Reggae rules on Marley's 60th birthday

To the rhythm of thumping bass lines, thousands of Bob Marley fans gathered in the Ethiopian capital yesterday for a concert to honour the 60th anniversary of the reggae icon's birthday.

Marley looked to Ethiopia as the spiritual homeland of his Rastafarian faith, although dreadlocked followers of the religion sporting their red, gold and green colours where few and far between in a crowd of mainly young Ethiopian men.

For Rastafarians who made the trip to the tribute the first time it has been held outside Marley's native Jamaica the concert was a chance to shed negative stereotypes of their faith, which considers smoking marijuana a sacrament.

"Most of the time Rastas are associated with ganja and dreadlocks, but Rasta also means life," said Rasta Paul, who travelled from South Africa for the gig, and who describes himself as ageless like the mountains.

"It's a good thing for Africa ... Peace brother, irie," he said, using the Rasta word for high emotions and peaceful vibrations.

With Ethiopian security personnel dressed in blue camouflage uniforms frisking people entering the city's Meskel square for the concert, there was no sign of the kind of smog of marijuana smoke that often accompanied Marley's shows.

The performance was due to start at midday yesterday, featuring performances by Marley's wife Rita Marley, his sons including Damian and Ziggy, as well as Benin's Angelique Kidjo and Ethiopian singer Teddy Afro.

Marley became the developing world's first global superstar by bringing reggae music to the world stage, winning fans with hits like No Woman No Cry, and I Shot the Sheriff, before he died of cancer in 1981, aged 36.

Some Ethiopians, many of whom are Orthodox Christians, have reservations about the Rastafarians' fondness for marijuana and belief that the late Emperor Haile Selassie, who died in 1975, is a living black Messiah.

Such difference were set aside by the crowd gathered for the tribute to Marley, whose songs of African unity and personal and political emancipation resonate across the continent.

"Bob Marley's our father, he's the king of reggae, we love him," said Teddy Sintyhu, 20, a trainee mechanic, bearing an Ethiopian flag with the motto: "Happy Birthday Bob."

"His music is the best," he said, waiting with friends for the concert to start. "It's freedom music, it's love music, I can't explain it."

For Ethiopians, many of whom regret the indelible images of starvation broadcast around the world during a 1984 famine in which a million people died, the concert was a chance to present the vibrant side of their society.

"It's the first time I have seen this kind of ceremony in Ethiopia in my life," said Mesele Woldgiorgis, 41, a satellite technician. "The image of Ethiopia has completely changed."