Counter Culture: Rastafarian Movement

 
 

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great god will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. jah!

“Get Up, Stand Up”- Bob Marley

Are you aware that Bob Marley’s reggae songs have religious and political background behind it? If you answered no, then you must read on to know how the Rastafarian movement came about. If you answered yes, then do you agree that the Rastafarian movement was a form of a counter culture?

The famous Bob Marley was part of the Rastafarian movement, a “"messianic religio-political movement" that began in the Jamaican slums in the 1920s and 30s. The beginnings of this movement began when European powers were colonizing parts of Africa in which they took the African people and treated them as slaves. For the African people, this captivity marked the “suppression of their culture, and they knew the areas of captivity as Babylon”.  (Jah.com)

The movement was initially led by a black political leader by the name of Marcus Garvey (a man rastas consider a prophet) and taught his followers to “look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be your Redeemer.” This statement was the foundation of the Rastafarian movement. (Jah.com)

This statement was considered a prophecy and was soon followed by the crowning of Haile Selassie I as the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarian saw this as the fulfillment of Garvey’s words. Haile Selassie, whose real name was Ras (Prince) Tafari Makonnen, became known as the Black Messiah or Jah Rastafari. Selassie is a symbol of salvation and Rasta’s believe he will save blacks from white suppression and reunite them with their African homeland. (Jah.com)

In the mid-1930s the first branch of Rastafari is believed to have been established by Leonard P. Howell in Jamaica. Howell talked of the divinity of Haile Selassie and preached that blacks would one day gain superiority of whites. His message encouraged other people to spread the word of Rastafari, and this marked the first uniting of Rastafarians. It brought hope to blacks that one day they would be free and return to Africa. It also created a path for the movement to move forward. (Jah.com)

Now that the tone has been set regarding the Rastafarian movement, it is essential that I relate this to our class discussions, particularly on the theory of late capitalism and counter hegemony. According to Gramsci, hegemony exists when “the oppressed is conditioned to accept domination through the deployment of ideology”. But in this situation, the Rastafarian movement can be considered as counter-hegemony or counter-culture since it serves as a venue for resistance to its colonizers, particularly the European powers. It serves as an undertaking to weaken and withhold the consent of the oppressed that Gramsci was talking about. It then follows that culture is no longer just affirmative but rather plays an important role in its struggle to fight the hegemonic powers. Furthermore, as we move on to late capitalism, we see that the role of ideology changes as well. Before, ideology was seen as the means of control of the dominant class, as seen in Marxism. Nowadays, using the lens of late capitalism, ideology is transformed into “an an everyday experience manifested in popular culture. The purpose of ideology critique in late capitalism is to uncover and demystify reification, domination and hegemony found in people’s everyday experiences and activities” The Rastafarian movement is a perfect example of this. This is the main reason why I posted the lyrics of Bob Marley’s song, Get Up Stand Up. Music was a vital part of the Rastafarian movement. Bob Marley, the King of Reggae, was influenced by former musicians of Africa such as Nyabinghi. It is the “most integral form of Rastafarian music which is played at groundations, or worship ceremonies, and includes drumming, chanting, dancing, prayer, and the smoking of ganja”. Nyabinghi, which originated in East Africa, spread to Jamaica with the purpose of opposing imperialism. It is also often used to invoke the power of God, or Jah, against oppressors through the use of drums. From Nyabnghi arose Afro-Caribbean music that included influences from the native peoples of Jamaica and European slave owners who encouraged the music as a means of keeping morale high. With this context, it is evident that the music has been part of their lives. It is not the grand and clear-cut kind of ideology that we know of. It is the type of ideology that is embedded in their lives, especially in their music. The Rastafarian music empowered them to “stand up for their rights so to speak”. Music was an integral part of their protest. Due to this, the transformation of the black people occurred-from being silenced into having a voice. These Rastafarians have created their own counter culture out of their oppression and slavery through the use of music that is based on their doctrines.

References:

Religion Facts. (2011). Rastafari. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/a-z-religion-index/rastafarianism.htm#1

Jah.com (2011). Reggae music. Retrieved from

http://www.jah.com/reggae-music/

Jah.com (2011). Rastafari movement. Retrieved from

http://www.jah.com/rastafari-movement/

Simulacra

Simulakra, from the way I understood it, is when you don’t know when reality is really reality or whether reality is just shaped out of perceptions, of social constructs. According to Jean Baudrillard in his book, “Simulacra and Simulation”, associated with postmodernity is the blurredness of reality and representation (Wikipedia, 2011). In this post modern world, we have accepted realities as results of social constructs. We have accepted it because we don’t know the difference between what is real and what is not real anymore. In our lecture, it is said that our “society is being increasingly simulated that is conjured in images and discourses that substitute for people’s experience of a hard and fast reality.” As we live in the post-modern world, we are faced with this lack of distinction.

