Bob Marley's Widow Plans to Exhume Remains 2005-01-12 >> news category >> general Source: Yahoo News By ANTHONY MITCHELL, Associated Press Writer ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - The wife of reggae legend Bob Marley said Wednesday she plans to exhume his remains in Jamaica and rebury them in his "spiritual resting place" — Ethiopia. No date has been set for the reburial, but it will be after February when monthlong celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Marley's birth are planned in Ethiopia. Both the Ethiopian church and government officials support the project, Rita Marley told The Associated Press. "We are working on bringing his remains to Ethiopia," said Rita Marley, a former backup singer for her husband's band, The Wailers. "It is part of Bob's own mission." Born in 1945 in rural St. Ann parish in Jamaica, Bob Marley rose from the gritty shantytowns of Kingston to global stardom with hits such as "No Woman, No Cry" and "I Shot the Sheriff." His lyrics promoting "one love" and social revolution made him an icon in developing countries worldwide. Bob Marley died of cancer in Miami in 1981 at age 36. Rita Marley said her husband would be reburied in Shashemene, 155 miles south of Addis Ababa where several hundred Rastafarians have lived since they were given land by Ethiopia's last emperor, Haile Selassie. Hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans embraced Haile as their living god and head of the Rastafarian religious movement. Bob Marley was a devout Rastafarian, a faith whose followers preach a oneness with nature, grow their hair uncombed into dreadlocks and smoke marijuana as a sacrament. About 700,000 people practice it worldwide. "Bob's whole life is about Africa. It is not about Jamaica," said Rita Marley, a Jamaican singer who was born in Cuba and married the reggae star in 1966. "How can you give up a continent for an island? He has a right for his remains to be where he would love them to be. This was his mission. "Ethiopia is his spiritual resting place. With the 60th anniversary this year, the impact is there and the time is right." Together with the African Union and the U.N. children's agency, Rita Marley has organized celebrations in Ethiopia, including a concert on Bob Marley's birthday, Feb. 6, to be held in Addis Ababa. The monthlong celebration, dubbed "Africa Unite" after one of Bob Marley's songs, aims to raise funds to help poor families in Ethiopia. African and reggae artists — including the Marley Family, Senegal's Baaba Maal and Youssou N'Dour, and Benin's Angelique Kidjo — will perform as part of the $1 million program. The event is expected to be broadcast in Africa and beyond
That is incredible! Finally! The government of Ethiopia objected for a long long time on this one. Did you notice how they mentioned that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church "did not object" to his reburial? This is because (and I know this will offend some, but its 100% legit) Bob renounced his belief in HIM has the return messiah and was baptized in the EOC about 10 mo. before he died. This is also why he was buried according to the rites of the EOC, and not 12 tribes, or The Nyabingi Order..., etc.
the thing that amazes me about this whole ordeal is the fact that, even though the bob man died long before i even had an idea of who he was, and his whole message he was gone. and as i grew and learned more about his music, i respected him more and more. and even though he died so long ago, his name is still not forgotten. and this just proves it. it's a story that can now be passed from our generation to the next.
do some checking on the Rasta community, Shasemene. These folks are destitute. Worse off than in Jamaica in many ways because there is precious little tourism in drought and war torn nations. (Eritrea and Ethiopia are gorgeous, BTW) I wonder if the governments acquiesence isn't related to possible gain? If so I hope it goes to the locals!
so i was watching the news and they were saying that rita marley was dismissing all rumors about moving his body. now i'm truely confused...
If it is true and these aren't rumors, YES there would be a huge gain for the Ethiopian government. They didn't want to do it before because they felt like it might attract an unsavory element into what is really a very conservative and traditional country. As for Shashamane, I had a friend that went back and forth from there every year. The first time he went it really was desolate, no adequate shelter, sewage, water, no central community center/temple for worship, etc. Yet it seems like there has been renewed enthusiasm, funding keeps coming in, new buildings are being built. There is a good website about projects, etc. going on there: http://www.shashamane.org/index.html Also, for those of you who have access to BBC World TV, either "Talking Point" or "Hardtalk" will be discussing Ethiopian and general African development with Ethiopian PM Meneles Zenawi. There might be more info on www.news.bbc.co.uk
Ha! That's exactly the issue though. However, I don't think it is fair to compare Morrison fans to Marley's, no offense . Anyone know what's up with the Ethiopian World Federation, the original group that Haile Sellasie donated the land to for their support of HIM during the Italian occupation? Do they still own the rights? Who controls the EWF? Etc.
Okay, here is an article on the BBC, saying that Rita Marley has denied that Bob will be moved: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4172495.stm Strange stuff, though. I can't imagine the Associated Press making up an arcticle like that. Sounded like they had checked with the Ethiopian Government, The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the whole nine yards. I wonder what will come from this one... Rita status within the rasta community has already been questioned due to her attendance at Haile Sellasie's reburial in 2000 (which most rastas don't believe was his, or that he died).
