Oku Onuora
Encyclopedia
Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora known as the "father of Jamaican dub poetry" is a Jamaican dub poet and performer.
in 1952. He grew up in the slums of Eastern Kingston's Franklin Town and received an informal education from a Rasta named Negus. His rebellious nature initially led him to engage in demonstrations against police violence and painting slogans on walls. When a project to provide a ghetto school and community centre to benefit the area's youths hit financial difficulties, Wong began engaging in guerrilla activities, based in the hills around Kingston, these including armed robberies. After one of these robberies, of a post office
, Wong was captured and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 1970. After attempting to escape twice (he was shot five times by the police during the first attempt), instigating a prison riot, and campaigning for prison reform, Wong was classed as a security risk and subjected to a harsh regime at the Fort Augusta prison. He began writing poetry in 1971, and became the first inmate to be allowed to perform with a reggae band in 1974 when Cedric Brooks
' band The Light of Saba performed in the prison. After the performance, however, his poetry was declared "subversive" and his writing was confiscated from his cell. He considered himself a political prisoner
, and continued writing, with his poetry finding an audience in the outside world after being smuggled out of prison, coming to the attention of Jamaican writers, especially UWI Professor Mervyn Morris. His poetry also won three prizes in the 1976 Jamaica Literary Festival. His profile was further raised when he was allowed out of prison for a poetry reading at the Tom Redcam Library in 1977. His play Confrontation was performed on JBC
radio, and Morris arranged for the publication of his first collection of poetry, ECHO published by Sangsters. Also in 1977, several of his poems were published in Jamaica's national newspapers including the Daily Gleaner and Jamaica Daily News.
Well-known literary and cultural personalities, and students at the University of the West Indies, through the Human Rights Council & the Prisoners Rehabilitation Committee, campaigned for his release which was achieved on September 1, 1977, when he received the equivalent of a presidential pardon, from then Attorney General Karl Rattray.
After his release, he was granted a scholarship to the Jamaica School of Drama, although he dropped out after a year. In 1978, he and fellow dub poet Mikey Smith
performed at the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students
in Cuba
, where he came to the attention of Lillian Allen
, for whom the performance inspired her to start the dub poetry scene back in Canada
.
Onuora married Adugo in 1978 in preparation for which he had a name change, the name chosen by his bride-to-be (who did not want to be identified as Mrs. Wong) with the help of an Afrikan Professor Umona. Their names were chosen from the Igbo language
from the southeastern region of Nigeria
. 'Oku' means Fire / Light which burns oppression, while 'Onuora' means voice of the people. So in completion, Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora is his complete name which translates to everlasting fire or light which burns oppression. Together with Adugo, he founded the "Prugresiv Aartis Muvmant".
The "Reflections in Red" single was his first musical release, and the first Jamaican dub poetry record, recorded with the backing of Wailers rhythm section Aston
and Carlton Barrett
at Tuff Gong studios and released in 1979 on Bob Marley's "56 Hope Rd." label. The poem expressed his scepticism over the peace truce between Kingston's rival gangs, although he went on to perform at the One Love Peace Concert
which celebrated the truce. ECHO, his first poetry collection has had several reprints with some five editions, some translated into French/patois and one edition in German. Onuora toured Europe extensively, forming a friendship with Linton Kwesi Johnson
, and released his first album, Pressure Drop, which featured several poems from ECHO, in France on the Blue Moon Music label and in the USA on Heartbeat Records in 1986. He toured the USA and France with his AK7 (Armageddon Knights Column 7) band performing at the prestigious Angoulême Jazz Festival in France.
Onuora concentrated on writing plays and directing drama for the latter half of the 1980s and early 1990s, but later returned to poetry and music and recorded several instrumental dub albums, working with musician Courtney Panton. He ceased to be involved in music in the 1990s due to what he called "negative elements" taking over.
In 2010, Onuora announced a new album with a title of A Movement and announced an intention to return to live performance.
Biography
Orlando Wong was born in KingstonKingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
in 1952. He grew up in the slums of Eastern Kingston's Franklin Town and received an informal education from a Rasta named Negus. His rebellious nature initially led him to engage in demonstrations against police violence and painting slogans on walls. When a project to provide a ghetto school and community centre to benefit the area's youths hit financial difficulties, Wong began engaging in guerrilla activities, based in the hills around Kingston, these including armed robberies. After one of these robberies, of a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, Wong was captured and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment in 1970. After attempting to escape twice (he was shot five times by the police during the first attempt), instigating a prison riot, and campaigning for prison reform, Wong was classed as a security risk and subjected to a harsh regime at the Fort Augusta prison. He began writing poetry in 1971, and became the first inmate to be allowed to perform with a reggae band in 1974 when Cedric Brooks
Cedric Brooks
Cedric "Im" Brooks, is a Jamaican saxophonist and flautist known for his solo recordings and as a member of The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, The Light of Saba, and The Skatalites.-Biography:...
' band The Light of Saba performed in the prison. After the performance, however, his poetry was declared "subversive" and his writing was confiscated from his cell. He considered himself a political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....
