Monty Howell is the eldest son of Leonard Howell, the Founding Father of the Rastafari movement. Leonard Howell purchased 500 acres of land to create a safe space for ex slaves seeking a new way of life off the plantation. For 16 years, Pinnacle was fully self sufficient from the farming of fruits, vegetables and ganja. When he was 5 years old, his mother was killed and his father framed for her murder. He recalls standing in the Spanish Town court room watching his father from behind the barriers while standing on his tip toes. “My father was a very forthright man. Even when they tried to tear him down and belittle him in front of the nation, he never bowed his head. He knew he was a threat to them, a free mind in a colonial world. He never hurt my mother. My father wasn’t even on the Pinnacle grounds when it happened. I watched as the State took turns trying to twist the truth, eventually sending him to the asylum on many occasions to de-stabilize the growing movement. He had gone to Kingston on a business trip as he often did when she died. She went missing for days, and when they found her, she had to be buried her on the spot even before he came back home. For years, I remember going to her grave side and sitting under that tree for hours just to feel close to her. Children are the real victims of political violence.“ Today 80 plus years later, when he visits Pinnacle, the trees and rocks that once marked this memory have been destroyed and sold to the highest bidder. In May 1954, the JLP government destroyed the community and scattered hundreds of families, destitute in the streets. Pinnacle lands have been stolen by private developers with full knowledge and ultimate participation of the Jamaican government. Private homes now cover the hills where the first RasTafari community existed, and still the Jamaican government continues to deny their responsibility in restoring the legacy and birthplace of the RasTafari movement. Let us never forget the sacrifices that many have had to endure in the name of RasTafari. #preserveheritage #rememberpinnacle #thefightisntover #mightcannotdefeatright
Reminder to Self: It wasn’t so long ago that our world as we know it was colonized by greedy savages with an insatiable appetite for money, land, resources, blood and power. Vampires that live for generations sucking the blood of the ones who suffer the most. I remember being very young and trying to grasp what it meant to witness the last African Nation get independence… Namibia, that was 1994, only 28 years ago. Stay present. Ask your grandparents, ask the elders, ask the ones who never talk about their youthful days. There are stories we will never know if we don’t search for them, document them, share them. We have to keep fighting to remember all the things they wanted us to forget. The system will tell us all the reasons why we have a ‘Right to be Free’ but when are we ‘Free to Be Right’? When we step outside of the shadow that diplomacy sometimes creates, saying NO to a system of rules, laws and treaties that tricked my ancestors in a colonial past … that’s a Right we don’t have? I don’t care what you say, Babylon. I don’t believe you. #rebel #realtalk #rightyourstory ————————————— You can’t educate I about no equal opportunity. I’m talking about my Freedom… My Freedom and Liberty! Tell the children the truth. Stop asking rhetorical questions. We are Free to be Right. Be Free. Be Right. #buildcomeunity #belove #wewontforget 🙏🏾
The Cannabis industry is evolving rapidly all over the globe. As the world basks in the smoke and ashes of 4/20, I stand aware that if we are not careful, these moments of ignorant bliss will devolve into a space that only emphasizes the commercial and economic capacity of this ‘product’, while sidelining the medicinal, cultural and sacramental importance of the plant. EDUCATION before RECREATION is essential.
Be an advocate for herB, not just a consumer or point of sale. Learn about new advances in policy, medicinal uses, Indigenous practices, technology… and potentially how you can be a part of building awareness in the Cannabis Come-Unity. @thekayafest Apr 27 at the San Bernadino Double Tree Hilton from 12pm-5pm. Then come vibe with me and my family for 2 days of Music, Ital livity and laughter on Sat Apr 28 and Sun Apr 29 @noscenter with @stephenmarley @ziggymarley @damianmarley @maestromarley @jomersamarley @bambaatamarley @sshaciapayne @skipmarley @kabakapyramid @chronixxmusic @ms_laurynhill #kayafest
HerB is the Healing of the Nation. We free the people with music! Each one, heal one. #belove #buildcomeunity #ganja #cannabis #kayafest #wewillrizetogether 📸@ahutchphoto
A Beautiful Truth: I’ve never been able to fit into any standards or expectations ascribed to me. I’ve always and only wanted to be who I want to be.
