{ issue #3}  March 2009  NAIROBI, KENYA { price } 25 ⁄— Ksh | 0,50 EUR | 0,50 USD

small axe
Kijiji Culture House
opens up a branch stall
in Muthur wa Hawkers
Market {page 2}
The Essentials of learn-
ing Amhar ic and Ge’ez
languages {page 3}
newsletter
Rekebisho Reha- StarGate Family Ghetto Echoes Studio
bilitation Centre run mashes up Kenyan Coast tunes up as new Manage-
by youths for youths. {page 6} ment Team takes over.
{page 5} {page 7}

We are
the Warriors An Axe-pose of how the First ever Reggae
F.M stat ion in Afr ica is both a sham and a
shame. {page 8}
{ article by } Small axe Magazine The calend of August 2005 marked in earnest when
Metro F.M went on air as an exclusively Reggae ra-
dio station. The rates shot the roof and the addic-
tive Jam jams were the ‘mention’ of the yard. Ken-
“We are the Warriors; We will tell you what ya had set foot on the fact that it’s not only reggae
we a defend; We are soldiers marching mad, but a familiar destination for the genre...
for Jah; So they always want to track us
down; But we will never sleep nor slum-
ber…” (Gladiators: The Warriors, Back to
Roots; 1982)

T
enastelligne. Ishi Egzia­’bhera
Stellin. Amongst the War-
riors circles it is common to
hear Bredrins and Sistrens utter a
very special term. A phraseology
that always gets the attention of
even the most rebellious of spir-
its that compounds any warrior
or a rebel. You will hear ‘Sphinx
is black’, or the ‘Phoenix is on the
rise’ and if there’s any commotion
about, calm stifles all fuss and ev-
ery true Warrior heeds to the one
who speecheth. It is the power of
these words; even so, it’s precisely
what they mean to they who know
by heart what they really mean.
They are etched in the belly of the
truth that no soul can ever disap-
prove and that’s why We The War-
riors proudly take this as our rally
call. He who responds to this call
truly walks with the most honor-
able and most valorous of Men.
When you hear these words all
hindrances and insurmountable
Warriors Icon otherwise known as Congo Head
challenges seem to be but a spill of
water upon a natty dread’s head; a
pleasant refresh.
We have made steps towards
meeting our goals and to this end
we have but achieved minimal
successes by our ‘maxim books’.
However, penetrated huge fron-
tiers by their point of view, the
generic “they” that have decided
to keep us under since we’re too
grown to cut down. We, neverthe-
less, are dedicated to see to it that
we achieve what we were sent here
on earth to do by the Most High
Jah Rastafari; that is to institute
positive change in the minds of the
youths. To guide them towards the
realization of the strength within.
So they can endeavor to see the
spectacles of unity amidst their
people and to thus bring about the
betterment of all Mankind and
those kind to Man.
We would also like to point
out that we being mere mortal en-
Watch out for
www.themightywarriors.org
site linking up soon
dowed with similar faculties of hu-
man nature, fall short of our ex-
pectations. In spite of this we pride
in following the teaching of Thee
Emperor, by trying very much to
judge ourselves and raising the
standards by which we are will-
ing to be judged by others. That’s
why our rally call is not only a
black supremacist slogan, it’s
more than that. It is an appeal to
the human spirit to re-discover it-
self. To ask questions like Who am
I? What do I want in life? Am I sat-
isfied with the life am living? Can
I be the Man I want to be? Was to
be? What is my Righteous plan?
Is there a better way? How about
a brighter tomorrow? “Phoenix is
on the rise.”  •

Higher Trod V.C.D

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 2

Kijiji Culture House opens up a branch

stall in Muthurwa Hawkers Market
commonly known as ‘ghettoes’.
{ article by } Small axe Magazine “We (Kijiji) are very proud that
{ photo by } blak hillz.media most of our trainees have taken up
the skills. They sometimes stun us
at the progress they have made to-
When the incumbent Establishment deci-
wards opening up their own shops
ded to relocate hawkers to an open mar-
or diversified their techniques,”
ket outside the Central Business District,
a jaunty Kaka Muli says. Muli is
the move was not embraced by these ap-
one member of the Kijiji Culture
proximately 90,000 traders. Prior there
House and also a jeweler trainer.
had been a cat and mouse chase between
There are five in all the rest namely
them and the local authorities along the
Ras Timo, Ras Izzo, Sista Lorna
CBD streets. This would sometimes end
and Nabii the founder. They also
up in bloody riots that left many injured;
out-source some services and
shops looted or vandalized and even clai-
goods from their wider networks
med fatalities.
of textile and curio designers