, and continued writing, with his poetry finding an audience in the outside world after being smuggled out of prison, coming to the attention of Jamaican writers, especially UWI Professor Mervyn Morris. His poetry also won three prizes in the 1976 Jamaica Literary Festival. His profile was further raised when he was allowed out of prison for a poetry reading at the Tom Redcam Library in 1977. His play Confrontation was performed on JBC
Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
The Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation was a public broadcasting company in Jamaica founded in 1959 by Prime Minister Norman Manley with the aim of emulating the success of other national broadcasting companies such as the BBC and CBC.-History:...
radio, and Morris arranged for the publication of his first collection of poetry, ECHO published by Sangsters. Also in 1977, several of his poems were published in Jamaica's national newspapers including the Daily Gleaner and Jamaica Daily News.
Well-known literary and cultural personalities, and students at the University of the West Indies, through the Human Rights Council & the Prisoners Rehabilitation Committee, campaigned for his release which was achieved on September 1, 1977, when he received the equivalent of a presidential pardon, from then Attorney General Karl Rattray.
After his release, he was granted a scholarship to the Jamaica School of Drama, although he dropped out after a year. In 1978, he and fellow dub poet Mikey Smith
Mikey Smith
Michael Smith, usually referred to as Mikey Smith , was a Jamaican dub poet. Along with Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Mutabaruka, he was one of the most well-known dub poets. In 1978, Michael Smith represented Jamaica at the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students in Cuba. His album Mi Cyaan Believe...
performed at the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students
World Festival of Youth and Students
The World Festival of Youth and Students is an international event, organized by the World Federation of Democratic Youth , a left-wing youth organization, jointly with the International Union of Students since 1947....
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, where he came to the attention of Lillian Allen
Lillian Allen
Lillian Allen is a Canadian dub poet, reggae musician, writer and Juno award winner.-Biography:Born in Spanish Town, Jamaica in 1951, she left that country in 1969, first moving to New York City, where she studied English at the City University of New York...
, for whom the performance inspired her to start the dub poetry scene back in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Onuora married Adugo in 1978 in preparation for which he had a name change, the name chosen by his bride-to-be (who did not want to be identified as Mrs. Wong) with the help of an Afrikan Professor Umona. Their names were chosen from the Igbo language
Igbo language
Igbo , or Igbo proper, is a native language of the Igbo people, an ethnic group primarily located in southeastern Nigeria. There are approximately 20 million speakers that are mostly in Nigeria and are primarily of Igbo descent. Igbo is a national language of Nigeria. It is written in the Latin...
from the southeastern region of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. 'Oku' means Fire / Light which burns oppression, while 'Onuora' means voice of the people. So in completion, Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora is his complete name which translates to everlasting fire or light which burns oppression. Together with Adugo, he founded the "Prugresiv Aartis Muvmant".
The "Reflections in Red" single was his first musical release, and the first Jamaican dub poetry record, recorded with the backing of Wailers rhythm section Aston
Aston Barrett
Aston Barrett , often called "Family Man" or "Fams" for short, is a Jamaican bass player and Rastafarian.-Biography:...
and Carlton Barrett
Carlton Barrett
Carlton "Carly" Barrett was an influential reggae drummer and percussion player. His musical development in the early years were with his brother Aston "Family Man" Barrett as a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's "house band" The Upsetters. The brothers joined Bob Marley and The Wailers around 1970...
at Tuff Gong studios and released in 1979 on Bob Marley's "56 Hope Rd." label. The poem expressed his scepticism over the peace truce between Kingston's rival gangs, although he went on to perform at the One Love Peace Concert
One Love Peace Concert
The One Love Peace Concert was a large concert held on April 22, 1978 at The National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.This concert was held during a political civil war in Jamaica between opposing parties Jamaican Labour Party and the People's National Party...
which celebrated the truce. ECHO, his first poetry collection has had several reprints with some five editions, some translated into French/patois and one edition in German. Onuora toured Europe extensively, forming a friendship with Linton Kwesi Johnson
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Linton Kwesi Johnson is a UK-based dub poet. He became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the Penguin Classics series. His poetry involves the recitation of his own verse in Jamaican Patois over dub-reggae, usually written in collaboration with renowned British...
, and released his first album, Pressure Drop, which featured several poems from ECHO, in France on the Blue Moon Music label and in the USA on Heartbeat Records in 1986. He toured the USA and France with his AK7 (Armageddon Knights Column 7) band performing at the prestigious Angoulême Jazz Festival in France.
Onuora concentrated on writing plays and directing drama for the latter half of the 1980s and early 1990s, but later returned to poetry and music and recorded several instrumental dub albums, working with musician Courtney Panton. He ceased to be involved in music in the 1990s due to what he called "negative elements" taking over.
In 2010, Onuora announced a new album with a title of A Movement and announced an intention to return to live performance.
Discography
- Pressure Drop (1984), Blue Moon - Oku Onoura & AK7, later reissued by HeartbeatHeartbeat RecordsHeartbeat Records is an independent record label based in Burlington , Massachusetts. The label specializes in Jamaican music. Founded by reggae music enthusiasts Bill Nowlin and Duncan Brown, the label's first release was a vinyl LP reissue of Linton Kwesi Johnson's Dread Beat an' Blood...
- New Jerusalem Dub (1991), ROIRROIRROIR , or Reach Out International Records, is a New York City-based record label founded in 1979 by Neil Cooper.ROIR was founded the same year that the Sony Walkman launched, and initially, the label exclusively distributed its releases in cassette format...
- I a Tell Dubwise and Otherwise (1993), ROIR
- Dubbin Away (1999), ROIR
- Overdub: Tribute to King Tubby (2000), ION