Wednesday 6 February 2013

happy birthday Bob

Today is the birthday of a great caribbean musical artiste  - Robert Nesta Marley.

"give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right"

Born: 6 February 1945
Died: 1 May 1981

Bob was what we in the caribbean call red, and what the rest of the world calls mulatto. Born to a white father and a black mother, he said he was called half caste while growing up. Bob said that he was not prejudiced. He was not for the white man or the black man. He was for God.

Although Bob was a vegetarian it was rumoured that  he ate KFC while in Trinidad for a concert.  Bob did not like Trinidad or our carnival. He did not like our penchant for alcohol.

Bob speaks of God alot in his music. He was raised a Catholic, however in the1960's he became a Rasta.

Rastafarianism, gets it's name from  Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael titled Ras (1892-1975). Ras Tafari (always mispronounced Rasta Fari) eventually became Emperor of Ethiopia and took the name Haile Salasie the first or Haile Salasie I. A devout Christian, Salasie claimed descendancy from the Bible's King Solomon. Tafari means "one who is respected or feared" Haile means  "Power of" and Selassie means trinity—therefore Haile Selassie roughly translates to "Power of the Trinity" Salasie was called by other names in  Ethiopia including Janhoy. It is this name that Rastafarians use when they refer to him as Jah! Rastas believe that Salasie was god on Earth. Bob Marley's wife erroneously believed she saw the stigmata on his hands when he visited Jamaica.

Bob became a Rasta, growing his hair and trying to follow the life of a Nazirite (Numbers 6:5). Eventually he joined the Twelve Tribes of Judah (tribe Joseph). The Twelve tribes was an organised religion for Rastas, promoting theology and rituals.

In later life, Bob was given a ring worn by Haile Salasie. He wore that  ring until just before he died. When he took it off he stated that the ring used to burn his finger when he wore it. It was returned to the person who gave it to him: Haile Salasie's son. Just before he died Bob was baptised into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. 

It is interesting that when Bob went to germany in 1979 to be treated for his cancer he was treated by an exNazi: Joseph Issels. Issels treatment to cure Cancer has not proven to be effective.It should be stated that Issels resigned from the Nazi party during the second world war because he thought that he should be able to treat Jewish patients.

Bob drove a BMW. He said that for him it stood for Bob Marley and the Wailers. He usually parked it up with the windows down. No one would steal from it, or steal it. It was Bobs.

Bob has a string of awards and memorials, but while he was alive he was only given three:

Bob lives on through his music. Hear is one song that I truly love. And the video is cool too.... Go Sir Paul!:




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