Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer
Astor Black (left) stands beside Jennifer Nugent-Hill while Barrington Levy makes his acceptance speech at the Reggae Walk of Fame inaugural Awards Presentation, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, on Saturday. - WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
THE REGGAE Walk of Fame took its first seven steps with the official induction of its initial batch of seven reggae luminaries on Saturday night.
It was six persons, or in one case her two representatives, who made the few actual steps to the podium at the Talk of the Town on the Jamaica Pegasus' 17th floor, to which the induction ceremony had to be shifted after rain left the original garden location soggy.
And it was a very small, but very appreciative, gathering which Ras Astor Black greeted an hour past the slated 8:00 p.m. start, to the background music of the Reggae Walk of Fame Chanters drumming and guitar ensemble.
"It is the day for the world to see reggae in a new light, in a light where people see little Jamaica in a big, big way," Black, the creator of the Reggae Walk of Fame, said.
Before the official induction of King Yellowman, Culture, Charlie Chaplin, Tony Rebel, Barrington Levy and Cynthia Schloss, the last posthumously and whose daughter Divine and widower Winston Blake were on hand on Saturday evening while the others were all present, there were drumming tributes to Empress Menen and Rita Marley.
A representative of the seventh inductee, Third World, was said to be on his way but had not arrived when The Gleaner left the Pegasus.
The evening's guest speaker, Jennifer Nugent-Hill, vice-president, Public and Government Affairs, Tropical Shipping, after remembering the pride she felt on returning to Jamaica for the first time in 15 years, gave the example of the place she lived after she was nine years old. "About two years ago, the US Virgin Islands passed a law," she said, adding that it was a young Senator who pushed it through.
"What they did, he wanted the music of the US Virgin Islands, quelmbe, to be the official form of music and all the people who made that music would be forever honoured in US Virgin Islands history... At every government activity, the only music that will be allowed to be played is quelmbe, so it can be recognised all over the world," she said.
She expressed concern that in many commercials advertising Jamaica "I have to ask 'where is the reggae beat'?"
"I think we are embarking on a historical journey tonight," Nugent-Hill said. "There is a new horizon coming into view. It is reggae and tourism in synergy and harmony, showing the true culture of Jamaica."
It was she who handed over the commemorative awards and said the words to officially induct those who are making the first steps on the Reggae walk of Fame. The first person up was Joseph 'Culture' Hill. "I used to be a sign artist before and I know the meaning of art. This look to me like when I sweat, when I red, red red, working hard to hold up Jamaica and not let it go down like the tail of the cow, like Marcus Garvey say," he said.
"We need no coward hearted me in the reggae band, who are afraid to die. We call for valiant-hearted men, who look like men of war," Hill said, to a round of applause.
