"There is not in this world a more disgraceful denial of human brotherhood than the Jim Crow car of the southern United States; but, too, just as true, there is nothing more beautiful in the universe than sunset and moonlight on Montego Bay in far Jamaica.” (Darkwater, 1920)
These words penned by W.E.B. DuBois in 1920 still resonate today. On the 1st of November, two bus loads of students embarked on a journey from the University of West Indies campus in Kingston to Montego Bay for a Nyabinghi. Every year Rastafari from around the world gather in Mo Bay to celebrate the 1930 coronation of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. This year was no different. While the turn out may not have been as large as previous years, the caliber of the event was nothing short of monumental. Rastafari from at least America, Jamaica and Japan were represented. When we arrived at the campsite around 10 p.m. on the 1st, the drumming and chanting had already began. An elder came out to greet the group and provide some background on the history and meaning of Rastafari before everyone was ushered into the campground to witness the 12 a.m. lighting of the Nyabinghi fire. The lighting of the bonfire officially marks the start of the weeklong ceremony and is kept burning for the entire duration. Throughout the ceremony songs are sung reminiscent of church hymns, while others are particular to Rastafari. At various times the drumming is interrupted to allow for elders to pass down oral histories and for readings from the Bible. People came as went as they pleased. Noone is designated tasks but everyone plays a role. If the fire is dying out someone will add firewood. If a drummer retires, another will take his place. There is even a member from the local community who voluntarily cleans the camp at daybreak.
For the students the event seemed to be very enlightening. Many of them admittedly knew very little about Rastafari prior to the Nyabinghi and professed to have extinguished many negative views afterwards. We stayed until around 10 a.m. the next day, taking sleeping rotations in the bus before finally heading back to campus. Some went straight to work the next day with no sleep; thankfully I have no classes on Mondays.
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