I chose to trod these roads, defiantly, with aspirations to discover the roots of our humanity through these immersive experiences that challenge, redefine, redesign, sometimes offend but then again remind me to persist beyond the defects of this virtual reality.
When @rastaasoulsjourney first premiered 10 years ago, the fight against RasTafari culture and livity was raging. Our sacrament, Ganja/ Cannabis, was still illegal across the majority of the world.
Many film festivals and television platforms denied us a space because of our open discussions on screen about the healing and medicinal values of this plant that was criminalized to safeguard colonialist and capitalist virtues and reigns of oppression. So we took it to the streets, community centres, corporate offices and boardrooms. We created classrooms everywhere we could.✨
On August 13 at @danielsspectrum we will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of RasTa, A Soul’s Journey, a film that has brought light, hope, visibility, education and direction for people of all ages and races all around the world who were also on a journey with me, like me, through me.
We celebrate the roots and evolution of a culture and movement that changed the world and still…
I’m so honoured and humbled to see and remember the moments of impact and celebrate in the works that have been done and the ability to do more.
Shout out to @ocs__canada for supporting the movement to help demystify and amplify the role of Cannabis within these times.
Click link in bio to RSVP🎟️
#humanityovavanity #herbisthehealing #artisgovernance
RasTafari Live🔥
When I was born, both my feet were slightly curved inward. At 2 years old, I had to get corrective shoes to help straighten my feet. It must have been a challenging time for you @swalk_12018 as a new mother, to help your young daughter to build the confidence she would need to walk on her own. I don’t remember the metal braces against my legs, or the awkward stares from strangers. I don’t remember the times I fell down, or how much energy it took to get up. But I do remember how excited you would get when I told you about a new discovery, or an idea I had. And how you would always win Mothers race on Sports Day with barely a trace of sweat while the other mothers struggled to keep up. Thank you Ma, for Mothering us with so much defiance and grace. Now I use these two feet to travel the world, moving at the speed of ideas steeped in the confidence of Love. 💜🦋🌏 #Mother #Daughter #Ubuntu #Belove
“Survive.You have the right to be right.” A Scene from short film “Marathon”. Written and Directed by @directedbykells starring @komiolaf and @iamdonisha
Producers @crooklyn_turner1 @sashaleighhenry
Cinematography @jordanoramdp
Photography @we.want.ev
Tues. Apr 30, 2019
6pm-10pm
@bobmarleymuseum
Limited space
RSVP ONLY
Sat. May 4
@inhalemiami
6pm-10pm
Contribution: USD $20
Food & refreshments on sale.
#buildcomeunity #getactive #rightourstory #righttoberight #socialimpact
Lioness of Reggae now available @tuffgongworldwide on Limited Vinyl only. A true collector’s item for all of us who are into the preservation of culture. My Nana’s voice is so beautiful, strong, warm and free. Get to know more about her journey and resolutions through her music. The Lioness who cared for the tribe while learning how to stand alone at such an early age. A true joy to see this beautiful Rebel @officialritamarley being honoured on the day her father Papa Roy was born. These are the items we pass on to our children as a reminder that we come from a sound legacy that is rooted in experiences that moves us emotionally, psychologically, geographically and metaphysically to more overstand ing of each other 🙏🏾🌏😊 #Harambe #Lionessofreggae #RoyalRita #Reggaemusic #ironsharpeniron #Blackwoman #Africandiaspora Tuff Gong Recording Studios Jamaica Kingston
RISE & GRIND: The difference between great people and everyone else is that great people create their lives actively, while everyone else is created by their lives, passively waiting to see where life takes them next.
