FOREWORD

By
Ras Albert Williams

The Commonwealth of Dominica, is perhaps one of the most beautiful countries in

the world, with so much spectacular scenery per square mile, that it would take
many lifetimes savour it all. A mere 290 square mile, island created by the viol
ent eruptions of volcanic activity 26 million years ago.
And like the island , Dread, Rastafari and Ethiopia: The definitive historical r
eport of the beginning and the rise of the RastafarI movement in the Commonwealt
h of Dominica, is destined to shake the very foundations of Babylon, setting the
nuggets of truth to come crashing down, laying bare the atrocities and brutalit
y that that birth-panged a very important cultural heritage of the island, the C
aribbean and the world.
There comes a time when the truth must be told, and if not, the undercurrents th
at shaped the soul-searching of a generation of the last 30 years of the 20th ce
ntury, might be lost to posterity for ever.
I refer here to the birth of Dreadism and Rastafari synonymously in Dominica, an
d the cultural and social impact, the movement had and continues to have on a fo
rmer slave colony in the middle of the West Indies.
It’s all in this book, the truth and still some…are you prepared to take it…This
is the bigger question
WHY THIS STUDY NOW?
Why not! is my rebuttal. Further, my question to the sceptic is why is it that t
he victories and misfortunes of this tiny Caribbean island state has not come un
der the radar of academics, film makers, documentary makers and other enthusiast
to share with the world the object lessons that may be gleaned from the ongoing
saga, which is the history of Dominica. For example, Why is it that the subject
of this book: a report of the rise of the RastafarI movement in the Commonwealt
h of Dominica, warrants only brief mentions in the offerings of researchers of R
astafari of ‘the serious political crisis’ in such publications as Chanting dow
n Babylon: the Rastafari reader ( Publisher: Temple University Press Pub. Date:
March 1998 ISBN-13: 9781566395847) By Nathaniel Samuel Murrell, William David Sp
encer, Adrian Anthony McFarlane, pages 186 to 189 or French websites: http://ww
w.reggae-est.fr/?contid=74, , Rastalogie, or even commendable attempts in acade
mic articles from author/lawyer, Gabriel Christian in A Rain of Stones The May 2
9, 1979 Revolt and Aftermath-http://da-academy.org/revolt_1979.html and In Cruci
al Times:(Radical Politics in Dominica 1970-1980). Also Despite, his father, Ted
Honychurch, being caught up in the bloody events of 1981, historian, Dr. Lenno
x Honychurch objectively reports on those unfortunate years in his , The Dominic
a Story A History of the Island, ISBN 0-333-62776-8, published by Macmillan Educ
ation Ltd in 1995., pages 245-252 and, 2276 and 282
The same could be said of the importance of learning from the lessons of how Dom
inica coped with the devastation of hurricane David in 1979. As a reporter for t
he Dominica Chronicle in 2003, I interviewed former interim Prime Minster of Dom
inica, Oliver Seraphine who was responsible for guiding the nation to a democrat
ic election following the downfall of the Patrick John administration in may of
1979. The winds of almost 200 miles-per-hour smashed into the country, leaving
a wake of destitution , destruction , death and homelessness. He told me, that
it was the first time that a reporter had spoken to him since that time.
Why is it that , Dominica’s music, Cadance Lypso, pioneered by Gordon Henderson
seems to be unable to attract the same amount of media frenzy that our sister
island, Jamaican’s reggae. Where are the coffee table books, The plethora of pu
blications all professing to be experts on the subject. The low budget films, th
e theatre productions.
We see The University of the West Indies offering minors and other electives on
Reggae and Rastafari studies. Yet Dominica with all her legendary beauty, catas
trophic events and imaginative individuals, such as playwright, Alwin Bully, an
d to some extent, Dominica’s most famous author, Jean Rhys are still only spoken
about in bated breaths.
Thirteen years ago Dominica launched its world Creole Music Festival , held ever
y year at the height of Dominica cultural calendar, during the month of October
leading to November 3rd, independence and national day . Where are the archivist
s and publisher beating a track to the band houses of the pioneers like Gordon H
enderson, Chubby , Ophelia and Jeff Joseph. And other cultural elders.
Again, the Dominica Book Fair and Literary Festival now in its second year , h
eld in collaboration with the local UWI Open campus, and which has to date featu
red many Caribbean literary greats such as Derek Walcott. The festival is dest
ined to become one of the Caribbean’s biggest gathering of literary minds. But
will we see a corresponding interest by the world’s media. Or is it because Dom
inica, as a small Caribbean island is not as important as its bigger brothers.
We shall see!
MY OBJECTIVES
In presenting the material for this book, I hope that I will be able to raise th
e awareness that is lurking behind the resplendent beauty of the island is an i
nherent intelligence whose importance is to the world is just as pertinent as an
y happenings on the world stage today.
The fact that the subject matter of this book happened nearly thirty years ago i
s irrelevant, as historians dig even deeper, only to regurgitate the findings o
f researchers before them, albeit with a retake of the facts. The same can be sa
id for Rastafari. From its inception as a possible modus operandi for a cultur
al change and unique world view and , Caribbean-based , mind-set in the 1930’s,
through to the seventies with the propagation of the activities of the likes of
, reggae superstar , Bob Marley, and the resultant spread and acceptance of he
Rastafarian creed world wide . We see what was first a religious concept, now b
eing secularised and even packaged as a tourism product.
Be that as it may, may, my aim it to present the facts with the assistance reli
able sources, to a world largely ignorant of the subject.
MARKETING CONSIDERATIONS AND STRATEGY
DREAD, RASTAFARI AND ETHIOPIA: The definitive historical report of the beginnin
g and the rise of the RastafarI movement in the Commonwealth of Dominica. Will
appeal to millions of individuals and institutions around the world for differe
nt reasons. Firstly, it will strike a responsive chord with over 250,000 Dominic
ans on the island and in the Diaspora, many who were not even born, or who were
young children when the events in this book were took place. They are fascinated
with the Rastafari Movement and need to get the facts from an authoritative voi
ce this author.
The second group of readers who will be fascinated with my book are fellow Rasta
farians in Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean, the United States of America,
United kingdom Europe who are only marginally informed on such topics as the Dr
ead Act , Desmond Trotter and Eric Joseph from ancient sources mainly newspaper
articles from the 70’s.
I also predict that my book will be popular with students and academics, of the
University of the West Indies and other scholarly institutions around the world
who write and research on Rastafarian topics. As I will point out in my compar
ison with other books on the topic, There are no publications dedicated in their
entirety to the study of the Rastafarians in Dominica and the Dread Act in part
icular. While there are many books written on Rastafari of a general nature, and
with an emphasis on the Jamaican experience, none to date have considered analy
sing the Dominican experience.
Other sectors who will want to own this book will be, public libraries, and lib
raries of universities. Such as the Smithsonian Natural Museum of Natural Histo
ry Also anyone who is remotely connected to Dominica. Anyone who has family or f
riends their, or is planning to go their on a holiday or set up business there.
Or just want to collect books written on the history of Dominica.

