Left-Right

At some point in my life it became a solid part of my vocabulary: being Left and Right, in the sense of political "persuasion" or "ideology". In fact, since I was a child.

Psychologically I find it interesting how as a child you "choose" one of those sides, how intuitive is it? How much relates to one's upbringing: what one hears from parents or siblings?

Growing up in the Netherlands since the 1970s and 1980s, I noticed how what was called "Left" and "Right" was not so much a matter of content or theory, but rather a "feel" or "vibe" transmitted. The Right was cold, conservative, strict, and square or boring. Of old people. The Left was passionate, progressive, loose, artistic, and "cool". Of young people. This is of course terribly superficial and simplistic, even if reflecting a worldview.

It did not take long, though, before I found what the terms historically and ideologically meant, also because I read a lot as child, going through a "bookworm period" as a member of the public library.

TERMS HISTORY

That distinction between Left-(wing) and Right-(wing) politics predates Marxism and thus Socialism and Communism. It goes back to the Revolutionary period of the Late 18th c France, when parliamentarians seated on the left side favoured a democratic society and secularization, and opposed the absolutist, and monarchist privileges, while those seated on the right supported the traditional institutions and the Old Regime. The terms Left and Right were first used in that sense in France in 1789. Later it got applied to Marxist-influenced movements, but also anarchists, and other progressive, "alternative" movements, especially when striving toward social equality. Marx's Das Kapital was released first in 1867, so much later than the first political use of the Left-Right distinction.

MY TRAJECTORY

One might argue, that I was destined to be "Left-wing". I loved Black music already then, was interested in Africa and nature, realized my parents were from the poorer labouring class, and belonged to an ethnic/cultural minority in the Netherlands.

On top of that, my Spanish mother had left a dictatorship in Spain that was decidely Right-wing and largely Fascist: that of general Franco. She complained about having to - as a young woman - look for jobs en get by in Francoist Spain, including facing disdain and even harsh abuse. On the other hand, land-owning Spanish family members sought - more opportunistically than ideologically - to maintain workable contacts with pro-Franco local politicians, so the defiant Left-wing stand got muffled (out of fear and opportunism), though not lost. Over time, my mother told me more and more about how she "was only good to work as a slave" in exploitative employer-friendly Francoist Spain, that everyone wanted "freedom", and about the sense of "suffocation" she felt under that Fascist dictatorship.

Labour conditions were much better, and more humane, when she came to work in the Netherlands, after leaving Spain around 1966. My mother called herself - perhaps in response to her youth under Franco - sometimes a communist, later moderated to "socialist", and even a "feminist" at times - ridiculing ingrained "machismo" -, placing herself at the Left-wing spectrum, even while taking some conservative views from the strongly Catholic Spain under Franco.

My Italian father, as a poor worker since his teens, associated with the labouring class too, though somewhat more, let's say, populistically than my more intellectually-oriented mother, and a bit more centrist, ideologically. He mistrusted all politicians, even those nominally Left-wing ones, - both in the Netherlands and in Italy - since he was, e.g. irritated with high taxes or state overregulation.

I was therefore predisposed, one might say, to be anti-systemic and sympathize with the Left, though as I grew up, I became Left-wing in my very own way, as everyone.

As an individual, I considered myself mostly as an artistic musician. At least that was my main ambition - making songs -, only after that I was a bit interested being "politically engaged", though sometimes I combined that in song lyrics. My being "Left-wing" therefore became very soon in my life quite "individualistic" and "free-spirited". I felt more at home with "hippies" or "squatters" than with "group thinkers" thinking in economic class terms. The forced, collectivistic "let's work together toward a communist state" led to an intolerance of dissent, I soon noted. Like with Right-wing ideologies before (like Mussolini's Fascism) the disrespect for individuality disgusted me. "You are nothing, the State is everything", Mussolini said, and Communist dictators said more or less the same, attested to by the "secret services" and snitching in East Bloc countries, such as the KGB or Stasi, and the prevalent "military" logic in such dictatorships.

Later experiences I had in Cuba between 2001 and 2006 (with also a - more informal - political "snitching system"), derived from that totalitarian "other communist" model.

FREEDOM

I prefer a world with equal rights for all, no poverty, but also social and cultural "freedom" for each individual, used as I was to strive to be original and go my own way.

This tension between "individualism" and "Left-wing" came sometimes to the fore, also in relation to "identity politics". The positive thing I found about "identity" politics is that it centralized "culture" as category. On the other hand it was a somewhat limited frame.

Nonetheless, I always associated "freedom" with the Left politically, going as far as describing the "Communist" dictatorships in the East Bloc, as "corrupted" or "false" communists. In my head there was no such thing as a "Left-wing dictatorship", maybe partly influenced by my Fascist dictatorship-escaping mother.

CONTRADICTION

That was my trajectory, but I became a bit confused after encountering other people calling themselves ideologically/politically "Left-(wing)" - in the Netherlands, Spain, and elsewhere - with seemingly other mentalities - and preoccupations - than me. From nationalists with a war rhetoric (Basque ETA-adherents, anti-Israel or pro-Palestina groups, to politically "Left" (often social-democratic), but culturally conservative Muslims, or highly placed Left spokespersons in the Dutch media, who were from wealthy backgrounds, yet presented themselves as "guarding" Left power, often never having set foot in factories or poor neighbourhoods. I assumed hypocrisy, or at least contradiction in many of these cases and people. Did the ideologies they espoused, translate in their practices?

From a human point of view, I could on the other hand also understand that complex people are "somewhere in between", showing flexibility, especially admirable when they were truly independent thinkers, despite group pressure, or their parents' material wealth. Then I appreciated the individual freedom of persons "going against the grain".

FAKE AND FASHION

Not always, though. I noticed that in the Netherlands, it was considered fashionable and "cool" to be appearing "Left-wing", without proper credentials or even attitude. In some other European countries the same applied, since the 1970s. For many it was just fashion, even mainly so, but even worse were those with wicked and bad intentions: using their "Left-wing image" to hide their Right-wing, high-class interests. "Fake-left" I called these.

During my study years (higher education/bachelor), and working at a high professional level, I noticed this "corrupted" fake-left more often. I tended to like the Left-oriented persons, especially with a "hippy-like" vibe and open mind more, but getting to know people they turned sometimes not so open minded. Or even truly "progressive", even if boasting of multicultural and multiracial friends or lovers, and intense travels - among the people - in Africa or Asia, learning even exotic languages, and expressing interest in Yoga or Buddhism. Even if lambasting Right-wing politicians or calling these Fascists (though some of them were, haha). Sometimes I found out how they had a privileged background, and their stances "quasi-rebelling" against it, but not really. Sometimes "square-looking" ones, were more open-minded. Appearing liberal or Left-wing seemed so much easier than actually being it, so with all this hypocrisy I preferred overall to focus on culture and humanity, less on politics.

In short, Netherlands became a country where even the elite found it "cool" to present itself as "Left-wing" and progressive, while the "Right" became a dirty word. The "Right-wing" spokespersons or representatives were certainly present in the Netherlands, but tended to not call themselves "Right-wing", even if mainly serving the interests of "big business capitalism" and the rich in this world.

POPULISM

In the Netherlands, the Left-wing people considered themselves more often as a bit detached intellectuals, than as "common men", as Right-wing people tended to do, even if the latter only were pretending.

The rise of what were called, vaguely and inadequately, "populist" movements, confused me even further. "Populus/People" itself is good, and Left-wing, one would think, but it got mixed up with petty, and negative, frustrations, more a determent from actual social injustice than anything else. Very basic human instincts like national pride or jingoism, ethnic preference, or macho/male, heterosexual privilege - like in Right-wing movements before - got also espoused by labourers, mixed up nonetheless with ("Left-wing') mistrust of "the high classes" (politicians, bosses), toward a quite confusing whole.

Especially that "fashionability" of being Left-wing in the Netherlands stimulated a lot of hypocrisy and fakeness.

I tried to find my way between all this, and preferred to focus on truthful people, who were truly progressive and open-minded. The free minds, without, like Right-wing self-defined "free thinkers", the big business, money, or "law and order" nonsense.

SPIRITUAL

This combined since my 30s more with spiritual interest, as my life demanded more "depth". I read the Bible, but soon also showed interest in Vodou and other Afro-Caribbean "danced" religions, as well as what were called "nature religions". In part this related to my increased attention to percussion. The Rastafari movement even answered more to my spiritual needs, fitting well with my love for Reggae music, but not in a superficial way.

Rastafari, while Biblically influenced, is overall "progressive" in aims, while the main inspiring figures of Rastafari, Marcus Garvey and emperor Haile Selassie I, also were, being further quite individual free thinkers, "going against the grain". That I liked and appreciated too.

I expressed thus my critique of "the unequal system" and oppression and exploitation partly intellectually, later also more spiritually. I kept considering myself "Left-wing", even asserted that explicitly in debates or opinions, about society and politics.

Not unlike my mother, who even contradicted Right-wing opinions of the bosses she worked for. This had often less risk than in Francoist Spain, though: the bosses in the Netherlands often just made joking remarks back... or maybe they took revenge by denying her a contract extension. In Franco-ruled Spain labourers had little protection from being fired stante pede, abuse, nepotism, open discrimination, etcetera.

I guess many of us are more like their parents than they think, but still unique individuals with own intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs.

2020

So, entering the year 2020, this was they way I carved my highly individual "Left-wing" identity, amid the (sometimes nonsensical) "Left-Right" rhetorical division and confusion. Above all, I still remained more interested in culture than in politics..

Needless to say, 2020 was an even more confusing - and troubling - year, also for me, including with regarding to the Left-Right division.

The claimed corona pandemic, based on a new, virulent flu virus called Covid 19, caused a worldwide panic, which was met with a surprisingly international and unanimous response. Supranational organizations like the World Health Organizations apparently coordinated the similar political directions to a new massive fear. This led to - as known - quite extreme and draconian measures, labelled "emergency measures".

Even when the "emergency" was not there anymore (Covid 19 as all flu virusses having softened to a common flu-level with an "infection fatality rate" of about 0,23%, already by May 2020), the panic-based policies strangely continued. Protecting health care access and capability came the stated motivation behind the continued stringent policies, even into 2021.

CRITICAL

I observed all this, and soon became critical of the corona policies. Maybe up to April, I was still somewhat worried, though I have never been a "hypochondriac" or "germophobe", neither were my parents I mentioned before. Yet I was somewhat careful with that supposed new virus.

Not for long. Always researching different sources, I began to conclude that the response in Western countries (followed by others) was not only wrong/disproportionate, but had become more a pLandemic than a pandemic: serving political and economic goals, rather than health goals. The fact that a nondemocratic "lockdown" policy was enacted in many countries made me doubt it even stronger.

LOCKDOWN

According to Irish lockdown-critic Ivor Cummins, the for Western democracies uncommon and unprecedented "national lockdown" approach to virusses came from China's Communist Party (CCP) having early successes against Covid 19 outbreaks in Wuhan and around in early 2020. Oddly, this totalitarian, collectivistic approach - only really possible when human rights and freedoms are limited, as in China - was copied in countries having on the other hand learned (since 1945) to respect and enshrine those rights.

Here is the confusion. A "communist" strategy, or, one might say, "corrupted communist" or "fake communist" lockdown policy. After all, China is in reality aimed at (state) capitalism.

This copied and - inappropriate - lockdown response in countries like France, the Netherlands, Britain, Spain, or Italy - to differing degrees of rigidity - trampled human rights and freedoms of citizens in these countries, not so much as since the also totalitarian Fascism in Europe. The exaggerated fear - through media propaganda - for the virus and "pandemic that no longer was" seemed orchestrated to be able to enact those policies. That's what I in time began to conclude.

I did not want to venture into "conspiracy theories", but just noted that facts did not add up, and that there was much lying.

RESET

The recently stated goals of a Great Reset by the World Economic Forum, representing the wealthiest economic players in this world -seemed shared by many political leaders, from nominally Left to nominally Right, translating in the Build Back Better phrase, after the coronacrisis.. This is no longer just a conspiracy theory, but a conspiracy fact, for an elite's economic reshaping, at the cost of small businesses and poor people worldwide, and of, well, a cultural life. I deplore that, as it seems to go against everything I stood and stand for.

This elite economic plan does not seem very "Left-wing", looking at who pay the price (poor, small business), does it? Well, some consider it as such, oddly. Both in the Netherlands, as in other countries. Mention "health care" or "health system" - even insincerely - and it becomes automatically "Left-wing" or progressive. Is that the simple, superficial logic? A logic I do not get.

