Rwanda: For the Love of Bobby, Lucky And Jimmi

Herb Fellow

New Member
Everybody is born a singer: when we come into this world, we cry, and that is our first song. Yet once you have the brains for it, put some message into your music. That, in short, is the artistic vision of the Holy Jah Doves.

Even mixing ibisage (dreadlocks) with amasunzu, they're still doves of a feather.

If you're wandering around in Kimisagara, close to Maison des Jeunes, and you see a Rastafarian, then know that you're in the presence of a holy dove. Follow him inside the house, and you will be greeted with a warm Ja-Bless-Ya - "How are you?" - followed by Peace-Ya, and lots of respect.

This is the realm of the Holy Jah Doves, an 8-man reggae band formed in 2004 whose music is all the rage, and not only amongst Rastas. They have so far produced 3 albums, with both English and Kinyarwanda songs. The first one was called Maguru, with songs such as Can't refuse Jay, Dunia, and the title track Maguru.

The second record was a collaboration with the band Arc-en-Ciel (Rainbow) from Congo, and most of the songs on this album advocate for reconciliation. In 2007, they made an album featuring various Rwandan artists, with amongst others We must be one.

The Holy Jah Doves are natural talents, having grown up with music. "I used to feel music in me when I was still young, so it was only natural to follow my dream of becoming a musician," says guitarist Kassim Kayenga. "You see, you cannot just bump into something like that - first you need to have the zeal and love for whatever you want to take on in life."

"I began it as a joke with other guys in the ghetto, inspired by Bob Marley. But to my surprise, the Holy Jah Doves became a big success. I loved Bobby, because if you listen to his songs, these are real songs with a real message. They talk about having love for each other, God and peace," Kassim explains.

To him, reggae music is life. Most of the Doves's songs, for instance, talk about Rwandan culture and things happening in society. What really annoys Kassim are songs without a message.

"The reason why many musicians rock the scene and then suddenly fade away, is because what they sing doesn't contain any message. Musicians should not think about money, but about the message. When your music has meaning, the people will like it and automatically you will get the money."

Peace and love, vibe and rythm

Ras Ngabo says he was born a singer. "On my first day on this planet, I cried, and to me this was my first song. Later on, my uncle Cyprien Rugamba, who died in the war, inspired me to sing," says Ras Ngabo.

Amongst all their songs so far, Ngabo thinks that Maguru is the best. "It's a song about culture, about Maguru who was a great hunter and a very good runner. He was so fast that most people used to say that he was faster than the wind."

For Ras Ngabo too, the music is about expressing yourself. "After the genocide of 1994, I witnessed many things. I saw many innocent people dying, and the only way that I could tell people of what I saw and felt is through reggae. Reggae talks about peace and love, so I preach peace and reconciliation through the music."

"If you want to have the real vibe and rhythm of music, go reggae," adds band-mate Ras Tche, who was inspired to become a musician by seeing his father play the guitar as an altar boy. "They say that reggae music is Nyabingi in Jamaica, but we have Nyabingi in Rwanda.

Nyabingi is the rhythm that comes out of the drums when you are playing reggae music. Nyabingi also was a prophet in Rwanda, and it's where Rwandans used to pray to God. It was through Nyabingi that their prayers where answered by God.

After realizing that we had Nyabingi here, I went into reggae. Reggae is Rwanda," says Ras Tche, who is a big fan of the late Lucky Dube.

Weed-smoking kings

According to the Holy Jah Doves, people still think of Rastas in stereotypes. "Many people say that Rastafarians are ganja planters and take weed," Ras Ngabo points out.

"Well, not all of them do; I'm a Rastafarian but I don't smoke ganja. And let's not forget, our ancestors in Rwanda used to smoke weed - our Kings, most of them took the stuff. So for me, it depends on how you take it, and for what purpose."

People should also understand the origins of dreadlocks, puts in Ras Mandika, who sports a big bunch of them himself (and who claims, strangely enough, that rock and blues legend Jimmi Hendrix inspired him to get into reggae).

"Dreads originate from the slave trade. You know, those people who where taken to work as slaves in Jamaica and other parts of the world, they did not have time and combs to take care of their hair, so they ended up plating it into dreadlocks, and ever since it has become a culture."

Even in Rwanda, he says, dreadlocks date back to the times of the kings. "We had amasunzu, and ibisage (dreadlocks) as a hair style. Ibisage where brought in Rwanda by Ruhinankiko and Kabare, who where fighters - just like Samson in the bible, who also had dreadlocks.

So the dreadlock thing is nothing new, and it's not for bad guys as many people think," says Ras Mandika. How could a Holy Jah Dove ever be bad?


Source: AllAfrica.com
Copyright: 2008, AllAfrica.com
Contact: Timothy Kisambira
Website: allAfrica.com: Rwanda: For the Love of Bobby, Lucky And Jimmi (Page 1 of 1)
 
Back
Top Bottom