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The difference between the two is their growth mindset. As Bob Marley would say… Love the life you live. Live the life you love.
Remember, the great possessions of life are not simply those things we discover on the outside, but what we also discover and develop within. BE Blessed, BE Positive.
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LIVE IT. WEAR IT.
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📸 @nathanielinc
🇯🇲 @iamdonisha
👕 @l.i.w.i.68
“The way the Sun kisses my Skin reminds me of you.”💜
– A Love Story written in verse.
#Saudade #Africa #Jamaica #Visualpoetry #Afrofuturism #Earth
Freedom. Integrity. Grace. Love. Kindness … They cost nothing. Find them and share them. 🦋💜🌺🌏 #iexisteverywhere
Someone asked me recently about my fashion and stylistic sensibilities 🤓. I love fashion, and how rebellious we can be with it. So my senses say, wear exactly how you feel. For the creative mind, that may mean a combustion of bubbling ideas, observations and revelations represented by colours and patterns that don’t match, but all make sense to the I that sees and knows without an explanation. Every garment worn by the wearer is a part of a story, and the storyteller… who is presently writing. Shout out to all the closets that came together to make this outfit possible. Still trodding Earth with style and sensible responsibility.💜😎🙏🏾 @officialritamarley @culturecorners @cedellamarley #cho #raggamuffin #befree #easyskankin #rightyourstory
Sandy toes, salty tears, sullen eyes, cotton mouths, cracked lips, children colonized; beaten bodies, bloody beaches, broken hearts, weeping souls, wailing waves, wandering spirits … These waters carry so many versions of the same story. Our story begins before slavery. We are not African because we were born in Africa. They wanted us to forget, but Africa is born in us. #royalty #irememeber #dreamsofhome #rightyourstory #africandiaspora #africaunite
Recently I got to reason with @cbcradiocanada about my perspectives on Ganja. I also used the opportunity to share a message to the Canadian government as they advance into the Cannabis industry. More Justice. Click Link in bio to hear full interview 💜 #buildcomeunity #dotherightthing #rightourstory #morejustice #tellthechildrenthetruth #rastafari
Exciting times as we get to celebrate the 10th anniversary of @rastaasoulsjourney with a FREE screening this Sunday August 13, 2023 at @danielsspectrum with special guest and lead of the film @iamdonisha.
RasTa: A Soul’s Journey unfolds as a personal quest that challenges the often cartoon perception of Rastafari and misunderstandings around Cannabis, and focuses on putting the story and the message of this movement into a culturally nuanced yet global perspective.
Actress/ Filmmaker Donisha Prendergast journeys through Israel, India, Jamaica, South Africa, Ethiopia,Canada, and the United Kingdom where she meets with people and communities who have chosen a Rastafari lifestyle. She explores how the movement evolved from an anti-colonial movement to a call for One Love, hoping to find her purpose as the eldest of the 3rd generation of the Marley dynasty, whose music has been a steady soundtrack for a culture movement that has inspired the world.
Scan the barcode or click link in bio to RSVP now as tickets are limited and going fast!
