Premier Rasta

Premier Rasta - Directed By Helene Lee - – Kidam

The Premier Rasta documentary is all about the first Rasta. Leonard Howell.

The documentary begins with a number of people being asked if they remember him.

Very few people do. It’s a sad fact that the heroes of poor people – are quickly forgotten.

Babylon by its very nature – is all about praising the oppressors. Despite access to the internet and so many forms of information.

The General population worldwide remains virtually unaware of the massive struggles and success of working people.

Finally, the documentary moves on to the story of Leonard – his time in Panama – his travels to the USSR and then onto America finally returning home to set up Pinnacle – a community of 2600 people, men, women, and children. Like all communities who wish to live away from the runnings of Babylon. They were held in deep suspicion by the government and eventually the camp was raided by the Police.

Leonard they claimed was mad – and was sent to the madhouse.

The community of Pinnacle was scattered to the wind – but the ideas took root with the poor all over Jamaica – and especially in the ghettos of Kingston.

Max Romeo makes some great contributions, as does Bernard Collins of the Abyssinians. We see Count Ossie and the MMR in action.

And even learn there are heavy metal fans in Jamaica! No surprise really – Jamaica and Rasta as always been outward-looking. It’s this kind of thinking that makes reggae music interesting.