During this same period, the Rastafarian movement also saw reggae as a means to express their downpression at the hands of the authorities and to broadcast their Rastafarian principles and beliefs. This included and encouraged the relocation of the African diaspora (the worldwide collection of communities descended from native sub-Saharan Africans) to Africa, also previously proposed by Marcus Garvey. Also the worship of the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I (whose pre coronation name was Ras (prince) Tafari, and the use of marijuana. These beliefs along with their strong campaigning for equal rights and justice has had a lasting impact on reggae and the development of Roots Reggae culture.
Many of the new and established reggae artists were influenced by Rastafarian values and beliefs. Many like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear were reflecting these beliefs in their songs. This reggae fusion of Rastafarian beliefs and reggae music gave reggae authenticity and authority to listeners worldwide who connected with the struggle for equal rights and justice.
Reggae had a good couple of years from 2018 to 2019 in terms of global recognition. In 2018 reggae music was added to the world heritage list by UNESCO for its:
"contribution to international discourse on issues of injustice, resistance, love and humanity underscores the dynamics of the element as being at once cerebral, socio-political, sensual and spiritual".
In 2019 however, research was carried out that showed that if you really want to change the world and create a world that is more open to new experiences then get your kids to
listen to reggae.
Research by O2, the UK telecommunications
service provider and the University of Westminster, has shown that the music children listen to as they grow up:
This research, conducted by O2 in conjunction with Catherine Loveday, Neuropsychologist at Westminster University, showed that 27% of people whose parents listened to reggae would be open to trying new things, with 20% of those who listened to classical music at an early age also open to new experiences, such as sporting activities, different clothes and even hairstyles. Catherine Loveday said:
“Music is a very fundamental way for parents to connect with their children so it is not surprising that musical tastes get passed on, but it is interesting to think that listening habits might also nurture open-mindedness and flexibility, as well as a yearning for live music. We have known for a while that exposing children to lots of new foods will help them to develop a more adventurous palate and it looks like the same thing might be true of music”.
For those who were surveyed and who listened to a diverse range of music when growing up, their top 5 genres today are:
“Music connects us on an emotional level so it’s perhaps no surprise to see that the music we listen to growing up shapes our approach and attitude to other aspects of our life....”.
We are in a world where change is happening at an increasing rate in some areas but, not fast enough in others. As we have seen with Greta Thunberg and the environmental movement and the global Black Lives Matter movement, the young will inherit the earth so we need them to have an open mind.
So music that originated on an island in the Caribbean has managed to spread globally and made an impact far beyond expectations. Therefore, it is incumbent on us reggae fans and listeners to keep spreading the word and ensure that reggae music will carry on changing attitudes and minds across the world.