Africa, the father of creation
Africa, the mother of all nations
From up the Nile to the Cataracts
Nomandic travelers, never looking back.
To Morocco on to Europe and the East
On to China, Jah wind blew them
Over seven seas.
Out of the prophet, the son of Noah
All people move to the heartbeat.
And it's deeper than skin,
Deep within your soul
It cuts deep like blood and bones
Deeper than flesh, deep within your heart
Deep like blood and bones.

...excerpt from THE PROCESS' "Blood and Bones".

'Spirits and Spirituality'

The ! two spirits which have guided my destiny in my life the most so far are without doubt my grandfather, Thomas Pierce, and the Emperor, Haile Sellassie I.

The I-Story of the universal struggle of human oppression giving way to liberation, of suffering giving way to a better life, not just for yourself but for others, unites us as one fellowship, in the eyes of God and Man.

Both my grandfather and the Emperor were of the same generation. One came from a poor Irish family, the other from Ethiopian royalty. Both mens spirits however, have shaped my personal spiritual outlook and inner knowledge of what it takes to walk the path of Rasta.

My grandfather was born in Ireland in 1895. His father was a Potestant Orangeman and a police officer, who was not well-liked in the Catholic areas. He fathered 7 children by his wife, an actress. My great-grandfather was beaten to death by a Catholic mob when Thomas! was just 4 years old. My great-grandmother became an alcoholic, and the children were put to work to support the family. Thomas sold butter from a cart in the streets to help out.

In his early teens he bought his one possession, a suit, which he hoped would help advance his status in life. When his mother pawned the suit for liquor, Thomas realized he had no chance to help himself at home. Although he deeply loved his mother, he made the difficult decision to leave.

Tom stowed away on a ship to Canada during the first Great War with a close friend. When they were discovered on board, they were given the choice of being sent back or to work 7 years as indentured servants, essentiallyslaves at a farm in Canada. Thomas and his buddy worked at the farm, sleeping in a barn, until one cold winter night, his friend froze to death. Tom escaped and fled south. Although underage,! he eventually enlisted in the Canadian Cavalry, to fight the Germans.

Fighting trench-warfare in France, Thomas was sprayed by yprite (mustard) -gas; the same cowardly form of warfare used by Italy in Ethiopia in the 1930's. Though severely injured, Thomas recovered and returned to Canada, his memories of men and horses sinking in the mud staying with him forever.

Tom Pierce married a young Scottish lass, Jessie Smith. The two moved to Michigan in the 30's and raised a loving family of 6 children, one of whom was my mother.

Tom never returned to Ireland, though Jessie went back to Scotland several times after his death. Her mother had been killed by a German bomb in the Battle of Britain.

Thomas Pierce died in 1965 at age 70 as a result of injuries incurred in the mustard-gas poisoning years earlier.

I owe him my life, freedom, and more than I can even pos! sibly understand. My only memories of him are as a kindly old grandfather. It is difficult to imagine such a person being born out of such circumstances. In telling his story, I build a shrine to my grandfather, where respect is due. The other person I owe so much to is the Emperor, Haile Selassie I. It is difficult to gain a general consensus of the average Ethiopian's opinion of the Emperor. Opinions vary by class, ethnic group, political agenda, etc....

I choose to view the Emperor, as Marcus Garvey said, "through my own spectacles," and in doing so, I've come to see Ethiopians as citizens of the world, and not just of that mystic, far-away land. There is much to learn about the mystical and dogmatic aura surrounding Rastafarianism and it's unique African and Jamacian roots. It is learning the story of Sellassie's life and his courage however, which have inspired me the m! ost personally on a spiritual level.

Sellasie's life and Christian example encouraged me to read the Bible, the book which gave HIM so much inspiration and motivation. I was able to view it in a new light and take it's wisdom to heart. Suddenly I had a new song in my heart, which flows like a river with no end, refreshing my soul. If Jah hadn't put a song in my heart, I wouldn't have a song to sing.

I was slow in warming to the Rasta way. Even now I am considered unorthodox, I am sure. However, experience teaches wisdom, and my experience has taught me the Emperor, when faced with the options he had always did his best for his people.

His Majesty's spirit touched my soul and put me on the path to understanding. What better role model could mankind possibly aspire to in these times?

Selah

David Asher is the singer of the rock-reggae band THE PROCESS www.mp3.com/processmusic