Notes from the Underground: Meeting Ras Haile Malekot
Once in Kingston, Carlo suggested I meet his mentor, the man who got him into Rastafari, the talented artist and Dub Poet, Ras Haile Malekot. Malekot lives up on a place called Mount Debre Zeit, in a small community by a river, by the hills in Kingston. We parked our car by the road and started a hike up the hill, I followed Carlo through ramshackle bridges and across rivers and streams. I didn't know what to expect, it was my first few days in Kingston and I was just absorbing everything with an open mind.
After a while, the hike up the hill came to a clearing and out of nowhere appeared this crude cement structure, with a stairs and a fence - it was Malekot's house. The view was stunning, surrounded by nature. And then, from behind a curtain, came out this true Rastafarian, the first one I had ever met, to greet us outside his home. The image is still indelible in my mind and you can see it on the following video. I was rolling the camera so I was able to capture that moment as it happened.
This first meeting was like every other after that - epic. Malekot would sit down to tell us stories, recite his amazing poems (that is what a dub poet does - poetry that gets recorded to a music track) and explain the history of Rastafari and the true meaning of Reggae music.
I struck a friendship and admiration for him and decided he would be an important part of this film, acting as a teacher or guru on all things Rasta, in a way, this is how I got into this culture and he was one of the main sources of information, therefore I thought I share that experience as I lived it and let it happen onscreen in RiseUp, where you learn a lot about the culture through the voice image and music of Ras Haile Malekot.
Meeting Malekot Video
Posted by RiseUpMovie at 6/9/2010 1:13 PM 
Categories: Journal - the making of RiseUp
Tags: liguanea bob marley reggae documentary papine reggae film music underground riseup ras haile malekot mount debre zeit kingston luciano blotta jamaica rastafari
Categories: Journal - the making of RiseUp
Tags: liguanea bob marley reggae documentary papine reggae film music underground riseup ras haile malekot mount debre zeit kingston luciano blotta jamaica rastafari
Hi, My name is Kino Kwon from South Korea. i'm a reggae event organiser and film maker too.
I would like to ask the link of the video, so that I can post it to our website to promote his music and passion.
Respect and love.
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Hi Kino. How did you like the DVD the king of one string?
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You have a very good site, well constructed and very interesting i have bookmarked you, hopefully you keep posting new stuff, many thanks
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Niceness! BLESS
Ras Haile Malekot positive vibration in InI heart.
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