roots and culture
I’ve always been fascinated by reggae dancing. It’s a beautiful sight to behold.
A lot of people, when they are dancing to rasta music, are dancing for religious or spiritual purposes.
Practicing Rastafarians will often refer to this verse in the Old Testament about dancing:
“David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment.” – 2 Samuel 6:14
Some people just wanna get down and grind to reggae. Some simply want to have fun.
Whatever the case may be, you can be rest assured that reggae music is something to make you move your waist. Or as they say, “The drum and the bass make ya move ya waist!”
Some prefer to dance alone like my uncle here:
Some people like to dance in pairs, like my future wife dancing with some jerkhole:
…we don’t talk about that night anymore…
And, of course, people love to dance in large groups:
Whatever the case, reggae music is good for the soul!
Whether you are by yourself, with someone or in a large group, make sure you get out there this summer and DANCE!
Nuff Said.
More and more people getting interested in environmental issues all the time and in doing so, many of the long running environmental campaigns that were once seen as fringe movements are now becoming mainstream events.
Earth Day is one such movement. Started in 1970 by the US senator Gaylord Nelson, it has grown from being just a minor American day to a global event celebrated by countries across the globe.
Most countries celebrate Earth Day on 22 April but the United Nations have their own in March. However, many countries precede the actual day itself with a week of eco and environmental promotion.
Earth Day is aimed at encouraging eco friendly living and promoting such schemes as recycling, energy efficiency, and reducing waste. And this year it is celebrating its 40th anniversary and it expected to be the biggest celebration in the day’s history.
Across the globe all sorts of initiatives and schemes are conducted to promote eco friendly ideas; from rallies, and large pop concerts to mass switch off’s and recycling projects. It is estimated that almost a billion people will get involved in some aspect of this Earth Day anniversary.
And there is something everybody can do to celebrate this global event too. Earth day is a great opportunity to begin all those eco friendly schemes that you have been putting off. From recycling and reducing energy consumption; to turning all the appliances off that are normally left on stand-by; It is also a great way of kick starting those positive habits that could go a long way of helping the environment.
But being green and keeping up an eco friendly lifestyle does require some determination so it is important to remember the Earth is forever not just a day!
Richard N Williams is interested in green innovations and writes about them. Please visit our website if you are interested in eco friendly living or other eco-friendly products.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_N_Williams
As a kid, I loved watching Gilligan’s Island. I mean, what a ridiculously nutty show.
And don’t try to tell me you didn’t love it either, because I know you did!
It’s funny because the crew of the S.S. Minnow were said to have been marooned on that tiny desert isle… With two hotties and plenty of ganja ( my version )
But wtf does marooned mean? Where the hell did that word come from?
Are you thinking what IM thinking?
I was hanging out with my man, Bunny Mystic one night, and we were just reasoning about the history of Jamaica. He was talking about some African warriors that escaped the British and had magical fighting powers.
….yes, magical fighting powers 
The Maroons, he explained, were master guerilla warfare experts, and were so good at what they did, the British thought they could materialize in trees, slit their throats, and then disappear!
This is where “marooned” came from?!?!?!
It is a true story indeed. The Maroons were runaway slaves who unified themselves to fight their oppressors, and they did so brilliantly.
Maroons also played a major role in the countries of Brazil, Suriname, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Cuba, and Jamaica.
The story of the Maroons is a very interesting one, and I invite you to take a look at these resources about them:
Enjoy!
One of the coolest reggae bands I have played with is Ishmael and the Peacemakers.
Ishmael and the Peacemakers is led by ( you guessed it! ) Ishmael. He is a reggae drummer, songwriter and lyricist from Barbados.
Ishmael Sealy was the drummer for the Killer Bees from Austin Texas, as well as for the BlackSheep from Philly/DC. He really made a name for himself with those bands.
Most top reggae musicians know exactly who he is when you mention his name.
Since I mention Ishmael so much in previous posts, it should be no surprise to you that he was a heavy influence in my development as a drummer. When I first started playing with him, he pointed out a lot of intricacies about reggae music that I had no idea existed before.
Things such as:
- The major differences between different types of reggae beats
- Varying tempos between songs
- Song structure
- Roots, culture and history
- Being creative without sacrificing the basics
- .. the list goes on and on
All these things have stuck with me over the years and continue to help me along the way.
Take a listen to Ishamel’s wicked song called “Burning Van”.
Aside from being a great musician, Ishmael is a great human being. You can learn a lot from his music as well as from him personally.
I invite you to become a friend of his:
Peace!
One day, a co-worker of mine, Amanda, asked me how I was doing.
“Irie!” I replied…
“What the…?” was her answer….
…and the convo rolled on about about the meaning of the word irie.
I forgot that many people don’t know what irie meant, so I figured I would take a few moments to explain this cool little word to ya.
Irie ( pronounced EYE-ree ), is a state of mind. It’s a state where everything is at peace within, and your mind is full of joy.
No wonder, when someone smokes ganja, they say they feel irie. 
Irie, is a jamaican/patois word, that can mean a lot of things, but it’s always something very positive and respectful.
Check out urban dictionaries many different meanings for irie.
My life was as it’s most irie when I was living in San Diego, playing reggae drums and living in a little beach town. I was playing with Ishmael and the Peacemakers, and the album we were promoting was called, “Feel ‘N Irie”. <— take a listen to the first track, and you will begin to understand the wonders of irieness.
I hope you have an irie day.
Peace!
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The ponderings, musings and spewings of a completely crazy reggae drummer
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