From Gugulethu to the World: Rastafarian Cosmopolitanism in the South African Reggae Music of Teba Shumba and the Champions

Abstract

This article is an ethnographic account of how social connections are formed with and within reggae music and how the intercultural contacts between reggae aficionados are facilitated ideologically across racial, national, and ethnic borders. These cosmopolitan ideologies of Rastafarian reggae music are analyzed as a form of performative style. The data come from a micro-historical and ethnographic description of South African reggae musicians’ tour of Finland in the year 2005. The highly flexible nature of Rastafarian cultural style enabled the musicians to articulate their music in various genres and cosmopolitan imaginations during the tour.

Acknowledgements

This work was realized as a part of the research project “Youth Music and the Construction of Social Subjectivities and Communities in Post-apartheid South Africa” led by Tuulikki Pietilä and based at the University of Helsinki in the discipline of social and cultural anthropology.

Notes

1. In reggae terminology riddim (rhythm) refers to an instrumental composition without vocals. Riddims are separate from the vocal level in such a way that several artists can record their lyrics to same riddim.

2. This particular performance was also filmed and published online by the author at the request of the artist (Bolani, “Crosby”).

3. I have deliberately left this person anonymous.

4. The name “Suhinators” is derived from the Finnish word suhina (buzzing or rustling), which is inflected in the name according to the grammar of the English language.

5. The quotation has been translated from the Finnish by the author. The original reads: “Niillä oli tosi vahva se rastafilosofia, mistä ne puhu paljon ja mitä myös biiseissäkin on. Sen takia se oli helppoa. Samanhenkisiä tyyppejä kaikki. Se oli aika luontevaa…Arvostan sitä energiaa. Sitä sielukkuutta mikä siinä on. Mä aistin sen aika helposti. Sellaisten tyyppien kanssa on kiva tehdä duunia, joilla on se sama tapa ajatella.…Länsimainen ihminen tarvii vähän sellasta rebel esimerkkiä tässä meidän säädellyssä yhteiskunnassa. Ja sit kun näkee, että jollain tukka kasvaa ja se polttaa reeferiä missä huvittaa. Tavallaan siitä voi olla sillee, että ’wau! Tolla on rohkeutta olla tollanen.”

6. Here, this expression refers to smoking cannabis cigars.

7. Here, I have deliberately left this person anonymous.