zaterdag 2 maart 2024

Afro-Venezuelan music: a preliminary study

The African Diaspora as a result of a tragic centuries-long history of colonialism, slavery, exploitation, and discrimination is a significant historical fact for several reasons. Knowledge about it is in my opinion crucial to understand the present world. Economically, it is less known than it should be that slavery and colonial gains in the British colonial empire - including the Caribbean - in fact helped finance the first Industrial Revolution in Britain, since the mid-18th c., and spreading to wider Europe. Birmingham, UK, thus became for instance the world’s very first “industrial city”.

That industrial revolution spread since the later 18th c. to continental Europe, but sooner to some places than to others: Belgium, Germany, France, Netherlands, northern Italy, for a large part industrialized..

It reached on the other hand some other main colonial powers, Spain and Portugal, much later and less. Even today, as a country, Spain is much less and limitedly industrialized than e.g. Britain or Germany. Some “pockets” of industrialization in Catalonia, Basque country, or Madrid aside, Spain remained since then economically behind other European nations. The same applies to Portugal, with industrialization mainly limited to main cities Lisbon and Porto.

COLONIAL EMPIRES

Yet, Spain (and Portugal) had of course once vast colonial empires as well, or as bad, as Britain and France, with similar brutal exploitation and slavery in what is now Latin America. The “blood money” gained at the cost of enslaved Africans, was – historians explain – spent only less efficiently in both Portugal and Spain, mostly on luxuries, or expanding the wealth of already wealthy families, with less wider economic investments.

Portugal was the first European country enslaving Africans on a larger scale, though there were precursors by Arabs, serving as a kind of model. Even during the Moorish (Islamic) period in Spain and Portugal (8th c.-15th c.) – known as a relatively enlightened period – sub-Saharan Africans in Iberia were often the slaves or servants of lighter-skinned Arabs or Berbers (or Iberians converted to Islam).

The “discovery” of Christopher Columbus (at the time a Portuguese citizen, of Genoese origin) in 1492, of American lands in the name of the Kingdom of Spain – that in turn claimed them - started Spain’s colonialism, and in fact broader Europe’s.

IBERIAN COLONIES

Like Britain, Spain thus has a long colonial past, with much African enslavement, thus helping to shape cynically this African Diaspora.

A difference of Iberian slavery systems with British (and Dutch) slavery systems, was the less modernized, or efficient, “industrial” nature of them: less specialized. While still inherently dehumanizing, Iberian slave systems were said to be also a bit less "harsh" (with a few more protective "rights" for slaves) when compared to stricter British or Dutch slavery systems. Nonetheless, enslaved Africans were also forcibly brought throughout the whole of Latin America, to most Spanish colonies. Often this was to “societies with slavery”, rather than to specialized “plantation slavery societies” as e.g. colonies like Jamaica, Haiti, St Vincent, or Barbados, where the majority population even became enslaved Africans.

Even then, people of African descent can be found throughout Latin America, in quite significant numbers, even if minorities. US scholar Henry Louis Gates, jr. made a series of interesting documentaries about Black in Latin America, highlighting this, and often persisting discrimination and inequality, even in nominally “multiracial” or “mixed” societies like Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, or Peru.

MUSIC

The African Diaspora thus results from a tragic history, and includes persisting historical inequalities in several Latin American countries. On the positive side there is survival, also culturally.

Many Black music genres have become internationally spread and known by now, both as a result of Anglo-Saxon slavery: from the US: Blues, Jazz, Gospel and off-shoots Soul, Funk, etc. Then, from the British Caribbean e.g. Reggae, Calypso.

Yet also, “Afro-Latin” music genres also became quite international and influential. Large, former Portuguese colony Brazil is known as the country with most people of African descent outside of the African continent, and gave the world Samba, derived Bossa Nova (largely mixing elements of Samba and Jazz), and some other genres, while Cuba – one of the Spanish colonies with most people of African descent – is musically the roots of most of what we know as Salsa, while also Afro-Cuban Rumba and Son have become quite well-known internationally by now.

Outside of Cuba, also Merengue and Bachata from the Dominican Republic (with evident African retentions and roots) became internationally known, and also Afro-Colombian Cumbia has spread by now well beyond Colombia(ns) as well.

I know all this, and often listened to these music genres my whole life, and even play now this music myself as a musician and composer, occasionally. As for other fans and lovers of Black music or “African Diaspora music”, the music helped shape my life in a beautiful way, as beautiful culture and music, albeit resulting from a tragic past.

Blues and Jazz certainly gained fans of all races, also in Europe, the same applies to Hip-hop, Funk, and Reggae. For the latter, the international fame of Bob Marley, helped spread the genre of Reggae.

Afro-Latin music remained – due to the language barrier – a bit more restricted to Spanish and Portuguese speakers (though there are many Salsa fans outside it too, of course), but widely spread across countries. Salsa and related Cuban music has had a strong influence throughout Latin America.

What we know as ‘Salsa’ music is in fact for at least 70% Afro-Cuban music (Son-based, Rumba-influenced), with Afro-Puerto Rican and Afro-Dominican elements, added among Latino migrants in the US (first the New York area).

Still, you have quite substantial “Salsa scenes” throughout non-Iberian Europe and the US and Canada as well, whereas artists like the Buena Vista Social Club or Juan Luis Guerra helped spread Spanish Caribbean music genres like Son or Merengue, outside of just the “Latin music scenes” .

There were a few international Samba, Bossa Nova, or Cumbia (La Colegiala, notably) hits in the international “mainstream”.

VENEZUELA?

This made me wonder, though.. what about Venezuela? We don’t hear much about Venezuelan music genres in Europe, or even the “Latin” world.

This applied to me personally as well. More focused on Afro-Cuban music, I still knew quite something about Afro-Dominican, Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Colombian music as well, albeit broadly. What I knew, I tried to use – e.g. rhythmically - in several of my compositions and live patterns, fused at times with other influences.

The term “Joropo” - for presumably the best known Venezuelan genre - was on the other hand, until recently, unknown to me. I read something about Gaita music in Venezuela in a book about world music, but somehow I changed my attention to other music genres, in other countries.

My mother – who had several Latin American friends – had an album – a long-play vinyl disk - of Billo’s Caracas Boys. I liked to play this album – some groovy rhythms and dynamic singing – and assumed at that time that it represented “Caracas” (capital of Venezuela) music. Later (when I learned about the musical Cuban influences in Latin America), I found out that the Billo (lead singer) in question – real name: Luis Frómeta - was actually from the Dominican Republic, influenced by Cuban genres, but also by Merengue from his native Dominican Republic. He just was more or less “stuck” in Caracas, Venezuela. Literally, as he could not return to the Dominican Republic because dictator Trujillo banned him.. for changing the band name from Santo Domingo Jazz Band to Billo’s Caracas Boys. Trujillo saw this as an insult and prohibited Billo from returning to the Dominican Republic.. Strange but true story, and a weird dictator: exiled because of a band name change..

Billo’s Caracas Boys made good, danceable music, with certainly talent there, but the Billo’s songs I heard were hardly representative of Venezuelan indigenous, own music, as it represented more Cuban, Dominican, and some Colombian (Cumbia) influences, in a Caracas context.

I began to think about this more also, because I know some Venezuelan musicians in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where I live. I even played with them as musician, and they at times infused the jam sessions with “Afro-Latin” sounding music (Salsa, Cumbia, Samba, or otherwise).

I noticed the Cuban influences in what they played, but also Colombian ones. Somewhat simplistically I imagined that Venezuela, as bordering Colombia, might have music genres that resemble some Colombian ones. Upon asking Miguel Padrón, a Venezuelan percussionist I know, also active in Amsterdam, he responded with something insightful.

Miguel explained how there is quite a rich musical history in Venezuela itself, with interesting genres, also with African influences, and from a percussion perspective (we shared that percussion passion), with different drums, etc. It was, he pointed out, only less known internationally, because Venezuelans tended to “travel” or “migrate” less in recent history. There was simply less need to, because of the “oil”, the petroleum industry, simply said, and a resulting more profitable economy. Probably unequally distributed and ending up mostly in privileged pockets, but still making the economy in general relatively stronger, than e.g. the ones of Colombia, or the Dominican Republic. Less Venezuelans needed then to migrate abroad, to e.g. the US, and therefore neither could spread their culture and music. An interesting explanation.

Indeed, Venezuelan music genres like Joropo or Gaita, are even by their very names, not very much known, outside - or even within - the “Latin music scene”. As said: because Venezuelans up to recently, migrated less.

Less known, but – of course! – not per se less interesting. I will therefore focus on this own traditional and popular Venezuelan music, especially with African influences, in the remainder of this post.

The differences with music from also former Spanish colonies nearby (Afro-Colombian, or Afro-Cuban music) is interesting as part of that analysis, I think.

FACTS AND FIGURES

First some facts and figures, as needed context. Though perhaps not in quite the high numbers as neighboring Colombia or Cuba, also Venezuela received an influx of enslaved Africans, mostly for cocoa and coffee plantations as in surrounding areas. These concentrated a bit in certain parts of Venezuela, like the Miranda state in the coastal North of Venezuela (around Caracas city), and around the Maracaibo lake, in Western Venezuela. Some went to inland (Llanos area) indigo plantations.

Wikipedia says that Africans came from different parts of Africa (as in other colonies) and numbered a total of about 100.000 brought to Venezuela (in comparison: to Cuba a total of over 700.000 enslaved Africans were transported over time).

Venezuela has today around 30 million inhabitants. Of these around 9% claim significant African heritage (some say somewhat more), while over 65% of Venezuelans are considered Mestizo (mixed Spanish/Amerindian), and about 20% White/European.

Still, so while around 9% of all Venezuelans – that would be close to 3 million persons - claim main African heritage, the country’s population (as in surrounding areas) is overall very racially mixed: many combine even European, Amerindian, and African ancestry, so precise figures are difficult to ascertain.

The cultural and musical influence is certainly there, however.

JOROPO

I mentioned the funny word “Joropo” a few times now. It is the name of a genre from Venezuela’s interior central Llanos (high plains) region, characterized by semi-dry tropical grassland, and comparable to Savanna landscapes elsewhere. That’s where Joropo the music and dance genre originated, apparently among people with a “cowboy”-type of living, mostly of Mestizo descent (mixed European and indigenous), but also with some Africans in the mixture. Joropo is string-instrument dominated, with the small guitar called “cuatro” often leading, including further at times a bass, mandolin-likes “bandolas” a harp, but also maracas (shakers) and sometimes a drum or cajon.

