AMSTERDAM – On May 10th, 2015, reggae legend Bob Marley passed away exactly 34 years ago. Marley was responsible for the spread of Reggae and Rasta worldwide and still appeals to the imagination of millions of people. On Saturday May 9th, Caribbean Creativity, in collaboration with Each One Teach One, therefore organizes a tribute to Marley in film theatre Kriterion with a full night of film, music and food in Jamaican Roots/Reggae/Rasta style.
The evening starts at 21:30 hrs in the bar area of Kriterion with a Nyabinghi, a traditional drum session that performed as a communal meditation in the Rastafari movement. These sessions have evolved from the drum ceremonies that enslaved Africans brought with them to Jamaica during colonial rule. Then, at 22:00 hrs, the film Akwantu: The Journey will be screened. This unique documentary by Jamaican-American filmmaker Roy T. Anderson, documents the struggle for freedom of the legendary Maroons of Jamaica, former enslaved Africans, who were able to flee the plantations and slave ships to form communities in some of the most inhospitable regions of the island. Poorly armed and outgunned, these brave warriors engaged the mighty British Empire over an 80-year period and were victorious. As a result, two peace treaties were signed between the British and the Maroons in 1738-39 that established Maroon self-government in Jamaica. Nowhere else in the New World had Africans enjoyed such a degree of autonomy, coming almost sixty years before the Haitian Revolution, and more than one hundred years before the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery in the United States.
After the film screening the night will continue in the bar area of Kriterion with a reggae afterparty. First, Young Flame will do a rootsy dancehall performance, after which Rasta Int. Sound will complete the night with the best reggae tunes. Of course, Jamaican snacks (strictly ital. vital by Chef Journy!) and drinks (Red Stripe!) will be available all night long. A film ticket costs €9,50 and could be secured by calling Kriterion (020 623 1708). The afterparty is free.
This event is part of Rootical Vibrations, an initiative of Caribbean Creativity and Each One Teach One. Caribbean Creativity is a foundation committed to the promotion of Caribbean and Caribbean-themed cinema. Each One Teach One is a Dutch Rastafari consciousness groups. This tribute to Bob Marley marks the 11th edition of Rootical Vibrations, which is held every four months in either Kriterion or De Balie in Amsterdam