I see mainly similarities with totalitarian systems, and the capitalist interests of Big Pharma and other wealthy elites in this world. Even some "lip service" stated in the Great Reset plan, to Left-wing aims like inclusiveness, "eating less meat", sustainability, state care toward equality, and other aspects supposedly becoming Better after Building Back, did note come across as sincere and of substance to me.

Same as always: the rich got richer during this coronacrisis, and the poor got poorer, and also as always historically: a small, wealthy elite oppresses a large, poorer majority it fears, and therefore wants to control and divide. From colonialism, slavery plantations, to fascism, and communism. It is in that line.. There is nothing "Left-wing" about that..

POLARIZATION

In the Netherlands, as critique of the draconian lockdown-based policies increased, the polarization also increased. This happened in other countries too, with similar forms of censorship against corona policy critique. A bit belated, I uttered my critique of that undemocratic lockdown-based policy too, and I do not have a strong sense of "diplomacy" - or diplomatic "filter" - I must admit, when it comes to political views. With people, I am more careful, finding no joy in hurting personal feelings, preferring to share in (imperfect) humanity.

Yet, my sometimes undiplomatic critique got - in my opinion - odd responses, from people I did not expect it from. Self-proclaimed Lefties and Rastas (fake or not) said they associated such corona policy-skeptical views with a Right-wing president like Donald Trump or Bolsonaro. Presidents I did not feel myself politically related to. Some even deemed the anti-lockdown activists as loons, influenced by the "extreme right".

Fearing a disease you know nothing about, losing rights and freedoms because of it, is Left-wing? Quite the contrary, I would say.

Encountering other anti-lockdown activists, I noticed instead a "hippie-like" vibe, but even that is simplistic. They included different kind of people, Left and Right, but a bit more to the Left, or at most Centrist-Right. No Neo-Nazi's or Fascists who - I gather - would not be so interested in halting a lockdown, setting ALL people equally free..

PSYCHOLOGICAL

Pro-corona policy/lockdown people wish to categorize anti-lockdown people as "extreme right" , against their own knowledge. Psychologically it is explainable: they have a guilty conscience following a cognitive dissonance. Supporting a health policy, but in reality a trampling of human rights and democracy, and the direction from democracy to dictatorship, with increased totalitarianism, restrictions, and Fascist measures like banning gatherings, curfews, closures of schools and even private businesses, semi-forced testing and vaccination, experimenting with citizens, etcetera etcetera.

In the back of their mind they feel guilty and ashamed about what they kept supporting, easing their guilt by "inventing" a bigger cause and enemy requiring this sacrifice, calling opponents "extreme right" being a good example of projection and turning around.

These disturbed, corrupted psyches can still be quite eloquent, aggrandizing small details and faults in whatever anti-lockdown activists say.. This eloquency is false because not sensible or reasonable. I had some of those unpleasant discussions with pro-lockdown people online, noting that they made the discusion soon personal, trying to undermine my integrity and trustworthiness, losing the focus on the content or arguments, they apparently did not have. A lot of venom in their remarks, better to be reserved for actually powerful politicians. They just had a badly targeted ideological war in their head, while wanting to see themselves as "Left-wing".

They follow thus on the "fake Left" I described before, when also members of the wealthy elite in the Netherlands (and elsewhere, such as the US and France) found it - despite their privileges - fashionable to appear "Left-wing" publicly. The "corona crisis" and related polarization merely strengthened them. Also in other countries - for some inexplicable reason - coming with harsh corona restrictions is seen as Leftist realism and not - as it actually is Fascist meets Chinese Communist totalitarianism. This showed in the early statements by new US (Democrat) president Joe Biden, as well as the stances by (once) Left-wing parties (Socialists, Greens) even voting in favour of laws trampling human rights (out of fear of disease? pavlov reaction to "health" issues?).

Again, much confusion regarding the already troubled and confusing politicized Left-Right division. Like I said, I associate the Left - in my perception - with "freedom". Not with locking down, curfews, closing bars and small business, closing schools, stay- or work-at-home orders, movement restrictions, or stopping cultural events.. For the greater goal of... health protection of a minority? Or so they claim..

NEVER CHANGED ME

I was troubled and shocked throughout 2020 by the whole dominant, elite-led "plandemic", but it never changed me, as is also sung in a Reggae song I know. Neither did I change my definitions regarding the political Left - Right distinction, though one can sensibly argue that the strict Left-Right division has become obsolete after 2020: truth versus lie is more important now. Love versus hate also, I should add. And, not least, freedom versus captivity and slavery..

Moreover, all this confirmed to me personally that I find "culture" - so under attack during this corona plandemic - more important than politics. Culture is of the people wanting to be free, politics of elites wanting to control.

Babylon

"Babylon" is a term in the vocabulary of Rastafari adherents. It has spread a bit outside of it, though not that much. Not in the sense that Rastafari people use it, anyway.

Of course, the term Babylon refers to the history of Babylon/the Babylonian kingdom, a powerful kingdom mentioned in the Bible, enslaving Israelites, after capturing them. Historians found that the ancient "Babylon" was historically located in what is now Iraq - around the river Eufrate, about 80 km from Bagdad. It has become a source of nationalistic, historical pride in greatness among Iraqi people, including as part of the rhetorics of politicians (like Sadam Hussein), similar to how historical Rome is still viewed in Italy.

The history of Rastafari, and of Afro-Jamaican people, already explains the use of the term, relating to the obvious parallels: Africans were likewise enslaved, after being captured, and brought to another powerful kingdom to work as slaves, like the Israelites in the Bible. These Africans were brought to the "Babylon" of European colonies, and their oppressive systems, since the 16th c.

That same Bible also mentioned other kingdoms and powers, such as Egypt, of course also enslaving Israelites. Maybe it was seen early on by the early Rastas that using the term "Egypt" would be problematic for being an African country, or more abstract: to literally a place on the map, elsewhere than present-day Babylon (Europe/the West and its American colonies) the term normally refers too.

The long history of Babylon - which can be found elsewhere on the Internet - is in itself insightful. It represents - in a sense - also the history of big cities, urbanness. In certain epochs - at the peak of its power, such as between 1770 and 1670 BC - Babylon was the biggest city of the whole world, and according to some historians possibly the very first city in history with more than 200.000 inhabitants.

BIBLE

Its figuring in the Bible is also interesting, even confirming Babylon's metaphorical use in the Bible. Babylon was an enslaving power of Israelites, but also the counter-kingdom against God and godliness: immoral, corrupt, and evil. Due to these Biblical referrences, including about the Babylonian captivity, - relatively many in the Book of Daniel, by the way - also in the Jewish tradition, Babylon represents for present-day Jews still oppressors and hostile nonbelievers, while in the Christian world it came to symbolize vane worldiness (i.e. greed, vanity, lust) and evil.

By comparison, Babylon is as such referred to much less in the Quran and Islam, and mostly related to stories about Abraham and thus older Judaic stories. This referrence is partly neutral (geographical), and partly condemning (like in the Bible), contrasting the "magic" Babylon was known for, as well as te worldly power of king Nimrod, to the true Abrahamic God, in the same vein as the Bible.

RASTAFARI

So, one might argue, the symbolic use of "Babylon" in these major religions (notably Judaism and Christianity) is comparable to its use in Rastafari terminology. In that sense it follows on the Biblical influence on Rastafari, since the movement arose in Jamaica in the 1930s. This includes, though, a "reinterpretation" of the Bible from an African perspective. Terminology like "Babylon" and "Zion" (Sodom and Gomorrah, walls of Jericho, and more) are part of that, as well as many general referrences to Bible texts, stories, and psalms. As said, reinterpreted by Africans in a (former) colonial and downtrodden situation.

This reinterpretation is quite interesting, I find. The Rastafari, I contend, "amplified" the term Babylon both culturally and philosophically. It "updated" it also for the present time. More on this later.

The meaning of "abstract evil", as Babylon has in Christianity, or "enemy oppressors" in Judaism, both fed into the Rastafari definition of the term "Babylon". In fact, it is an excellent example of the Hegelian "thesis-antithese- then synthesis" principle. The Rastafari use of the term "Babylon" therefore can be seen as a "synthesis" of earlier Biblical refrences, shaped by the history of the African diaspora, including slavery, oppression, and poverty in the present.

Some say, Rastas mean with Babylon really only "the West", i.e. Europe and North America: the modern, wealthy, economic powers in this world, whereas some associate the term, specifically with "capitalism", and capitalist exploitation, world wide, but dominated by the West.

The truth is, that there is no "one authorative" definition among the Rastafari of "Babylon" as term, mainly because Rastafari is not a strict, rigidly organized or centralized religion, and many not even call it a "religion", but rather a "(spiritual) movement", loosely connected.

Many Reggae lyrics, especially since the 1970s, express Rastafari ideas, and therefore the term "Babylon" recurs a lot in Reggae lyrics. In many, many lyrics, too much to count. It spread that Rastafari term internationally, especially since Bob Marley's rise to fame in the course of the 1970s.

A common term among Rastafari adherents, and in (Roots) Reggae lyrics, its use is not only broad, but also "wider" and more varied than one might think.

I find intriguing, and almost beautiful, didactically, how "expressive" and communicative" the term Babylon is within the Rastafari movement and ideas. It brings the message across, including nuances, in a single term that seems "vague", but in reality captures all dimensions. This adds to its deep, philosophical meaning. It relates to the relatively free and "loose" and not-so-rigid structure of the Rastafari movement, when compared to "mainstream", over-organized (a personal opinion) religions, connected with dominant power structures (Christianity, Islam etc.).

Its figuring in a variety of Reggae lyrics include "Babylon" referring to "oppressive authorities", sometimes quite specific state forces or police officers, sometimes a level above that (political structure, economics). In other lyrics even levels above that are referred to as "Babylon": evil systems keeping poor people down, and fighting against the Rasta people, not just locally in Jamaica, but worldwide. It then represents a "system", without an explicit geographical reference.

GEOGRAPHY

I contend, however, that the interesting about the Rastafari use of "Babylon" is that, even as literally referring to a "system", of e.g. capitalist exploitation, it suggests geography indirectly. Being an Afrocentric movement, the Rastafari see "Babylon" as the enemy of African people, as Rastafari seeks the upliftment of and for many repatriation to Africa, in the line of Marcus Garvey's teachings.. Babylon thus implicity also represents "the West", with its developed and invading (mostly capitalist) economic dominance, going against Africa-focussed Rastafari values in Jamaica itself, as well as increasingly intruding and invading the African continent itself, with corrupting effects on original cultures.

This is the unique, amplified meaning of "Babylon" in the Rastafari definition. Its utility lies precisely in its "vagueness" or, otherwise said, multi-interpretability: from a "place" that you can leave, to a state of mind, an (oppressive) system, authorities, confusion, and corruption in a more abstract sense. It is also associated with "captivity", and therefore contrasted with freedom.

COPING WITH BABYLON

The breadth and depth of this definition of Babylon also is discussed in the 2007 documentary Coping With Babylon, including the different (often personal) interpretations and definitions by Rastafari adherents (including artists), either specific or general. Some in the documentary perhaps simplify its meaning, as relating it to one world power, the US, or New York, at the time of the documentary involved in a controversial invasion of Iraq. Broader - deeper - definitions also got a place in the documentary, though.

Similarly, in Reggae lyrics - of which I heard a lot throughout my life - Babylon is used clear, but also wide: Babylon the state/authorities in Jamaica, Babylon system, policemen, a place keeping you captive and limited (trampling rights), as well as an international phenomenon. Recurring is "Babylon" standing for the modern "Western world", including capitalist exploitation and modern technology.

The Biblical allusions to the ancient Babylon, refer to greed and lust. Especially regarding the latter, in most Reggae lyrics and Rastafari utterances, another Biblical loanword "Sodom and Gomorrah" tends to be used more often. The connection with "confusion" of Babylon kingdom (the story of the tower and the many languages) in the Bible, is however still maintained among many Rastafari. Also in the documentary Coping With Babylon some associate Babylon with "confusion": confusing righteous people.

ETYMOLOGICALLY

While linguists are not sure about "Babylon's" etymological origins, a connection with the Semitic term for "gate" (Bab) seems confirmed. In present-day standard Arabic, the word for "gate" is pronounced as Bawwaba.