The Joropo, known even as “national music of Venezuela, is rhythmically loosely based on Spanish examples, such as the Fandango, while also South Spanish/Flamenco-like influences are noticeable in the melismatic singing.

On the other hand, the rhythmic and shaker-instrument flow – and the ways the string-instruments are played – rhythmically – allow polyrhythm, showing all in all Amerindian as well as African influences.

MARACAIBO LAKE REGION

The Gaita music from the western Maracaibo lake region, the state Zulia – therefore it is also known as Gaita Zuliana, – mixes likewise broadly European, indigenous, and African influences, but the balance – so to speak – tipping more to African influences than in Joropo. The small but broad double-sided Tambora drum (also found in Dominican Merengue) is for instance common in most Gaita, while also shakers and other percussion (such as a metal scraper) further add rhythmic and polyrhythmic texture. Gaita as genre relates to Christmas celebrations, and funnily a Spanish-type of rubbing drum (like the Cuica: with a stick attached to the skin being pulled) is also used in it. Venezuelan musicologists recognize African musical and spiritual retentions from the Ashanti (from Ghana) in this region, but also from Dahomey (the Benin region).

More purely African musical genres are found in the Maracaibo lake region in western Venezuela as well, especially South of the lake and city of Maracaibo. These include the 'Chimbánguele' genre, with mostly drums and African-style call-and-response vocals. The drums are interesting. Most used are about 7 drums called Cumaco or Mina drums. The models were probably from the Mina people, from what is now Benin (Fon Ewe speaking peoples), explaining why similar drum types and musical characteristics are found in Haiti, and, well, Benin. They are played mostly with stick and one hand, also found in the Benin region. Less common in Yorubaland (East of Dahomey, now Nigeria), and descended Afro-Cuban musical forms (there more played by hands).. An interesting difference: more sticks are used in the drumming in Afro-Venezuelan than in Afro-Cuban or Afro-Brazilian music.

MIRANDA STATE (AND AROUND)

I say broadly ‘Afro-Venezuelan’, because other Afro-Venezuelan genres I have not mentioned yet use sticks too for drumming, such as those found in the central-coastal Barlovento region in Miranda state: with relatively many people of African descent. A region not far from the capital Caracas.

Tall, quite thin, cylindrical drums, with slight similarities to the conic Ashiko drums, but thinner and taller, are known as “culo e’ puya”, and are found in this Barlovento region. Similar tall, but with small diameter of skin, drums, are found among Jamaican Maroons.. Also broader and shorter Tambora-like drums are found in genres in Barlovento as Fulia. While some differences in drum types with the western Maracaibo region (and similarities), they are often similarly played with stick and one hand.

Some more pure Congo-influenced styles in the state of Miranda and bordering coastal states like Carabobo (a funny state name, probably to some Spanish-speakers) in Venezuela use more hand drumming, such as the Sangueo: this includes hand drumming on the skin of a larger drum one sits on, with sticks hitting the side (similar to also Congo-influenced Kumina in Jamaica).

The enslaved Africans brought to this coastal Barlovento region came more relatively often from Bantu-speaking regions (Congo, Angola), leaving their musical heritage, but also the stick-played cylindrical Mina/Cumaco drums are found there, and mentioned larger drums sat upon, combined with cuatro guitar, other string instruments, and shakers. These more “bass” drums are played with both bare hands. Both the rhythmic, “heartbeat-like” bass patterns, as the type of drum and playing style, show these Congo influences, also found elsewhere in the African diaspora (Kumina in Jamaica, parts of Cuba and Brazil).

These genres in the Barlovento region – often related to festivals – Parranda, and the more purely African Luango, show mainly Congo, but also some Yoruba, influences. Yet, with some drums and aspects shared with the (part) Afro-Venezuelan music in the Maracaibo region (with more Benin and Ashanti influences, musically and spiritually). Some rhythmical differences, relating to different African origins, are interesting to notice: more lower “repeated heartbeats” from central (Congo) Africa (oversimplified, of course), and the longer "semi-melodic" patterns from the Benin culture and Ghana region (again: oversimplified).

They all share recurring sub-Saharan African features like polyrhythm and call-and-response (also in singing), but with different accents and drums.

The Congo and Yoruba influences (in coastal Venezuela) are also found in other Spanish colonies (Cuba) and in Brazil, whereas the Benin influence causes similarities with the music in Haiti, and the Ashanti influence with Jamaican or Surinamese Maroon music (and a bit with Puerto Rican Bomba, or Afro-Peruvian Pacific Coast music.

Finally, the interesting genre ‘Quitiplás’ should be mentioned, also in the Barlovento/Miranda region. This is played with solely thick Bamboo sticks, and arose once when drums were banned by colonial policies, as (portable) replacements. Bamboo sticks are dropped on ground, as well as slammed together in Quitiplás, creating polyrhythm and cross-rhythm in the African tradition.

Interesting, lesser known African diaspora connections, and beautiful survivals of African heritage, or as academically known: African retentions. Even watered-down in Joropo, more African but mixed with other influences (similar to Colombian Cumbia), but in some regions with more African influences.

CONCLUSIONS

As a preliminary study – to term it academically – I did not go into all or full detail of all Afro-Venezuelan music. I restricted myself to indigenous, locally developed music genres, not “imported” ones (even if reworked in a Venezuelan way). Calypso from nearby Trinidad even reached Venezuela, I read, and I already mentioned the strong influence of Salsa, and Cuban music, on Venezuela, with Oscar D’León being Venezuela’s best known international Salsa star.

I however wanted to get an idea of the distinctiveness of Afro-Venezuelan music within the Americas, its uniqueness. At the same time study inevitable parallels with Afro-American genres elsehwhere.

I can conclude that there are unique aspects of Afro-Venezuelan music genres. This includes especially the instrumentation, with own type of drums. While some similarities with drums elsewhere in Latin America and the Caribbean, they are not “quite” the same. The most unique is the very tall/long, yet small-diametered and thin, ‘culo e’ puya drum’.

What in my judgement is most distinctive within the region, is the way most drums are played, most commonly with stick and hand: stick in one hand, and the other bare on skin. This is more common in Venezuela than elsewhere, for drums. The sticks on drum cases or sides, probably of Congo origins, can be found elsewhere (Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Brazil), the stick-hand playing to a lesser degree. Afro-Cuban drumming is mostly bare hands-based, as is most Afro-Brazilian, and other parts (Jamaica, Haiti), though it occurs in Afro-Surinamese music.

It (stick-hand combination) is found in parts of Africa too, so is not necessarily (or totally) an adaptation to Venezuela.

The latter is the case with the Bamboo sticks-played polyrhythmic music called Quitiplás, relating to colonial bans, and bamboo growing by then in Venezuela, while originally Asian.

The rhythmic structures, patterns, and musical pieces, are in some ways unique, yet share more similarities with other Afro-American genres. The cuatro –small guitar – can be compared to the small Tres guitar combining with percussion in some Cuban Son and Dominican and Mexican genres. Parranda, Gaita, and Joropo – as string instrument-led but with some African influences too – have unique song structures, related to Christmas or other festivities, in the Venezuelan context. More akin to music in Colombia, the Amerindian/indigenous influences, mixed in with European/Spanish and African ones, in e.g. Joropo, are nonetheless an unique mix, mixed uniquely.. you dig?, haha, in Venezuela.

The more (relatively) purely African genres like Chimbánguele, Luango, Sangueo in different regions of Venezuela (central coastal and Maracaibo regions) follow general patterns of clave-based “forest” Africa music: call-and-response (in singing), poly-rhythms (several rhythms at once, on several drums and percussion instruments), and the idea of invocation of spirits, surviving amid or behind Catholicism. These are found in the whole of Afro-America, especially in Latin America, where “forest Africa” slaves, from less-islamicized areas (Southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Angola) were more common.

The “swing” aspect in some African cultures originate more from what can be called Griot Africa, or Sahel Africa: the Guinea, Mali, and Senegambia regions, sources of slaves for British and US slavers (and to lesser degrees French, Portuguese, and Spanish). This “swing” and other “griot” characteristics of the US Blues from the Mississippi region clearly show these origins in Sahel/Mali/Guinea, Mande-speaking parts of Africa, with Islamic influences and own string instruments (like the kora), less found more to the south in forest Africa (Yorubaland, South-Benin, and South-Ghana, Congo, and elsewhere).

Musical characteristics of more purely African Afro-Venezuelan genres are therefore evidently shared with Afro-Cuban or Afro-Colombian ones, yet.. with an own twist, of course. Playing styles (more often with stick on drum skin) and patterns became unique to the genres in Venezuela.

The way Venezuelan speak the Spanish language has own accents, some more similar to Caribbean Spanish (like the Caracas region), some more to the Colombian accents. Own accents of the Spanish language also influences, of course, how sung music comes across. In Cuban Spanish there is a Congo intonation, while in Peru and around a Amerindian, Inca intonation. In Colombia – the influence of the Basque (Northern Spanish) accent – more “pronounced” - is more stronger, elsewhere of the South Spanish (Andalusian) or Canary Islands variant of Spanish (in Caribbean Spanish, for instance). In some not uninteresting way, this all also affects type of musicality.

My overall conclusion (and lesson learned) would be that Afro-Venezuelan music (and culture) stands on its own within the African Diaspora – with own creations and distinct genres - , yet with several cultural parallels with other parts of especially Spanish America, related to origins within Africa of the enslaved Africans. It remained well alive today, also in popular Venezuelan music, alongside Joropo or foreign (Latin) genres.

As already said, having "travelled" or "migrated" less - thus less internationally known than other "Afro-Latin" genres - but nice, danceable genres as well, representing in their own way beautiful examples of cultural survival and creativity, within the wider African Diaspora.

donderdag 1 februari 2024

Net mensen en perspectief

Je kunt het gerust een “delicaat” thema noemen, in ieder geval een “beladen” thema: het Midden Oosten en Israël daarbinnen.

OPGROEIEND

Opgroeiend in Nederland, en het onderwijssysteem in Nederland, en ook de media, volgend, krijg je al jong beelden daarover mee. Ik had sinds kind al een interesse in andere landen, en zocht informatie over Afrika of andere gebieden op in de openbare bibliotheek, zodat er wel een soort balans in aandacht ontstond in mijn geval. Mijn ouders (vader Italiaans, moeder uit Spanje), bepaalden ook deels mijn geografische interesse, en maakten het wat breder.