Shout out to our collaborators on this Mission to educate communities about the Roots and evolution of RasTafari and the role that Cannabis has played in the spiritual, cultural and economic liberation of people all over the world. @ocs__canada @mediabusinessinstitute @ahutchcreativeinc
#RasTafari #ReggaeMusic #Culture #Cannabis #Comeunity Daniels Spectrum
‘The mind creates… and as much as we desire in nature we can have through the creation of our own minds.’ – Marcus Garvey. We are in the midst of a Renaissance some could argue. One that was sparked many years ago, whose embers never went out. The journey continues to #buildcomeunity #belove and #createclassroomseverywhere. We refuse to be what they wanted us to be. We must continue to forge new models of co-existence. There was no internet in the days of some of the greatest social movements that have inspired our mental, physical and spiritual liberation. Our ability to connect to people all around the globe is now really in our hands, literally. We simply must do more. Use your platforms. Join the Mission #Wewillrizetogether is building a team of talented, visionary, strong willed creative souls who are prepared to become something for which we have never been. #strongertogether Give Thanks to all the great minds who came forward to share and learn in Harlem last night. Through collective action, we can make real sustainable impact that will help to Heal the world. Do you see the Vision? Re-education utilizing Art as a tool of governance. Activism 101. Help us build the awareness, gather the team and raise the funds necessary to build a high school in Akosombo, Ghana and renovate the Haile Selassie High School in Jamaica #preserveheritage Don’t just tell me great job, do more. Click link in bio and share with your family, friends, networks. Why?… Why not? #getactive #eachoneteachone #rightyourstory #belove WeWork
Reminder to self: We must become something for which our education and environment have ill-prepared us. Recently @rastaasoulsjourney was screened @torontopubliclibrary to a diverse settings of hungry minds and beating hearts, curious to overstand more about this movement we are a part of… and still evolving. In every way we can, we must empower the liberation of physical bodies and the emancipation of spirits and minds.Our existence today, means so much for tomorrow. Each one, teach one. Seek the higher calling… Video by @ahutchphoto #buildcomeunity #rightourstory #rastafari #humanityovervanity #rastaasoulsjourney Toronto, Ontario
April 30, 2019 will mark one year since @komiolaf @directedbykells and I were detained by police in Rialto, California after an elderly white woman called 911 claiming she saw three black people ‘stealing stuff’. The police responded with 7 police cars and a helicopter en route. This racially motivated incident inspired us to combine our skills in writing, directing, acting, comeunity organizing and visual art to form We Have The Right to Be Right, an artist collective and global campaign with the intention of generating content that gives emotional insight and helps to raise cultural sensitivity around ‘living while black’ in the 21st century.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE RIGHT now presents a collection of short films and insightful commentary about the experiences of African Descendants living in the diaspora. Featured films include Awaking Sankofa, Haven, Marathon and Black Bodies.
Kingston, JA (Apr 30)
Miami, FL (May 4)
New Orleans, LA (June 19) with more stops to be announced. #righttoberight #buildcomeunity #rightourstory #rightournarrative #tellthechildrenthetruth #revolutiontour #livingwhileblack @directedbykells @komiolaf @jaysyro @directorkushasher
April 30, 2019 will mark one year since @komiolaf @directedbykells and I were detained by police in Rialto, California after an elderly white woman called 911 claiming she saw three black people ‘stealing stuff’. The police responded with 7 police cars and a helicopter en route. This racially motivated incident inspired us to combine our skills in writing, directing, acting, comeunity organizing and visual art to form We Have The Right to Be Right, an artist collective and global campaign with the intention of generating content that gives emotional insight and helps to raise cultural sensitivity around ‘living while black’ in the 21st century.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE RIGHT now presents a collection of short films and insightful commentary about the experiences of African Descendants living in the diaspora. Featured films include Awaking Sankofa, Haven, Marathon and Black Bodies.
Kingston, JA (Apr 30)
Miami, FL (May 4)
New Orleans, LA (June 19) with more stops to be announced. #righttoberight #buildcomeunity #rightourstory #rightournarrative #tellthechildrenthetruth #revolutiontour #livingwhileblack @directedbykells @komiolaf @jaysyro @directorkushasher
April 30, 2019 will mark one year since @komiolaf @directedbykells and I were detained by police in Rialto, California after an elderly white woman called 911 claiming she saw three black people ‘stealing stuff’. The police responded with 7 police cars and a helicopter en route. This racially motivated incident inspired us to combine our skills in writing, directing, acting, comeunity organizing and visual art to form We Have The Right to Be Right, an artist collective and global campaign with the intention of generating content that gives emotional insight and helps to raise cultural sensitivity around ‘living while black’ in the 21st century.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE RIGHT now presents a collection of short films and insightful commentary about the experiences of African Descendants living in the diaspora. Featured films include Awaking Sankofa, Haven, Marathon and Black Bodies.
