Al Miller presents message of ‘One Love’ at Reggae Month launch
Reggae music a ‘gift from God’
Published:Monday | January 29, 2024 | 12:10 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
The potent message of ‘One Love’ and the divinity embodied in reggae music was the theme of the sermon from ‘Reggae Pastor’, the Rev’d Al Miller, at the launch of Reggae Month at his reggae-loving church, Fellowship Tabernacle, on Sunday morning.
Miller’s words followed those of Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, who was still on a lovely high from last Tuesday’s launch of the highly anticipated Paramount Pictures Bob Marley biopic.
Grange, in closing her presentation, declared:”As we honour Reggae Month, let’s carry in our hearts the legendary words by Bob Marley — One Love, One Heart – as we strive to create a world that reflects the positive spirit of reggae. We had the premiere ... the first premiere in the world ... of the movie Bob Marley: One Love. It is huge. It is going to make Bob Marley and Jamaica larger than life. It is a wonderful story. It is a love story. It is mixed with emotion, and it is mixed with so many other experiences. I encourage you all to go out and see it and to say you continue to spread the word of love that Jamaica represents. And as we close, we close with One Love.”
One Love is a ska song by Bob Marley’s original group, The Wailers, from their 1965 debut album The Wailing Wailers, and it is also the message of unity and goodwill embodied in reggae music. Miller, in tracing the root of the word ‘music’ – which is ‘muse’ – posited that reggae music is a gift from God that urges listeners to think about the message therein.
“We must choose to guide reggae to fulfil its intended purpose. It is not chance what the focus is this year. It is celebrating reggae, the message of one love. A di lick dat. A shot we a lick. A di shot dat!” the ‘Reggae Pastor’ declared.
He added, “Accept the principle that it is among the most powerful music forms of the last century and God gave it by revelation.”
Miller acknowledged that many in the Church might not agree with him but theorised that God led the founding fathers to receive a revelation in shaping the nation that “Jamaica, may, under God, increase in beauty, fellowship, and prosperity and advance the welfare of the whole human race”, and there is no force more powerful through which to advance than music.
SPIRITUAL PEOPLE
“And He put it on a riddim that yuh have to catch the riddim and ride di riddim. All dem nice spiritual people in church ... but if watch dem when reggae a buss, di foot a tap because di foot nuh get the message that di riddim nuh good,” an amused Miller stated.
Choosing his words carefully, Miller addressed not just the singer and players of instruments, but all of Jamaica and urged the citizenry “to pull reggae into the main stream of our current struggle”.
“Reggae music can either be used positively or negatively. In the latter years, the negative has been our experience ... but yuh see when it a go down, we a go tun it up again, and accomplish what the early thinkers and framers intended,” he said.
He argued that the only sure path for national success and prosperity is what was envisioned by the founding fathers “one love”. Miller made an appeal for Jamaicans to “recommit ourselves to move reggae to accomplish its purpose as the originators had in mind.”
“In 2024, we must deliberately ... from the prime minister down ... choose to use its developed power ... let us use reggae to help restore our nation to a path of justice, love, peace, and righteousness. The message one love may communicate different things to different people, but the message agrees with God’s word because God and His word says there is only one love,” the preacher said.
He called out Greek philosophy for giving the world a wrong concept that there are different types of love.
“This is a flawed concept ... dem miss it. It is not consistent with the intent of God. Different types of relationships, but one love. One love, Iyah,”
Minister Grange, in her remarks, outlined some of the activities for Reggae Month, which will, this year for the first time, include Dancehall Week from February 13 - 19 . She encouraged persons to download the app, which will be the main vehicle for updating the public about events.
Among the highlights for February will be a tribute to Dennis Brown at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, a musical tribute to Bob Marley at Emancipation Park, and the Reggae Gold Award.