Some historians point out, though, that this was a later term/meaning added to an older, perhaps even nonsemitic place name. The added "El" refers in the Semitic tradition to "God", as known of course in many Biblical names (Daniel, Gabriel, Michael, Elijah, Ezequiel, Israel, etcetera), though it might have been meant plural in the case of Babel/Babylon ("gate of the gods").

The informal term "babbelen" in Dutch (for: chatting) seems to derive from this Biblical story, and there are similar examples in other European languages. The term "Bable" for a dialect in NW Spain (Asturias , northern León) might be one, but that might be coincidence (formal "Castilian" Spanish would after all be "habla" - speech - with the first H unpronounced).

DEFINITIONS

In this by the way recommendable documentary Coping With Babylon, a Jamaican scholar on Rastafari (Barry Chevannes) at the University of the West Indies, justly pointed at the wide, varied meaning with which Babylon is used among the Rastafari: a wider powerful, economic system, exploiting poor people, African people, and all its collaborators. A lot of "wrongs" in this world fit in this in general, yet - at the same time - its meaningful and specific enough.

In the song Who Art Babylon, Reggae singer Ricky Grant specifically addresses how to "define" the term Babylon, rather than using it in his lyrics in some ways (as many Reggae artists do). Grant sings that Babylon consists of: "not only oppressors", but also "the clothes you wear etc.": i.e. the wider economic system we are all made to depend on, and "all things of vanity"..

Burning Spear in Mek We Yadd (and some other songs as well, like This Man) sings as lyrics: "in a time like now, any man could be Babylon..", pointing thus at the psychological "collaborators" (to use a war-time term) with an oppressive system, even if not directly recognizable as such. Indirectly referring to the "confusion" associated with Babylon.

When I was in Jamaica (in 2006 and 2008), I heard differing definitions among Rasta-adherents and -sympathizers. A Jamaican said to me: "Jamaica is nice. Not much Babylon here.. there is still some here and there, though".. Away from the geographical - Jamaica being a former slave plantation island where Africans were forcibly brought to - it has here come to mean something like an ideology, evil influence, or universal "economic corruptive force" that is everywhere, but can and should be avoided, wherever you are.

Others, like many Reggae singers, use it as such too (corrupting system), but also often as "place", "location": "down here in Babylon", "leave Babylon" (and go to Zion/Africa).

The common recurrence of the expression "Babylon must fall (or Go Down)" in many Reggae lyrics, combines several meanings: that of a wicked place, as well as of a wicked system, "falling" both physically and, more, metaphorically, i.e. its power stopped and broken.

BOB MARLEY

All these varied meanings are also heard throughout the lyrics of the internationally best-known Reggae artist: Bob Marley.

Some, like myself, have pointed at some commercializing aspects of Marley's music, led by Island boss and producer Chris Blackwell, aimed at catering to White tastes (openly stated as goal by Chris Blackwell, himself a White Jamaican).

This was noticeable in the aspects Blackwell had most influence on (production, "sound" etc., instrument choice), yet, overall, Bob Marley kept his authenticity. Muiscally in part, but even more so lyrically. Admirably, Bob did not compromise his message, and continued with his rebellious message against oppression of African and poor people, standing up for rights, Black and African pride. Criticizing and fighting of "Babylon" was certainly part of this.

Maybe not all people who got to know Bob's songs worldwide knew immediately what Rasta people mean with "Babylon". It does not seem to be a "racial" reference, maybe helping the spread of the music among easily scared White people. If Bob used "white racists" instead of Babylon in some of his lyrics, some would stay away of Bob's music. Yet, these are the fans one should not want to have, I argue.

However, this was neither a "mincing" of words or a deliberate cowardice eschewing "code word" Bob used, to not offend his potential public (or to use an uglier word "market"), or to not thwart producer Blackwell's commercial goals. No, Bob Marley with the common use of "Babylon" just followed the common Rastafari terminology, as it got known before him, and simply followed that spiritual/rebellious tradition.

Like other Rastafari adherents, he also found that Babylon wickedness goes beyond mere racial features, but is a mentality and system, albeit racially unequal. The fact that Bob was half-white (he had a White father) also relates to this, but also full-black Jamaican Reggae artists, of course use Babylon beyond mere race.

CURRENT TIMES

Scholar Berry Chevannes in the documentary Coping With Babylon says something interesting about the use of Babylon, as I mentioned before, pointing out that Rastafari adherents do not just live in the past, but go with their times, and refer to current, contemporary times and events too, thus in a sense re-applying and updating the term "Babylon" to present-day circumstances and situations.

Here it becomes even more intellectually challenging, I think.

Some questions I would like to ask, in relation to this, questions I tried to answer for myself.

2020

The fact that I write this in January 2021, short after a disrupted, odd "coronavirus"/pandemic-dominated year in the whole world, is certainly relevant in this regard. The official story of a bat virus spreading to humans causing a later international pandemic, mankind needeed to confront jointly, was naively believed quite internationally.

Over time, this was questioned more and more by critical thinkers. First these (like David Icke) were considered as fanatical "conspiracy thinkers" who tend to mistrust everything politicians say (justly or not). Yet over time, many reasonable, nuanced - and even medically and scientifically knowledgeable people - came to the conclusion that "things do not add up".

From the natural origins among bats (if so, why does the Chinese state obstruct research into how the virus came about, and the relation to a lab in Wuhan?), to the use of a "pandemic" for economic, elitist goals, with an undemocratic, unexplainable role of a nonelected, nonmedical entrepreneur as Bill Gates as in time main funder of the World Health Organization. This raised in my opinion just suspicion.

Later figures about the actually more limited mortality of this Covid-19 virus, as it got known, than first stated, especially as the virus matured after April 2020. In fact, regarding mortality, it got to similar levels as a medium- to severe flu virus in previous years.

The draconian "lockdown" policies international governments chose supposedly to halt the pandemic throughout the year, - with devastating effects - seemed absurdly dictatorial and disproportionate, in light of these objective facts. The damage to economy, and culture!, and the increase of poverty it caused were even criminal, with the "remedy" proving to be much worse than the cure.

2020 was the first year in modern history that "healthy" people were massively confined/locked in at home for health reasons, with the excuse of a new infectious virus. This was - to make matters worse - presented often in a patronizing manner, as if citizens were all children. The fact that in some countries, like Spain, people could not leave their own house for periods (not even across the street) under threat of stationed police officers, night curfews, the closing down of all clubs, restaurants, theatres (from one day to the other) in many countries, banning of free social gatherings, all led to an absurd dystopia in many countries across the world (to differing degrees), only supported by a stimulated, media-wide irrational fear (for a relatively mild virus!).

Moreover, the fact that in many poor countries, the "stay home" orders also disregarded (or ignored) that many people have to leave their house, simply to eat, to survive.

More people died because of all these policies, than ever would have of Covid-19, is the sad conclusion, I am afraid we must come to after 2020.

This is gettng discussed now openly, also because of increased open objections of (imparcial, uncorrupted) doctors and scientists. Despite increased dictatorial tendencies in many countries calling themselves "democratic" (even here in the Netherlands, where I write this from), there is still a free press and internet, even if now more harassed and bothered by (even paid) proponents of these corona policies.

Let's say it is a "plandemic", as some say. Evidence seems to suggest this, but let's keep the question a bit open. If it is indeed a "plandemic", would the Rastafari people call it (part of) "Babylon" too?

The ones benefitting seem to confirm that it is indeed a "Babylon plan" as Rastafari would define it. A rich economic elite, rich White people in Western countries, controlling most wealth in this world, are connected to the World Health Organization (WHO), and these policies. Bill Gates, but also Rockefeller (starting the WHO once), and others, sometimes are even mentioned condemningly in Reggae lyrics. Sizzla spoke of "Rockefeller handcuffing the world" in his song Babylon Judgement from 2016, a bit - even very much! - predicting the current situation.

In fact, many Reggae lyrics seems to have predicted this odd 2020 "pLandemic" (as it can be seen), referring to wealthy elites, o/downpression, curtailing popular movement, trampling rights, limiting freedoms, of poor Jamacans, Africans, but in fact all poor people. In fact, already since the 1970s.

This is all defined more or less os "Babylon" or "Babylonians", in Reggae lyrics, referring to systems, politicians, elites, inequality, injustice, a.o..

ISMS

Critics of the corona policies - seeming to have the facts more and more on their side - compare them sometimes with Fascism, others with (Chinese-style) Communism, both totalitarian systems, disregarding individual rights. The lab in Wuhan, and the annoying secrecy of the corrupt Chinese state - and their links with Bill Gates and the WHO - seem to support this, while many aspects and policies once in place in Fascist states (under dictators like Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco) have remarkable - and frighteningly - many similarities with present "corona" policies and restrictions, trampling of human rights etcetera. So in my opinion, such comparisons are not totally out of order, nor nonsensical. A good reminder of history.

CUBA

I asked these questions myself years before this "corona crisis". I went several times to Communist-ruled Cuba, between 2001 and 2006. As a Spanish-speaker, I got to know and talk with many Cubans, and made some close friends. I more or less "integrated" in Cuban society, you might say.

Cuba was known as dictatorship, and indeed, there were no "open" elections, and Fidel Castro's rule as president unquestioned and (presented as) unchangeable, when I went there in 2001-2006. In line with this, there were certainly totalitarian aspects in Cuban society, including censorship, "state snitches" (informers) on the neighbourhood level, "informing" the government (unless paid, so corruption too) of unwanted behaviour (including allowing foreign influences), that all Cubans knew to be careful with, especially when having (intimate) relationships with foreigners.

On the other hand, there were during periods of Socialist rule in Cuba after 1959 some positive changes, that seemed to make society more equal, especially for poorer people, including Afro-Cubans.

This came with a price, though: the limited freedom of speech and of choice, had more to do with Fascism than with claimed "Socialism". As Bob Marley sang: "Never make a politician grant you a favour.. they will only want to control you forever.." (song Revolution).

Also, the beneficial role Castro's communist rule had for Afro-Cubans must be put in perspective, as Cuban authors like Carlos Moore (whom I discussed on this blog, in 2016) - once translator for Castro, later critical of him and exiled - , and Castro's, for Castro's "implicit Eurocentrism and racism".

Indeed, despite some equalizing policies in the early stages, white or Euro-Cubans maintained their favourable position. Also the so "equal" Communist leaders and party members were and still are disproportionately, dominantly white/of European of descent or near-white, in a country with a population of over 70% partly or mainly of African descent. A discrepancy Malcolm X also noted, when he visited Cuba, among other things to meet Fidel Castro.

I noticed all this. Added to this were my experiences of the many controlling police officers on the streets (and the said informers and snitches), and stories told by Cubans, of sudden, random arrests on racial grounds, often with the excuse of crushing prostitution. An Afro-Cuban woman with an obviously non-Cuban White, male foreigner/tourist got in the danger zone, though haphazardly, as the police at times turned a blind eye to the obvious - if you want to call it that - prostitution (some call it: "sex tourism"), perhaps because of the needed tourism income for the Cuban economy. Fidel Castro even referred to this sex tourism frivolously: "because of our good health system, our prostitutes are healthy and clean", while the official communist party line in theory opposed it, as all "private businesses" (in whatever form) ..

Having noted all this repression and hypocricy - and the poverty and limited freedom of many Cubans - I had to conclude, being already a Reggae fan then: "this is also Babylon.. just another ISM than Capitalism or Fascism", but similarly repressing humanity and freedom, as so many Reggae lyrics lament.

So, "Babylon" includes alls "ISMS" - as also referred to in Reggae lyrics (often as "isms and schisms"), with "ism" being in reality a linguistic translation of "system": capital is money, capitalism a system, "commune" is a community, communism a system, etcetera.

BACK TO 2020

So is this Covidism or Coronaism/Coronism of 2020 more like Communism (with an influence of a corrupt Chinese state), Capitalism (obvious vaccine company/pharmaceutical interests, Bill gates as entrepreneur), or like Fascism (totalitarian, limiting rights and freedoms, cultural destruction, with "lockdowns" possibly having been "wet dreams" once of dictators like Hitler and Mussolini)? In fact: these dictators have enacted during their reign policies in that "lockdown" direction, e.g. Mussolini once suddenly (by command) forbade "nightlife and clubs" in Italy - they say due to a Vatican influence -, effective immediately, like those lockdowns today..