Desalniettemin was er zover ik mij herinner altijd relatief veel aandacht voor Israël in het nieuws en journaal.. Latere politieke machinaties van de VS of andere Westerse machten eisten ook onze aandacht op in de richting van elders in het Midden Oosten, met name Irak en Iran.

Vanwege, zegt men, het schuldgevoel van Europa over de Holocaust was er ook veel aandacht in het onderwijs en de media over de Holocaust, de Tweede Wereldoorlog, het Joodse volk, en de staat Israël, hoewel die opvallend genoeg - hoewel frequent - ook vaak oppervlakkig bleef.

Ik kon dat eerlijk gezegd wel begrijpen, hoewel ik bezwaren bleef houden (zelfs als kind al) tegen de beperkte aandacht voor gebieden op de aarde die mijn interesse hadden gewekt (soms zelfs via muziek of een goed boek..of vriendinnen van mijn moeder), zoals in Afrika en Latijns-Amerika. Ook daar ontstond wel een balans toen de Apartheid in Zuid-Afrika een tijd wat meer aandacht kreeg, zoals in het nieuws.

VATBAAR

Terugkijkend ben ik nooit – zelfs niet als kind – een “vatbaar” iemand geweest. Ook niet vatbaar voor gekleurd (“biased” in het Engels) of “propaganda” nieuws.. als iets op bijv. televisie leugenachtigs was voelde ik het meestal wel ergens aan. Ik onderzocht zelf ook graag dingen, dat scheelt. Ik had een kritische, analytische geest.

Toch.., bij maar genoeg herhaling en “drammerigheid” raakte ook ik weleens beïnvloedt of van slag. Op mijn basisschool en middelbare school (beide – ooit – van katholieke signatuur, met nog wat resten ervan) was er aandacht voor de Tweede Wereldoorlog, met – eerlijk is eerlijk – voldoende aandacht voor de Jodenvervolging en Holocaust, en het onmenselijke Nazi-beleid. Wel was de rol van het verzet in Nederland wat groter voorgesteld in het geheel. Ik twijfelde ook toen, maar het beeld dat ik kreeg was dat toen de Duitsers onder het Nazi-bewind Nederland binnen vielen in 1940, alle Nederlanders meteen massaal in opstand kwamen. Toegegeven, het werd ook weer niet zo gesteld, maar de suggestie werd sterk gewekt. De waarheid is wat anders, weten we nu. Er was wat verzet van dappere mensen, maar vooral veel angst en lafheid – zelfs deels meegaandheid -, zoals vaker onder bezettingen.

GERELATIVEERD

Ook dat werd gelukkig in het onderwijs zelf gerelativeerd. Nadat ik eerst het beeld kreeg van Nederlands massaal slachtofferschap, maar toch verzet, tegen Duitsers, relativeerden leraren die ik ook had, en die echt geschiedenis hadden bestudeerd, dit al in een vroeg stadium. Ze legden uit dat het verzet eerder uitzonderlijk was, en de behandeling van Nederlanders door de Nazi’s relatief mild was, vergeleken met bijv. Polen, omdat Nederlanders een “Germaans broedervolk” volgens de Nazi-leer waren.

Een andere (geschiedenis)lerares die ik me als leuk herinner, een blonde Groningse die goed kon vertellen,op de middelbare school in Hoofddorp, haalde mijn laatste twijfel weg, met het wrange: “na de oorlog heeft iedereen in het verzet gezeten”.. Tijdens de Duitse bezetting viel dat helaas mee.. Of eigenlijk tegen..

Latere historische bronnen bevestigden inderdaad dat Duitse invallende soldaten instructies van hogere Nazi’s kregen om zich wat rustiger en milder op te stellen tegenover de mede-Germanen de Nederlanders, of in ieder geval (niet altijd succesvol) die schijn op te houden. Het bleef een bezettende macht.

Nederlanders waren toen relatief meegaand en hadden een gezagsgetrouwe, calvinistische traditie. Deze wisten de Nazi’s in hun voordeel uit te buiten door relatief veel Joden te kunnen opsporen en deporteren in Nederland, zelfs uit een stad als Amsterdam, met toen veel Joden, en zichzelf als stad toen al “dwars” en eigenzinnig vindend. Een pijnlijke episode in Nederland en Amsterdam, ook al kwam het meestal niet door diep racistisch antisemitisme en moordzucht onder gewone Nederlanders – hoewel dat Germaanse verwantschap (en superioriteit!) idee bij sommige Nederlanders (zoals NSB-ers) wel bestond –, maar toch vaker door, wel, laffe gezagsgetrouwheid. Er bestond iets van latent antisemitisme in Nederland, ook in Amsterdam onder niet-Joden, ondanks het relatief tolerante imago, met name flauwe grappen over vermeende geldzucht of onbetrouwbaarheid van Joden, dat wel, maar dat had je in meer landen.

OUDERS

Die relativering kwam dus vanzelf wel. Soms kom je de waarheid mondjesmaat te weten. In mijn geval speelden de landen waar mijn ouders vandaan kwamen ook een rol: een Noord-Italiaanse vader, en Zuid-Spaanse moeder. Ik wist dat de geschiedenis van Italië en Spanje ook verbonden waren aan het fascisme, en voelde mij daar wat onprettig bij, als al jong open en multicultureel iemand. Daarnaast geloofde ik toen nog dat Nederland (niet alleen Joden) massaal slachtoffer was van en in verzet ging tegen Duitse Nazi’s, en ik daardoor uit “foutere” landen kwam. Onzin, achteraf bekeken.

Mijn moeder was duidelijk links en progressief en anti-Franco (hoewel ze niet graag lang over politiek praatte). Ik denk dat ze teveel humor had en van het leven hield om teveel met politiek – zeker niet partijpolitiek - bezig te zijn, maar als ze er wat over zei, was het meestal pro-vrijheid “linksig”. Eigenlijk net als ik nu.. “can’t fight genetics”, haha

Mussolini, de Italiaanse uitvinder van het fascisme, werd ook nooit positief besproken, ook niet door mijn vader. Hij herinnerde zich van de laatste jaren van het fascisme in Italië (toen hij kind was) dat er een nare, strenge sfeer heerste, veel soldaten op straat, en dat hij de fascistische groet moest geven op school, aan leraren. Niet lang daarna zette echter de democratie in, in Italië, - en economische groei -, en probeerden de Italianen te doen alsof er niets gebeurd was.

In Spanje bleef er een fascistoïde dictatuur onder generaal Franco tot 1975. Franco verbond zich wat losjes aan Hitler en Mussolini, en hun militaire hulp hielp hem uiteindelijk in 1939 aan de macht, maar hij opereerde wat strategischer en “slimmer” door zich ook weer niet te direct aan hen te verbinden, en toch een beetje diensten te verlenen aan geallieerde landen als de VS .. om zo dus niet meteen met zijn fascistische collega’s elders in Europa onder te gaan. Zo overleefde hij de Tweede Wereldoorlog: door zich er buiten weten te houden..

Binnenlands in Spanje, mengde Franco aspecten van Mussoliniaans fascisme met oerconservatieve Spaanse katholieke tradities, waardoor hij een breder deel van conservatief Spanje koest hield dat niet wist wat fascisme was, zogezegd, mogelijk mede geholpen door anti-communistische, en pro-regime propaganda. En, uiteraard, zoals in elke dictatuur, een repressie-apparaat: veel soldaten en politie op straat, censuur, en rechten ontnemen aan burgers: tegen de overheid kon je weinig beginnen.

Dat verklaart mede het eigenlijk wel schokkende feit dat mijn moeder er pas achter kwam dat die Holocaust (inclusief concentratiekampen) had plaats gevonden toen ze rond 1966 naar Nederland kwam. Spanje onder Franco onderwees dat niet. Hitler was een voormalige bondgenoot, zal een reden zijn. Er was ook weer niet een verering van Nazisme of (direct) anti-semitisme in het Spaanse onderwijs toen: thema’s waren eerder beperkt en binnenlands gericht (nationalistisch, maar niet echt een rassenleer). Het antisemitisme bestond in Spanje ook, en uitte het zich in handelsland Nederland in vooroordelen over vermeende geldzucht van Joden, in Spanje vooral in de aloude mythe onder Christenen/katholieken dat “de Joden Jezus hadden vermoord”.. Domme onzin, natuurlijk: Jezus was uiteraard Jood onder Joden.. Verraden door zijn eigen mensen, eerder..

Heel af en toe werd het wel pervers: mijn moeder vertelde dat in het staatsnieuws voor films in bioscopen in Spanje (rond de verjaar- of sterfdag van Hitler of Mussolini) ooit te zien was dat Franco als katholiek in een kerk een zegen uitsprak voor Hitler en Mussolini. Later zag ze in hoe absurd en immoreel dat was.

(foto boven: ik als begin-tiener met mij ouders in Andalusië, Spanje, rond eind 1980s).

Spanjaarden werden toen zoveel mogelijk dom gehouden, en die namen Hitler en Mussolini waren voor velen onder hen vage namen uit buitenland en historie: net als je nu tegen Nederlanders Hindenburg of Jaruzelski noemt. Schandalige, ideologische geschiedvervalsing uiteraard, maar veel verder ging die aandacht niet. Franco poogde Spanje in zijn eigen ideologische, rechts-conservatieve wereld op te sluiten. Een nationale wereld die uiteraard voordelig was voor de “powers that be” in het land, de staat, maar ook (regime-steunende) werkgevers en grote bedrijven, grootgrondbezitters, en de andere rijken, die in zo’n dictatuur (met rechteloze arbeiders) makkelijker mensen konden uitbuiten. Mijn moeder “voelde” dat, vertelde ze. Dat noemen we ook wel “onderdrukking”.

Als “linkse tante” was mijn moeder later voorspelbaar kritisch over de Israëlische bezetting van Palestijns gebied, maar zag dat – zoals ze vaker deed – vooral in termen van rijk tegen arm. Op andere punten (positie van de vrouw met name) was ze echter weer kritisch over aspecten van de Islam, maar dat was ze ook over het katholicisme.

LUYENDIJK

Ik vertel dit allemaal, “where I come from” zeg maar, omdat ik met dit verleden in mijn hoofd, pas een interessant boek heb gelezen, relevant voor dit thema: door voormalig journalist/correspondent in het Midden Oosten (w.o. Israël) Joris Luyendijk. Luyendijk beschreef zijn ervaringen in het Midden Oosten in het goed leesbare boek ‘Het zijn net mensen’, eerst uitgegeven in 2006.

