Global Reggae Conference

I just returned from a whirlwind week in Jamaica, where I did my best to experience the Reggae Month festivities. The short bit UWI’s Global Reggae Conference that I participated in was immensely gratifying. The conference was very well organized and with speakers from all walks of life and from all around the world. It is a shame the conference was not better attended, as most of the chairs at the sessions I sat in on were empty. For those who missed the conference, UWI has streaming video of each session and event on its website here, which I am hoping they do not remove any time soon.

February is Reggae Month in Jamaica – But Does the Government Really Care About the Music?

At the beginning of the year, Jamaican PM Bruce Golding declared February Reggae Month throughout the country in perpetuity. A number of reggae-related events had already been planned, including UWI’s Global Reggae Conference from February 18-24, and the Africa Unite/Smile Jamaica series of events, culminating in a big concert on the 23rd.

Ironically, Golding’s declaration came at the heels of embarrassing news of the Jamaican government’s own neglect of the country’s cultural history.