All these historical comparisons with earlier political "isms" make sense to differing degrees, but they all can be placed more beauitifully and sensibly under the umbrella of "Babylon", as the Rastafari use this term. This shows clearly the strength and utility of the term "Babylon", also for present times, as scholar Barry Chevannes hinted at: the "same old Babylon", as it is referred to in some Reggae lyrics.. Nothing new under the sun.

CORONISM

This "coronism" is quite new and fresh, and the debate surrounding it quite polarized and confused. As a friend of mine said it: "if it is a wicked "plan" (instead of an actual pandemic), it is a very smart one, also psychologically". "Smart" in the wrong sense of the word: trampling physical integrity rights, but at the same time calling for 6 feet/1,5 m distance. Isolating old people in hospitals, yet claiming we do it for them, referring to the love for our old ones ("think of your old mother or grandmother") seems a cheap trick, but is remarkably effective, especially since many citizens feared the new virus.

An infectious diseases has for "Babylon downpressors" furthermore the advantage that it gives an excuse or pretext to outlaw "social gatherings" and thus unwelcome protests, joined protests, popular uprisings, etcetera.. A smart, crafty plan, indeed.

That is probably also the reason why it is not recognized as such unanimously. Even if it is "typically" oppressive Babylon and a PLANdemic (not a real one anymore) as (like me) some argue, the "health policy" focus is effective in scaring people, or convincing of "keeping healthy", and therefore of good intentions of governments. This is evident internationally, in many countries (oddly even securing support in some countries with very repressive lockdown policies, such as Spain), but also in Jamaica itself.

JAMAICAN ARTISTS

Buju Banton's recent outburst against "masks" against corona, and his calling for "freeing his/the people" seemed sincere to me, but was criticized even by some other Rastafari adherents, not just paid or corrupted government officials and politicians. Even Buju's own daughters were used against him (one of them a JLP politician), calling his remark against forced masks "unwise" and irresponsible.. The facts: there is no scientific proof that those proscribed nonmedical masks actually protect against virusses.. Facts do not seem to matter anymore, apparently, in this polarized debate.. Fear does..

Another Rastafari-adhering reggae artist was from the start critical of "coronism/covidism".. Already around March and April - when much of the world was still trying to figure out what went on -, that one being Chronixx..

A relatively young, talented, and by 2020 quite popular Reggae artists, Chronixx had several big hits in Jamaica and in the international Reggae scene. His nice Skanking Sweet became almost a club or summer anthem in 2019. In relation to a "charity event" in 2020 for then spreading Corona/Covid-19 pandemic problems, he called it a (media) "hype" in which he not wished to participate, preferring to release his music on his own terms.

Especially remarkable is Chronixx pioneering "(media) hype" conclusion: it took many, even university-edcated intellectuals in the West, several months before they drew (in other terms) the same conclusion about corona-related policies.. Wisdom of the Rastaman? Knowing what "Babylon" is all about and being prepared? Who knows?

Also other artists, like Sizzla, Lutan Fyah, or Tanya Stephens began to critique harsh corona-related policies or the "hype" , especially as " lockdowns" also meant no or limited "live music", and thus affecting their life choice, livelihood, and sense of purpose directly.

Some of these expressed this directly or indirectly in some songs, of course in the Rastafari tradition of social comment, including references to, yes, "Babylon", such as in the song Nuh Trust Babylon by Lutan Fyah..

All good and well, but overall there seems to be quite some popular support for the corona policies in Jamaica as well. That someone like me, or other critics, do not understand this, does nog negate this support. Protecting one's health and avoiding deadly diseases seem a good idea - also to me - , so maybe for that reason one is less psychologically inclined to question the logic or efficacy of governments, even if negatively affecting one's life and goals. "This is what needs to be done now.. later when it is "fixed" (vaccination?), we'll party again", is a common opinion I heard expressed in many countries, also here in the Netherlands. Mostly by people not exactly experts in "virusses", I must say, but governments are advised by virologists, claiming to be trustworthy and knowledgeable.

There are for these reasons some, but not very much critical lyrics in Reggae, yet, about the coronacrisis specifically, or the ill-informed (and also not proeven to work against virusses) "lockdown" policies so many governments choose to put in place, even if they remind of "captivity" and colonialism for many Caribbean people.

2021

Unfortunately, these corona policies have been taken to the year 2021, so maybe more lyrics in Reggae will be released, criticizing them.

In the Netherlands (and several other countries) the year 2021 started with a continued "lockdown", keeping all bars and clubs closed, restaurants only for "take-away", museums and theatres closed, and with the city of Amsterdam at a Saturday night almost a ghost town, safe small groups of walking friends passing by closed, now unlit bars and clubs, and a few cars of which many were police cars.. This felt to me like a police state, a dictatorship, but also like a ghost town. The latter was not the case in an actual "police state" I have been to, namely Cuba. Always liveliness, music, joy, people, and, okay, also many men in police costumes between all this.

Amsterdam is colder, especially now in winter time, playing a role, but the nightlife always went on. Now its dead. This for a virus now hardly more deadly than a common flu in previous years (Infection Fatality Rate of Covid-19 now around 0,23%, science says, flu just a few years ago around 0,21%), and with hospitals in the Netherlands seeming now capable of dealing with extra patients (according to hospital workers themselves).

"That was a very aggressive vaccine marketing campaign", I recently joked to someone about the last year 2020.

A serious joke, because it is also a guess of mine of why these repressive and draconian policies are still in place, and so much of the civil rights and freedoms limited in the process, often even ressembling Fascist dictatorships, or what I heard my Spanish mother tell me of her growing up in the Franco-ruled Spain that she left around 1966. Ressembling a dictatorship, or "going towards it", which is equally bad and worrisome.

THE BEST WORD

For the sake of argument (others may differ in opinion), I will state now boldly that what was a mild pandemic up to April, became an abused PLANdemic, with other reasons and goals than health.

Capitalist-Communism China-style? Old US/Western merciless exploitative capitalism (Big Pharma, etcetera)? A return to Fascism?.. New World Order? Great Reset (even a public goal)? Elements of all these, combined?

Difficult to tell or define as yet, although the expression "Isms and Schisms", by Rastas, captures its essence well.

What's more, "Babylon" in my opinion adequately and fully describes what is wrong with these (Babylonian) international corona policies.

It is in this case not - as the saying goes - "for lack of a better word"..; rather, in my opinion, the Rastafari term "Babylon" is the best word to describe the entire complexity of this current situation and corona-related crisis, including its historical context, spiritual meanings, and the other connotations the term "Babylon" has, and which I have discussed in this essay..

Lamellophones

For more than one reason, the "kalimba" intrigues as an instrument. Its beautiful, "serene", yet playful sounds seem to have a mind-easing effect, - a "zen" effect - and can hardly sound otherwise than pleasant, unless an unskilled, a-musical player still manages to ruin that.

Many people, even if themselves no musicians, know vaguely that such a "kalimba" is African in origin, perhaps only due to the name. Others with somewhat more knowledge might know about the Mbira in Africa (Zimbabwe a.a.) too, or heard about it.

The kalimba, with characteristic - often ovally round or rectangular - gourd, wooden, or even coconut shell (I have one with coconut shell) and metal tines, with the longest, lowest sounding in the middle, and the higher, shorter ones to the sides. Between 17 or 8 tines (representing notes), depending on level. The hole in the middle helps resonate. It is known in the Western world, among the common public, and associated with "World music" and Africa.

Well, the irony is, is that it is typically African, yet not entirely African. The kalimba as we know it, that is. This was, after all, an adapted version of an authentic African instrument, the Mbira, created in the 1950s by English ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey. He adapted in the 1950s the actual traditional and authentic, but more complex, Mbira from the Shona people in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, to a simpler form to be learned more easily in other cultures, such as Western countries, applying also Western musical terms (Alt, octave). The Kalimba has an African name, but is thus a Westernized version of the Shona/Zimbabwean Mbira lamellophone: plucked by thumbs in the same way, but the original Mbira has more notes/tines, and layers of notes (between 22 and 28 tines, being a standard).

SHONA

Among the Shona people in Zimbabwe, the Mbira is a very important in their culture and even religion. It is considered a sacred instrument. Very interesting, as are its present uses, and connections with popular music artists like Thomas Mapfumo. Much of this information, however, can be found easily on Wikipedia, YouTube or elsewhere, so there is not much use repeating it all here on this post.

WIDER

This is however still a limited approach to this instrument. Hugh Tracey resided in South Africa, and studied as ethnomusicologist mainly in Southern Africa, such as Zimbabwe. Ethnomusicologists point out, however, that comparable "thumb pianos" and lamellophones as such, have been and are common throughout other parts of Africa too, in different shapes and forms. It is said to go back 3000 years, starting with wooden and bamboo tines, first found in the Cameroonian region..

I noticed that already at a museum exhibition in Amsterdam, Netherlands, I went years ago. This well documented exhibition at the anthropological Tropenmuseum (Tropics museum), showed many of these "types of kalimbas" or lamellophones throughout Africa (historically), These were different types, sizes and forms, and of different materials, small/big, few tines (some just 4, f.i.), many tines (over 20), but all sharing musical principles.

It was also pointed out that such "kalimba-like" lamellophones are quite unique to Africa. And of course its diaspora, as the bass Marímbula in Afro-Cuban music, is in fact a bigger, bass version of a kalimba/mbira. It had that function in traditional, acoustic Afro-Cuban music, such as Eastern Cuban Son and Changui, and still in part.

There were also lamellophones in part of Africa, the said exhibition showed, with also nonmetallic, but bamboo tines, earlier in history than the Shona/Zimbabwean Mbira. Original creations by Africans, without a white ethnomusicologist involved in them. This shows the long tradition in Africa, and the influence on music. They have different names in different parts of Africa for them, Ikembe, Sanza, Chisanji, Eleke, among them.

Parts of Africa, and cultures that had such lamellophones traditionally, include of course the Mbira of Zimbabwe and similar ones in neighouring countries (Mozambique, Malawi), but also in what is now DR Congo, Cameroun, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, and other countries.

Interestingly, in Ghana they have the large "bass" lamellophone called Prempensua, similar to the Marimbula used in Cuba and other Caribbean islands, such as in the old Jamaican folk genre Mento (still played by some, such as the band the Jolly Boys).

Among the Yoruba in Nigeria/Benin there is also a large lamelophone used, called Agidigbo, with mostly 5 larger tines, having a bass and synchronizing function with e.g. talking drums. It has a deep, sonorous sound.

This seems a distinctively African instrument type, expressing perhaps a sense of "Africanness" , though in Siberia a "plucked" lamellophone-type instrument is also found, and in a few other places outside of Africa.

Plucking just by thumb is in that sense overall quite unique to African culture, leaving for the other fingers a mere "holding" function, and the thumb therefore more creative and active. Also, in the West African (Mande area) Ngoni lute, the thumb is in a sense singled out to pluck the chords, but along with the index finger.

LACUNAE

Though there is somewhat documented academically about the Mbira among the Shona, and how Hugh Tracey based the globalized and Westernized Kalimba on it, there are still some knowledge lacunae, it seems, regarding the African lamellophones. At least what is readily aviable on the Internet, noticeable also on the Wikipedia page on lamellophones. That can after all only base itself on academic sources and studies, though lack of interest may play a role too.

I personally was specifically interested in bamboo-tines lamellophones, since I own one, and used it in several of my compositions (percussion instrumentals). You can safely say that this rectangular bamboo-tined "kalimba", "sanza" - how you want to call it - acompanied me during my life, having it for over 20 years now.

I do not even remember well where I bought it, I only have a strong "hunch". Some scenes I remember well, for some "magical" reason - such as standing in a Fair Trade shop, with many non-Western products, including small instruments. I vaguely remember seeing such lamellophones there. I do not even remember where in the Netherlands this Fair Trade shop was, because I went to some in Amsterdam and Leyden in that period.

I somehow sensed it was African, and maybe it was written when I bought it, but I do not remember that.

QUEST

Interestingly, since then a quite latent but recurring "quest" began, regarding the origins of this lamellophone I own and play. I saw in a book or online a similar bamboo-tined sanza from Cameroon, assuming that mine must be too, but it was not identical, only similar. In the said Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, the Cameroon-origin thesis seemed confirmed, as in the collection of lamellophones this museum exhibited, the ones that ressembled mine most, were indeed from Cameroun.

The Wikipedia article, and other sources, further explained that two separate inventions of the lamellophone/thumb piano took place historically: of bamboo- or wooden tines in West Africa - specifically the Cameroon area! -, and of metal tines in the Zambezi region, Southern Africa, the latter resulting in the well-known Mbira. These metal-tined lamellophones then spread throughout the whole continent.

