Not only is there a special feel having Rita Marley around you, but suddenly, it makes sense to participate in a Reggae Festival.
The 18th edition of the Rototom Sunsplash Festival counted 230.000 visitors from all over the world who came to Benicassim, Spain from August 18th till 27th to celebrate “One Love” –the message of Bob Marley which Rita Marley is to sing together with her son Ziggy later that evening- in order to, as Rita describes it, “share that unification because united we stand and divided we fall”.
It will be one of her rare musical performances these days as she´s “not on stage like I used to be” but “teaching how to plant corn and how to make it possible for other people to live their life because it´s not so pretty out there”.
This work is part of the undertakings her charitable organisation the Rita Marley & Bob Marley foundation focuses on and which applies the philosophy of “giving back” in places, where it is most needed, that is, “Africa”. Thus, her foundation supports Charity: water, a U.S. organisation taking water to Africa with the mission that “water is the need, water is life” and draws attention to the risk of dehydration. Rita herself witnessed that “these children [in Africa] are drinking water that you wouldn´t want to give to your dogs” and speaks about the sad reality “you see them dying in front of your eyes for the lack of water”. This problem affects all of Africa and water is taken into places like Somalia, Ethopia, or Kenia.
Reverting to the words of Bob Marley of his classic hit “One Love”, Rita Marley emphasises “we´re not just singing it,we´re living it”. Concening the words of Bob Marley, she adds that they “prophesised, it is what we´re seeing today”. His song “So Much Trouble in the World”, according to Rita Marley, then, really was “a prediction”, and his appeal to “Give a Little, Share a Little” something he did ask for and what stands today.
Under their mission that “the aged be protected and the infant cared-for” the Rita Marley & Bob Marley Foundation, furthermore, cares for schools being buildt and clinics and health care centres errected. And even two recording studios are under construction to “prepare for the musical ability and talent of Africa”, Rita reveals that “Africa has got a vast amount of talent that is not really seen or heard of” although Reggae music does “come from Africa … originated from African music, the drums, the sound, the soul … it is really an African thing”. And, according to Rita, the lyrics of Bob Marley have “set a standard”. It is her explanation that “it is the words, the meaning of the words” which make us want to listen more closely – not only that evening…
Written and photo by: Ilona Kepic (iK, x)
