THE EDITOR, Sir:
GREETINGS, JAMAICA. For the first time in five years, my family will not be in Jamaica to organise and host a public 'One Love Concert' on Bob Marley's birthday. Our event last year on Knutsford Boulevard produced in conjunction the Jamaican Government and the Bob Marley Foundation, was a huge success and was an evening that will always be precious to us.
That night , we felt that our message of encouraging all Jamaicans to claim themselves as a "teachers of love," was heard islandwide. Some accepted our invitation. Some are not yet ready.
We wanted to let the Jamaican people know how instrumental your message and music have been in our work here in our own country.
For now, we have taken our message to native American Indian reservations in the United States. Our new book, The Beauty Path: A Native American Journey Into One Love, will be released on Bob's birthday this year. For the most part, we are working with two tribes in Arizona, the Hopi and the Havasupai. Unlike most other tribes, both are still living on their ancient tribal land.
The Havasupai live on the floor of the Grand Canyon, a six-hour trek from the closest road. The Hopi live 200 miles east on a high, remote semi-arid mesa.
There are many reggae fans in both tribes and conscious Jamaican reggae has become a powerful drumbeat on both reservations, reinforcing their ancient instructions of love and forgiveness.
The Hopi are considered the most culturally-intact and spiritually-based of all 300-plus native American tribes.
SACRED COVENANT
Almost a thousand years ago, the tribe made a sacred Covenant with the Creator to stay on their land and practise their ways in order to become the first society of "Hopi," which in their language means "Peaceful People."
For almost a millennium, they have kept alive their sacred Ceremonial Cycle, a year-long series of ceremonies that through song, dance, drumming and spoken word, contains all human wisdom (there are ceremonies teaching generosity, courage, agape, forgiveness, loyalty, patience, devotion, compassion, etc.). They were told to do this not just for themselves but for all humanity. They have successfully done this and their elders tell us that they are very close to completing their Covenant.
SACRED TASK
Jamaica has helped them in this sacred task. In the last two decades, there have been almost 70 reggae concerts on the Hopi reservation, most with Jamaican artistes including Culture, Freddie McGregor, Sister Carol, Don Carlos, Black Uhuru, Junior Reid, The Wailers, The I-Threes, Peter Broggs, Dennis Brown, Yellowman, Sly, Dean Fraser, Abijah and Burning Spear.
All reinforced the tribes' message of love and helped the tribe, especially the youths, to stay on the road Home. As the reservation's reggae disc jockey, Karen Abieta (Sister Parrot), once told us, "There are only two things to do in Hopiland - high school football games and reggae concerts. Most of the artistes say we are the best audience they ever play to."
So once again, "Thank You, Jamaica!" for helping us to get out our message of inviting everyone to heal, through love and forgiveness,the piece of the planet the Creator has assigned each of us. Your impact worldwide, and that of your conscious artistes such as Bob Marley, is greater than you will ever know.
We are, etc.,
JULIA, ALICIA &
ROBERT ROSKIND
roskind@boone.net
Blowing Rock N.C.