Did the older, bamboo-tined branch got largely replaced by this, or just disregarded? I only found the bamboo-tined ones in musea (a former colonial one, at that), suggesting its present use seems limited. In folk music (probably), let alone regarding translations to pop music, where at least the metal-tined ones got some attention (e.g. Earth Wind & Fire, Taj Mahal, Thomas Mapfumo).

It is a pity because I have learned to love the sound of my bamboo-tined lamellophone. Bamboo tines have and interesting difference with metal sounds. A study in itself. As I use other bamboo instruments too - such as a self-made "bambulafon" - I noticed that hitting - or "plucking" as with lamellophones - bamboo, results in a far-reaching sound.. Not "long" but far-reaching. The sound itself is short and sharp. Its resonance is nonetheless mysteriously wider that it seems. Bamboo is a type of grass, so that might make it that "earthy".

Metal tines - of course - have a longer resonating, "warmer" and deeper, as well as more malleable, sound . This makes them for some preferable. Yet, the bamboo tines have an own feel with their sound, more "earthy" and, indeed, "grassy". It sounds more like nature itself. The metal tines - that I also like - sound more like "humans in harmony with nature" (reflection on it), which is also nice.

The two types of lamellophones and their sounds could combine well, but seldom are, because of cultural differences, in traditional contexts. Some modern composers - like myself - might do that experimentally, and so I did.

CAMEROON

So, from what I could find, without total certainty, my bamboo-tined lamellophone/"sanza" is originally African, and probably from the Cameroun area. Simply because all lamellophones that I saw that were similar to mine, were described as from Cameroon. Bordering areas (Efik area, SE Nigeria), also had quite similar ones (with bamboo tines).

https://musicaparaver.org/instruments/type/sansa

http://www.nscottrobinson.com/mbira.php

I still lack "hard evidence", but it has a high probability. My next question is then: are these bamboo-tined sanzas still used in folk music in Cameroon, or elsewhere?

Some sources seemed to point at NW Cameroon, other ones to similar lamellophones as mine also among the Bamana in Mali.

My quest still continues..

Meanwhile, the different types of lamellophones/mbira's throughout Africa, have still wide and varied musical and cultural roles: time-passing for travellers as known in the Congo region, entertainment, also inciting rain in some cultures, talking with the ancestors in several ones, and other spiritual uses, just like the Mbira has for the Shona in Zimbabwe.

It has an important role in African culture, and its specific sounds, rhythms and patterns have influenced later African (pop) genres, such as in Zimbabwe, Soukous in the Congo region where the guitar riffs seem modelled after sansa/"kalimba" playing..

MARIMBULA

With the African diaspora, following the slave trade, the relative of these African lamellophone was developed first in Eastern Cuba, based on African models. This was the Marímbula, a big lamellophone, with a bass function.

In that part of Cuba, a large percentage of enslaved Africans brought there between the 16th and 19th c. were from the Congo region, relatively many, although there were Africans from other regions too (Yoruba, Calabar/Efik, Rara/Ewe) in Eastern Cuba too. So both the (precursor?) to the Yoruba, also large and "bass" Agidigbo lamellophone might have been a model, as well as the several sansas/mbiras in the Congo region and Central Africa.

Anyway, from Eastern Cuba, it would spread over time to the whole Caribbean and Latin America, up to Argentina, including Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and nearby Caribbean islands. With that, this Afro-Cuban Marimbula has been the most widely spread and best known "Mbira" like instrument, after the Mbira itself, and of course the Kalimba.

The Marimbula's function is however simplified in the Americas: a bass function, and with fewer tines also. Less melodies, or in complex polyrhythms, as with the Mbira and other lamellophones in Africa, but simpler and bass-like in function. In Cuban Son (Changui) music (also from Eastern Cuba), the marimbula is still used in traditional contexts, but in later Son groups, mostly replaced by standing (acoustic) or electric bass guitars. Especially in Salsa music - for about 70% based on Son - the electric bass guitar became more common.

When I went to Cuba several times in the period 2001-2006, I visited many musical performances, and saw both bass guitars (one time an electric one, more often acoustic ones), and a few times musicians still brought Marimbulas, in more acoustic settings.

I have now a part coconut/wooden, metal-tined ("standard") kalimba too, with 7 metal tines, which is less "authentic" (I believe it is produced in SE Asia), but sounds nice too.

My already mentioned other one - that like I said, I do not even remember well buying - is especially precious to me, because I have a longer history with it, also musically.

ORIGINAL

Fittingly, with its bamboo tines, and traditional design, it comes close to the old, original, "very first" lamellophones in Africa... with bamboo tines, before metal took over across Africa. This original, bamboo-tineed one is the oldest invented one in Africa, they say in the Cameroon area. This makes this sansa quite special.

BB King named one of his guitars Lucille. Maybe I should give my sanza/lamellophone a nice Cameroonian personal name, haha

Minibiebs in Amsterdam

De wereld van fysieke boeken. "Ouderwetse" papieren boeken.

In dit digitale tijdperk is het op de achtergrond geraakt, sterk beperkt, maar nooit verdwenen. Het bestaan ervan is bedreigd geweest, maar dat was vooral theoretisch.

De technische ontwikkelingen gingen niet zo snel, en handzame e-books of e-readers bleken eigenlijk toch niet zo handzaam. Ook wenden onze ogen maar niet aan het beeldscherm; teveel "prikkels" bij zoiets sobers als "het lezen", mogelijk voor film geschikt, niet voor lezen van lange teksten.

De "vervanging" vond wel degelijk plaats, en de meeste gedrukte teksten werden uiteindelijk gedigitaliseerd. Papieren boeken verloren daarmee hun unieke, primaire informatiewaarde. Althans voor de meest bekende werken.

Los van deze praktische, haast zakelijke "content" focus, zitten er echter ook andere kanten aan het lezen. Eentje stipte ik reeds aan. Lezen "als activiteit" of "tijdverdrijf", de meditatieve overgave welke de concentratie stuurt, wonen in taal en opgeroepen beelden. Om een of andere reden lukt dat vaak beter met een stapel papier, hoe oud ook, dan van een kille technologische laptop of e-reader. De tekst kan hetzelfde zijn, de beleving anders.

HISTORISCH EN SOCIOLOGISCH

Mag de informatiedrager dan deels een trivialiteit te noemen zijn - goede teksten blijven goede teksten, ongeacht de vorm -, er zitten ook andere kanten aan papieren boeken en tijdschriften die meer cultureel zijn, en historisch. Papieren werken als slechts "ouderwetse" informatiedragers, vertegenwoordigen echter ook een wereld van culturele en maatschappelijke uitingen, maatschappelijke voorkeuren, en uitgeverskeuzen, sinds pre-digitale tijden. Daarmee geeft het historisch inzicht.

Dat is een terrein dat interessanter is dan het lijkt. Het gaat namelijk essentieel om de vraag: welke kennis wordt verspreidt, welke informatie, en wie bereiken die teksten in de samenlevingen? Daarmee wordt het ook sociologisch interessant.

MINIBIEBS

Een fenomeen waar dit uitstekend te bestuderen is, is het fenomeen "minibieb", zoals ik dat ken in mijn woonplaats Amsterdam. Het gaat hierbij om kasten met papieren boeken en tijdschriften te vinden op straat, in verschillende delen van de stad, veelal op de stoep tegen buitenmuren van woonhuizen. Deze "straatbiebs" zijn vrij, waarbij de term "bieb"/bibliotheek wat flexibel is geïnterpreteerd. Veelal wordt het begrepen als "gratis boeken", dan wel plek waar boeken achter gelaten kunnen worden, ook "te geef". Soms staat er een tekst bij dat het de bedoeling is dat je de boeken terugbrengt, bij anderen expliciet dat ze te geef zijn.

Sinds ik ze aantrof her en der in de stad, vond ik die minibiebs wel leuk. Het bracht mij mentaal terug naar de "boekenwurm" periodes in mijn leven, toen ik graag in de openbare bibliotheek kwam, toen wonend in een dorp. Een dorp saai qua uitgaansleven, en ik vluchtte in muziek (reggae e.a.), maar ook boeken, in dat nog pre-digitale tijdperk. Ik las toen ook wat meer literaire werken, naast nonfictie, ook buiten wat van school moest. Ook keek ik toen in kasten met goedkope (bijvoorbeeld "afgeschreven") boeken.

STUDEREN

De interesse bleef: later, rond 1996, ging ik ook de Informatiedienstverlening en -Management opleiding op HBO-niveau volgen, aan de Hogeschool van Amsterdam: de opvolger van de bibliotheek-academie. De omslag van papier naar digitaal was toen al vergevorderd, hoewel verre van absoluut. Stageplekken die ik verkoos (in de nonprofit sector) hadden vaak nog eigen bibliotheken met veel papieren boeken, terwijl andere studenten liever "snelle" commerciele bedrijven als stageplek kozen, met alle documenten zoveel mogelijk gedigitaliseerd, e-libraries, een gelaagd "intranet", etcetera.

Een teken van de tijd. Alles -ons hele leven - is sindsdien (vanaf 2000) steeds digitaler geworden, met e-readers, tablets etcetera, hoewel sommigen nog steeds papieren boeken prefereren.

OUDER

Die minibiebs op straat in Amsterdam staan derhalve voor een oudere wereld. Maar ook een rustiger wereld. Een wereld met minder haast, minder opgejaagd zijn door geld- en sensatiezucht. Eenvoudigweg de tijd nemen voor een boek, meegenomen worden in het verhaal ervan, overgave van je concentratie, nog zonder gedachten aan "praktisch nut" of zelfs kloktijd.

De vraag is echter wat de minibiebs concreter vertegenwoordigen in dit tijdsgewricht. Mensen laten die papieren boeken (soms ook tijdschriften en andere dragers als dvd's of vinyl platen) daar immers achter: ze hoeven het niet meer zelf te hebben, in huis, blijkbaar. Die specifieke boeken vielen tegen, of zijn mensen die die boeken daar "dumpten", helemaal "gone digital", en lezen ze nauwelijks nog wat van papier?

We weten het niet, en dat is ergens ook het leuke ervan. Die minibiebs zijn openbaar, op straat, vrij, en volstrekt anoniem. Van iedereen, voor iedereen. Dat is een mooi iets.

Het heeft een beetje de "vibe" van de vrijheidszoekende jaren 60 en 70 van de 20ste eeuw, de "hippie tijd" en vlak erna, die ook in Amsterdam veel invloed had. Dat maakt de minibiebs vergelijkbaar met het "witte fietsenplan" van Provo: het alternatieve "vrij beschikbare fietsen" plan in een fietsstad bij uitstek die Amsterdam is. Vrij, van iedereen, voor iedereen. Een idee dat helaas snel verlaten werd. Fietsen, boeken: vrij voor iedereen: in zo'n wereld is het beter toeven.

Ik zag bij toeval al veel van die straatkasten met boeken in delen van Amsterdam - tijdens werktijd en in mijn vrije tijd -, ook omdat ik al jaren lang veel fiets door de stad.

Het meeste keek ik in de kasten met boeken in de Van Limburg Stirumstraat (Staatsliedenbuurt, Westerpark), niet al te ver van dat deel van Amsterdam waar ik woon. Af en toe een interessant boek over Afrika, of vegetarisch voedsel, trof ik daar.

STRAATBIBLIOTHECARIS

Het was daar dat ik op een gegeven moment een man aantrof, terwijl ik weer even wilde kijken. Hij was druk bezig, en gezien het tijdstip (rond middernacht) vond ik het onverwacht te moeten wachten, hoewel ik geen haast had. Ik keek eerst naar boeken waar die man niet bezig was.

Zo zie je maar: de stadsneurose van mensen alleen zien als "hinderlijk in de weg", dan wel "opjagend", kan voorbarig zijn. De man sprak mij aan, en wat volgde was een eigenlijk prettig en interessant gesprek. De man, ik schat in de 50, bleek al die "minibiebs" in Amsterdam bij te houden, en verwees mij naar een website - met een officieus "bit.ly" adres -, met een kaart van Amsterdam met alle aangetroffen straatbiebs/minibiebs, met wat beschrijvingen (omvang). Adres: http://bit.ly/minibieb020. Interessant. Over de inhoud van de boeken stond op die website niets, maar de man was evenwel bezig orde aan te brengen in de boeken: kinderboeken bij elkaar, literaire werken bij elkaar op een paar planken, nonfictie op andere plank, kookboeken bij elkaar, etcetera.

