YASUS AFARI

Jamaican Rastafarian ambassador at the Luthuli Museum on May 8.

Internationally acclaimed Jamaican dub poet, author and philosopher Yasus Afari is set to give a performance at the Luthuli Museum on May 8.

The audience will be captivated by the content of Yasus Afari’s performance. He brings with him his unique ‘edutainment’ concept and approach on environmental issues and black history as a shared history. Yasus Afari will focus on the history of Africa, the Caribbean and Europe from a black history perspective to give young people a framework on which they can live their lives. ‘Edutainment’, Yasus Afari says, is the marriage of entertainment and education that is designed at promoting the use of arts in education as a means of social intervention, renewal, cohesion and transformation.

Working with these themes and others Yasus Afari will make his performance interactive and lively. He will draw from his book, Overstanding Rastafari: Jamaica’s Gift to the World, that was launched in 2007. The book basically explains the Rastafarian way of life, roots, development and global impact.

Yasus Afari has visited Ethiopia, Ghana and other African states as well as the Eastern Caribbean. His work on a diplomatic level has led to formalized diplomatic relations between Jamaica and Gambia, a small West African country. In December last year he attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne Australia as an ambassador of the council for the Parliament of the World’s Religions. He is also responsible for Poetry in Motion an annual event in which poets and creative artists gather in Mandeville under Jamaican stars to perform. It is supported by an organization called Learning Links International that aims at establishing close ties between Jamaica and the United Kingdom.

Yasus Afari has also written music and was the brains behind the formation of the band Christian Souljahs in early 1990’s. He has toured all over the United States of America and the world. In August 2009 he produced a poetry album entitled Kiss Mi Neck which was launched in Kingston, Jamaica. It is the only spoken word album of its kind.

The event will start at 10h00 and the Luthuli Museum is situated at 3233 Nokukhanya Luthuli Street in Groutville. More information on 032 559 6822/4, fax 031 559 6806 or email luthulimuseum@luthulimuseum.org.za or visit www.luthulimuseum.org.za