WAGWAN alumni, family, and friends,
The past four days have been packed with learning and exchanging culture through the arts. There is a tangible appreciation for art and expression here in Jamaica, and it has inspired me—and all of us—to live our art. To not just dance, but to embody our dance in every day life. Dance and music are not outward extensions of life. They are life. And that is something I have admired about all our interactions here in Jamaica—and it reflects the culture’s African roots.
Yesterday we had the unique opportunity to learn about Jamaica’s most treasured representation of art and life: Mr. Bob Marley. We visited the Marley Museum here in Kingston. The famous 56 Hope Road was Marley’s home, and has been preserved and memorialized for his outstanding contributions to Jamaica and the world.
The grounds are beautiful, but the most beautiful part for me was seeing his kitchen and bedroom. He lived modestly and minimally (as a true rasta) with a one burner stove, denim bedding, and of course some blessed gangah. I was mesmerized. The thought of him sitting in his hammock feeling all the pain of his people as they were getting shot in the streets…but that didn’t compel him to violence. He wrote. And his words changed the world. I felt an energy in his kitchen and bedroom space, a small vibration in my body, and I felt the sting of tears coming on. I know thousands, maybe millions, of people have stood in that same spot of the museum, but the energy and spirit within his home is still untouched.
Needless to say, we learned much about Marley’s life and Jamaica’s recent history. I’m taking away the interesting facts that everyone takes from a museum tour, but I’m happy to say that I’m taking away energy. An energy I hope continues to vibrate in my body. And an understanding and appreciation for art for humanity, art for liberation.
One love,
Hannah, AADC dancer/alumna
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