Emperor Haile Selassie I, JAH! Ras Tafari. The Conquering Lion from the Tribe of Judah.
Greetings!
Man can create anything that he can imagine! All the plans of mankind begin in the imagination. This is my thought for the week.
It began with a man called Mortimer Planner. Back in the 80,s, when I was just starting my fashion company, I met a man called Mortimer Planner. This meeting changed my life forever. I was suddenly asked to fill in for a friend who became very ill on a film shoot. A desperate call came in while I was in my office one morning from a Director in London who was shooting a documentary called REDEMPTION SONG here in Jamaica. I had met him at a cocktail party the night before. His name was Horace Ove, a legendary British filmmaker who needed a production Assistant, to work with him Immediately. I had NEVER done anything like this, but was assured of his guidance.
Off I went on my first assignment to go find a Mr. Mortimer Planner who lived in some derelict neighbourhood in downtown Kingston. Dresses in my signature fashion designer outfit, black from head to toe, I ventured into the bowels of this ghetto, skipping over sewage and garbage to meet Mr Planner. I was finally directed to him by some youths on the street corner, who looked me up and down, laughed and shook their heads...some strange woman, hmm..an uptown lady or a "foreigner". They realized I was lost, took pity on me and lead me to a run down wooden shed, where sitting in a rocking chair was this old Rasta man with locks down to HIS toes. I introduced myself, reached out to shake his hand, he just bowed his BIG head, and said "Greetings, in the name of H.I.S Majesty, JAH Rastafari, is Mr Horace send you". Scared and shacking as his voice roared like a conquering lion, I managed to contain myself and set up a meeting for them the next day at a posh hotel in the city.
The next night, on schedule, he arrived with a posse of Rastafarian 'bredrin' trekking behind him, all old men with dreadlocks streaming behind them. They sat in the lobby taking up every chair available and causing quite a stir, as the shinny polished guests looked on in HORROR.
This was not going to work. Horace whispered in my ear, "get us a room NOW" so, I pulled some strings and got us a temporary room for a few hours to set up a new location for the interview.
Once we got into the room, Mr. Planner ordered room service, I mean EVERYTHING on the menu, steaks, lobster, fish, chicken, you name it...no pork as Rasta's don't eat unclean meat.
To cut a long story short, Horace finally got his interview AFTER Mr. Planner and company eat their meals and he took a shower. Yes..I said A SHOWER...in the spotless white bathtub. DEAD LOCKS all over the place. I spent the rest of the night cleaning the bathroom, I scrubbed the tub and sink, and refolded the towels as we had no money in the budget left to pay for the room.
That was my introductory to film 101. I have since graduated with honors.
Find out about Mortimer Planner and his connection to Bob Marley. Rasta, or the Rastafari movement is a religion that began in Jamaica that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as King of Kings, Lord of Lords and the Conquering Lion of Judah. Go to:
www.bob-marley-mp3-videos.com/bob-marley biography and read Bob Marley's bio and how he met Mr. Planner, and joined the Rastafarian movement back in the early 60's.
Stay posted. I have a bag of good stories to share with you.
BLESS, ONE LOVE & WALK GOOD.
