Africa into a confederation government, with one currency and Federal Head of States. The summit held on February 6th 2009 elected Col. Gaddafi to head it for the one year term till 2010.Time at which he plans to marshal for faster integration among the A.U member states.

Muammar Gaddafi may have been making a bold statement to fellow African leaders to either hurry up things concerning the integration process or was just showing off his radical reforms he wishes Africa should take up on leadership. He has in his part done away with the cabinet form of governance in his country, and now the form of governance existing is according to his Green Book a three volumes ideal guide on the Arab Jamahiriya, a socialistic-cum-brotherhood kind of constitution. In Jamahiriya the councils are directly responsible for and answerable to the citizenry, who then determine what form of leadership they desire and how state resources should be spent and distributed. In this system of self-rule there are no political parties and no National assembly.

Whatever Gaddafi meant by crowning himself such a dignified title may not have had a shake on conventionals like it did on the Rastafari faithfuls across Africa and undoubtedly the World. Rastafarians hold at their core belief the prophecy of Jamaican civil rights movement leader, Marcus Garvey that the coronation of an African emperor would signify the ripeness of time for all African children scattered in the Diaspora to converge homewards, Africa. They further believe that this came to pass with the coronation of Haile-Selassie I on November 2nd 1930, seventy-two nations were in attendance at the St.Giorgis Cathedral in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian monarch was coronated as King of Kings, Lord of Lords1, The conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, Defender of the Faith and Bearer of the King David Throne, Blessed King of Israel in a royal ritual conducted by forty-nine Ethiopian Orthodox Church Archbishops, priests, monks and before 800 guests amidst world diplomats, Ambassadors and leaders. Among key dignitaries present was envoy to H.M. the King of England and Emperor of India; H.R.H. The Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester, the Duke had the privilege of unveiling a statue of Menelik II prior the ceremony. Also attending was H.R.H. the Prince of Udine, the envoy of H.M. the King of Italy, H.E. Baron von Waldthausen, envoy of the German Republic, envoys of Japan, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Turkey, U.S.A, Poland, France and Egypt.

Revered as God-reincarnate, Haile-Selassie I is believed to be the saviour2 of the Black race, the messiah from the imminent danger of what His dreadlocked followers term as the 'Great Black Slaughter', referring to the annihilation of the African race by the wicked forces of dirty Babylon (New World Order). Rastafari as a Movement was founded in the 1940s and although popular among the Caribbean circles, its roots can be traced in Africa. The faith's tenets are not always strict however there are those that are universally accepted to be fundamental. They include a vegetarian dietary, growing of dreadlocks or wearing ones hair matted into naps, smoking or the use of ganja-marijuana considered as the Holy Herb given to a righteous man in service to the Creator and following the Teaching of His Majesty Haile-Selassie I. These teaching are lessons derived from the Emperor's speeches, way of life and writings. Rastafarians or Rastas in short occasionally read the Bible, but with reservations on the precept of Christ being White or of Caucasian extraction. They perceive, understand (in their case overstand) and interpret the Scriptures from a Black point of view. For instance they purport that Jesus was Black or of African3 stock and that he had dreadlocks, as he was a Nazarene bearing the vow of separation from God-Jah. Also all his disciples were black and matted their hair and grew their beards. Rastas dispute vehemently the declaration of the demise of their God-King Haile-Selassie I claiming it a media hoax to control the movement from spreading. His reformist Reign was toppled by the Red Terror Military Dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1974 while the Empire was grappling with fuel crises. U.K. based Reggae Artist Macka B challenges in his song Haile Haile 'Dem say Selassie gone, but dem never show no evidence, no body, no dental records, no DNA, very mysterious...'confirming the general consensus of many dreads regarding this issue.

Reggae music still remains the most preferred media of evangelism among Rastafarians. The genre was popularized by Bob Marley and the Wailers who took the Island's music admixture of RnB and strong African drumming to the world's top charts. Today reggae music is celebrated alongside Rock, Hip-Hop and RnB as a contending genre at the Grammy Music Awards since its debut in 1985. Black Uhuru's Anthem album was the first reggae album to win the coveted award, ever since reggae has been adequately represented. This in conjunction with the heavy spiritually infused lyrics, tagged with anti-corruption, pro-life, truth, peace, love and unity might be the reason why British Broadcasting Corporation, B.B.C infers that Rastafarism is the fastest growing new religions in the world.

So as the new A.U Chairperson, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi toys around with the idiosyncratical notion that he's the newly crowned king of kings, someone should ask him this question, King fe oom?


