Powerful, Poetic Memoir of Growing Up in Jamaica: How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair

How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair 

How to Say Babylon book cover

Author Safiya Sinclair

I read Sinclair’s How to Say Babylon almost right after visiting Montego Bay in Jamaica, and reading this powerful memoir afterwards helped me understand a part of Jamaican culture that is sometimes misunderstood—the life of a Rastafarian. While Rastafarianism is often presented as a patriarchal religion, Sinclair’s memoir presents her perspective as a young woman growing up under her father’s ever-changing rules for his family. Although difficult to read at times, Sinclair’s story is powerful and poignant, not only from her experiences growing up Rasta and the kind of discrimination she faced in school but also as a daughter at home, but her story also explores the search for and development of her own voice as a poet. I found this section, especially when she works with a mentor and the almost equally oppressive approach he had on her attempts to find an authentic voice, compelling. Sinclair’s evocative descriptions of the natural beauty of Jamaica are contrasted with the emotional reflections of the oppression and discrimination she faced as a young, Rasta woman in Jamaica. It was surprising to see how tightly controlled her father kept her family, and how he viewed women. Sinclair’s narration of some events from her childhood capture the kind of innocence and naivety that is a part of childhood. Simple pleasures like playing on a beach reserved primarily for tourists also help to show the racial and class discrimination present in Jamaica, which is further exacerbated by access to necessities like school and education. These moments in school, where Sinclair has to navigate new friends and social groups, are also compelling to read and help to highlight the kinds of challenges that Sinclair would face due to her hair and the assumptions that others, including teachers and peers, would make about her. I really enjoyed this memoir and was really inspired by the strength that Sinclair drew from her family, particularly her sisters and mother. Despite the flaws of her father, he is also presented in a humane manner, where I can appreciate his desire to be an artist and yet his concern about the wickedness of Babylon. Yet, I was also disturbed by his distrust of his daughters and the increasing control over them that he exercised. Nevertheless, Sinclair’s mother is the one to whom she turns to when she experiences hardship and trouble, and who encourages her pursuit of writing. Full of both joy and sadness, Sinclair’s How to Say Babylon is a beautifully written and poetic memoir about growing up, trying to navigate different worlds, and eventually finding one’s own voice through these struggles.

Exploring the History and Influence of Dub Music

Dub in Babylon: The Emergence and Influence of Dub Reggae in Jamaica and Britain from King Tubby to Post Punk by Christopher Partridge 

Selectors by Dubdem Sound System CC By 2.0

Lee Perry Live  by oskarlin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dub in Babylon is a book that was sitting around for some time, but I’m glad I eventually read it. The book is almost divided into two parts—one looking at the history and background of dub, and the second part examining how dub has been transformed through postpunk and English music sensibilities—especially how the Jamaican diaspora in England kind of spread and eventually remixed dub, creating offshoots. I enjoyed the first part much more than the second. It’s not to say that the second part was bad, but I think I enjoyed learning more about how dub arrived and reading through Partridge’s analysis of dub music from pioneers like Lee Perry and King Tubby.

Historical and Ethnographic Study of Rastafarianism's Early Days

 The Rastafarians by Leonard Barrett Sr. 

Haile Selassie 

unknown; according to [1] and [2] an official portrait of which b/w copies were distributed by the Ethiopian government, Public domain,

via Wikimedia Commons  

Marcus Garvey from George Grantham Bain Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Common

The Rastafarians has been on my list for some time since it seems to be the definitive book about Rastafarians. I didn’t realize that the book was originally published in the late 60s and was the result of his research in the 50s and 60s. I waited until I was in Jamaica to read this as well. Furthermore, I didn’t know that Barrett was a professor at Temple University. I’ve tried to locate some of his other books, but they are hard to find. I was able to find some older research papers from journals, and I’m looking forward to reading more of his work. The Rastafarians was excellent. It’s part ethnography, part historical study of the movement, tracing events that occurred in Jamaica during the Rastafarian backlash in the 50s, prior to their ascendency with the rise in popularity of reggae music and Bob Marley’s stardom. Regardless, I loved reading about this history of this movement, learning about how these beliefs arose in Jamaica. It was really interesting to learn about the resistance to slavery and the Maroons, who battled the colonial presence. I can also see Rastas as a kind of off shoot of the Black power movements in America, finding strength in African roots, as well as advocating for changes to diet and habits (also similar to the Nation of Islam). Barrett’s research and participation in some of the Rasta gatherings was fascinating, especially when, at the time, they were more or less banned and looked down on in Jamaican society. The version I read was an updated version, but I still would have loved to read a more recent version to examine how the perceptions and views of Rastas in Jamaica have changed since the 1970s. I really enjoyed this book, and read Safiya Sinclair’s excellent How to Say Babylon shortly after this, which provided a more interesting view of Rastafarianism, and especially examines the kind of role that Rasta women have (or do not have). Highly recommend this book to learn more about the history of Rastafarianism and the system of its beliefs and practices.