Die ervaringen waren met name van 1998 tot 2003. De titel geeft al een beetje aan dat hij aandacht heeft over perspectief en vooroordelen bij een Westerse (Nederlandse) journalist als hij.

Ik zag de schrijver Joris Luyendijk ook weleens op televisie. Het was iemand die goed en prettig relativerend kon vertellen (vooral over de Arabische wereld), en ook als presentator van VPRO Zomergasten (in 2006 en 2007) dat ik regelmatig keek, vond ik hem veelal ook geslaagd. Aan dit boek ‘Het zijn net mensen’ was ik echter tot voor kort niet toegekomen.

Het Israël-Palestina conflict en andere problemen in het Midden-Oosten spelen anno 2024 uiteraard nog steeds – hoewel recentelijk tijdelijk concurrerend met die rare “covid psychose” tussen 2020 en 2023.

Vanaf met name 2022 mochten andere thema’s weer meer prioriteit krijgen, en daar zaten helaas ook dramatische ontwikkelingen bij. Geografisch werden deels de oude specialiteiten weer hervat (zoals Israël), naast bijvoorbeeld Oekraïne, en de luchtaanval op ziekenhuis in Gaza (door Israël bezet Palestijns gebied) leidde eind 2023 tot veel verontwaardiging.

CORRESPONDENTSCHAP

Luyendijk beschrijft zijn ervaringen van de periode 1998 tot 2003, toen hij de Arabische wereld “coverde” als correspondent, of een deel ervan, voor de Volkskrant en NRC, en de televisie. Zijn standplaatsen waren eerst Caïro in Egypte – waar hij al eerder voor zijn sociaal-wetenschappelijke studie (antropologie) verbleef -, en daarna Beiroet en Oost-Jeruzalem. Hij richtte zich dus eerst op Egypte en de Arabische wereld, later op Israël, en aan het eind van zijn correspondentschap op Irak, binnengevallen door de VS.

Als sociale wetenschapper van buiten de journalistiek was Luyendijk verbaasd – veelal onaangenaam verrast – door die journalistiek, i.c. de werkwijzen. De moeilijkheid ervan in Arabische dictaturen, en de afhankelijkheid van gestructureerde, internationale nieuwsfilters en stroomlijning.

Hij legt goed uit in dit boek dat in de Arabische dictaturen met sterke, bijna totalitaire repressie, vrije nieuwsgaring, of gewoon de eerlijke mening van mensen vragen, moeilijk werd gemaakt. Dit noodde bijvoorbeeld tot anoniem maken van geciteerde bronnen, om mensen niet in problemen te brengen met staatsagenten en geheime diensten. Dit maakte achtergrondartikelen ook een uitdaging vol afgeleide informatie, legt Luyendijk boeiend uit. Beeldend beschrijft hij - in meer dan een opzicht -moeizame gesprekken.

Het woord “perspectief” is voor dit boek erg belangrijk, wat al blijkt uit de titel Het Zijn Net Mensen. Zijn ervaringen in Egypte en elders botsten vaak met simplistische stereotypen die in het Westen bestonden over de Arabische wereld (eerst ook bij Luyendijk zelf), vaak overigens gevoed door partijdige – of beperkte – media. Dit betrof niet alleen politiek, maar ook cultuur en het dagelijkse leven.

De Arabische wereld is intern veel gevarieerder dan mensen denken, dat ten eerste. Verder: de aanwezigheid van “humor” onder Arabieren, moppen over anderen uit een bepaalde streek, maar ook zelfspot, ontbraken niet, en evenmin andere speelse flexibiliteit. Dit leek hem te verbazen.

MANIPULATIE

Het heeft deels met cultureel onbegrip – of vooroordelen - te maken, maar ook met partijdigheid en gestuurde belangen. Propaganda-apparaten die nieuws naar hun eigen voordeel kleuren waren er aan beide kanten, vanuit die dictaturen, maar ook bij “democratische” Westerse media. De ene anti-Amerikaans/-Westers (of –Israël), de ander pro-Amerikaans/-Westers (of –Israël), heel grof samengevat.

Vanuit deze wisselwerking tussen cultureel onbegrip, gebrek aan kennis over de geschiedenis van de regio (en van conflicten), en mediasturing/manipulatie, ontstond dan een beeld in de Westerse media, ook in de Nederlandse en bij het Nederlandse publiek.

Joris Luyendijk beschrijft hoe hij dat beeld, met moeite en beperkingen, probeerde bij te sturen met zijn stukken en bijdragen richten de werkelijke situatie onder Arabieren en in Israël.

Bij de gestuurde, “gelikte”, en geoliede propaganda of PR-machines om de journalistiek te “informeren” – en eigenlijk te binden – van de Israëlische autoriteiten, en later de VS/het Pentagon (bij de inval in Irak), staken schril af de amateuristische pogingen onder Palestijnen, en helemaal de loze, voorspelbare anti-Westerse propaganda van ondemocratische, onderdrukkende Arabische regimes, of nog erger, maar marginaler, anti-Joodse scheldpartijen, "rants", of beschuldigingen, met zowel oude economische als oude religieuze antisemitische ideeën op herhaling, maar nu door Arabieren.

Zelfs als Palestijnen in bezette gebieden toch echt vooral het slachtoffer waren en de onderliggende partij, kwam dat leed vooral op beeldgerichte televisie, PR-technisch slecht over. Het Arabische taboe op openbaar kwetsbaarheid en zwakte tonen (cultureel beperkt tot privé-sfeer), wordt in Europa, sinds ik schat zo in de hippie-tijd en 1970s (en “praatgroepen”, sociale academies) -, minder begrepen in modern Europa, waardoor het beeld van gevoelloze, Joden-hatende fanatici er soms onterecht stand houdt. Dictatoriale trekken bij Palestijnse leiders en de Hamas, bemoeilijken ook de vrije nieuwsgaring en meningsuiting, wat Luyendijk al eerder ook al in Arabische dictaturen, in nog extremere mate, merkte.

Duidelijk een cultureel en contextueel verschil, maar uitgebuit vanwege partijdigheid, en de pro-Israël (en pro-Westen) focus in ook Nederlandse media kon Luyendijk niet ontkennen. Joodse en Israëlische persvoorlichters kenden de Europese cultuur beter, en konden beter inspelen op Westerse karaktertrekken om hun kant van het verhaal te bevoordelen. Serene, rustige begrafenissen en rouwprocessen – met beperkte hysterie. Wat meer genuanceerde, of althans schijnbaar redelijk geuite, verontwaardiging of bezwaren, van toch ook Europeser lijkende Joden, leidde makkelijker tot identificatie bij Europeanen.

Luyendijk leerde hierover – de meerdere “filters” - tussen het echte nieuws en gekleurde perspectieven en belangen - gaandeweg steeds beter, en daarvan doet dit boek boeiend verslag, alsmede over zijn toegenomen begrip over wat leven onder zo’n dictatuur en bezetting in de praktijk nu echt inhoudt, ook voor gewone Arabieren. Veel angst en omkoping in dictaturen, onder andere. Veel onduidelijkheid en verwarring ook, en ook zelfbeperking. Die zelfbeperking volgend op angst leidt ook psychologisch tot allerlei neurosen of stoornissen als ontkenning of vluchtgedrag, en negatief afreageren op anderen, projectie, etcetera.

Dat kun je zo kil medicaliseren en pathologiseren. Mooier is het - en dat doet Luyendijk toch ook in het boek -, om dat gewoon als een al te menselijke reactie te zien op onrecht, onderdrukking, terreur, of oorlog. Mogelijk vanuit een andere cultuur die we niet meteen begrijpen, een armoediger samenleving, en een andere, complexe geschiedenis, die soms moeilijk uit te leggen is… maar van mensen als jij en ik.. Zonder bij voorbaat een kant te kiezen.

AFGESTOMPT

Luyendijk gaf aan dat hij deze correspondentenperiode afsloot omdat hij merkte “afgestompt” te raken te midden van gevolgen van oorlog, bezetting, conflicten en terreur.

Inderdaad een van de uitdagingen in het leven van ieder persoon: niet afgestompt raken. Niet de nieuwsgierigheid en empathie verliezen, meestal gepaard gaand met een grauwer gebruik van zintuigen, en een uitgeschakeld gevoel. Die afstomping voorkom je denk ik door je bezig te houden met positieve en mooie dingen, wat moeilijker wordt, immers, omgeven door negatieve en lelijke dingen als oorlog, geweld, gebrek, haat, en terreurdreiging.

Luyendijk was dat wijselijk redelijk voor, en kon zich blijkbaar de luxe van stoppen met zijn baan veroorloven, in die positie, en ook als iemand met “7 vinkjes” voor maatschappelijk succes, zoals hijzelf in een later boek schreef (Zeven Vinkjes). Die 7 vinkjes zijnde, wit, autochtoon, man, hetero, hoog opgeleid met hoog-opgeleide ouders, en nog wat meer (Randstad, ABN-sprekend).. geprivilegieerd dus. Wat ikzelf wel als goede graadmeter van privilege in een samenleving zie is of je zelf “wilt” stoppen met ergens te werken, of dat je ergens “moet” stoppen met werken. Onmacht dus. Verwant hieraan definieerde James Brown “soul” (zowel een muziekgenre, als kwaliteit in alle zwarte muziek) als the word “can’t”..

Luyendijk wilde en kon makkelijk weg vanuit dat 7 vinkjes-privilege, denkelijk voor iets beters elders (later schreef hij over de financiële wereld in het “wall street” van Europa: de London City), maar het leek mij een begrijpelijke keuze, zoals hij vertelt over de gewenning die afstomping werd, en die nooit goed is..

REFLECTIE

Luyendijk maakte de manipulatie van nieuws en “filters” ervoor duidelijk, ook in praktische zin, alsmede de belangen die er speelden. Mijn inschatting is dat het (het verhulde eigenbelang en de verhulde propaganda) sindsdien niet verbeterd of zelfs alleen maar erger is geworden in het zelfverklaarde vrije Westen, zoals de recente covid-hype liet zien, mede door toenemende machtsconcentratie in de media, en voortdurende ongelijke economische en militaire macht .

De vraag drong zich na het lezen van dit boek aan mij op, daar ik mij zelf eerder in de stuk als “nooit erg vatbaar” beschreef.. Ik denk althans van mijzelf dat ik een goede intuïtie voor leugenachtigheid heb, ook qua propaganda of nieuws. Mogelijk borstklopperij of mijn eigen ego strelend, en herinner ik mij opzettelijk vooral die keren dat mijn intuïtie bevestigd werd.

