By Shaun Cain
The never ending injustices being done to members of the Windrush community have not escaped the gaze of Jamaica's dub poets. Wise Wurdz, a St. James, Jamaica-born poet and musician, has been vociferously chanting down the painful horrors of Jamaicans, who emigrated to Britain up to the mid to late 1970s on the vessel, Empire Windrush, to rebuild the western European nation after its infrastructure was ravaged during World War 2.
Wise Wurdz has poignantly related the unimaginable suffering of the families whose lives have been ripped apart by deportation in one of his recent songs entitled the "Windrush Travesty".
In the "Windrush Travesty", which is currently available on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music and other major online distribution platforms, Wise Wurdz recalls the Windrush Generation's contributions to the rebuilding of the United Kingdom after the war, which ended on the 2nd September 1945.
 |
| Poet, Everton 'Wise Wurdz' Lawrence |
Britain has been deporting members of the Windrush Generation, who have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom (UK). Wise Wurdz, whose real name is Everton Lawrence, has strongly condemned the practice.
However, the issue that seems to escape the headlines is what happens to the deportees once they land on Jamaican soil and Britain washes its hands of them. There is also a lack of regard for the families left behind and the emotional trauma they face.
The Windrush Travesty: Exploring a side of the Windrush debacle rarely highlighted.
In a stern and composed vocal delivery accompanied by an unhurried and engaging one-drop rhythm, Wise Wurdz launched into an unabashed tirade, "Windrush Empire left a trail of dark clouds hanging in mid-air of uncertainty; taken from a land of gold to restore a land of old left in ruins of war." He admonished, "a place known as Great Britain, my parents built you. My forefathers helped to restore your beauty; drowning in buckets of sweat and tears, but you had an ulterior motive, when you passed your laws denying others from studying the law."
Wise Wurdz, whose real name is Everton Lawrence, continued, "like raging fire I felt your wrath. A common man from the Commonwealth is reduced to common minnow."
The Spoken Word performer brought to the fore the chilling experiences of the persons thrown out of Britain to begin a new life in an unfamiliar land. "The morning was cold like the icebergs of the ocean. Teeth were grinding like chainsaw as frost puffs from the lips like an extended spliff. The whistling sounds of the 'featherless bird' grew louder, as the dulcimer bag was clutched tightly with memories of the past."
Britain still has much to learn about equality and how this ethical dilemma should be handled where its citizens are concerned, regardless of their race, creed or the numerous factors that make us different. Equally, it is yet to show sensitivity to the impact of its random disruption and displacement of families.
How much due diligence was done to ascertain whether it was legal to deport all of the persons that were deemed devoid of any lawful right to remain in Britain? It would appear that these deportations orders are being motivated by factors other than thorough investigations and irrefutable evidence that should engender the removal orders.
Following several legal challenges, the list was whittled down to fewer than one-third of the initial number announced by the Home Office.
Although the passengers that did not make the flight have been granted only a temporary reprieve, it is hoped that the necessary checks will be done to put those cases to bed, whichever way they go.
There is no suggestion here that wrongdoing should be condoned by the British government. The argument proffered is that the proper checks be done to ensure that those being ostracised from the European country, by law, do not have the right to reside in Britain.
_____________________________
Shaun Cain is a journalist, author of the Reggae Larger than Life Fun and Games Book, voiceover talent and the producer/presenter of the Star Gazing with Shaun Cain Interview Show on the Star Gazing with Shaun Cain YouTube channel.
When you visit our channel, please remember to subscribe, like, share and leave a comment. https://m.youtube.com/results?search_query=stargazing+with+shaun+cain
No comments:
Post a Comment