Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, Peter Tosh, the Itals, the Ethiopians--they all
dropped dazzling proverbs into their best-known reggae tunes.
"What come bad in the morning, can't come good in the evening."
"They love to give you a basket to carry water."
"The harder the battle be, ago sweeter the victory."
In Reggae Wisdom: Proverbs in Jamaican Music Swami Anand Prahlad looks
at the contexts and origins of these proverbs, using them as a cultural
sheet music toward understanding the history of Jamaican culture,
Rastafari religion, and the music that is that culture's worldwide
voice.
Prahlad's fieldwork in Jamaica is extensive. For him, the study of
Jamaican sayings and music is not only an academic endeavor. It is also
a personal and poetic exploration. Prahlad says, "I am writing not only
as a folklorist but also as a member of the international reggae
community, a group of people around the globe who look to this music for
its joy, wisdom, and strength."
His unique, groundbreaking study argues that contemporary reggae artists
are self-styled Rastafari priests for an international community of
listeners and devotees. These "warrior/priests" serve as educators,
healers, prophets, advisers, and social critics. Their proverbs become
sources of strength and inspiration for members of the reggae community.
Several chapters in Reggae Wisdom offer important insights into
Rastafari ideology, the history of reggae, the life and folk culture of
Jamaican communities, and the recording scene that gave rise to roots
reggae. One chapter, based on the author's fieldwork in Jamaica,
considers the use of proverbs by ordinary individuals in Jamaican
society. Other chapters focus on proverbs used by musical artists such
as Bob Marley. Chapters also explore the contexts of album cover art,
promotional materials, concert venues, and performance styles and
conventions."
As Prahlad says, "What better way to enter this rich and powerful,
eclectic world of sound and sense than through the magical world of
proverbs?"