De kritische geluiden tegen de Israëlische onderdrukking van Palestijnen kende ik van Linkse kringen, soms ook in mijn nabije omgeving, maar ook de angst voor Islamitisch terreur. Misschien bevat een wat abstracte, maar simpele “rijk tegen arm” verklaring – zoals mijn moeder die gaf – meer wijsheid dan ik dacht. Luyendijk beschreef hoe veel geld hebben (Israël, VS, Europa) ook uitgebreide, professionele mediamanipulatie veel beter faciliteert, inclusief toegang.

De arm-rijk verklaring lijkt wat “klassenstrijd/Marxistisch”-achtig maar relativeert daarom juist het culturele ongemak dat de Arabische cultuur en de Islam soms oproepen, zoals de macho waarden, de positie van de vrouw, hysterie (je kunt ook vriendelijker zeggen: warmbloediger of temperamentvoller), en agressie en geweld. Deels ook bij mij, geef ik toe. Ik probeer dat te relativeren middels economische en vooral onderwijsverschillen, maar ook psychologische kennis die ik mettertijd opdeed.

Agressief pratende mensen die “stoer” doen, schelden, en gewelddadige bedreigingen uiten – of zelfs alleen maar druk/”hysterisch” zijn, doen inderdaad “stoer”, maar zijn ook vaak “in paniek”, “wanhopig”, en gepijnigd door trauma’s door onderdrukking en geweld, die zo overschreeuwd worden. Ze zitten “vast”. Dat kan, in ieder geval. Iemand zich zo “intimiderend” gedragend kan uiteraard even goed vol met haat en rancune zitten, zonder goede reden, maar uit onzekerheid of negatieve bewijsdrang zo zijn, als een soort gangster of crimineel. Een blik in de ogen en waarneming van houding is veelal genoeg, om te merken of iemand, zoals ik in een Reggae-liedje (Nah Tarry Ya, van Admiral Tibet) hoorde, is “ you a man of peace, or a man of war (?)..”

Wat ik mede van mijn moeder’s verhalen, levend onder de Franco-dictatuur, begreep was inderdaad het gevoel van “rechteloosheid” dat Luyendijk ook noemt als het gevoel onder een corrupte dictatuur, zoals in Arabische landen: het recht krijgt immers geen beloop, tegen machtige groepen die je benadelen of weg willen hebben. Dictaturen willen mensen rechteloos en ook dom houden, toch geldend als “verzachtende omstandigheden” als mensen hun ongenoegen iets anders uiten dan in open, vrije samenlevingen.

Veel verklikkers en verraders in dictaturen ook, en mijn moeder had het over “enchufes”, als woord voor vriendjespolitiek/nepotisme met belangrijke functies en banen voor regime-getrouwe mensen. Het Spaanse woord “enchufe” is te vertalen als “aansluiting” Of “connectie/plug-in” (voor een functie dus), en vond ik hier wel grappig omdat het een van die Arabische leenwoorden in de Spaanse taal is, namelijk volgens etymologen afgeleid van het Arabische “jawf” (maag). Dit werd dus “enchufe”, werkwoord “enchufar” in het Spaans.

Een van de punten in dit boek van Luyendijk is juist dat dit soort noodzakelijke contextualiseringen in het Westerse nieuws wat minder gegeven wordt bij Arabieren en Palestijnen, dan bij Israeliërs die hun (terechte) zorgen over terreur delen, en helemaal bij Westerlingen, of aan de kant van de VS. In de belangrijkste Westerse media werden het “Hollywood”-achtige militaire VS-perspectief uitgedragen van de militaire invasie van Irak en bijbehorende problemen (nu ook weer mbt Oekraïne). Met soms wat nuances of tegenspraak. Destijds waren de mainstream media in Nederland iets democratischer (meer debatten met tegenstanders) dan later tijdens de coronacrisis. Daar blijkt uit – filosofisch interessant – dat de realiteit complex en veelzijdig is (dictatuur, armoede, oorlog), maar leugens (w.o. media-hype’s) opvallend eenduidig en eenvormig. Veel ooit zogenaamd kritische, dwarse denkers namen immers opeens zinloze injecties/”vaccins”, bleven desgewenst thuis, en deden even zinloze maskertjes op. Even was de leugen sneller, haha.

CONTROLE

Ik definieer “trauma” deels als onvermogen (of weer: onmacht), en “de controle kwijt zijn”, t.o.v. pijn veroorzaakt door machtiger partijen. Dat doet pijn en dehumaniseert. Wat in Nederlandse, nuchtere ogen lijkt op “hysterie” onder bijvoorbeeld Arabieren, lijkt soms echter ook op “zichzelf niet onder controle hebben”. Dat roept ons wantrouwen op, en maakt wat onzeker en bang, vooral bij zich macho gedragende mannen. Zo oppervlakkig is het mediabeeld helaas, en vaak onterecht. Het voorbeeld van mensen als Martin Luther King, en Nelson Mandela laten daarentegen zien dat jezelf “toch onder controle houden” (al wordt je leven en alles wat je hebt bedreigd en onderdrukt) waardig en wijs is, en inspirerend blijft, naast ook “mediageniek” genoeg. Ook Malcolm X, iets strijdbaarder en moslim, kon in talkshows beheerst en intelligent debatten voeren met blanken en tegenstanders, zonder ongenuanceerde of onbewezen “onzin te praten” of loze, generaliserende beledigingen. Dat kwam bij weldenkende, niet vooringenomen mensen goed over.

Mogelijk zijn iets meer “vrouwelijke” waarden van zorg, communicatie,en gelijkwaardigheid - die meer een balans vonden met mannelijke in de Afrikaanse en Afro-Amerikaanse culturen -, hier nuttig voor Arabieren. Daarnaast vereist dat ook een open debat in een open, democratische samenleving waarin veel Arabieren, en zeker niet Iraqi’s onder Saddam Hussein’s onvrije dictatuur, simpelweg niet leefden.

Helaas bijt de pro-mannelijkheid focus van de Koran en Islam (naar huidige maatstaven) zich hier in de staart bij Islamitisch protest tegen het Westen.. die vrouwonvriendelijkheid is er ook ook in de Bijbel (vrouwen krijgen zelfs onterecht de schuld van dingen), maar die is gerelativeerd in het latere, vrijere Christendom. De Jamaicaanse Rastafari-aanhanger en dichter Mutabaruka stelde ooit dat die “heilige boeken” als de Koran en Bijbel geschreven zijn door “onzekere mannen”, die vrouwen op hun plaats wilden zetten (naast andere dingen), reden waarom hij er wat afstand van nam in zijn interpretatie van Rastafari.

Evenwel, alleen als je je in welvaart en in vrijheid als individu kunt ontwikkelen, heb je nog de “luxe”, of beter: ruimte, voor een vrije, aangepaste interpretatie van wat anderen “heilig” noemen. Normen en waarden, vrij leven. Zo is dat in het Westen gebeurd sinds de 1960s met het Christendom. Democratie speelde daarbij een rol, vrij onderwijs, emancipatie richting individuele vrijheid, vrouwenemancipatie, maar toch ook welvaart: niet alleen maar hoeven te overleven en strijden, maar ook gewoon leven, leren, en liefhebben. Had mijn moeder met haar (weer gewoon) “rijk tegen arm” over het Palestina-conflict toch in de kern gelijk..

De Arabische dictaturen die Luyendijk in dit boek beschrijft – met censuur en controle, en andere onderdrukkende omstandigheden en politiestaten, zoals de bezetting van Palestijns gebied, of overheersend oorlogsgeweld van de VS tegen Irak, bemoeilijken die “zelfcontrole” of “zelfverbetering voor het grotere goed” bij individuele leiders, zichzelf verbonden hebbend aan corrupte macht. Dat geldt echter ook voor die mediamanipulatie door autoritaire of belanghebbende partijen (aan beide zijden, maar zeker ook de Westerse), waardoor andere kanten van het verhaal, zelfs als er charismatische, inspirerende en overtuigende woordvoerders van zijn, gewoon minder toegang of kans krijgen.. Een treffende illustratie van hoe vrijheid en gelijkheid gerelateerd zijn.

Ik kon me altijd voorstellen dat Joden een eigen, onafhankelijk land wilden, en dat kan ik me nog, vanuit de geschiedenis. Van mij mag het, en het is niet eens onzin. Ik ben een voorstander van gezond, open nationalisme, verbonden aan cultuur/geloof, van ieder volk, dat geen andere volkeren lastig - of binnen - valt. Leuk voor de variatie ook: er bestaan immers al meerdere “Arabische” landen, dus een Joodse mag er ook bij. Dat is de “wat” kant. Verder zitten er alleen meerdere kanten aan het verhaal - met name de “hoe” kant - die het voor mij soms moeilijker maken een kant te kiezen, vooral als het nieuws onbetrouwbaar is.. Dit laatste bleek uit dit goed leesbare en leerzame boek Het Zijn Net Mensen (2006) van Joris Luyendijk.

Toegegeven, we zitten nu een tijd verder in een tijd van Internet en meer alternatieve media. De menselijke neiging om alles in het eigen voordeel en eigenbelang te manipuleren moet echter niet onderschat worden - ook niet in die alternatieve media -, vaak door middel van een quasi-beredeneerde ideologie of religie. De drammerige poging tot "verrechtsing" van het op zich legitieme coronaverzet - even kritische mensen uit de progressieve hoek (met soms meer systeemkritiek) als George Van Houts of Ewald Engelen negerend - is daar een recent voorbeeld van.

Alles neutraal van alle kanten bekijkend - en gewoon toegeven als we iets niet weten - lijkt mij dan het wijste, en dat zegt eigenlijk ook Joris Luyendijk in dit boek.. Aan de andere kant wist ik dat al een tijdje..

maandag 1 januari 2024

The Amsterdam reggae scene (2023/24)

It is now over 5 years ago that I wrote for my blog (January, 2017) about the Amsterdam Reggae scene, speaking about 2016 and 2017. In fact, it was an update of my first description of the Amsterdam Reggae scene, written in Late 2012, so around 4 years earlier.

I think now (January of already 2024) the time has come for once again an update, along the same thematic lines, as it were subdividing the “scene”.

-REGGAE “CLUBS” (places)

-REGGAE DEEJAY’S/SELECTAH’S

-REGGAE PEOPLE (public, organizers)

-REGGAE ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS.

What has changed in the Amsterdam (and Netherlands) Reggae music scene since Early 2017, now about 6 years later?