Klinkt dit allemaal spannend en spectaculair? Misschien niet echt. Toch snapte ik de man. Ik heb immers ook wat ooit de bibliotheekopleiding gevolg, en kwam en kom altijd graag in bibliotheken. Boeken deelde ik in in categoriën - ik moest vaak wel -, en gaf trefwoorden. Dat werk doen zogenaamde "documentalisten", en dat was lang ook mijn "job title", zogezegd: documentalist. Zo heb ik als "documentalist" lang in/voor een wetenschappelijke bibliotheek gewerkt.

Ik lees de laatste jaren wat minder dikkere boeken, maar doe het nog steeds graag, en heb een brede culturele interesse.

Ik heb die avond - of eigenlijk vroege nacht - dus ook geleerd dat er zoiets als "straatbibliothecarissen" of "straatdocumentalisten" bestaan.

Ik was die man dankbaar voor dat webadres, want daarmee had ik een redelijk volledig overzicht van minibiebs in heel Amsterdam. Hij zei ook dat ik informatie kon mailen voor de website, een nog niet genoemde of verdwenen kast met boeken. "Mee doen" met andere woorden.

Doordat de samenleving in dit jaar 2020 werd plat gelegd voor een relatief nieuw griepvirus, en mijn vrienden opzoeken in de horeca niet meer mocht van de autoriteiten, en ook mijn belangrijkste hobby: musiceren met mensen, was beperkt door "wicked Babylon" - had ik wat meer tijd. Ik fiets graag door de hele stad Amsterdam, als een soort sport en fitness, zelfs naar de andere kant van de stad.

De Van Limburg Stirumstraat "straatbieb" - in Westerpark - was toevallig wat dichter bij waar ik woon, maar ik fietste nu meer grote delen van Amsterdam door: Oud-West, Bos en Lommer, Baarsjes, maar nog verder: de Jordaan, Centrum, Oost, De Pijp, Nieuw-Zuid, of Nieuw-West. Zo zie ik nog eens wat van de stad. Nu dus met specifiek adressen (straat met huisnummer) van deze minibiebs/straatbiebs, vermeld op voornoemde bit.ly website, nl. http://bit.ly/minibieb020.

INHOUD

De vraag dringt zich op, de "elephant in the room". Wat voor boeken trof ik aan, inhoudelijk? Vond ik het wel interessant, sloot het aan bij mijn interesses? Kwamen bepaalde soorten boeken vaker terug?

Ik heb een brede interesse. Ik ben meer een Alfa en Gamma, dan een Beta, dat wel. Boeken over technische zaken trekken mij wat minder aan dan, bijvoorbeeld, boeken over psychologie, sociale geschiedenis, of geografie.

Na wat heen en weer fietsen en minibiebs in verschillende delen van de stad gecheckt te hebben kan ik - na deze steekproef - wel wat voorzichtige conclusies trekken.

De kasten met aantallen boeken kunnen verschillen in omvang van ruim tegen de 100 boeken tot zo'n 10 boeken. Meestal is het iets ertussen in: zo'n 40 boeken en wat tijdschriften bijvoorbeeld in veel van die straatkasten. De kasten verschillen ook qua grootte, en van uiterlijk.

Over de inhoud: literaire werken kwamen relatief vaak voor. Vooral de wat grotere straatbiebs hadden wat meer nonfictie werken, maar bij de wat kleinere vond ik soms vooral enkele tientallen literaire werken, en vier of 5 nonfictie of studieboeken. Soms ook "populair-wetenschappelijke" werken.

Er zaten aardig wat (literaire) boekenweekgeschenken tussen van Nederlandse auteurs, maar het is desalniettemin flauw en onterecht om de straatbiebs als "dumpplek" te zien. Er waren bij die boekenweekgeschenken ook interessante, lezenswaardige teksten.

Even vaak, daarnaast, waren er ook kwalitatief goede werken bij van gerenommeerde auteurs als Isabel Allende (relatief vaak) en Maya Angelou, en zelfs bekende romans die literatuurprijzen hebben gewonnen, of klassiekers, met name Nederlandstalige: van W.F. Hermans, Harry Mulisch, van Arnon Grunberg, A F Th van der Heijden, Adriaan van Dis, Jan Wolkers, Kees van Kooten, Herman Koch, Anja Meulenbelt, en van latere schrijvers als Abdelkader Benali, Kluun, Joost Zwagerman, e.a. Bekende werken ook. Ook minder "high brow" werken, als van Mart Smeets waren te vinden.

Relatief vaak - om een of andere reden - Engelstalige boeken van het literaire echtpaar Nicci French. In meerdere kasten trof ik het bekende "30 shades of Grey" boek aan, en de even populaire In De Ban Van De Ring cyclus.

Soms trof ik ook interessante werken - wat directer aansluitend op mijn persoonlijke interesses - over muziek, Afrika, andere landen, kunst(enaars), psychologie, en soms ook studieboeken horend bij een opleiding, maar ook genoeg leuke "populair-wetenschappelijke" werken. Ook aardig wat boeken over flora and fauna, zoals een boek over "olifanten", en eetbare gewassen, om maar wat te noemen.

Ik trof ook in alle stadsdelen relatief veel kookboeken. Ik ben vegetariër, maar ook voor mij waren er leuke boeken bij, hoewel ik soms bij koekboeken toch heb: die gerechten kan ik zelf ook wel bedenken, maar leuke tips zijn altijd welkom. Boeken over vitaminen en voedingswaarde zijn ook wel nuttig in deze tijd. En in elke tijd, eigenlijk.

Qua talen vooral Nederlands, maar heel wat ook in het Engels (w.o. literaire werken), en in sommige straatbiebs ook in het Frans, het Spaans, of Duits.

Al met al, al die mini straatbiebs bij elkaar, boden best wel wat variatie, en voor veel mensen die graag lezen en ergens wat over willen weten, voor velen wat wils, bovendien ook verschillend in omvang.

INTERNET

We leven nu in een tijd van Internet en Google. Sommige van de meer "informative boeken" zijn gedekt door zoeken op Internet, maar lang niet allemaal. De "hap-snap" kennis van informatie op Internet, en zelfs een Wikipedia artikel - hoe correct ook -, zal niet alles kunnen vertellen wat in een dik studieboek over cognitieve psychologie staat, of een "psychologische encyclopedie", zoals ik die in een kast zag.

Verder zijn de vele romans en literaire werken die ik er trof, vaak helemaal niet op Internet te lezen: dat zijn immers formeel kunstwerken, geen informatiebronnen als zodanig.

Daarnaast zie je hier een interessante wisselwerking tussen teksten waaruit blijkt dat het om "teksten" gaat en niet de dragers. Het boek over olifanten waar ik even in bladerde bij een van die straatbieb kasten, bracht mij op ideeën, omdat er iets in stond wat ik nog niet wist. Dat ging ik vervolgens op Internet opzoeken. Via via, door toevallig dat boek daar te zien liggen. Dat deed me denken aan een rustiger tijd, "pre-Internet", toen ik als kind door de OB liep.. Onbevangen, niet gericht en zakelijk op zoek, maar je laten betoveren... of niet.. maar vrij en open. Je las iets, en dat bracht je op ideeën om ook andere dingen te lezen. Pure, onbevangen nieuwsgierigheid. Met rust en overgave. Voordat het systeem opdrong dat je een vak en carrière moest kiezen.

Het kan ook op Internet: van Wikipedia artikel naar Wikipedia artikel, via interne links, maar dan toch met minder vrijblijvendheid.

In verschillende delen van Amsterdam zag ik vergelijkbare tendensen: veel (Nederlandstalige) romans, brede nonfictie. De Jordaan had een aantal leuke - één in een voormalige telefooncel -, waaronder grappige spirituele linksgerichte boeken van iemand die blijkbaar actief mee deed in de jaren 70 en hippie-tijd (maar dat boek niet meer hoefte te hebben).

Wat meer Spaanstalige boeken in een paar straatbiebs in Westerpark, maar dat kan toeval zijn. Het is zoals gezegd allemaal anoniem, afhankelijk van mensen die al dan niet tijdelijk toevallig wonen in die omgeving.

Minder toevallig waren er in de minibieb bij de Protestantse kerk Eltheto (Molukse buurt, Amsterdam-Oost) voor een deel Christelijke boeken, maar niet alleen.

Voor de liefhebber van literaire werken zijn de minibiebs/straatbiebs zeker aan te raden, maar ook voor anderen, want de thematiek is breed, ook wat betreft nonfictie, en soort literatuur. Ik vond er wel wat interessants tussen. Het is denk ik niet alleen voor "hardcore" bibliofielen.

DEZE TIJD

Daarnaast moeten we toch in deze rare lockdowntijd voor een relatief nieuw griepvirus, dat volgens alle wetenschappelijke en objectieve cijfers die ik kan vinden niet eens zo dodelijk is, en sinds Juni van 2020 niet eens meer zo problematisch is voor ziekenhuizen.

Als Mussolini van het balkon commandeerde het kabinet dat - om het aantal besmettingen omlaag te brengen - de horeca dicht moet (sinds oktober 2020), maar winkels niet. Dit terwijl er relatief minder "besmettingen" plaats vonden in horeca, dan op het werk of thuis.

Een paar weken later commandeerden dezelfde Mussolini's dat andere publiek plekken als musea, bibliotheken, en theaters ook maar een tijd dicht moesten. Boeken moet je maar kopen, niet lenen, want vreemd genoeg bleven boekwinkels open, ook die waar mensen dichtbij elkaar moesten zijn.

Sommigen durfden het echter aan om het even gezellig te maken in de bibliotheken, even een ontspannen uitje of praatje, en in het coronabeleid geldt: "gezelligheid ist verboten!". Inconsequent en absurd. Om ons zoveel mogelijk thuis te houden. Vanwege wat: het meer testen met ondeugdelijke PCR-tests, die volgens experts niet genoeg zeggen over echte besmetting of infectie?

Intussen werd Amsterdam sinds Oktober 2020 een spookstad, wat ik vooral merkte vanaf later op de avond, ook in het weekend. Af en toe wat bussen en taxi's, meer politie-auto's, enkele fietsers en wandelaars die zich meestal keurig aan het samenscholingsverbod hielden (ze moesten wel), wat criminelen, soms wat thuisbezorgbedrijfsfietsers, maar geen lichten van de horeca, slechts woonhuizen met mensen hun privé-leven. Een soort Purmerend aan de Amstel, met wat grotere en vaak oudere gebouwen. Verder zo saai als een streng-gereformeerd dorp.

Het coronavirus is nu niet dodelijker of ernstiger dan de griep die we al kenden. Waarom alles in de samenleving, inclusief alle bronnen van plezier en geluk, plat leggen? Waarom mogen gezonde mensen niet gewoon het leven leiden dat ze hiervoor deden, en hun natuurlijke behoefte aan gezellig samen zijn voldoen? Is het niet zinniger en wellevender om kwetsbare groepen wat meer en directer te beschermen?

Ik hang geen theorieën over complotten van overheden aan die (nog?) niet bewezen kunnen worden. Het heeft ook geen zin. Ik weet gewoon niet waar deze autoriteiten - internationaal! - mee bezig zijn. Waar, zoals de Rastas zeggen "Babylon" mee bezig is: New World Order?, nieuw kapitalisme door een rijke elite?, contant geld stoppen?, 5G?, totalitaire volksmanipulatie? Zou best kunnen allemaal (als je zoals ik de geschiedenis hebt bestudeerd), of minstens deels.

De cijfers en kille feiten rechtvaardigen dit beleid in ieder geval van geen kant, dat is wat ik zeker weet. Daar heb ik ook al meer dan genoeg over gehoord, maar ook gelezen. En nog meer gelezen, en nog meer gelezen.. Ik ben geen beta, en werd virologie op den duur ook een beetje zat. Ik deed het ook nog bovenop, immers, de massa-hysterie en overmatige media-aandacht aan het nieuwe griepvirus Covid 19.

Dan lees ik maar liever ook wat over olifanten in Afrika, een meeslepende roman, of een biografie van een artiest. Even weg van deze echte maar verwarrende wereld vol machtsmisbruik, minachting van vrijheid, en angst.. Even weg van al die onzin..