 

An example can be the media in terms of how it sensationalizes the world of celebrities to the masses. In a National Geographic commercial, I was able to catch Jose Javier Reyes’ statement about the Filipino masses living their lives vicariously through the celebrities. After watching that commercial, I laughed so hard because I know that it’s true. I looked to my left and saw my mom reading Kris Aquino’s magazine. She even commented about her recent thoughts about James Yap, as if they were close. Wow. This is amusing and very fitting indeed, don’t you think? Most of the Filipinos have their daily dose of Chikka minute and SNN and empathize with these so called popular people. We have become lost in the worlds of these celebrities that they have become part of our constructed “reality”. Moreover, these celebrities make more money out of their personal lives rather than what they do for a living-which is to appear in television and in movies. You don’t know whether they are acting their part or whether they are really what they seem to be, as portrayed in television. In Jose Javier Reyes’ status in Facebook, he says that he is “baffled how celebrities find a constant need to reveal secrets about their personal lives as if it were their obligation to the public to expose every sordid detail about their relationships and tests of fate. If Oprah can reveal her half sister, what will her local media-hungry counterparts "expose" for the sake of "pagpapakatotoo" about their dirty laundry?” It’s really intriguing to see the simulacra in the world of television. It’s like these celebrities integrate themselves with their own representations of reality that we want to be involved with. For instance, Kris Aquino broke up with James Yap (with all the drama involved with Hope and their other issues). It sounds like a telenovela but it’s actually real. Or perhaps, sila ay “nagpapakatotoo” lamang sa harap ng telebisyon. At tayo naman, bilang manoonood ay binibigyan halaga natin bilang totoo o “real”ang mga hininahain sa atin ng media. What the media depicts as reality can be only translations of reality. More often than not, what they let us see in the forms of media are just tidbits of what is real. Another example of this can be the reality television shows. Pinoy Big Brother is a famous reality show in the Philippines. They “simulate” situations that happen in real life. All the sad times, good moments and drama are highlighted. But you’re never sure if they’re real, or the media just wants you to think that it’s real. Moreover, this show blurs reality in such a way that you don’t know whether the characters are being told to act in a certain way off camera. They also sensationalize the happenings in the house, as if the characters really have major issues against each other to begin with. The media magnifies what is really happening, making it just a representation of reality. This kind of show is packaged in such a way that it will appeal to the audience by making them feel that this show is important through the use of commercial images and celebrities. But in reality, this show is just for ratings so the television company can profit from it. Lastly, the hyperrealism (as a world where reality is represented as more perfect than real) is evident in the way the Kuya’s house operates. Everything seems to be within the housemates’ reach-food, rewards, celebrities, material gifts etc (except for their families). If they are punished, they are not punished severely as opposed to what real life can do to you. They say PBB is the “drama ng totoong buhay”. Can this be true even if what they are experiencing is only a part and parcel of reality? If hyperrealism according  to Baudrillard is “The generation by models of a real without origin or reality," such that one can no longer tell the difference between what is real and what is a representation of the real. Are we still living in a real world? Or are we just living in our constructed realities?

 

References:

Wikipedia. (2011). Simulacra and simulations. Retrieved from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulacra_and_Simulation

Lamoreux, J. (2002). Hyperreal encoding. Retrieved from

http://it.stlawu.edu/~global/glossary/hyperreal03.html

Lamoreux, J. (2002). Simulacra definition. Retrieved from

http://it.stlawu.edu/~global/glossary/simulacra.def.html

 

On the radio

 
Agents of socialization

Media, more often called as mass media, is pervasive in modern life. It takes on many forms such as television, radio, the internet and the like. Mass media is a vehicle of communication that carries mass messages and information that affects people from different walks of life. Every morning, millions of people wake up to read newspapers and tune in to the radio for the latest headlines. Every minute, people from different parts of the globe check and update their social networking accounts in Twitter and in Facebook. Every hour, political candidates spend their campaign in television advertisements to woo voters. People, more often than not, depend on the media to access information around the globe. Through the media, people learn almost everything they know about the world beyond their immediate environment. As highlighted, mass media is one of the most popular agents of socialization which can influence public perceptions and ultimately shape the identities of the people in everyday discourse. They can transform culture, in terms of indicating a standard set of norms or beliefs which subsume the expectations of society. According to Sir Contreras, they form what they call “Culture industry”, whereby they “dictate and manipulate the people’s consciousness through the production of cultural commodities”.

Last January 13, 2011, I had a first-hand experience in a radio industry. I was really lucky to have been interviewed on air! (Thanks to Lu Skywalker for hooking me up in his show, together with King Dj Logan and Anna Q5 over at the Disenchanted Kingdom. They are such nice people. J) The thought of millions of Filipinos listening on the receiving end made me extremely nervous. Whew. Indeed, the djs have “influential voices”. In that short span of time, I was able to get a glimpse of how the station works. Basically, what they do is to talk on air. Engaging in everyday discourse is important because it a part of our own lives. They talk about the issues that the listeners would be interested in. They talk about the beliefs, traditions, and customs that shape how you live your life, may it be on the clothes you wear, the songs that you listen to, the way you view things and the like. They also spark interest and curiosity. Finally, they influence one’s identity. As mentioned a while ago, mass media, in the form of the radio, can shape peoples’ behavior and perceptions about an array of issues- whether they may be political, social or what not. A concrete example of how they can shape one’s identity is though their depiction of what is beautiful. The djs carry out special biases on the physical appearances of women, of how one is better looking than the other. I think that they are also influenced by a bigger industry namely the television industry, whereby they portray beautiful women as fair, thin and tall. On the receiving end, the people might agree to it because of the social construct that is shaped by these influential industries. The same can be said with gadgets. The Ipod operates just like other mp3 gadgets (but of course, all the gadgets claim to be better equipped compared to others). But when you say “Ipod” in the Philipines, you are pertaining to something other than an mp3 player, but also to a certain status in society that is based on social production. Also, I think there is also an interaction amongst the different mediums of culture industries, especially those who target the masses. (e.g. television and radio, fashion and television).

