Rastafari Mansion Rejects Dean Frasers’ “Nyabinghi Christmas” Album As Sacrilege
Weeks after Reggae singer Jesse Royal was raked over the coals for engaging in a Christmas advertisement featuring Santa Claus, another musician, this time saxophonist Dean Fraser is being criticized by Rastafarians and even non-Rastas, for what they deem to be an even more preposterous gaffe.
The contention surrounds the release of the renowned musician’s 16-track album titled Nyabinghi Christmas in November, in collaboration with TAD’s Records.
While Fraser’s album has been getting rave reviews in some quarters, since his recent public performance of some of the songs just over a week ago on popular entertainment programme Onstage, some persons who viewed the video have expressed displeasure with the notion of a Nyabinghi Christmas.
Members of the Rastafari Millennium Council have also issued an official statement of objection and its members have declared that an injunction ought to be taken to have Fraser cease and desist for continuing that they describe as a commission of sacrilege on Rastafari.
According to them, the Rastafari religion was being made into a mockery, as none of the Mansions of Rastafari – the Theocracy Reign Order of the Nyahbinghi (Binghi mansion); the Bobo Ashanti; or the Twelve Tribes of Israel celebrate a December Christmas or worse yet, engage in Santa Claus promotion.
Fraser is slated to do a free virtual performance tomorrow (December 21) which is to be streamed on TADS Records Social Media pages. The album features hymns such as When a Child is Born, Merry Christmas, and Felice Navidad.
Other songs on the album are Little Donkey, Virgin Mary, First Noel, Angles We Have Heard on High, What Child Is This, I See Joyful Silence, We Three Kings, and Drumma Boy and Jamaican Christmas songs such as Christmas A Cum (Mi Waa Mi Llama), Long Time Ago and Santa Ketch Up Inna Mango Tree.
Rastafarians have also taken issue with the cover of the album, which is being promoted on social media. The image consists of an illustration with Fraser, depicted apparently as Santa Claus sitting on the back of a smiling dreadlocked donkey which seems to be in substitution of Santa’s reindeer.
There is also a caricature of three dreadlocked men in place of Santa’s elves, one of whom has a ‘big head spliff’ in his mouth while the other two are grinning. The three men, who are also beating kette drums, are sitting on the back of a wagon, which is an apparent representation of Santa Claus’ sled.
Together the merry quintet seem to be making their way through a ganja field which seems to be in place of snow, as marijuana plants are at the foreground of the image.
Fuming Rastas have made it clear that they objected to what they consider Fraser’s bringing of the faith into disrepute.
Over on Facebook, Priest Wesley Kelly of the Rastafari Millenium Council, declared that a statement of objection had been issued to the Minister of Culture Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange.
In a post titled “CULTURAL CON-FUSION: The Nyahbinghi Order Statement To The Minister Of Culture Relating To The Dean Fraser Produced Album “Nyahbinghi Christmas” the Priest made it clear that he was not amused by the caricatures and misrepresentation which were, in addition to being disrespectful, were opening Rastas to ridicule.
“The Central Confusion Is That Nyahbinghi Promoting The Santa Claus Christmas Carols Of December 25th As A Parody Of The Culture Crosses A Lot Of Standards. Nyahbinghi Celebrates Ethiopian Christmas on January 7th With Non Santa Claus “Hat”,” he stated.
He continued: “Values. Rastafari Community Are Neither Happy Or Benefitting From The Ganja Industry! Sacrament Or Culture! Usury! Reindeer, Camel, Donkey Cart?”
In response to Priest Kelly, Fitzroy Francis called for Rastas to head to the courts to stop Fraser and TADs Records in their tracks.
“Over the years Reggae music practitioners have tried to dilute the dignity of Ras Tafari by disseminating misconception to the massive. As an imple of the Order of the Nyahbinghi, I know this is gross disrespect and sacrilege by using the name in the manner in which it is used,” Francis declared.
“Legally, an injunction must be sent out to the artist, label, and distribution company to cease and desist from associated the name “Nyahbinghi” with the Santa Fraud imagery being portrayed. What makes it even worse is that there is not a single Nyahbinghi chant on the album,” he added.
Prominent Reggae music management expert, Maxine Isis Stowe, who is also a member of the Rastafari faith also took to social media to question the move by Fraser to incorporate Rastafari in his project.
“Identity Matters. Is This Celebrating The Ethiopian Christmas Of The Nyahbinghi Rastafari Community That Is Celebrated On January 7th! It Doesn’t Seem So Based On The Promotional Narrative & The Santa Clausing Of The Brethren,” Stowe who is also a lawyer wrote.
“Respectfully I Know Both Dean & Tads And Trying To See If This Opinion Can Open A Reasoning To Educate Ourselves In Order To Educate The World That We Influence To Know The Significance Of The Rastafari And Its Specific Community, Role & Rights Of Identity! It’s Just Like How We Couldn’t Do A Kwaanza Christmas Album In This Manner,” she added.
The Onstage video with Fraser playing the Christmas carols got its fair share of criticisms from non-Rastas.
“Wha Dean Frazer ah duh, Nyabinghi bun out Santa fraud and Christmas,” Antonio Barret said, while RagaRoy Judah wrote: “NYAHBINGHI XMAS IS A MOCKERY….we at a sad time and space where we’re monetizing everything!”
Jum_RBG was one of the commenter who found the idea both funny, as well as serious.
“Sounds good but I personally know Rastas who are going to be livid when they hear this lol “Rasta mix with Babylon xmas??” he quipped, while Aloy Elliott ranted “You need to stop play game with Roster,” follower by a series of burning flames and lightning strikes icons.
Over on Rastafari Today’s Facebook page, one commenter Everton Tanner described the production as “foolishness” and declared that there was “too much commercialization of Rastafari”.
“u shouldn’t mix up bingi and Xmas and sell it,” he argued.