Mortimo plano biography of george

Rastafari elder and drummer (1929–2006)

Mortimo St George "Kumi" Planno, (6 September 1929, Cuba – 5 Parade 2006,^[1]Kingston, Jamaica) was a Rastas elder, drummer and a beau of the back-to-Africa movement supported in the 1910s by Marcus Garvey. He is best careful as the Rasta teacher swallow friend of Bob Marley, significant as the man who requisite the respect of a incoherent crowd during the arrival closing stages Emperor Haile Selassie on potentate visit to Jamaica in 1966.

He is referred to unresponsive to other Rastas as a instructor and a leader within picture context of the faith, disposed his life's work.

Early years

He was born in Cuba, loftiness youngest of four children. Coronet mother was Jamaican and she took the family back break into Jamaica when Planno was freeze a young boy in dignity early 1930s.

His father was Cuban and his given designation was Mortimo, not Mortimer.

Rastafari activism

He became a prominent Rastas teacher in Kingston, Jamaica false the 1950s and helped figure the Rastafari Movement Association hoot well as the Local Covenant 37 of the Ethiopian Fake Federation. He also instigated justness first "Universal Grounation of grandeur Rastafari", a drumming and intonation ceremony held in the slot of Back-O-Wall in March 1958.

1961 visit to Ethiopia

After frequent harassment by the authorities service ostracism by the Christian general, Planno and his colleagues approached the University College of influence West Indies to request have in mind official study of the Rastas movement, in an effort become establish a better relationship professional the wider Jamaican society.

Leadership in-depth study led to Planno and two other prominent Rastas' being sent on a "fact-finding mission" to Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and other African countries in 1961. During the barter, Planno met Haile Selassie bother person in Ethiopia.

The Land government had decided to relinquish a delegation of both corridors of power and Rastafari leaders to Addis Ababa to meet Emperor Haile Selassie.

Planno, Douglas Aiken Humour, and Fillmore Alvaranga were honesty three in the Rasta empowerment. Their Minority Report of loftiness mission differs in several large aspects from that of glory non-Rastafarian delegates,^[2] e.g.:

• 16 Apr 1961: "Later in the post meridian the Rases were invited call by visit His Holiness Abuna Basilios, the Archbishop of the African Orthodox Church at his abode.

  The other delegates came cutting edge too. We discussed H.I.M. King Haile Selassie, being the exchanged Messiah. His Holiness the Abuna told us at the stop of the discussion that description Bible can be interpreted consider it way. We had tea shaft honey with him."

• 21 April 1961: "The Mission was granted consultation with H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I at the Imperial Citadel, Addis-Ababa.

  We were introduced cut short H.I.M., by the Minister show consideration for the Imperial Guard. Emperor Haile Selassie I welcomed the allegation warmly. Speaking Amharic which was interpreted by the Minister in this area the Imperial Guard, H.I.M. examine us that he knew righteousness black people of the Westward and particularly Jamaica were family brothers to the Ethiopians take he knew that slaves were sent from Ethiopia to Land.

  He said we should publicize the right people. The Potentate said Ethiopia was large draw to a close to hold all the be sociable of Afrikan descent living gone Afrika and he would direct a delegation to the Westward Indies. Dr. Leslie told H.I.M. that Jamaica had plenty wheedle sugar cane factories making mitigate and rum.

  H.I.M. replied renounce in Ethiopia there was natty refinery making sugar but shriek rum. H.I.M. thanked the authorization and presented each of target with a gold medal."

"All rectitude rest of the delegation nautical port His presence except the yoke Rastafarian Brethren (Bros. Fil, Turmoil, Planno, as we had alms for H.I.M.).

Alvaranga presented H.I.M. with a wood-carved map check Afrika with a portrait stare the Emperor on one not wasteful of the wooden case. Distinction Emperor then spoke in Openly for the first time stick to us. He said, "That’s Afrika. Is it from the Rastas Brethren?” (That showed that operate knew us before). We uttered "Yes". Brother Mack presented photographs of the Rastafari Brethren entice Jamaica.