(This is just based on my observation. I am not pertaining to particular radio and television stations  :) )

We are all victims.

I know that this phrase seems very dark and “emo”. But come to think of it, we are victims of the expectations of society. We are victims of circumstance. At times, we are victimized by the people that we encounter in our everyday lives. We are victimized of ideas that continually tweak our mindset and make us behave in a certain way.

Indeed, we are victims. Well, I agree with my Tito who first introduced this phrase to me and my cousins. I never really asked why he said those words over our “inuman” sessions in Mindoro. Where did that thought come from? Was he just drunk? Or was I just drunk? Haha. I got intrigued by the phrase so I went up to my cousin (my tito’s daughter) and asked about it. It turned out that my cousin and my tito had the same dream. They wanted make money of something that they like- music. They dreamt jobs that are attuned to their interests.

“Biktima tayong lahat. May gusto man akong gawin sa buhay pero hindi ko magawa. Mahirap yung landas na iyon. Ibang landas yung tinahak ko at kapag iniisip ko yung mga asawa at anak ko, I have no regrets.”

So that’s where it came from. I know that my tito is really happy with his life right now. Yet sometimes, one just couldn’t help but wonder about what could’ve been. For him, (at least what was said by my cousin about his father), he couldn’t be a musician. It wasn’t because he didn’t have the talent to be one. It’s because it wasn’t what his family and relatives expected him to be. He had to be like everybody else in society, a person who has a stable, income-generating job to be able to feed his kids. Instead, he just focused on being a good businessman. And in return, he made music as his hobby or pastime.

And what’s my point? There are instances in life wherein you are not in control of your life. As stated in class, there are times where you are objectified in which you are denied of a choice. My quintessential example of this can be my relationship with mother. Ever since my father passed away, she had this idea of me following his footsteps. Judge Hannah Viola, the daughter of the late Judge Horacio T. Viola Jr. Wow. Pwede! It sounds very nice, right? But come to think of it, was I the one who made this choice? Was I the one who said, “I want to be a judge or an attorney someday… just like my father”. No. I didn’t say that. I had no choice. In my head, I was thinking of making my father proud in the ways that I can. I want to make my father proud based on what I will contribute to my family and to the society in general, even if I’m not a lawyer. Before entering the different colleges, we had to make our first choice, second choice and third choice of courses. I always had the third choice. But the first and second choices always came from my mother. The question is, why have I allowed her to do that? Why succumb to her idea and disregard my own choice? Well, I guess I have allowed it to happen. I don’t want to say that I had no choice. I had a choice to say no, but couldn’t because of the circumstance. She is my mother, and I had to respect her. Ilaw ng tahanan, siya ang dapat masunod hindi ba? Hmmmm says who? Society says so.

But now, as I think of it, I have no regrets in taking up this course. I never expected it to be fun. So from another angle, I accepted my mother’s decision for me. Maybe she was right. On the other hand, there are times when she is wrong. Now that I’m of age, I have to decide for myself. I have to make my choice because it is my life. I might be swayed by my mom but from now on, I will keep in mind that I am the “master of my fate, the captain of my soul” so to speak.

There are also times wherein the tables have turned. I am now the one who objectifies others. An example of this can be my relationship with my boyfriend. In our culture, it is very common to her someone “under” in a relationship. I am not saying that I am dominating or what. There are just some aspects wherein I take over and times wherein he dominates. For the past months, I have been telling my boyfriend to get a sport. He used to be part of the swim team when he was in high school. He really is an athletic person but he was just lazy to do something. So I pushed him to get a sport. I don’t know whether he was doing it for me or he was doing it to get back in shape. But I did it because I think that it would be good for him. So he can be healthy and productive instead of being idle. I actually felt guilty at first. I mean, it was hard for him to adjust. Eventually, I told him to stop because he was already having a hard time with his schedule. In the end, however, he liked the sport and became part of the competing team. I’m so proud of him. But in my head, I couldn’t help but think that I denied him of a choice, even if things turned out to be great. This leads me back to where we started. We are all victims because of our acceptance to the norm, to the world that we live in. We are all victims of objectification and domination. At the same time, we are the same people who objectify and dominate, whether consciously or subconsciously. 

Nobody Knows

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie



"And she fights for her life as she puts on her coat 
And she fights for her life on the train 
She looks at the rain as it pours 
And she fights for her life as she goes in a store 
Where the people are pleasantly strange 
And counting the change as she goes 
Nobody knows"