TUMULTUOUS

The period 2017-2023 was overall quite tumultuous, but especially the latter years, since the Corona pandemic declared by authorities, since March 2020, It was then that the world – but especially leading politicians – went crazy.

Of course opinions differ about the restrictive corona policies, also affecting the Netherlands. If they were proper or necessary, if there really was a severe virus or a “pandemic”. The quest for ulterior motives by those critical of the policies - or as the CIA coined them: “conspiracy thinkers” - went on, and the (I think probable) ulterior motives will probably have to do with “the rich wanting to get richer”, or “elites fearing losing control”. Human history simply shows this..

The skeptical suspicions of other (non-medical) economical/political motives behind the proclaimed pandemic is "framed" here in the Western media as "Right-wing" or Right-Populist "conspracy theories", yet was widespread in the world, especially among poorer people (also from "the Left").. This framing is a matter of "wishful thinking" by authorities, hiding thus the (actually Right-wing!) vested interests behind such global policies, including multinationals, Big Pharma, Big Finance, etcetera.. All these profited in the period 2020-2022, which should have opened more eyes. Tellingly, I heard the word-play "pLandemic" (with the extra L) first from singer Buju Banton.

Why then - if this is the case - exactly at this time period (2020) such an “elite power grab” through such deceptive policies (hyping up a virus)? One of the more convincing and best-argumented - and non-ideological! - analysis I heard was that this whole Western capitalist system - based on exploitation - could simply not last, due to its very parasitical nature, and imploded/exploded at this point. This might relate to a peaking financial crisis, or the Internet, this digital age, promising world citizens freedom (of information) and connection, answered by “the powers that be” by threatening with more totalitarian control through it. The age-old class struggle, in essence, in my opinion.

While I considered it good and even heroic that people protested against the corona policies, and many sensible counter-ideas have been discussed about it, the theme is by now a well-trodden path, furthermore with decreased relevance and urgency, as the corona policies - some would say: failed deception strategy - seemed abandoned slowly in the course of 2022. Good to still stay vigilant of new "Babylon" schemes, of course. Some say "climate" (as opposed to actual "environment" protection) is one of these.

Let’s therefore try to forget this political/Babylonian foolishness, and focus on “positive vibrations”, namely music, culture, and Reggae, and specifically real lovers of Reggae music in Amsterdam, wanting to enjoy their favourite music, also outside one’s own house.. in other words: a “scene”.

Talking about “own house”.. during some of the several “peaks of lunacy” of the corona policies, also in the Netherlands there were periodic lockdowns – up to 2022 -, with all bars, clubs, restaurants, concert venues, etecetera, having to close for supposed medical (contagion) risk.

This also affected of course the nightlife in a city like Amsterdam, the Netherlands, including eventual Reggae clubs. Several Reggae events (festivals, internationally, other events) were annulled or postponed. Also “regular Reggae deejay-sessions”, to name something common in several European cities, including Amsterdam, ceased for some years, with few, and troubled exceptions. The hospitality sector in Amsterdam was even more tightly controlled (I knew e.g. that closing hours of bars were guarded oddly strict by police) than I thought, and most had to comply to not lose their business/license, although some sought the margins of the possible.

As part of the corona policies, the restrictions due to the QR code for entering public places (especially “fun” places, not for jobs and stores of course), as a conditional – read: discriminatory – opening up of bars and such), affected some “critical” Reggae fans.

I remember – when places could open a bit more,under discriminatory conditions – that certain Reggae parties, or a few concerts, had people not able to enter, for not having a QR code – or jab prove – to show. Even a former anarchic “squatter” place, like OT301 (Overtoom, Amsterdam), complied with this unhappy Babylonian policy.

As there were also travel restrictions for Jamaican artists, there were also limited Reggae concerts, especially in Europe (some US states like Florida still allowed concerts) in the period 2020-2022.

This was a blow, and hiatus, - perhaps even a trauma – but there was also a lively Reggae period before it- from 2017 to February 2020 – without such restrictions, and the period after 2021 to now, when public life – also of reggae events – “scrambled up” so to speak, i.e. increased again. Pick Myself (or Itself) Up from the ground, as the song by Peter Tosh goes..

Somehow the Amsterdam Reggae scene was kept alive also during corona closures and restrictions ., for – I think – interesting psychological/sociological reasons.

LIVE ONLINE CULTURE

All culture, must be kept in mind in this inevitable digital age, including modern subcultures, but also folk and pop cultures, can only thrive with actual and regular human contacts and gatherings. That is my (informed) opinion, at least. In fact, a free interaction of humans. Both the totalitarian tendencies the corona policies exhibited, as the increased digitalization in the West – with powerful parties behind it (big tech/technocracy) - impacted this. The latter - Internet – became by necessity a replacement of actual “music events” (dee-jays’ or live shows), with more people joining live “online events”, and real-time communication through comments.

Maybe it existed before, but it - known as: online streaming - certainly got a boost with those 2020-2022 “lockdowns” or, in some places, even evening curfews (for a type of influenza, I repeat). People were urged, but even forced to stay home. Also in the international Reggae scene, and from Amsterdam some dee-jays played Reggae live on e.g. Facebook pages. Also I, myself.

While contradictory and – of course – not “the real thing”, these online events could offer some comfort, nice distraction, and good music and variety of taste within Reggae, but also.. connection, and promise of “the real thing”: actual events with other people you can actually feel and smell (in theory.. I mean, haha), and direct sound waves from bigger or better loudspeakers “pumping” Reggae than you have at home.

I learned during my study that the Internet actually developed within US military circles, but luckily it spread outside of that elite context, and the freedom of information could not be tamed or controlled as much as "the powers that be" wanted..

Still.. actual culture requires physical gatherings, in my opinion. In that sense I agree with some critics of the corona policies, such as in the Netherlands Willem Engel, who called them – incl. lockdowns, gathering restrictions etc. - also an “attack on culture”.

REGGAE PLACES

From 1917 to Early 2020 there were still some Reggae clubs active in Amsterdam, notably and most regularly Café The Zen, then in Amsterdam East, also organizing events outside that club/café (under the name Zen Social: or rather ZenSocial productions). Small-scale shows were also regularly held in Café the Zen itself, or otherwise dee-jay events of Reggae dee-jays, especially with many people attending in the weekends. This was alive and still going strong!

Memorable for me was, e.g., the organized trip from Amsterdam to the island of Texel (NW Netherlands) in 2017, with the whole Café The Zen (read: Amsterdam Reggae)-community, with there shows of Warrior King from Jamaica, Marla Brown (daughter of Dennis, living in Britain), and Netherlands Reggae artists coming over. This is a lived culture, with actual physical presence. I even flirted with Marla Brown, or she with me? (just joking..)..

In 2017 and the years after, great artists like Fantan Mojah, Keida (from nice song Ganja Tea), I-Taweh, Lenn Hammond, Kushite, Khalilah Rose, and Vivian Jones, or national Reggae acts, like Jampara, Imishango, Zed I, Joggo, Miriam Simone, Lyrical Benjie, King I I Opo, or Rapha Pico .. really too much to mention - – perfomed or reappeared - in Café the Zen, while ZenSocial organized concerts by great Reggae artists like Everton Blender, Junior Kelly, Akae Beka, and Bushman, in concert venues/halls the direct surroundings of Amsterdam (Zaandam, Amstelveen).

These regular events – plus the very real sense that we were part of a Reggae community in Amsterdam – was later brutally disrupted by Babylon authorities attacking the vey lifeblood of it: freedom.

For the regular visitors of Café The Zen (like me) there was another shock or disappointment preceding this, as Café the Zen announced its closure (something with real-estate, rent costs, I understood) as of March 2020, when the whole corona hype was still a rumour. Very coincidental, but it – intended or not – softened the blow coming thereafter..

I was already starting to look for alternative Reggae places in Amsterdam, when the lockdowns coming in the months after confined me and my social life even more. I had a few private parties with dee-jay’s playing Reggae in that period, just to not always play Reggae I like just at my own home. I enjoy that, to be sure, but I think alterations of spaces and environments for humans are a psychological necessity: you dance among friends and strangers in another place – another “world” temporarily – and then return home for your usual, “homely” things, or relaxing with some fun YouTube film or documentary, either way as your own after party.

The lockdowns disrupted that natural, organic process and made “staying home” obligatory, rather than a respite or refuge. I guess it’s like having sex: it’s not relaxing and fun anymore when you are obliged/forced to.

Café Frontline, near Amsterdam’s Red Light district (with Surinamese owners) stayed open for a while (up to and “in-between” lockdowns) in the period 2020-2022. I was required – as I would in all other bars in Amsterdam – to fill in my name at the Café at one point: a place (Café Frontline) I have visited regularly for years. Not just an intrusion of privacy, but also making you feel guilty for going out: wicked policy, with the virus as excuse. All freedom and spontaneity troubled, though we always tried to hold a good Reggae vibe anyway. And forgot those bothersome policies when sweet Reggae played!

Other places were “visited” so to speak by Reggae selecta’s/dee-jay’s until the lockdowns got stricter, and after strict policies loosened. Selecta’s once playing in Café the Zen – like Jah Sisters - could play in some places in Amsterdam, like Kashmir Lounge, Hunter’s Grand Café, Molli Chaoot, or Bret.

JAMAICA LOUNGE

Another Reggae place I paid more attention to after Café the Zen closed was Jamaica Lounge, in Amsterdam-West. I went before a few times, noticing a bar-like atmosphere with not too loud music, albeit relatively good music (often Jamaican Reggae, because of its Jamaican owner Jimbo)..

In Late 2019 and after, the sound was improved (volume, acoustics), more to “club level”, and I could listen to some good Reggae there, interrupted by lockdown periods as Jamaica Lounge had to comply with it and was closed. Despite this, and when possible, Jamaica Lounge organized sometimes events, and I got more attention to them after Café the Zen closed.

Dependent on the occasional selecta’s/dee-jay’s or music played it was often okay (Roots Reggae or New Roots regularly), now with better sound, those nights at Jamaica Lounge – in Amsterdam West, although sometimes more Dancehall than Roots.

(Photo above: Jamaica Lounge on the De Clercqstraat 117, Amsterdam-West)

I got to know the owner Jimbo better, appreciating how he was music and Reggae-minded (also regarding older Reggae from his youth), and it thus offered some kind of a steady Reggae club for me. Furthermore, Jamaica Lounge not too far from the part of Amsterdam where I live. If I am not too lazy – or my bike broke down – I could even walk to Jamaica Lounge, haha.