Kingston, JA (Apr 30)
Miami, FL (May 4)
New Orleans, LA (June 19) with more stops to be announced. #righttoberight #buildcomeunity #rightourstory #rightournarrative #tellthechildrenthetruth #revolutiontour #livingwhileblack @directedbykells @komiolaf @jaysyro @directorkushasher
‘Marathon’ and ‘Black Bodies’ were manifested as a response to our own experience. It’s a 2-part film with one intention; to incite conversation about the kinds of injustices marginalized people face. Black people, indigenous people, latino people … this is how we were inspired to respond.
Marathon focuses on the never-ending race that people of color and marginalized communities are perpetually engaged in. We follow a black man on his run through life as he comes face-to-face with the realities of being black in the 21st century.
Black Bodies showcases some of the devastating impacts that results from racial injustice.
This was a come-unity driven project that engaged youth and others who live this experience day to day, as extras and performers in the film.
We Have The Right to Be Right Social Impact Tour will be moving across different cities over the next few weeks. Kingston: April 30 Miami: May 4
New Orleans: June 19 more dates to announced. Make the connect to bring us to your city!
Producers @crooklyn_turner1 @sashaleighhenry
Director/Writer @directedbykells
Poetry by @komiolaf
Starring @iamdonisha @komiolaf
Cinematographer @jordanoramdp
Steadicam @steadilew #righttoberight #buildcomeunity #rightourstory #rightournarrative #tellthechildrenthetruth #revolutiontour #livingwhileblack
Today is the day! Give Thanks for all the support coming in from far and near. @dsejamaica is proud to present ‘Savannah’ a love story between the country and city during these times of economic instability. Soundtrack settings from @theuprisingroots @billywilmot and more. The Jamaican film industry is experiencing some nice growth right now. All kinds of stories and conversations being ignited. Share with your family and friends. Stay tuned for interviews and feedback from cast and crew on @savannahseries. Click website link to watch first episode. 💜🌺🙏🏾 #filmbuildscomeunity
#wewillrizetogether The campaign is slowly building, vibes are growing and the movement is beginning to move. Last night we took another 250 youths to see Black Panther with the help of @techimmortal @gardenofedenfdn @jaysyro and so many others from around the world. Tonight @chakabars @omega_axsal and I will be reasoning about the project today in Harlem, home of activists, artists, revolutionary thinkers. It is the heartbeat and roots of where many movements found the footing to rize. We Give Thanks for these opportunities to share time and space. 😊💜🙏🏾 Amazing the things that can happen when hands and hearts come together. NYC see you in a few hours. #buildcomeunity #strongertogether #rightourstory #africandiaspora #eachoneteachone #createclassroomseverywhere #belove New York, New York
10 days away from the online premiere of SAVANNAH☺️ I wrote this script with the intention of telling a simple story about young people exploring ideas of love, independence and life outside of what they know. In Jamaica, sometimes that means dealing with situations that arise as a ripple effect of an unstable economy. Being aware of the times we are living in is key to survival. ————————————— ‘When childhood friends Georgie and Savannah reconnect as adults, sparks fly. But sometimes it’s best when we just leave things as they are…’ SAVANNAH premiering on YouTube/dseshortfilms on Friday April 13th. #independentfilm #jamaicanmovie #dsejamaica #artisevolution
In the midst of the madness, something beautiful is quietly happening. @dsejamaica is finally premiering the pilot episode of our series in progress ‘Savannah’ @savannahseries on our YouTube page of Friday April 13th. 🤓🦋💜 Excited. Nervous. Humbled. Overwhelmed. Ready for the next step… Tune in… Click link in bio 💜🙏🏾🌺 #independentfilm #jamaicanmovies #artisevolution #love #growth #filmbuildscomeunity