Nu de bibliotheken - hopelijk niet te lang - dicht zijn, als gevolg van een onprettige (en onnodige, want niet-werkende) lockdown, zijn de minibiebs een beetje een alternatief. Tenzij daar ook vervelende, extra beperkingen komen als het te gezellig wordt bij die minibiebs, en bijvoorbeeld meer dan twee buurtbewoners er een praatje durven te maken.. Dat gaat in tegen het samenscholingsverbod..

http://bit.ly/minibieb020

Partner dances?

"Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world" ~ Voltaire.

"Partner dances (or couple dances)" is a field I have not concentrated on very much, I admit. I love dancing, and soon in my life I concluded that moving your body rhythmically to music, "dancing" was natural and in fact required to enjoy much music. You had "listening" music and "dance" music, but to dance music and "in-between" (danceable and content) music, I tended to dance. At home, alone in my room and later house, and in time at concerts and in clubs too. Whereas some people I knew preferred to sit on the venue's balconies, I preferred the floor in front of the stage: I wanted to dance.

I danced, however, alone, in my own space. I saw and see it as a personal and, well, spiritual connection to the music. I developed my sense of rhythm, soon feeding into my musical activities, as I played more and more percussion instruments. This was a personal trajectory.

Dancing, thus, had no "mating" or "social" function for me. Not primarily anyway. To be honest, I considered it unnatural when I "had" to dance in pairs, even if with a nice lady. I could see the joy of that (when in love?), but when I took some Salsa lessons in Cuba (good place to learn it, that is true), I liked it a bit on the one hand, but found the "stylized" rules and proscribed steps too "rigid" and conservative. Added to this were old-fashioned gender roles of a "leading man", of course as a form of theatre, but still.. I preferred my own free, rythmical dancing.

JAMAICAN DANCE

As a Reggae fan since my early teens, my dancing became loosely based on Jamaican dancehall dances since the Rocksteady era. it was with Rocksteady and Reggae that staying on one spot ("rent-a-tile" was an expression in Jamaican dances), and moving your whole body while on that same spot, frontways and/or sideways, became more socially accepted. A bit more theatrical but natural dances were at times popular in Jamaica (1970s and 1980s), like "water pumpee" or "cool and deadly", and these had a few (loose) "rules". A more moderate, but similar individual "skanking" variant became a norm at Reggae dances, both with Roots Reggae and Early Dancehall.

On more "dynamic" later, also digital Dancehall in Jamaica, becoming more influential since the late 1980s, some "sensual" partner dances were more common, including "whining" , "dutty whine", and "daggering". All dances that leave little to guess about eventual sexual meanings. Actual sexual attraction (or arrousal) might change my attitude, but under normal circumstances I neither liked these dances very much. I preferred to dance in my own way - and alone - if I liked the Dancehall songs- , just following the rhythm.

Yet, also in modern Danchehall era in Jamaica, a lot of new individual dances - fitting specific songs and their lyrics - appeared, and became commonly practised, sometimes temporarily, in the dancehalls in Jamaica and abroad.

OTHER DANCES

Some Jamaican (Reggae) dances I know a bit (Water Pumpee a.o.), I even like some of those new Dancehall ones (Bogle Move a.o.). I am intrigued further by some (solitary) folk/spiritual dances in parts of Africa I saw, and also by elements of other dances like Break Dance. I like moves in some forms of Flamenco and Spanish folk dances. Mostly, though, I just move loosely and freely to the music, following the rhythm, in my own way, albeit thus influenced.

I also wonder, despite all this, that there might be more interesting aspects of "partner dances" that I do not know. Partner/couple dances that maybe even inspires a solitary dancer like me.

Being interested in African and Afro-American cultures, the cultural dimension of dances can be interesting. Some of the globally best-known, almost cliché, partner dances developed in Latin America: the Tango, the Salsa, the Rumba, while other known ones were originally (largely) European, such as the "ballroom dances" the Waltz, the Foxtrot, the Quadrille, Paso Doble, Flamenco, etcetera. Names many people know, or what it looks like, but do not really know how to dance themselves..

The waltz has the most "stiff" image, and is indeed regulated and proscribed, while the loose improvisational Flamenco and Bolero from South Spain have a different, a bit more African "vibe", even if danced with partner. Some of these European dances seem to confirm the idea that in European/"white" dances more often are independent from the actual music heard. Flamenco, and some other folk dances in Europe, being exceptions (music-dance interaction).

Dances in the Caribbean and South America, though, while influenced by these European models from their colonizers, added interesting African and native aspects to the cultural mix, in cases even dominantly African ones.

I like Salsa music - and its roots in Cuban Son - better than the dance of the same name: nice to try, but too rigid and limiting for my taste. The same applies to Cuban Salsa-derived dances, elsewhere (Merengue, Bachata). I have seen the Tango, and found it a bit more appealing, though not so convincing or life-changing to take me away from my "good old" solitary dancing.

LAMBADA

The same applies to Lambada. I have seen that Brazilian, sensual dance through the media and the well-known world hit(s) by Kaoma (1989) - like many people- and a few times in real life by experienced dancers. Kaoma actually had two relative "hits": one simply titled Lambada, but melodically based on a Peruvian folk song (Llorando Se Fue), translated to Portuguese, and one called "Dançando Lambada", also helping to internationalize the Lambada craze.

I could understand the appeal of the Lambada dance a bit. Mainly because of the "hip swaying" which was a bit less present in Salsa, and almost absent in the stiff European dances like the Waltz..

That hip movement could work nicely when the dance partner was "in sync", I imagined. Of course, the macho "male leader" role also here, but this "gender division" is best to be taken playful, with humour. As are the sensual aspects of it, making Lambada being called "the forbidden dance", earlier in Brazilian history. Others speak of a unique "flowing wave" motion, the Lambada dancers' reproduce, that even I - as couple dance sceptic - find intriguing.

Lambada originated in part in the northern Brazilian state of Pará (with many mixed/Amerindian influences), and spread eastwards to the strongly Afro-Brazilian state of Bahia, adding influences from the Forró genre..

It went accompanied by an own music genre, that I found quite groovy and lively. Music that was quite rhythmical, showing African and some slight Amerindian influences. It - the music form that is - faded in popularity over time in Brazil, however.

ZOUK

Lambada as music genre became less common or mainstream by the 1990s, and other music genres became more popular in its place in Brazil, even foreign ones. Notably Zouk music from the French Caribbean (Martinique, Guadeloupe) - with the band Kassav' being its best known representative - reached the north of Brazil and dances there. Kassav' might be what Bob Marley is to Reggae: the best known name.

Zouk itself developed in the Caribbean from a combination of influences, including the Gwo Ka and Biguine from Martinique and Guadeloupe, Haitian Compa, and Calypso. I discussed Haitian music in another blog post by me, and its influence on smaller French Caribbean islands Guadeloupe and Martinique.

Like Compa, Zouk has a distinct rhythm or groove that I would like to call "swaying", characterzining its relatively fluid, gentle nature. This differs from other rhythmic Afro-Caribbean, more "metronomic", "staccato" or "pumping" music genres, such as in Cuba. An interesting difference that might relate to different colonizers or to specific African origins of the enslaved population in the French Caribbean. Or both.

Relevant to this post. I think that "partner dances" fit better with such "fluid" and "swaying" music than with "straight up, groovy" music of whatever character (James Brown's Funk, much Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady, Dancehall, Salsa). Relatively "slower" music too, but it is - I think - not just in the tempo, but rather the type of rhythmic flow. The Lambada's flowing "hip swaying" could be nice with a partner and not just alone, as an interesting symbiosis/synthesis, even if not deeply in love with that person, which would make it even nicer and more magical. That is what I felt: sensual swaying.

In other genres it is just my own body and the rhythm/drum, that is satisfying and inspiring enough for me.

BRAZILIAN ZOUK DANCE

The interesting thing is that while the more dominant music genre in Northern Brazil changed to Zouk and Zouk-like rhythms, the way that people danced to them remained strongly influenced by the preceding Lambada dance, the moves and hip swaying, and flowing.

This was helped by the fact that there were some similarities between Lambada as music, and Zouk as music, although also differences. Lambada - while distinct - also had some musical similarities with Colombian Cumbia, by the way (which has a quite different dance). Of course, there is a shared African heritage, but besides this, there are similarities in "rhythmic flow". The Lambada as dance thus could be easily adapted to Zouk rhythms.

Thus developed in the 1990s what was called Brazilian Zouk, a partner/couple dance. Some find that the Brazilian Zouk seems even more sensual than its precursor the Lambada.

Where in Salsa, hands are used to lead the dance and moves of it, in Brazilian Zouk this is done (also) be other body parts, notably the hips. It includes a lot of "swirls", especialy by the woman. Some see this dance as more sensual - since it is a partner dance - , but it also can be seen as "fuller" (physically). This fuller, whole-body approach to dancing is what I like, seeming to me more complete and loose than hands-led partner/couple dances like the Waltz, Foxtrot, or the Salsa.

SENSUAL?

The phenomenon of "partner dance" seems by its very nature sensual. The historical male-female partners in the older dances represented or referred to hetrosexual intimate relationships. they were not just good friends (as portrayed in the dance). Of course it is theatre, performance, and over time dancers began to only pretend to be lovers with the partner for the dance.

RUMBA

One variant of Afro-Cuban Rumba music and dance, Guaguancó, offers another dimension. In Guaguancó in the dance a "pursuing battle" - or nicer: flirtatious game -is performed/danced between a man and a woman. The woman keeps refusing his advances while both dance: she dances away from him, but also keeps flirting to attract him. Dancers follow the basic rhythm pattern of guaguancó, mostly conga- and clave-led. I studied that nice pattern as a percussionist - for congas. A bit later saw the link with the "suspenseful" drum/rhythm pattern of guaguancó: a man pursues, a woman resists, playfully.

Again, conservative gender roles are confirmed, as in other (European and African) partner dances, but of course it is playful theatre, and, well, some men argue that men are indeed more desparately pursing women, as women get men more easily and do not need to. In that sense, the Rumba Guaguancó is somewhat realistic. Moreoever, guaguancó represents a flirting game, with the willingness of also the woman implied. In reality, it can be seen as a "fertility ritual", known historically in several cultures.

It has similarities with the Salsa, and is in fact a Cuban precursor to it. The Salsa dance as such is based on Cuban models, just like the music genre of the same name, Salsa, is based mostly on Afro-Cuban music. Both developed outside of Cuba though, in the New York area, among many Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, and others, besides Cubans.

Rumba Guaguancó now is a precursor dance to Salsa (feeding into it historically), along with another Rumba style, the Yambu (also mostly for couples). Interestingly, the other, faster style of Rumba, called Columbia, is meant for a solo male dancer.

Actual moves and patterns of Guaguancó are consequently echoed in later salsa dance, including hip movements, and steps.

Crucially, the dancers in Guaguancó do not or hardly touch each other, and some authors such as Robert Farris Thompson and Nathaniel Hamilton Crowell, Jr., regard this a heritage of African dances from the Congo region. Hamilton Crowell discusses this in his article 'What is Congolese in Caribbean dance' in the collective volume ' Caribbean dance from Abakuá to Zouk' (2002), edited by Susanna Sloat. Hamilton Crowell also mentions in it a recent dance arising in Angola, Africa, called Kizomba, as related though more original to Zouk and other dances.. He also points out in the article how " hip rolling and hip swinging (that) distinguishes Congolese dance".

This can be found to differing degrees in several dances, including partner/couple ones throughout the Americas, Salsa, Rumba, Zouk, Samba, Cumbia, and others. Indeed, among the enslaved Africans in Cuba, relatively many were from the Congo (Bantu) region in Central Africa. Estimates say about 40% of the Africans in Cuba, with a similar percentage of Congo/Angola origins of Africans in Brazil, by the way. The secular Bantu dance called Yuká is seen as a precursor to Rumba. This influence is there, with even stronger Congo influences in Eastern parts of Cuba, around Santiago de Cuba (where Son originated).

Allow me a small digression, to return later to the theme.

CORONA CRISIS

As I write this in October 2020, the world is quite dominated by what is deemed a pandemic of a coronavirus/covid 19. this started in march 2020 and led to continuous "lockdown" policies on national levels, with differing degrees of intensity, to stop the infection spread of the new coronavirus/covid 19, first described as a "lung virus", with further similarities with the influenza, but - some asserted - worse.