Other places with sometimes Reggae music were the Molli Chaoot café in Amsterdam De Pijp/ Old South (a former squatter's café), and some “free-havens” in and around Amsterdam (NDSM, Ruigoord).. Some of these were UK/Euro Dub-minded, but always with some room for Jamaican Reggae.

Unfortunately, those in name “free havens” in Amsterdam and around, started by free-spirited people, often with links to “hippie” pasts, like Ruigoord or some other places within Amsterdam, could not escape the totalitarian corona policies, as they were forced to comply with the rules or measures that made no sense (forbidden outside parties: influenza-like contagion is improbable – almost impossible - with outside air, even if harmful enough to make such a fuss about it)..

The Amsterdam Reggae scene never stopped, though, and not just digitally/online, or virtually in one’s own home. The policies had an isolating/dividing effect which I from my historical and sociological studying justly predicted (not that I am so wise: just dry historical analysis). When public life is not fully “free” for citizens, people tend to withdraw to smaller social circles of trustworthy persons, often family or closer friends. Often also ethnically remarkably homogenous, despite the over 140 nationalities residing in a city like Amsterdam. This limits real cultural “scenes”, and I find this a pity. A small circle leads to a smaller mind, and just aids “divide and conquer” policies of authorities..

Studio work and bands practicing more or less continued, despite restrictions, so some Reggae musicians could still assemble in a limited sense. As long as they did not start to resemble “parties”, I suppose. I myself practiced with some other musicians, in rehearsal spaces in Amsterdam, often called “studio’s”, colloquially.

EARTH WORKS

One of those actual “studio’s”, that is: with extensive (updated) recording equipment, in Amsterdam, slowly developed into a more social space – despite the anti-social policies – with people actually gathering, first on a small scale: the Earth Works studio, led by Ben King, having recorded several Dutch and international Reggae artists in previous years, and having become a nice gathering place in “freer” times before 2020. (Website: https://www.earthworksamsterdam.com). It specializes in Reggae. It remained by necessity “low-key” during lockdown/corona periods, but Earth Works studio changed location from Weesp (just East of Amsterdam), to the North of Amsterdam (Buikslotermeerdijk), on one of those cultural “free havens” terrains, called ADM/Groene Veld. When freedom returned, it had become as much a gathering place as a studio for recording or rehearsing, at least offering some “community” sense (with dee-jays/selecta’s playing and “open” parties), but by then it was already 2023.

Despite its somewhat marginal location in the Far North of Amsterdam (the city virtually ends there), it became a nice, positive gathering place for people of different parts of the Reggae scene: both those who frequented Café the Zen (Roots and New Roots lovers), and the “squatter” scene (including Roots, but also Dub/Steppers lovers), of different ethnic backgrounds, and including some creative artists as well.

I visited Earth Works studio’s several times (already a few times when it was still in Weesp), and liked the vibes. Good that there are such “open”, creative places, anyway, despite its marginal location. Good recording equipment too, by the way, for those musicians interested. For quite reasonable prices, when compared to other studios, and aimed at especially Reggae music.

Now, as I write this, Late 2023, Earth Works studios is still very active, as is Jamaica Lounge, and ZenSocial organizes events again, and since around 2022 Jamaican Reggae artists started performing in Amsterdam and around again. Nice (even great!) concerts by Lila Iké and Nkulee Dube (Lucky’s daughter) at P60 (Amstelveen, just South of Amsterdam) I could enjoy in mid-2022, organized by ZenSocial productions. ZenSocial continues to organize and plan events, by the way, for Early 2024 (see: https://www.facebook.com/CafeTheZen/.

(Photo above: I with Lila Ike (pointing) after her show at P60, Amstelveen, June 2022)

This made me realize that “we are free again”, to quote a song By Burning Spear song from his Studio One days..

Jamaican artists also have meanwhile performed in the bigger concert venues Paradiso and Melkweg, and Reggae festivals took place in the Summer of 2023. I visited several, also in Amsterdam: Reggae Sunsplash and Reggae Lake, including good concerts by big Jamaican or Reggae names (Kabaka Pyramid, Richie Spice, Burning Spear, Capleton, Steel Pulse), and local artists. Some I even saw for the first time (Barrington Levy, Twinkle Brothers, – old school -, and Mortimer – new school Roots).

We are indeed “free again”. Yet: for a city of now over 800.000 inhabitants: the biggest city in the Netherlands, Amsterdam has very few “steady” Reggae places, with regular Reggae to count on. Not much beyond Jamaica Lounge (not far West from more central Amsterdam, but still off-route for many) or Earth Works (also called: Dub Hub) at the brink of Amsterdam-North. Besides this, occasional Reggae parties in other rented places (clubs, community houses) for the occasion.

Better than nothing, of course, but too little in relation to the actual number of Reggae fans in Amsterdam.

REGGAE DEE-JAY’S/SELECTA’S

Those dee-jay’s/selecta’s from mainly the Café the Zen days (2008-2020) in Amsterdam East were luckily not demoralized enough to continue, and when the measures loosened, started to play records again at social, public events: Jah Sisters (Sound Cista, DJ Jessi), Empress Donnalee, DJ Rowstone, DJ Ewa, Mystic Tammy, Ras Sjamaan, the Polish-French Zen Rockers posse (Vega Selecta, a.o.), Loddy Culture, Selectress Aur’ El (many of these people I interviewed for this blog as well). Some from the “squatter” scene (I call it that, haha) meanwhile had become more active, such as Pinedub, Jah Code (Carly), and new names like Eve Lien Dubwise (recently interviewed for my blog), with good musical rootical selections. The latter, Eve Lien, had a more Rootical taste, but some – a matter of taste – played at times more UK Steppers or Dub than Roots Reggae. Not my favourite subgenre within the whole Reggae field, but that is just my personal taste. Some of these selecta’s, of different backgrounds (Polish, French, Surinamese) also played at Earth Works studio, on some parties.

I myself took throughout 2023 some of my vinyl albums too to play as selecta at places like Café Havelaar (central Amsterdam), bar Molli Chaoot (Amsterdam-Old South) or Earth Works studio (Amsterdam North) on a few occasions. My Reggae vinyl collection is quite varied (incl. some Studio One), but a bit concentrated on the Channel One/Rockers period between 1976 and 1983. Each selecta specializes, I guess.

I noticed this also with the different selecta’s now active again in Amsterdam: different specialities: from Classic Reggae, to New Roots (Sizzla, Fantan Mojah, Morgan Heritage, Lutan Fyah, etc.), to Dub and Steppers. King Shiloh travels around and is well-known, but also made a move toward Steppers lately, unfortunately at the cost of Roots, which is on the other hand not absent. Covenant soundsystem, or Shashamane Sound, and other dee-jay combinations with a longer history in Amsterdam and around, and newer “sounds” like Shamba Lion (also Haarlem-based), still focus on Jamaican Roots though, as do Empress Donnalee, Jah Sisters (more New Roots), DJ Ewa, Mystic Tammy, or DJ Rowstone (partly Dancehall too). Some of the mentioned selecta’s combine Steppers with Roots more evenly (e.g. Jah Code). Newer influences also reached a veteran sound in Amsterdam like Shashamane Sound, though, as they (besides Jamaican Reggae), also played modern Dancehall, such as at a recent party – Late 2023 - at the Jamaican Lounge.

Some of these selecta’s/dee-jay’s keep up with newer releases since pre-corona days, as studio work in Jamaica luckily continued after 2020, and artists like Lutan Fyah, Richie Spice, Bushman, Sizzla, Luciano, Hempress Sativa, Aza Lineage, and Jah Mason still could release good songs in the period 2020-2023. Some of these with lyrics critical of the corona policies. Such critique is seldom heard in Western pop, but for historical reasons Caribbean people tend to be more critical of government policies and authorities (as most people in poorer countries, in fact).

REGGAE PEOPLE

Over time I got to find out how there were relatively many Polish people in the Amsterdam Reggae scene. This remained so, and possibly is a result of underground Punk-Reggae connections already existing during Communism in Poland (before 1990). The connections with squatters and anarchist movements are evident as well of this part of the Reggae scene, resulting in Reggae parties with international people, from various European countries, sharing a free, “squatter” spirit: from Italy, Poland, France, Spain, Serbia, Greece, a.o. In fact, I think this is also a nice, open-minded scene, with a real love for Reggae, albeit partly more the Steppers and Dub parts of it among some. Some in this “squatter scene” – to name it simplified – still play and prefer real Jamaican Roots though, and specialized in it, notably vinyl players.

There are however no strict barriers, as this “sub-scene” often mixes, also as dee-jay’s on parties, with the other part of the Reggae scene, like the erstwhile Café the Zen community, with many people of Surinamese descent, but also Africans, Antilleans, and others. UK Steppers or Dub seems less popular among this group, New Roots (Tarrus Riley, Richie Spice, Bushman, Sizzla, etc.) all the more.

The nice thing about a free culture is that these groups share a love for Jamaican music in the broader sense, and are not opposed, but sometimes intermingle as well, resulting in interesting parties or mutual inspirations.

These two groups – already existing “before corona” - come for instance together at the Earth Works studio in recent years, but before 2020 also sometimes. Branches of the same tree, so to speak.

ZenSocial from former Café the Zen) and Black Star Foundation (led by Michelle and Den Den) remained as Reggae-aimed organizations, and kept on organizing events, when possible. Of course they had to comply with corona policy rules, else “Babylon” would bother or limit them, but after the lockdowns, nice events were organized again, such as nice concerts, especially since 2022.

REGGAE ARTISTS AND PERFORMERS

Well, like their Jamaican counterparts, Reggae artists in Amsterdam were limited regarding live performances at the peak of corona plandemic madness. In-between and after the lockdowns, they performed here and there, sometimes on sound. Some continued – like other artists – with studio work, or composing, practicing their music. True artists remain artists, and do not do it for the money. Some demeaning comments once made by British politicians supporting the corona policies that “musical artists can always find other work”, show both disdain and misunderstanding of true artistry. Some people just have to make songs. Like Pablo Picasso had to make paintings, even at the cost of a stable life.

I am one of those people who “have” to make songs too (songs I like to make, the personal appreciation I leave to others), striving for free artistry, and also confined during the lockdowns I paid more attention to varied ways of making songs and composing, with own instruments, equipment and DAW (“home studio” would be too big a word, haha). It offered me a nice creative respite and comfort. I even have a message with my lyrics, haha. While the way I work (home recording) seems solitary, I like to work alone; often for the mere freedom it offers, but also because I do not like nepotism and money: two evils tormenting the music industry (in the Netherlands and elsewhere), and therefore use the digital age (YT channels a.o.) to my advantage, for my self-expression. Check: https://www.youtube.com/michelconci, if interested.

