Metaphoric Depiction of Racism in Bob Marley and The Black Brothers Songs

4.1.2. Metaphoric Depiction of Racism in Bob Marley and The Black Brothers Songs

Bob Marley and The Black Brothers relate their suffering to their race. The marginalization is not due to economic differences but racial differences as well. Their lyrics explicitly and implicitly relate to the issue of race in the context of a white and Asian dominated society. Bob Marley address the issue in Burnin and Lootin, Duppy Conqueror, Natty Dread, War, Zimbabwe, Survival, Africa Unite, and Ride Natty Ride. Give the food and let me grow Let the Roots Man take a blow Burnin and Lootin Im a duppy conqueror Duppy Conqueror Dread, Natty Dread now Dreadlock Congo Bongo I Natty Dreadlock in a Babylon Natty Dread Until the philosophy which hold one race superiorand another is inferioris finally and permanentlydiscreditedand abandoned everywhere is war...until the color of a mans skinis no more significantthan the color of his eyesme say war War Most of the metaphors in these songs are thickly charged with Jamaican expression. In this way the metaphoric process happen in the level of contextual and communal qualifier where the understanding is bound to a particular audience at a particular time as well as relying on culturally-based social knowledge. Some terms and expression would be out of context for a non-Jamaican audience.The word roots man in Jamaica specifically relate to a Rasta or a black person. Expressions like how many rivers to crossbefore we can talk to the boss is taken from the story of negro spirituals that embraced the crossing of rivers as a symbol of freedom. 34 It also has a sense of Biblical nuance where it borrows the 34 Dawes, Kwame. Bob Marley Lyrical Genius, p. 85. image from the story of the Israeli crossing the red sea. Duppy is a Jamaican patois meaning a ghost. In this context it is used to address white colonial power. The whites with their fair complexion are likened to the pale look of ghost. Duppy was always depicted as a white-faced monstrosity. 35 Whereas Natty Dread is the claiming of Black and Rastafarian cultural history despite of the Whites captivity. 36 Natty dread is specifically refers to the matted hairstyle of most Rastas which also relate to the Black. Natty dread in-a Babylon... Natty is twenty one thousand miles away from home means that the Black has been stolen away from Africa to live under the White oppressive system. Babylon is the symbolic description of everything that has conspired to bring about the downfall of the African. 37 In all of those songs Bob Marley points out that there are several causes of racism namely the system of slavery, the system of colonialism, the post colonialist and neo-colonialist policies of Europe. All these system and philosophy have destroyed the Black that Bob Marley tried to make the people realize and stand up to fight to reach a triumphant victory. His message was especially clear in War. That until a man is judged by the color of his skin and not by his deed the world will be in a war. The Black Brothers sing about the nuance of racism is implicitly depicted in Dewi Kribo Curly Goddess. Dewi kribo danau SentaniHitam manis menawan hati - Dewi Kribo [Curly princes of Sentani LakeBlack and sweet appealing my heart - Curly Goddess]. 35 Dawes, Kwame. Bob Marley Lyrical Genius, p. 92. 36 Moskowitz, David. The Words and Music of Bob Marley, p. 54. 37 Dawes, Kwame. Bob Marley Lyrical Genius, p. 141. At a glance the song does not reflect anything about racism but if we take a closer look, it is charged with deep concerns on the issue. By seeing it through the lense of poetic analysis the metaphoric process can happen in contextual level where the specific terms used are based on the social knowledge bound to a particular audience at a particular time. It also can happen in the level of private qualifier where the context affects the meaning assigned by a listener through personal or subjective associations. The interpretation is unique to a particular listener. Dewi Kribo Curly Goddess gives a sense of pride upon an identity as a black person. Dewi which means goddess is often associated to beauty and power. Commonly a physical beauty is depicted in literature, advertisement, and market as a lady with long blond hair and a light complexion. It is in this sense that the image of “Dewi Kribo”Curly Goddess appears to be the opposite, beauty is signified by a lady with curly hair and a dark complexion. It is a sort of counter hegemonic paradigm that The Black Brothers wanted to show. The message of the song is that black is beautiful as the famous slogan of the Black Power movements of the 1960s would suggest. The tone of the song is happy and positive. Being black does not mean Papuans are inferior, instead they must be proud and that they are also forward despite of so many prejudices and negativity.

4.1.3. Metaphoric Depiction of Violence in Bob Marley and The Black Brothers Songs