1 Revelation 19:16
2 Revelation 5:13
3 Revelation 1:14-15

References:
My Life and Ethiopia's Progress;
An Autobiography of Emperor of Ethiopia Haile-Selassie I

www.rastaites.com
www.africa-union.org
www.en.wikipedia.org
www.zimdaily.com
www.nazret.com
www.allafrica.com

Tomorrow's Sorrows

A poem by Rasuli.

Today's your sorrow
Mine's Tom'rrow
You must return what you borrow
Lend if you must
Deep ah deep this vibe
Nuh shallow
Deeper than deep you should know

I can see you are proud
Hear your sound
black out loud
Although they keep you down
Take heart today's sorrows
will end tom'rrow
Just widen the narrow
Lest your seed lack to follow
This vibe they must know

Tears everyone got them
Blood is a precious gem
Joy cometh in the morning
There's no reason for frowning
Today's sorrow
Will be gone tomorrow
Good humor will fill your marrow
And all hatred you will have to swallow
Full ah Full this vibe nuh shallow
Full ah Full your mind will blow

It may seem dark and no end
Lonely,hapless no friend
The Most High watches over the road you trend
And a companion he has sent
Your sorrow
Mine tomorrow
Will you help me scare away the crow
or wipe away the sweat of my brow
Real ah real dis'ya vow
Real ah real it no show

Today's your sorrow
Mine's Tom'rrow
You must return what you borrow
Lend if you must
Deep ah deep this vibe
Nuh shallow
Deeper than deep you should know
What goes around is bound
to come around
Just stand your ground
For what is right and good
As expected of you, Just as you should.

- March 2008

Commemorating 113th Vict'ry at Adwa.

Blog by Smallaxe Magazine
smallaxe.mag@gmail.com

Exactly 113 years ago today, Africans dealt probably the mightiest blow to a formidable White imperial power proving her decisiveness in the invincibility of her unconquered people. The Battle of Adwa,1896 between an Ethiopian united front comprised of peasantry, noblemen, different tribes, religions and sundry fought off a better trained, sophisticated armed Italian army to much humbling by the Eastern African country.

Ethiopia since time in memorial, in fact, as far back as c.350 has had been plundered by numerous infidels. The Persian attacked it in 570 and the Turks took their swing at the Solomonic dynasty between 1578-1589.At its prime time the Turks' Ottoman Empire invaded it from the North, through Habesh a colony that they controlled adjoining the Red Sea.

A painting portraying the Battle of Adwa.Copyright British Museum.

Despite this however, Ethiopia has had to maintain a firm withstand even when compounded by dexterous military strategists, Jihadist cruelty at the fore front and natural calamity. The Battle of Adwa was perhaps a confirmation of the resilience that makes up an Ethiopian.Putting first their faith in the form of the Mosaic Tabot,Tablets of Law, in their priced possession, within the legendary memory of the first commander, its no wonder the battle only lasted seven hours or less.

Folklore has it that Queen Makeda of Seba sometimes pronounced as Sheba bore Solomon a child when she went to Jerusalem to test his Wisdom. The son was christened Menelik, Menelik I when he ascended to the throne after Queen-Mother died. According to Kebra Negast ,the Glory of the Kings,Menelik brought the Tabot to Ethiopia from Jerusalem. This belief has most Rastafarians axiomatizing Ethiopia as being the New Jerusalem, Zion, a pious solace of peace.

The Tabot form the core processional item in the Ethiopia Orthodox devotion,Ba Beta Kristyan Tewaido. Every church has a replica that they set at the center of the altar; where only ordained Priests and Monks can access for the sole reason of prayer and supplication.

This is the reason why in most likelihood Menelik II used these Tablets of the Law as the unifying aspect at the Battle of Adwa and proved so successful.Today as we honor the gracefully dead of Adwa we cast our eyes upon the great mountain that arguably the Tabot has found as a newly-revered haven and implore "Peace,Oh Lord grants us Peace".



References:
www.tadias.com
www.wikipedia.org
www.rastaites.com
www.zum.de
www.hakobo.art.pl

Repatriation What is it?

Lately with the Babylon falling on it knees, I have been meeting with Brothers and Sisters from Abroad willingly and happy to come back home to Africa.

However, there's a flicker of hope, that from the test of time and adversity Africa might just weather this kind of economical disaster. Naturally, this is also the time that these famous words begin to sound sublime "CENTRALIZE and ORGANIZE.

So I ask from an informed point of view. Is repatriation a Must? Or is it Educational? What is it?