Levi Tafari Dub poet

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (Jamaica, 1945 – USA, 1981) Reggae musician and member of Rastafarian movement. Africa Unite (Survival 1979) reflects Marley's support for the struggles of Africans. Redemption Song (Uprising 1980) “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery None but ourselves can free our minds…” Get up, Stand up: radical song, which would appeal to people in third world, black people. Exodus : song about return to Zion

Other famous Bob Marley songs I Shot the Sheriff No woman, No Cry Could you be loved Stir It Up Jammin’ One Love Three Little Birds Buffalo Soldier Iron Lion Zion… Other famous Bob Marley songs

The Rastafarian movement Haile Selassi (1892-1975): last emperor of Ethiopia = Jah, their incarnation of God They reject western society, called Babylon ("confusion"). Zion = promised land (Africa) Dreadlocks – related to lions, the animal on the flag Can you write down some other beliefs from the video?

Some Rastafarian Festivals February 6 - Bob Marley’s birthday. May 11 - The day that Bob Marley died. July 23 - The birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie August 17 - The birthday of Marcus Garvey September 11 - Ethiopian New Year

What is dub poetry? Oral poetry for public performance, in the Jamaican (and black British) dialect Started in Jamaica and England - early 1970s Jamaican disc‐jockeys (‘toasters’) sang or recited their own words over the dub versions of reggae records (instrumental re‐mixed versions on the B‐sides) Dub poetry includes celebration of music, protest against racism, and Rastafarian religious themes. Some famous dub poets: Linton Kwesi Johnson , Benjamin Zephaniah, Michael Smith, Jean Binta Breeze

Who is Levi Tafari? Let’s visit his website Eight hundred lives project An interview with Levi

Visit to a school youtube clip

His name: ‘Creator of Unity’ I’m a creator of unity My identity is a mystery because my story is not history My geneology is of an African ancestry which has left a legacy for the whole of humanity I am crucial, rhythmic, poetic consciousness raiser An Urban Griot overflowing with culture Born in Liverpool to parents from Jamaica Yes I'm Levi Tafari a unity creator

Benjamin Zephaniah Poems Touch Genetics The British youtube The British text The Brazilians – students’ poems based on The British

Task: compare The British and Celebr8 Celebrate Types of people mentioned Structure of poem Tone of poem

Comparison: The British and Celebr8 Celebrate Types of people mentioned Historic peoples who invaded Britain (Picts, Celts, Silures, Romans, Norman French,Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Vikings)   Recent immigrants (Jamaicans, and from other Caribbean islanders, Africans, Chinese etc) Black white / different races Different religious groups Men / women Older people (the elderly) Disabled people Refugees Structure of poem A recipe, a list of different people who came to Britain Doesn’t rhyme (free verse) Like song lyrics, with a chorus Rhymes Tone of poem Humourous but with serious point at the end (An unequal spread of justice will damage the people and cause pain. Give justice and equality to all.) Serious

Write your own poem! Write a poem called either ‘The Spanish’ or ‘The Catalans’ in the style of a recipe. Historic inhabitants / invaders Recent immigrants Traditions / characteristics of the Spanish or Catalans

Recipe vocabulary add bake blend (=mix smoothly) blend in boil combine cook leave to cool let …cool / heat up melt (derritir) mix pour remove serve set sieve / strain (to remove ) - colar simmer – cook slowly (xuf xuf!) spread sprinkle steam – cocinar al vapor stir – (‘remenar’) take …(a blend of… whisk – what you do with a ‘mini-pimer’

Further Information: Roots West Indian immigration to Britain in the 1950s