Reggae is the Soundtrack/ For Caribbean's Oppressed

This month in the Shuttle, the Coop’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee highlights an aspect of Caribbean culture as part of Caribbean Heritage Month.

Reggae, Which Was born in jamaica in the mid-to-late 1960s, emerged as a musical style of oppressed people there. The term was popularized in 1968 with the recording and release of “Do the Reggay,” by Toots and the Maytals. Steve Barrow, a reggae scholar, traced the phrase to “streggae,” which is slang for a poorly dressed woman.

Bob Marley, reggae’s most acclaimed musician, ascribed the expression to “regi,” a Spanish phrase for the king’s music. The bass guitar commands the lead, with instrumental accompaniments that include horns, electric guitars, keyboards, drums, vocals and more. Reggae deliberately transmits messages and identifies repressive political, social and economic systems while praising and elevating the nobility of living. Its power lies in its slow, steady cadence, which creates euphoria and soothes the body, mind and spirit.

Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion