All Hail the King of Kings, the Lion of Judah, the Almighty One, Ye shall break every chain again and again...

Text of a welcome banner held aloft at Montego Bay’s civic reception for Emperor Haile Selassie I, April 23, 1966.

Ijahnya Christian

‘THE HEAT that rose from the tarmac of Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport was nothing compared to the level of expectation that was seeping through the thousands gathered on the tarmac that 21st day of April, 1966. The day was declared a public holiday in honour of the Emperor and people had started arriving from Wednesday night from places near and far, to form the largest crowd to have ever assembled at the Norman Manley International Airport. They came to the airport any way they could ¬ by car, by truck, by bus, by bicycle, by foot. Drum beats and chants were heard almost non-stop, providing an almost hypnotic rhythm. The smell of ganja wafted through the air completing a welcome unprecedented in size and expectation for the Emperor on his first state visit to Jamaica.”

Brother George Huggins of Accompong, explained the enthusiastic welcome, “it is hard to put in words what seeing this man, this great man, the Lord of lords, in Jamaica meant to us in the Rastafarian community. We had heard so much about him for so long.” On the tarmac, some waved palm leaves, some red, green and gold Ethiopian flags, and some blew the Maroon cowhorn known as the abeng in welcome. Everyone kept their eyes on the sky wondering when the plane carrying His Imperial Majesty from Trinidad and Tobago would arrive. Rain began to fall and the crowd continued to wait, hoping even for just a glimpse of the plane through the thick clouds that had formed.

When the insignia of a roaring lion and stripes of red, green and gold finally came into view, the rain stopped. People shouted, “See how God stop de rain.” The sound from the crowd was deafening as masses of people rushed to get closer to the island’s distinguished visitor. The crowd simply broke down any barriers that stood in their way in their eagerness to position themselves as close as possible to the “King of Kings.” ’

(Rebecca Tortello writing for The Gleaner article posted March 25, 2002).

Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah – ‘The morning was bleak, with drizzling rain on Thursday, April 21, 1966. The clouds obscured the usual bright tropic morning sunshine. All the Rastafarian brethren island-wide arose early, making final preparations. On our camp at Glasspole Avenue in Warieka Hills, we had early morning chanting and “ishence” burning as we assembled the brethren in order to proceed to Palisadoes and Norman Manley Airport. With Count Ossie and the African Drum Reverberations, and the brethren dressed in splendid red, gold and green regalia, Brothers Phil, Sam and I groomed in our Ethiopian national robes, led a throng of brethren in a motorcade down from the hills. The motorcade was preceded by a motor cycle squad, captained by Brother Fairweather. We were cheered by the crowd gathered by the roadside as we turned on Windward Road, heading for the airport. This was a momentous day in the Historic Annals of Jamaica. The day of the arrival of the “Lion of Judah”, Emperor Haile Selassie I.’ (Douglas “Brother Douggie” R. A. Mack, From Babylon to Rastafari, 1999).

“Distinguished members of the Jamaican Parliament, I am glad today to get this opportunity of conveying some thoughts to the Jamaican Parliament and people.

…Our relations with the Jamaican people, as I have said already, is not of present origin. At a time when the Ethiopian people bore aggression, harsh aggression, the people of Jamaica showed their concern and sympathy to the Ethiopian people and have in this way provided us with encouragement regarding which the Ethiopian people shall be forever grateful. Since I arrived in Jamaica, I was able to witness myself that these feelings of sympathy that had existed then have continued, and even now there is a greater desire to establish a closer relation with the people of Ethiopia. The relations, in a broader sense, between the people of Jamaica and the people of Ethiopia and Africa are deep and abiding. We have all struggled for independence and have achieved it now. Because we are people dedicated to the achievement of our independence. we have attained an objective that Is the basis for continued mutual cooperation and goodwill.

In addition to this there is a bond of gratitude, a bond of brotherhood.

The people of Jamaica, by and large, have originated in Africa. This again gives us another basis upon which we can contract a healthy relation, a relation that is not only going to be useful to our respective peoples but a relation, because of the fundamental similarity between us, that will in the long run contribute to a better maintenance of international peace and security...

The people of African origin have immigrated to many parts of the world. Some of them have come to Jamaica; others to other parts of the world. But wherever they may be they have similar historical experiences and the problems that await them depend on sympathy, and this can be used by all of us as the basis for the establishment of greater cooperation which will be for our mutual benefit…

I would broadly say wherever there is African blood there is a basis for greater unity...

(Excerpts from Address to Jamaican Parliament by His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, April 22, 1966).

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News