Rize Up

Nattali Rize is a Samoan Reggae Artist with a message and vibration to share. Her matriarchs come from a Pacific Island off the east coast of Australia. As an Indigneous family she grew up working with community groups and the government branch for Indigneous Affairs. 

Nattali shares, “Australia is very diverse in its Indigenous population. Before there were white man’s borders there, there were over 250 countries with all different dialects – within Australia. Now when you refer to West Papua, West Papua is an island off the northeastern tip of Australia. And it’s the western half of an island of New Guinea; the eastern half is Papua New Guinea, which a lot of people have heard of. And then, West Papua, a lot of people have never heard of. It was colonized first by the Dutch and [then it was] invaded by Indonesia. And ever since then, it’s been over 60 years of a brutal, militant occupation. And the reason you would have found that in conjunction with my name is because we work with the West Papua community to help raise awareness. To shine a light on the daily injustices that are happening in West Papua today. And the type of colonial regime, and all the brutality, all the fuc*ery that happened in Australia years ago, [and] that happened in America, is happening now to the indigenous people of West Papua. By Indonesia. So, yeah, it’s an issue that’s very close to my heart because my sistren who sings with us in Australia are West Papuan.”

Indigenous resistance through reggae music is a major pillar in rebel music. Two femmes in her band are West Papuan, Melanesia (which are the islands that include West Papua). Back up singers Lea and Petra are the daughters of one of the most famous musicians from Melanesia called, “The Black Brothers”. The Black Brothers had to flee West Papua because they sang songs of freedom and liberation. Lea and Petra carry on the legacy of their patriarchs.

Rize speaks of the reggae scene in Australia as small but that didn't stop her from expanding her fan base internationally. Rize credits a lot of her support from the great Islander community in Australia. The huge Tongan community, and all the islands around [Australia] and New Zealand love reggae. Outside of that community, Rize started performing in the streets. Doing that takes a different kind of courage. 

As Rize puts it “To be able to pull that off is a real skill. And it’s a great way for musicians to cut their teeth, so to speak. And get their stage skills up. Because when you’re on the street everyone is equal, everyone’s on the same level. And that’s the kind of vibration that I love because it’s also kind of renegade. We just roll up into a place and play our drums. Wow! And people feel it. It’s not like noise pollution. It’s like we’re generating a collective energy; we are co-creating this energy in that given moment. And that’s why music is so powerful. And that’s the same experience that happens when you get on the stage as well. It’s a different branch of that.” 

Rize’s video for the song, “ Warriors'' was filmed at the sacred Pinnacle (a very sacred place for Rastas in Jamaica). The music video features Donisha Prendergast, a filmmaker, activist and the granddaughter of Bob Marley. Donisha does great work trying to raise awareness about the acres of land not far from Kingston town where a once thriving sovereign community existed.  Rize first heard about Pinnacle because Donisha had been doing great work trying to raise awareness about these acres. The community was started by a man named Leonard P. Howell AKA  “First Rasta” or “The Gong”.  Howell was seen as a threat (to the Jamaican Government) largely due to the anti-colonial message of the Rastafarian movement. He preached sermons promoting the idea of a positive black racial identity. As his following grew, the threat of Howell's core beliefs in the power of black people to overcome white oppression and his movement expanded to become an international concern given his strong messages of black liberation and Pan-Africanism that resonated with blacks across the globe. As a result, land was taken and the Pinnacle acreage dwindled. On the ground, The Gong, started a community that was up to 5,000 people strong. And they had their own food. Their own economy,  their own systems running at a time when people were just coming out of slavery. Soon after the Jamaican government shut it down, the pinnacle started with 500 acres of land. 

At the peak of the Pinnacle there is a 360-degree view, Rize filmed her video. Currently, Rastafari are fighting to get their land back so they can still have safe places for Rastafari to practice their religion, just live, and keep that culture alive. The video was not planned to be filmed there but Rize (who resides in Jamaica) came out to help Donisha plant seeds and do some farming, getting their hands dirty and give some good energy to the Pinnacle. From those planted seeds, Donisha, the great leader, spokesperson, and articulator of the cause, and Rize dreamt up the video. With hopes to raise awareness of this holy place. Rize says her music and philosophy is inspired by and resonates very strongly with Rastafari philosophy and culture. Rize treasures reggae music and sees that it’s  important, “for the planet to have this positive music seep through every vein of every village of every town. This positive philosophy of one love and unity. And no one can deny that that has come from Rasta. And that has come from reggae music. So, yeah, for me, I’m an evolving being – like everyone else, with an evolving consciousness – I’m open to learning, listening, and experiencing different things. You know?”

FOLLOW @NATTALIRIZE ON INSTA and

Nattali Rize is currently on tour!

Click below to see if they’ll be at a town near you!

https://www.nattalirize.com/content

Peace and love to Nattali Rize, Donisha Prendergast and Lea and Petra for their powerful work and solidarity for indigenous sovereignty and black liberation. We love ya’ll!

Source: https://www.reggae-vibes.com/articles/interview/2018/02/nattali-rize-interview/