Ras Mo: His Roots and his purpose as an artist

[Adapted] from Tropical Star | Wednesday, November 21, 2001 | Page 18

Williams: What vision do you have for your art?

Ras Mo: Create new work, perform, teach and use the arts of empowering the disempowered and create social change to make this world a place of love, peace and harmony. However, immediate plans include a new CD entitled ‘Pink and Blue’ with a college tour across the USA which will include workshops. The Pink and Blue project is a violence prevention project. All the songs and poems talk about different types of violence, the root cause and how they affect us. The college performances will be followed by discussions focused on addressing the issues arising. I am also working on a CD of Caribbean Music and poetry. My Vision is to See Dominica as a Center of cultural exchange and education with teachers, students and participants from around the world.

Williams: Ras Mo, you are the originator of the Dominica Writers Guild’s monthly evening of dramatic readings ‘ Word sound and Power’ held formerly every first Wednesday of the month, almost five years ago with the kind cooperation of Carla Armour at her Caibana/Iris Dangleben Gallery. This evening, a number of the top poets have presented their work: Gregory Rabess, Delia Cuffy, Dexter Francis, Harry Sealy, Albert ‘Panman’
Bellot, Edwina Riviere, Dawen Daway, Carla Armour, Zephryne Royer, Gerald La Touche Jr. and yours truly. Can you explain what is Word, Sound and Power?

Ras Mo: In the beginning was the word. This needs no explanation, however, people’s performance poetry is the power of the word with rhythm of the word accompanied by sound. With words we reflect reality, stimulate the imagination and the senses, educate our audience with a desire to empower them, to make right decisions individually and collectively. Indigenous and African people, while we had social occasions always used the arts for spiritual healing and community building. This is what Word, Sound and Power is all about.

Williams: You were Christened Delmance Moses, and the name of your publishing company is Mo ‘n’ Music (BMI). How did you get the name ‘Ras Mo’, and could you explain for our readers what is Rastafari.

Ras Mo: I am a Rastafarian and people call me Rasta, Ras Mo, Rastafari, Moses etc. One day, Alwyn Bully, director of PAT called me Ras Mo. To me, it sounded great. It’s stuck since then. Ras from Rasta and Mo from Moses, but remember Mo is is the Kweyol word for’ word’ so what more fitting. We’ve really come a long way from being outlawed to where we are today with Rastafarians in all walks of life. However we have a long way to go re economic development, equality of women and rethinking and examination around our African spirituality. I say this because there is so much in common with Western Christianity that Rastafarians had to dissociate with spiritual teachings that are truly African in origin. It is a controversial but necessary conversation.

Ras Mo: I am a Rastafarian and people call me Rasta, Ras Mo, Rastafari, Moses etc. One day, Alwyn Bully, director of PAT called me Ras Mo. To me it sounded great. It’s stuck since then. Ras from Rasta and Mo from Moses, but remember Mo is is the Kweyol word for’ word’ so what more fitting. We’ve really come a long way from being outlawed to where we are today with Rastafarians in all walks of life. However w have a long way to go re economic development, equality of women and rethinking and examination around our African spirituality. I say this because there is so much in common with Western Christianity that Rastafarians had to dissociate with spiritual teachings that are truly African in origin. It is a controversial but necessary conversation.

Williams: Do you look forward to the day when you will return to the Nature Island to be a part of the local scene here once again, or is it that your work extends beyond the boundaries of your immediate surroundings, customs, traditional dance and festivals, the folk literature, the breath-taking sceneries, the sleepy Roseau streets after dark, the savour of a pot of steaming vegetables and ground provisions in coconut milk?

Ras Mo: I would love to be to be based in Dominica. Fortunately or unfortunately, it is not possible at the moment. The world is a global village. I am involved in an organisation, the Rosie Douglas Foundation which is a group of Dominicans in the diaspora who are focusing on contributing to the education and economic development of Dominica. I am also a member of M.O.V.E an organisation dedicated to contributing to combatting issues in Domestic violence.

Williams: What can your well-wishers look forward to hearing from you in the near future?

Ras Mo: Pink and Blue

Ras Mo and his entourage left the state on November 5. He expressed thanks to his mother Cato for teaching him the art of writing. He also paid homage to his past academic teachers: Sobers Esprit, and Alwyn Bully, to members of MCA, ECPTO, SPAT, DWG, the people of Delices, the Rastafarian community, DBS Radio, Kairi FM, Marpin Telecoms and Broadcasting, to his children and their mother, and his wife Kathy. He also had a special mention for the California Arts Council, La Pena Cultural Center, DSAP and Estrella Group. For more information on Ras Mo’s activities log on to the website: http://www.menovercomingviolence.org or http://www.rasmo.net.