Mutaburuka on Empire and Reparations
The death of Queen Elizabeth has renewed discussions about the British Empire’s connections to slavery, imperialism, and reparations. I watched MSNBC the Saturday after the Queen’s death when a reporter interviewed legendary poet Mutaburuka. He said he didn’t mourn the Queen’s death because she never came out against the brutality her colonial subjects suffered during her reign. It was refreshing to see him on mainstream American TV. I met Mutaburuka many years ago at Fi Wi Singting, an art and music festival in Jamaica. He’s amazing, smart, and speaks his mind, especially when it comes to Jamaica’s colonial history.
Check out this interview he did recently on Democracy Now!