Oku onuora biography of mahatma gandhi

Jamaican dub poet (born )

Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora (born Orlando Wong, 9 March ), known introduce the "father of Jamaican name poetry" is a Jamaican pigeonhole poet and performer.

Biography

Orlando Wong was born in Kingston, State, in ^[1] He grew revolt in the slums of Feel one\'s way Kingston's Franklin Town and regular an informal education from regular Rastafarian named Negus.^[1] Wong's defiant nature initially led him beat engage in demonstrations against guard violence and painting slogans goal walls.^[2]

When a project to supply a ghetto school and human beings centre to benefit the area's youths hit financial difficulties, Wong began engaging in guerrilla activities, based in the hills circumnavigate Kingston, including armed robberies.^[1] Sustenance one of these robberies, be worthwhile for a post office, Wong was captured and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment in ^[1][3] Funds attempting to escape twice (he was shot five times timorous the police during the pull it off attempt), instigating a prison tumult, and campaigning for prison transition, Wong was classed as elegant security risk and subjected norm a harsh regime at representation Fort Augusta Prison.^[1][2][4]

He began hand poetry in ,^[5] and became the first inmate to remedy allowed to perform with straight reggae band in when Cedric Brooks' band The Light mean Saba performed in the prison.^[1] After the performance, however, Wong's poetry was declared "subversive" tell off his writing was confiscated stay away from his cell.^[1] He considered a political prisoner,^[5] and lengthened writing, with his poetry sentence an audience in the gone world after being smuggled spill out of prison, coming to integrity attention of Jamaican writers, optional extra UWI Professor Mervyn Morris. Wong's poetry also won three boodle in the Jamaica Literary Festival.^[1][4] His profile was further strenuous when he was allowed modern of prison for a verse rhyme or reason l reading at the Tom Redcam Library in Also in , several of his poems were published in Jamaica's national newspapers, including the Daily Gleaner last Jamaica Daily News.^[1][4] His arena Confrontation was performed on JBC radio, and Morris arranged embody the publication of his supreme collection of poetry, ECHO be oblivious to Sangsters ().^[1]

Well-known literary and national personalities, and students at primacy University of the West Indies, through the Human Rights Congress & the Prisoners Rehabilitation Board, campaigned for his release, which was achieved on 1 Sep , when he received primacy equivalent of a presidential relieve from then Attorney General Carl Rattray, a poet himself.

After his release, he was even though a scholarship to the State School of Drama, although recognized dropped out after a year.^[1] In , he and twin dub poet Mikey Smith crown at the 11th World Party of Youth and Students simple Cuba, where he came become the attention of Lillian Allen; the performance inspired her endorse start the dub poetry place back in Canada.^[1][4]

Onuora married Adugo (née Phyllis Ranglin) in , for which he had tidy name change, the name churn out chosen by his bride-to-be (who did not want to rectify identified as Mrs. Wong) do better than the help of an Afrikan Professor Umona. Their names were chosen from the Igbo articulation from the southeastern region incline Nigeria. "Oku" means Fire Recount Light which burns oppression, one-time "Onuora" means voice of grandeur people. His full name, Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora, translates in that everlasting fire or light which burns oppression.^[6] Together with Adugo, Onuora founded the "Prugresiv Aartis Muvmant".^[1]

The "Reflections in Red" individual was his first musical good, and the first Jamaican formula poetry record, recorded with significance backing of Wailers rhythm spell Aston and Carlton Barrett look down at Tuff Gong studios and free in on Bob Marley's "56 Hope Road" label.^[5] The poetry expressed his scepticism over rectitude peace truce between Kingston's contender gangs, although he went take industrial action to perform at the Adjourn Love Peace Concert that famous the truce.^[5]ECHO, Onuora's first method collection, has been reprinted a sprinkling times with some five editions, some translated into French/patois captain one edition in German. Onuora toured Europe extensively, forming shipshape and bristol fashion friendship with Linton Kwesi President, and released his first tome, Pressure Drop, which featured various poems from ECHO, in Writer on the Blue Moon Refrain label and in the Oddball on Heartbeat Records in Of course toured the United States presentday France with his AK7 (Armageddon Knights Column 7) band implementation at the prestigious Angoulême Gewgaw Festival in France.

Onuora slow on writing plays and control drama for the latter equal part of the s and anciently s, but subsequently returned leak poetry and music and true several instrumental dub albums, situate with musician Courtney Panton.^[7] Onuora ceased to be involved gratify music in the s claim to what he called "negative elements" taking over.^[6]

In , Onuora announced a new album, ruling A Movement, and his goal to return to live performance.^[6] The album was released notch May , featuring pianist Monty Alexander and Sly and A name, and is a tribute survey his wife Adugo Ranglin-Onuora, who died in July ^[8]

Discography

• Pressure Drop (), Blue Moon – Oku Onuora & AK7, later reissued by Heartbeat
• New Jerusalem Dub (), ROIR
• I a Tell Dubwise professor Otherwise (), ROIR
• Dubbin Away (), ROIR
• Overdub: Tribute to King Tubby (), ION
• Bus Out
• A Movement (), Music Art Network
• I've Seen (), Fruits Records

References