Grange praises Rastafari for evolution of Reggae

Olivia Grange, Jamaica's minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, says the admission of reggae music to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is a tribute to the Jamaican people and to all those who have been exponents of the different genres that have emerged from the roots of reggae.

The minister's comment followed news of the inscription of reggae at the 13th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Mauritius on Thursday.

"A special tribute must be made to the Rastafari community, which has been recognised globally as the chief practitioners who have contributed in a major way to the evolution of reggae. They carried the messages of peace, hope, love, and one-ness that have made reggae loved and 'RASpected' worldwide," she said.

"As a genre, reggae music reflects the influences of Kumina chants and songs, Revival tambourines and hymns, and the drumming and chanting of Rastafarians. The heavy bassline, which is associated with the strains of reggae, have strong Rastafarian influences. Indeed, artistes such as Count Ossie and the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, who emerged on Jamaica's music scene in the mid- to late 1950s, are to be acknowledged and recognised for their contribution to reggae's unique sound and how it has evolved."