Author of RASTAFARI - THE NEW CREATION, the first book on Rasta written by a practising member of the faith, and JOSEPH - A RASTA REGGAE FABLE, a novel inspired by the life of Bob Marley.
Music
Strictly Roots reggae, from Marley to Sizzla and all artists in between. Also The Beatles and music of the 60s, Lauren Hill, No Doubt, Alicia Keyes, Alpha Blondy, Capelton, Etana, and the list goes on...
Movies
"The Harder They Come", all the films of Spike Lee, Akira Kurosawa, Guy Ritchie, Oliver Stone, Martin Scorcese. Special favourite films: 'Kagemusha', 'House of the Flying Daggers', the "Star Wars" series, 'Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman", 'Scarface','City of God', 'Hotel Rwanda', Blood Diamond', 'Hustle & Flow", 'Ray', anything starring Robert DeNiro, Sean Penn, Samuel L. Jackson, Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Cicely Tyson.
Have a look at I (my) Beautiful Jamaica.
Olympic Torch Passes Through Jamaica - BBC-TV Olympics programme "MY GAMES"
Excerpt from the documentary 'RACE, RHETORIC, RASTAFARI'
Television
News and current affairs, music TV (Jamaican and international), Discovery, National Geographic. Get most of my movies from cable TV.
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Books
I read EVERYTHING -- can't begin to list my favourite authors, from O.Henry, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Toni Morrison, British novelist Celia Brayfield, children's books, history -- especially about Africa -- Bev Carey's 'History of the Maroons of Jamaica"; and religion -- Autobiography of Emperor Haile Selassie I,The Urantia Book,The Sign & The Seal -- to name a few.
Heroes
Emperor Haile Selassie 1, Marcus Garvey, Bob Marley, Empress Makeda of Ethiopia, Louis Farrakhan.
Barbara Makeda's Tarot Card
You are Strength
Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.
This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.
BARBARA MAKEDA BLAKE HANNAH is a Jamaican author, music journalist, film-maker and public speaker.
In 1968 she made history as the first Black TV journalist on British television at the start-up of THAMES TV and later worked with BBC-TV and CHANNEL 4. Returning to Jamaica in 1972, and her real love of writing, she wrote newspaper articles, one of which led to her writing and publishing RASTAFARI – THE NEW CREATION in 1981, the first book on the Rastafari religion written by a a member of the faith, now in its 5th edition. In 1992 she self-published JOSEPH – A RASTA REGGAE FABLE, a novel about a reggae superstar based losely on the life of Bob Marley (whom she knew) but mainly to give an insight into what life was like in the 70s when reggae and Rasta started going international. It has now been re-published by MacMillan Caribbean in 2006.
BARBARA MAKEDA has lectured at the University of the West Indies, the University of Vienna, Austria; New York University; Florida International University; the University of Guyana; the University of the Virgin Islands, and the World Archaeological Congress Pre-Conference in Curacao. She was a delegate to the UN World Conference Against Racism in 2001.
She is producer/director of 6 documentary and 2 TV feature films, organised Black film festivals in Jamaica and represented Jamaica at film festivals in the USA, Cuba, West and (the former) East Germany and Iraq (yes she met Saddam Hussein and says he was quite cool!).
Appointed an Independent Senator in the Jamaican Parliament (1984-87), she was presented with the Ethiopian Crown Council’s Adowa Centenary Gold Medal in 1997, and the United Nations Peace Medal in 1974. She home-schooled her son Makonnen, who was appointed Youth Technology Consultant to the Jamaican government in 1998 at the age of 13 years.
Who I'd like to meet: Film makers, authors, musicians, music producers, home-schooling mothers, Jamaicans at home and abroad, persons interested in Jamaican culture -- anyone 'irie' who wants to link with me.
However, I follow my High School motto: "Quality, not Quantity" when accepting Friend Requests.
I want to congratulate you on your new book and for the upcoming screen-movie on Joseph's book. The trailer shows all the good and passionate work done. PERFECTO!
Un amor siempre, special greetings and blessings to my brother the 'big' Makonnen,
Dear Barbara! Thanks for the add and welcome to our likkle space! 'Like your page and its message! If you get time & interest, it would be great if you could sign our new guest book! WE LOVE REGGAE & ALL PEACEFUL PEOPLE!
Many times in our lives we are dropped... crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way... We feel as though we are worthless... But no matter what has happened or what will happen you will never lose your value... Dirty or clean crumpled or finely creased you are still priceless to those who LOVE and ADMIRE YOU... The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know but by WHO WE ARE!!! Count your blessings not your problems... Remember Jah will get you through ...Have a upful week Beautiful One
There is only one man in the world and his name is All Men. There is only one woman in the world and her name is All Women. There is only one child in the world and the child’s name is All Children
Said between Jah and Mammon you must choose Service of one or the other you must refuse. So in our times we have come to the point of decision Between Jah and our idols we must make a clear division; There is only one Master we can serve, We must now choose which one we deserve: To go with the many forms of our formless Golden Calf Or to go with the Loving Wise ...
What a Joy, by Shiloh's Grace, to conquer evil, doing Good. Glorify the Man who is King of the Judgment.
‘Today the women of the world are not content to live as housewives. In most countries, they are striving harder and harder for higher education so that they may participate in the civic duties for their community and nation. In times of war, women like men, have served their country; and, in some cases they have fought side by side with the men against the enemy.”
F R I E N D S H I P ,;*"*;, is like a *;, ,;* TREE... __)(__ It is not MEASURED by how TALL it could be... but how deeply the roots have grown :~)
Friendship is a little bit of giving and a little bit of love With a little bit of blessing coming from above Just a little bit of thoughtfulness to make the pathway bright Thats all it takes for friendship to blossom over night Blessings and Guidance ...I Wish you Happiness... Peace and Love
Haile Selassie I! Ises to the King, love you one another, Jah love going out from the floor to the ceiling, what a wonderful feeling, to dwell in perfect Inity, love oono!
"With Gods help, and thanks to the courage of our soldiers, we have always, come what might, stood proud and free upon our native mountains." ~Haile Selassie I
With Jah guidance I&I shall stand free upon Mt Zion, give thanks for the strength of our souljahs! Rasta Live!