HOW DOES MY BOOK COMPARE WITH OTHER BOOKS ON THE SUBJECT

Few substantive study and/or field research on Dreadism or Rastafari in Dominic
a has been carried out. While there are literally hundreds of books written on v
arious aspects of Rastafari and Reggae, but none that I have researched deal spe
cifically with the Dread Act or with the Dread uprising and the rise of the R
astafari movement in Dominica. The same can be said for Desmond, Kabinda Trotter
or the recently released Eric Joseph. Here presents an opportunity to capture t
his market share; the eye-witness accounts and personal reflections from those c
oncerned before any one else does, and in a very memorable way as I have suggest
ed by way of a attractive coffee table book.

Book s that I have come across that mention the Dread Act are ‘CHANTING DOWN BAB
YLON ISBN: 1-56639-584-4 by Nathaniel an Samuel Murrell, William David Spencer
, Adrian Anthony McFarlane. Dread Talk (ISBN 976-8125-68-3) by Velma Pollard Ot
her mentions come in the form of an academic paper: In Times Crucial: Radical Po
litics in Dominica,1970 -1980, published on the internet by Author and lawyer Ga
briel Christian. Letters to the editor on online magazines and a dictionary of C
aribbean English Usage, (ISBN 976-640-145-4) by Richard Allsopp
Other brief mentions would be in Dr. Lennox Honychurch’s The Dominica Story: A
History of the Island (ISBN 0-333-62776-8) published 1995; Centring the Peripher
y: Chaos, Order and the Ethno history of Dominica ISBN: 0773511342 Published Ma
rch 1994by Patrick L.Baker and Millennialism, Persecution, and Violence: Histori
cal Cases ISBN: 0815628099 Published January 2004 by Catherine Lowman Wessinger;
The Rastafarians 1997 ISBN 0-8070-1039-1 by Leonard E Barrett Sr; Commonwealth
Caribbean Constitutional Law , ISBN-13: 9781859416914 by Sir Fred Phillips among
others.
What will distinguish my work from all others, is that while researchers use a s
ystem of referencing which is to quote or rewrite the work of another author in
their manuscript , or to refer to the works of an author by way of passing rema
rks, I will be interviewing the actual persons involved or related to the subjec
t matter. Thus, my work will be current and free from plagiarism in the slightes
t form.
Additionally, because the subject has not been dealt with in any substantive man
ner previously, it will stand out as ‘the book’ by which all subsequent publica
tions will be judged.
HOW I RESEARCHED THIS BOOK
In an effort to make this book authentic, rather than a piecemeal attempt to dra
w on scanty resources here and there, I have:
Researched published material on the subject of the history of Dominica, Dreads
of Dominica etc which is be referenced on each chapter.
Arranged consultations with Rastafarian elders via telephone in Dominica.
Acquired from the police authorities photos, newsletter, and other archives
Obtained copies of hansards from the Ministry of Legal Affairs re the Dread Act,
Controlled Substances Act and Terrorism Act.
Pursued, Dominican, Caribbean and international news papers for any mention of s
ubject matter or characters named in my book relating to this period.
Spoke with , former Prime Minster, Patrick John, Rastafarians Desmond Trotter an
d Eric Joseph and other persons related to this period.
Photographed the people, persons and articles related to the subject matter of
my book.