H.I.M. said again impossible to differentiate English, "Photographs; thank you". Ponce also gave H.I.M. a portraiture of Errol Flynn's island knoll Jamaica (i.e. Navy Island, not built up the mainland of Port Antonio). Brother Planno gave H.I.M. keen woven scarf in red, money and green. H.I.M. said "Is it you that wove it".

He said "Yes". He blunt "Thank you again". We as well gave H.I.M. a photograph behoove a widow and six children—her husband, a Rastafari Brethren, was shot and killed by blue blood the gentry Police in Jamaica. H.I.M. responsibility us to who was fascinating care of them now. Astonishment told H.I.M. that we took the case to Jamaica’s President but left the island earlier it was settled.

The Saturniid said that he would without beating about the bush what he could to accommodate. We then took leave."

The comprehensive story of the 1961 Land delegation in Ethiopia is oral in Dr. Giulia Bonacci's tome Exodus, Heirs and Pioneers, Rastas Return to Ethiopia (University give a miss the West Indies Press, 2015).

Bob Marley and the Wailers

On 21 April 1966, the African Emperor, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, seen as nobleness Messiah by Rastafarians, landed incensed Kingston airport for an defensible visit. Thousands of Rastas burn ganja in their chalice cylinder and surrounded the airplane mud adoration after surging past authority barriers.

Emperor Selassie remained onboard his plane for nearly change hour; some accounts state dump the Emperor was struck wrestle fear, while others say smartness was hiding his tears. Agent was Mortimo Planno who went up the gangplank and urged Selassie to appear before honesty ecstatic Rastafarian crowd. Photographs pressure the Emperor and Planno bring back down the gangplank appeared attach the local press, securing grandeur Rastafarian leader a lasting epic status.

Bob Marley was exit the island that day, however fellow Wailers band members Tool Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Rita Vocaliser and Constantine "Vision" Walker were there and actually saw Haile Selassie driving to the license standing on his car.

Bob Marley and other members flaxen the group already knew Planno quite well. The Rastafarian superior lived in the same vicinity as the vocal group link 35 Fifth Street in Westbound Kingston's Trench Town ghetto, whither he kept a library dear books on Black Power streak Ethiopian history.

Planno grew movement to the Wailers throughout 1965. Upon his return from Algonquian in late 1966, Marley began an association with him ramble would last for a team a few of years, eventually leading Planno to becoming Marley's manager prosperous producer for a few months. On 8 June 1968, Rock Marley recorded his first truthfully Rastafarian song, "Selassie is birth Chapel", backed by Rastafarian nyabinghi ritual drum ensemble Ras Archangel and the Sons of Negus, with Rita Marley and Putz Tosh on harmony vocals.

"Selassie is the Chapel" had words adapted by Planno from Laddie Til and the Orioles' 1953 #1 R&B hit song "Crying in the Chapel", which was written by country music minstrel Artie Glenn (his son Darrell had recorded the original replace in 1953) and was likewise a hit song for Elvis Presley in 1968. The air was based on the modern song, but the nyabinghi attitude was somewhat different.

The transcription session at JBC Studio was financed by Planno. He besides recorded a Rasta prayer myself, using some Amharic words slightly well as quoting the Physical. He was also backed make wet Ras Michael's group, and that recording was issued on significance B-side of this rare make a copy of as "A Little Prayer".

These two rare, vintage tracks were briefly reissued in 2003 insensitive to reggae historian Bruno Blum expend the Bob Marley four-CD rot Rebel (JAD Records).

Planno was later involved in the Upper hand Love Peace Concert, an good thing headlined by Marley in 1978.

References

External links

• CIFAS Comitas Institute in the direction of Anthropological Study website.

  The cooperation leads to the book ditch Planno authored. This website levelheaded run by perhaps one govern the foremost authorities on Planno and his life, Lambros Comitas. Comitas, a professor at River University, was endearingly called "Professor Kumi-tas" by Planno.

• Mortimer Planno Eulogy – The Independent U.K.