This general lockdown - all over the world - including of healthy people, to limit infection and spread seemed to point at an unprecedented danger and risk, requiring such draconian measures. Public and social life was shot down during weeks, then partially opened, depending on supposed infections ("supposed", because testing for infection is not secure with current pcr-tests)..

Meanwhile more facts came out about this new "lung virus" Covid 19, and it became clear even from official sources that the mortality rate did not rise much above the (severe) flu levels of earlier years.

PROTESTS

People started then wondering: worthy of attention, yes, like influenza before, but national and regional "lockdowns"? Isn't that disproportionate (in light of data and figures), especially as it hurts the economy, limits cultural life, complicates normal human gatherings and events? Even worse: it increased the inequality and poverty in the world, including hunger, due to distribution stops.

These questions and objections are in my opinion legitimate, and some intellectuals and activists made this protest manifest openly in several countries. Large demonstrations followed in several cities: Berlin, London, Madrid, and lockdown-related riots also occurred (in Mexico and elsewhere).

The response by political leaders, and the uncritical media, was in my opinion odd and troubling. Forms of ridicule and even censorship that should have no place in a democracy returned. The danger of corona/covid 19 was absurdly emphasized and exaggerated by media, thus increasing fear, while figures pointed in another direction. This was almost "Goebbelsian" (repeating lies until people start believing them) in dimension. With the virtual "ignoring" of mass demonstrations (including one in Berlin, visited by a known US politician Robert Kennedy jr.), and the trend toward more strictness among international politicians, referring to a "second wave" of the virus.

This is based on more PCR-tests, which - as I said - do not even give secure results (to know for sure if someone is infected with Covid 19 several tests are needed), and an error margin of about 30 %. Dubious, to say the least.

UNDEMOCRATIC

On top of it, some governments attacked or by-passed democratic structures, thereby effectively acting as dictator in formal democracies. De Spoedwet/Noodwet in the Netherlands (Emergency Law) was proposed last Month this year. This would authorize ministers or prime-ministers to by-pass the chosen parliament. Undemocratic in essence, but after negotiations made - let's say - a bit more democratic, with added required parliamentary input.

Still absurd, and relating to the global hysteria we are in - that it could have been proposed and - at first - accepted by most politicians and citizens. This is especially troublesome, because of the similarity - especially in its first concept - to the Law passed in 1933 by the Nazi's in Germany, making Hitler effectively dictator.

The same fear and hysteria (put) in people's heads made it acceptable - to many people at least - that Spanish prime-minister Pedro Sánchez in Early September 2020 ignored a legal decision forbidding a new lockdown of parts of Madrid (in this case poorer parts) for various reasons, yet ordered it nonetheless, overruling law. This is against the Trias Politica, and simply undemocratic and dictatorial. A relatively "young" democracy like Spain should have known better.

Since the virus seemed not that mortal/severe and the "pressure" on health systems could be handled well, more anti-lockdown spokespersons stood up to oppose the strict measures.

SPOKESPERSONS

Even more, anti-corona policy spokespersons gained prominence, despite mass media censorship efforts. They objected against the damage of lockdowns on poor people world wide,and specifically businesses, cultural organizations, musicians, bars, and on wider economy, as well as to the social "behavioural" change this whole crisis apparently had to include: keeping 1,5 meter (6 feet) distance between people, obligatory masks, forbidding free gatherings, number of people together, etcetera,.. not showing nice, happy times ahead. In addition, they trample personal rights of free movement, choice, and even physical integrity.

I agree with most of these objections at this point, because I know the real figures of Covid 19, and find these policies disproportionate. Better to protect and (humanely) isolate vulnerable groups (like older people) to this virus, than to shut down whole countries, which is as absurd as it sounds.

This post is not really about that, but this digression has a point to it, however. It is not just an "off-topic rant", haha.

The reason why I bring it up here, is that one of those anti-corona policy activists/spokesperson here in the Netherlands is Willem Engel. He studied Biochemistry, so has relevant knowledge, seemingly knows how to organize and find experts (legally and otherwise), so he seemed a good spokesperson for that cause. I personally like his relaxed, humourous approach too. Some see his focus on "love" and compassion as soft, or hippy-like, but he talks little or no nonsense, in my opinion, and mostly factual.

DANCE TEACHER

This Willem Engel, often criticized in the Dutch pro-corona measures-mainstream media, became - after his time in biochemistry and science - a Rotterdam-based dance teacher, mainly specialized in Brazilian Zouk, knowing some other Latin American dances too.

In these absurd, difficult times, this has a symbolic appeal: a "dance teacher" against a threatening Covid 19-based "dictatorship", or at least undemocratic political repression of human rights and freedoms- with a sanitary excuse. I opine that these harken in aspects even back to Fascist times, forgotten in current normalized "democracies" in Europe, like the Netherlands, and Spain since 1975.. Suddenly, the political elite speaks of a "new normal" (why is that needed?).

Conspiracy theories abound, but besides people with still just "well worked-out speculations", there are some with more information and plain facts. Still.. the existential fact remains that "evil" or immoral intents are hidden, even from conspiracy investigations. If there is a wicked plot behind it, it is hard to find out, let alone prove. This is however not needed to be against this policy, just the current, unbiased facts are immoral and wrong enough. Of course, this is my opinion, based on neutral facts I found. Others may not care about these, or have other more alarming facts and figures, that seem so difficult to find.

All that is known, and mistrusted by many, is that a "vaccine" is promoted as only secure answer (and end) to the lockdowns. A gloomy perspective of a changed, colder, "soul- and cultureless", and restricted world. If not, no concerts, parties, closeness, hugging... Too absurd for words, what is happening now, almost impossible - I find - to conceive all at once.

A man promoting this - his - vaccine/vaccination is Bill Gates: not an elected politician, but a wealthy merchant, but also "philantropical". Promoting his vaccine, unashamedly, apparently having struck a deal with many governments world wide. This whole crisis to sell those vaccines for profit? In light of the proven influence of the pharmaceutical industry on science (not just a conspiracy theory), this is one of those conspiracy theories that might end up being true.

Willem Engel, a now dance (Zouk) teacher, former biochemical scientist, is an activist in the Netherlands against this whole policy: it has a nice poetic, even humourous touch to it, so welcome in these worrying times.

Engel teaches and dances a dance with certainly some African characteristics - the Brazilian Zouk -, like the Lambada with important hip movements, but with overall "sensual" yet playful dimensions, with room for artistic improvisation. I saw it performed a few times, and liked it at least aesthetically, and the couple in question seemed to have some sense of rhythm, so followed the music well enough. Also images of Willem Engel when dancing on YouTube show this.

VACUNAO

Quite sensual, and with body touching, with hip on side or belly a.o.., on mostly mellow, swaying music (Brazilian Zouk dance). That is the difference with the Rumba Guaguancó, I mentioned before, showing mostly Congo African influences, but with similarly important hip movements and swirling and likewise a partner dance, but without the touching, though the man tries to do this. The woman - flirtatiously/playfully - refuses his efforts while dancing. That is the game.

The accompanying music, including conga drums, other drums, shakers (chequere's), clave sticks (beating the characteristic Rumba 2-3 pattern), blocks, and often vocals, similarly shows retentions from the Congo region, as of some other parts of Africa (Yorubaland, Efik/Calabar area, a.o.), as musicologists noted.

An added move performed in the Guaguancó dance is a kind of "victory" moment for the man, when the man imitates a "penetration" motion toward the woman, and succeeds in "conquering" the woman in the end. This is a "touching" that the woman dancing before kept both attracting and refusing, as part of the playful "flirting game".

Again conservative gender roles, with the "macho" man dominating the woman with his penetration of her, thus conquering her, making her his. All symbolic, of course.

Well now, this (theatrical/metaphorical) penetration move within the Guaguancó dance by the male dancer "conquering" the first refusing woman, is called in Cuba el "vacunao", Spanish for "vaccine" or "vaccinated". Done mostly via the upper leg.

Some even go so far to replace the name of the dance Guaguancó with the less correct term "Vacunao" dance.. Not me..

Can we see the Guaguancó dance as an allusion to this corona crisis now?

Some differences: this is real, and by rich white men. Another difference: the woman in Guaguancó, is in reality willing but "plays around": people of this world are made afraid of hyped-up Covid 19, but not really willing (I would say: confused).

The similarity with the (inevitable?) vaccine is there, at least metaphorically in the case of Guaguancó: and all to real with this crisis.

So one could say, that this corona crisis is like a cynical, fake, "white-man" Guaguancó dance. The man representing the powers that be (or "Babylon" as Rasta people say), and the woman the common citizens of the world: pursued.

Other main - and depressing! - differences are the the actual leaders/elite forces in this crisis: they cannot dance, have no rhythm, they include no good music, unlike with Guaguancó, and they are not playful.. Plus: the other party they do not seduce/convince, but intimidate.. No rhythm, no music, no "soul", no love.. Toward a loveless "vacunao"?

CONCLUSION

I can conclude from all this, that there is quite a variety among the so-called "partner dances", looking only at some examples, as here. Salsa I knew already, so I looked at other dances here more in detail (Lambada, Zouk, and Guaguancó). Some are seduction/flirting games without initial touching, others are perhaps a "lovey dovey" stage further, when the flirting has gone over into an intimate, sensual relationship, embraces and touching. I liked some of the moves, and the magical "flowing" of bodies, when good in the rhythm and music.

I myself am hesitant, though, of too much mixture of sexual relationships and music, seeing music as a valuable art form of itself. Using it for one's own sexual needs seems to me egotistical and, well, degrading and downplaying the art that is music. Even sacrilege and corruptive, in some cases.

On the other hand, I am neither too tight or prudish about this, knowing very well it is part of life and natural human relations. Such "fertility" dances moreover have existed in many cultures. I can enjoy it on occasion too. I just personally prefer, overall, individual, free dancing to the music and rhythm.

Anyway, in whatever form: more music and dance is what the world needs now, along with love, understanding, and humble curiosity. Not the sinister and "cold" world of 6 feet/1,5 meter distance from other humans. They call this "social distancing", which is a misnomer: it is "physical distancing".

Added to this were dictatorial "orders" ("emergency" laws) impeding too much people gathering. Closing down bars/clubs, and even "befehlen" (orders) to "stay home", many out of fear even accepted. Locking (mostly free and healthy) own citizens up in their own home, basically.

When concerts or gatherings were hesitantly allowed, here in the Netherlands, the authorities even had oddly specific mandates, with instructions to remain seated and not dance (let that sink in..), personnel in clubs/venues ordered to control whether visitors stayed seated. In some strict places, one standing up and dancing by him/herself (on one spot) - not approaching other persons - was even forbidden. In the Netherlands in 2020! To adult, free, and healthy persons!

I am not making this up. I see no link with a virus, of such absurd rules, perhaps only explained by a very "White"/ European interpretation of "dancing". People who know how to dance with their body need not move about. Moreover, in African and other cultures there is an intricate relationship between music and dancing, these obvious "white man" laws, ignore and restrict.

The governments clearly interfer with our privacy, rights, and freedoms, and attack our physical integrity. In an absurd way, with a sanitary excuse. Only accepted because they exaggerated ("hyped up") the danger of the Covid 19-virus, even after more facts came out.

Irrational belief in its extreme danger and mortality -against all known facts - took such forms, and was so massive, that I sometimes feel I ended up in a "twilight zone", an absurd reality or dystopia. A "bad horror film", I called it a few months ago, especially after I saw so many signs with photos of the virus throughout Amsterdam.. Absurd.

Instead of this, let us go to world of love, dancing, music, releasing stress, partying, gathering: all healthy for our immune systems, and yes: also hugging and touching when wanted by all parties. That is natural and human, and always have been. Just as natural and human as wanting to help the weak, when infected and a weakened immune system, when necessary.

We do not need to change our natural humanity and natural social behaviour for that.

Unless you want to control and oppress people, make the rich richer, and sell your vaccines. Or the virus is man-made, etcetera etcetera..

Yet - like I said before - this corona crisis in 2020 is so wrong and absurd, affecting the already poor disproportionately, that it does not even need (hard to prove) "conspiracy theories", however plausible or realistic, to oppose it. The facts are enough. Still many don't rebel, and just go along..

"Fear is a state of nervousness fit for children and not men. When man fears a creature like himself he offends God, in whose image and likeness he is created. Man being created equal fears not man but God. To fear is to lose control of one's nerves; one's will, to flutter, like a dying fowl, losing consciousness, yet alive".
~ Marcus Garvey