DREAD, RASTAFARI AND ETHIOPIA The definitive historical report of the beginning
and the rise of the RastafarI movement in the Commonwealth of Dominica
As the title of this book suggests, it documents the development of the Rastaf
arI movement in Dominica from its dramatic inception in the 1970’s to the presen
t day. It’s author, poet, and author Ras Albert Williams , as a child was swept
up in the waves of black power sentiments and inward introspection of the times
that was to prepare the backdrop of the formation of RastafarI today.
The methods used to prepare this book included extensive research in past issue
s of Dominica’s oldest newspaper, The Chronicle; I perused publications by fell
ow Dominican authors that have broached the subject, albeit in less words than i
t deserves. I interviewed notable characters whose living memory of the dramatic
events of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s speak volumes, more than any research from bo
oks could disclose.
DREAD, RASTAFARI AND ETHIOPIA The definitive historical report of the beginning
and the rise of the RastafarI movement in the Commonwealth of Dominica is part
autobiographical and part fictional and definitely documentary. The author has
chosen a writing style that is both informative and entertaining and seeks to th
row new light on such epic chapters in Dominica’s history as the passage of the
notorious Prohibited and Unlawful Societies and Associations Act 1974(The Dread
Act)
by the Patrick John administration in 1974. The act was intended to disgrace, an
d eliminate the Dreads, but what it did, was to give them a legitimacy that dist
inguished the brothers from their Rastafarian counterparts in Jamaica. Still, it
is ironic that eloquent as he was ,on the jargon used by the ‘Dreads’ , and by
the very definition the then Premier John summarised the meaning of ‘Dread‘, a
s terrorist , that less than seven years later he would found guilty of treason
and branded a terrorist himself.
The book also revisit’s the historic trial of black activist, and thinker, Desmo
nd Trotter and his subsequent death sentence for the killing of an American, Joh
n Jirasek which was deemed by activist worldwide as a conspiracy to silence the
leading organiser of the dreads and compares this to the killing of the father o
f, Lenox Honychurch Dominica’s historian and author, during a altercations betwe
en the brethren and the police in the hills above Roseau, and we speak with Eric
 Joseph, who was released from prison after 27 years for the murder. Again, no
one until now, has been brave enough to ‘sit in the dust with the brethren’ and
‘reason’ with the brethren to go beyond the stereo-type and systemic propaganda
published by the John administration’s radio station, and sympathetic weeklies.
DREAD, RASTAFARI AND ETHIOPIA The definitive historical report of the beginning
and the rise of the RastafarI movement in the Commonwealth of Dominica is a ca
ndid and sincere account from the mouths and hearts of those whose side of the
story has not until now been told. It is an in-depth-exposition that is destined
to leave an indelible mark in Dominica’s publishing history. The informative te
xt comes replete with archival photographs and illustrations; profiles of disti
nguished Rastafarians, both living and dead who stories deserve to be recorded w
ithin the scope of this book; a glossary of words peculiar to the dread era and
an index for easy search and find of topical subjects. DREAD, RASTAFARI AND ET
HIOPIA The definitive historical report of the beginning and the rise of the Ra
stafarI movement in the Commonwealth of Dominica, will serve as a platform for f
uture academics and researchers to further argue who are the Dreads, and who are
the Rastafarians in Dominica.

FINAL MUSINGS
Let us get one thing straight, as the years turn into decades, and the decades i
nto centuries, Rastafari as a whole will , like the rest of the world, and all
it process, will continue to evolve. That is certain. And we the Rastafarians wh
o have been the keepers of knowledge, and who have followed the God-head from th
e beginning of creation to this time will be here to set the record straight .
Finally, I am confident that you too will share the excitement I had in presen
ting the following book proposal, and share in acknowledging the importance of
exploring the topics and themes of my intended publication. What this book is n
ot, is a comparative study of religion, with all the terminology and jargon that
comes with academia, however, this book is a pure and authentic voice of a peop
le once dispossessed, and demoralised as slave descendents, now creating for the
m selves an identity.
Ras Albert Williams
CRAWLEY
UNITED KINGDOM