SEAGA
FORMER PRIME Minister Edward Seaga is to be inducted as a Fellow of the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ). According to the Council of the Institute of Jamaica, the conferral of this honour on Mr. Seaga is an appropriate means of acknowledging his "sterling contribution to nation-building through culture."
A pioneer in the field of cultural research, Mr. Seaga has written numerous articles on varying aspects of Jamaica's cultural heritage, with particular focus on Jamaica Folk Religion. His article 'Revival Cults in Jamaica', published in the Jamaica Journal in 1969, reflects the essence and extent of extensive research conducted in this area.
Mr. Seaga has also contributed significantly to the development and promotion of Jamaican music. In one of his more recent articles, 'The Origins of Jamaica's Popular Music', published in the Jamaica Journal of December, 2004, Mr. Seaga describes the history and "development of Jamaican music, in the sequence of the emergence of its rhythms and styles," from rhythm and blues (R&B) through to dub deejay/dancehall.
In June 2004, in a ceremony held at the National Library of Jamaica, Mr. Seaga's continuous interest in the preservation of Jamaica's cultural heritage was demonstrated, through his presentation to that institution of digitised copies of recordings done as part of his research on Jamaica Folk Religion.
The induction, the institute said, is in keeping with its mission, 'for the encouragement of literature, science and art in Jamaica."
Mr. Seaga will be conferred with this honour at an induction ceremony to be announced.