That's me.. Yet I can also imagine that with good friends or trustworthy people, recognizing your soul, it would be nice to make music together, as some in Amsterdam do.

As of, say 2023, several Netherlands-based Reggae artists remained active (as they were already before corona), and released recently new material. Interestingly, also with the Earth Works studio in Amsterdam-North in some cases a role in it (recording, producing).

Rapha Pico, Lyrical Benjie, Miriam Simone, Imishango, Shiwa, Samora, Mo Ali, the bands Flavour Coalition, Dejavu (including also selecta Rowstone), and others can be mentioned, while residing outside of Amsterdam, Black Omolo, Zed I, Strawl, also released some good songs, or meanwhile gave good live shows in Amsterdam, showing increased professional standards over time, as is natural. Many have positive "message" songs too, lyrics-wise, even with some topical themes slipping in.

Both Samora and Mo Ali (orig. from Sudan) impressed me with good songs and tight, groovy musicianship of their bands during their performances at the Reggae Lake festival in 2023 (Amsterdam South East), as did Imishango, or Zed I, recently. Rapha Pico and Miriam Simone also came with good new songs in recent years.

Professional and skilled Reggae instrumentalists – session musicians, as they are called - are certainly also there in the Amsterdam Reggae scene, offering tight-sounding music for artists they accompany, approaching quite closely the Jamaican reggae standard. Totally reaching this standard is impossible, so it is no diss from my part. The best and realest Samba will always be from Brazil, the best and realest Flamenco from Spain, and the best and realest Reggae from Jamaica. It is their organically developed culture, and more deeply enshrined in it. This one notices in inimitable drumming styles – or bass-drums-vocals interactions, that can’t really be copied outside of Jamaica, only approached.

Yet, as an art form Reggae became international, as other music genres, and can still reach quality, also outside of Jamaica, as some nice, international examples show.

Leaving the thorny and overly perfectionist issue of “Jamaican level” aside: there are at this time nuff groovy and good Reggae drummers, guitarists, keyboard players, horn players, and other instrument players (old and young) in the Amsterdam/Zaandam region, such as people like veteran drummer “steady” Freddie Poncin, having played with several Jamaican artists to their satisfaction, skilled bass player Kay Hasselbaink also plays Reggae well, and with Ras Maiky (based in Zaandam, near Amsterdam) there is also a good, Reggae-specialized percussionist.

I am also a percussionist, but play several genres, having switched between Afro-Cuban, African, to Blues, Funk, and Rock, besides also Reggae (jamming/playing live also, not just for own recordings). Ras Maiky, however, played with mainly a lot of different Reggae artists, also Jamaican ones, over the years.

These Reggae session musicians in and around Amsterdam combine under different names (Tuff Sound Band, Unstoppable Force, Royal Roots band, Noble Chanters, Roots Lions, for instance), accompanying the mentioned artists usually aptly.

So as Lucky Dubé sang, “you can’t stop Reggae”: Reggae artists who are for real will continue, despite “anti-concert” or “anti-nightlife” – some say: “anti-culture” policies - by Babylon/authorities in especially the period 2020-2022.

Most artists I know from before 2020 in the Amsterdam seem thus to have “scrambled up” after the lockdowns, surviving, especially artists (who kept recording). In some cases (especially for event organizers) this inevitably meant complying with restrictive policies perhaps more than necessary. A matter of dignity and honour, and while it is easy for me to lambast these choices as cowardice or “uncle tom”-like..on the other hand: rebellion by a few, while most comply, of course has no effect, and brings only persons and their livelihood in troubles, while the system keeps winning. So understandable to survive.

ON BALANCE

“You can’t comply yourself out of totalitarianism”, wise people said, but luckily the authorities stopped the harshest totalitarian policies themselves, after an odd period of jab/”vaccine” propaganda up to and in to 2022..

The damage has already been done, but the Reggae scene as a whole fortunately survived, albeit with scars and traumas. It affected some on the personal level. Private “house” parties became more common after March 2020, but are after all by definition exclusionary and discriminatory, and some insecure people needing confirmation limited such private house parties based on ethnic preferences, family ties, or longtime close friends. Insecurity and ego, as it caressed one’s own ego with on the one side ethnic/national “pride”, and on the other side a celebrated capacity to make “cool” friends.. Mi no like that..

In human psycho-social development – besides – confirmation precedes inspiration, so we actually went back to “private confirmation parties”.. and the Rastaman a seh: Forward Ever and Backwards Never.. Only because of political fiction..

This favourist behaviour also stimulates nepotism – favouring friends over others for honourable positions - : already a problem in any music industry. Mi no like that, neither.

Yet even those “home parties” could be in other cases well-intended and non-discriminatory, I also noticed, but there was still limited space or the matter of sound volume (neighbours!).

Either way, they are usually a resort in totalitarian/dictatorial contexts (Iran has many semi-hidden “house parties”, for example), and serves to isolate and divide the population. The age-old strategy of the “powers that be” to divide-and-conquer or divide-and-rule, and quell popular resistance against injustice.

Critique of or by fanatical proponents - also found in the scene - of the rights-trampling corona measures caused some contacts to be broken, or “unfriending”, to use FaceBook lingo, but these were usually not close friends, but rather acquaintances, who only seemed to share a love for Reggae, but turned out to have different worldviews or political stances. In my experience, mostly people from wealthy families (rich fathers) supported the corona policies, and much less poor people (Black or White), making me mistrust them even more, haha.

So a free, open cultural life – like an urban Reggae “scene” - with friends, but also acquaintances or strangers you do not really know that well, can have “confusing’ disadvantages: with some you share not much more than liking some Reggae songs.. and even that they might listen to differently (to lyrics or not), haha. Surely there are (as in wider Amsterdam) “backstabbers”, big ego's, wicked/badmind people, "crypto-racists" or even psychopaths among them (as everywhere, but relatively most in top business and politics). On the other hand, this variety also has the advantage that you can equally find positive, loving people, kindred spirits and new good friends - or even just interesting, funny people - (through Reggae!). You gotta live and learn.

However, I consider that peanuts, and a small price to pay for freedom and a truly democratic cultural life, including interesting cultural differences. I thus personally overall still favour an open, free, public, pluriform, and rich cultural life in societies, to be able to mingle freely with anyone, stand in front of different type of speakers, in different clubs, attending any event one wishes, going to any place at any time, etcetera. Too many boundaries, inna Babylon.

CONCLUSION

So, the main and positive conclusion is that now, at the end of the year 2023, and the start of 2024, the “Reggae scene” as such is still well alive in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Many people make Reggae, and events are regularly organized, often in cooperation with concert venues.

On the down side, there came unfortunately no steady replacement – a fixed location - for Café the Zen, once in Amsterdam East, with e.g. a stage for performing and regular, weekly activities. This was also welcomed then for "upcoming" artists, starting on smaller stages, giving them opportunities to perform for people. Earth Works studio in Amsterdam North, though in a less accessible, outer part of Amsterdam, still became something like a replacement. It has a nice studio, but not really a “stage”, though.

To quote another Reggae song, the Reggae organizers are “forced to live just like a Gypsy” (Bunny Wailer’s Blackheart Man).

Amsterdam’s city authorities showed an ugly, undemocratic face during the Corona policies in 2020 and 2021, with police violence against demonstrators (such as on the Museumplein/square.. some Reggae played there too from ghetto blasters, I recall).. This (police violence against peaceful demonstrators) I did not even expect to witness in the Netherlands, and reminded me of stories during dictatorial Fascist/Francoist Spain (up to 1975), heard from my mother and Spanish family. Amsterdam seemed to have become increasingly authoritarian. The prohibitting in 2023 of "smoking weed" in parts of old-central Amsterdam (Red Light District) is also a sign of that (while you can - from a bag - still drink rum or whiskey in the same streets.. nonsense law)..

Despite its still “cool”, liberal image in much of the world (due to the marijuana-allowing coffeeshops, mainly), Amsterdam at present does not seem very Reggae-minded as a city. You really have to search for Reggae music and places.. you don’t find it always automatically.. Some bars or clubs play at times Reggae, maybe. Only a few regularly, at present (Jamaica Lounge in Amsterdam West, due to its Jamaican owner), and some (like Molli Chaoot) are quite Reggae-minded, besides marginally located Earth Works.

Yet, as this update shows: there is still an active and willing Reggae scene, consisting of varied people, wanting to organize events/parties, go to them (many preferably every weekend), or to perform their music or play their records.

In that sense there is still kind of a Reggae community in Amsterdam, with many people knowing each other. Okay: there are a few personal tensions or conflicts between persons as in all groups/communities (even within families this occurs, after all), but mostly “good vibes”..

Amsterdam has relatively many “Black” inhabitants of Surinamese descent (besides directly from Africa itself), and in a broad sense Suriname has some similarities with Jamaica historically (North European/Protestant colonizer, slavery, African roots and retentions, partly from Ghana, in both cases), but is neither totally similar.

To draw a parallel: in the percussion world, percussion players like myself trying to add more Afro-Brazilian (drumming) patterns to the Afro-Cuban patterns I already knew, got surprised that the “percussive transition to Afro-Brazil” was not as easy and smooth as I assumed from supposed historical similarities between Cuba and Brazil (Iberian colonizer, slavery, African descent, incl. a shared Yoruba and Congo heritage). Now I can play also some Samba drum/rhythmic patterns, but it still required some intense studying.

Nonetheless, the Caribbean/African Diaspora connection/similarity of Surinamese people is certainly there and helpful to a degree, also in approaching the Jamaican Reggae standard playing the music, or simply “feeling” the music. Reggae is originally “sufferers” (poor people) music, with many socially critical messages, and is also strongly spiritually influenced by Rastafari. That attracts many people too.

On the other hand, the art form of Jamaican Reggae always attracted varied people of different ethnic backgrounds (Black, White, Asian), also in Amsterdam, with most having at least a sincere affinity with the sufferers and Rastafari message of Black people, though some might listen more to the lyrics than others.

That’s also the beauty and positivity of a free, living culture, with people actually meeting in public places. People of different backgrounds coming together because of the love for a music and culture, getting to know and learning from each other (our shared humanity), while becoming aware – okay: some faster than others - of the “real enemy” or oppressors of common people’s freedoms and rights.