S
lightly over two years af-
ter the move to Muth-
urwa Hawkers market,
now the Nairobi streets
are passable, safe and well
ahead towards the fabled ‘beauti-
ful City under the sun’ of yester-
years. Unfortunately, the city is los-
ing out on the very one thing that
would make it really beautiful. Ki-
jiji’s glaring curio-jewelry. Kijiji
around Nairobi.
Kijiji itself has not been be-
hind the scenes in opening up new
shops. The eight years old service
has recently forayed the Muthurwa
Hawkers market and already the
traders around there have started
getting attuned to the Rastaman
vibe. The glass bead works and the
splashy rainbow colors are rubbing
off both the merchants and curi-
ous buyers who would normally

✶
”They sometimes stun us at the progress they
have made towards opening up their own shops or
diversified their techniques“

Culture House is famous for hav-
ing manufactured more than 1130
peace pendants after the devastat-
ing 2007 Post-election violence, in
a bid to empower youths from ur-
ban poor neighborhoods with the
art and skills to be self-reliant. In
a process dubbed “Share it a Big,
Share it a small”, from a song by
the Warriors Live-up band’s Live-
Up album, the project was aimed
at showing these youths an alter-
native way to employment rather
than the accustomed ‘gangs-for-
hire’ before and during electoral
periods. Kijiji carried out training
and workshops among youths and
HIV/AIDS women groups around
several of these neighborhoods
turn a blind eye to them as they
do “fetish” seeds necklaces and
RBG scarves, perhaps due to sys-
tem conditioning or bad-mind tat-
tle. Kijiji can also be found in their
display unit at the just opened reg-
gae discotheque, Club Qatika in
Westlands every Friday night. “We
are growing so you should expect
more products like belts and more
Gideon fatigue from Kijiji Culture
House,” promises Nabii, “Ras-
pek.” So far in this aspect Kijiji’s
armor of Jah has a helmet, a very
adorable tam I must add, a pair of
saddles of Good tidings and the
latest in the line, the belt of un-
sagging Truth. “Just as we hunger
and correspondingly replenish our
Effigy donning the wares Kijiji culture house makes and deals with.
Courtesy of; leather caps and bags Jah Kush, woolen cap Sista Njoki, Scarf Sista
Wanjiku, T-shirt Roots wear, Sandals Hassan, badges Ras Shei, Necklaces and
bracelets Kijiji and Sweater by Ras Teacher.
fleshly wants so must the breast- spell) of the King of Kings and
plate of righteousness be strived Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion
to be re-invented at all times. Our of the Tribe of Judah, the Iron
sword has always remained the fi- rod in Zion prevailing all adversi-
ery S-words (Selassie Slay) that We ties, and especially now the world
chant down Babylon and its de- is experiencing the great economic
vices with,” confers Nabii. crunch.  •
It’s only a matter of time and
positive meditation before these
Kijiji Culture House Stall can be
artists come up with a loin girdle
found at Muthurwa Hawkers Market
that will well par with their ardent
6H Stall no.25
faith. Naturally, Kijiji is evangeliz-
Contact Bishop on cell 0723–157–167
ing the True Ras-pel (not Ghost-

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 3

The Essentials of learning Amharic and Ge’ez languages

Foreword by Rasuli

The Organization of African Unity’s Charter under the flagship of His Imperial Majesty
Haile-Selassie I stipulated that all meetings, all communications concerning the or-
ganization, within or otherwise be conducted in an African indigenous language, Eng-
lish or French. The Emperor’s wishes to have our native tongues take precedence in our
affairs were not lessened by His lingual choice when He wished to address the League
of Nation in French, fluency notwithstanding, but addressed the 1936 conference in
Amharic, the Official language of His people. It can also be vividly recalled that He con-
cluded His decisive speech by asking in His Majestic fashion “…What answer am I to
take back to My people?” Haile-Selassie’s efforts to forge unity in Ethiopia and Africa
at large cannot be allowed to be undermined by the difficulties presented in the forms
of diversity of populace, economical ideology, formal illiteracy and religious profess.
Not when He Himself laid down the foundation by making Amharic the language of His
Empire’s cohesion and union amidst tumultuous, shifty and revolutionary world poli-
tics. Harmonizing nearly 28Million people of more than a hundred and twenty tribes
in one accord of ancestry, to some clandestine degree in the Ge’ez language, the only
known ancient African dialect but overtly in the Amharic tongue. Although Amharic is
by no measure near as classical as its root Ge’ez, the language furnishes one with the
fundamentals of any African parlance. Should one so desire to learn Ge’ez by the way
of Amharic or vice versa he will find the experience rather simplified since it is phonetic,
a prospect that can only be termed as “gods having a hand in it”.

{ article by } La’ake Maryam Reuben

{ photo by } blak hillz.media
There are probably no best suited words to
Ge’ez is Ethiopia’s unique gift to Afree­ open such a matter so close to our hearts
kan literature from the Ancients. The Bi- than the words of Our Lord’s prayer in the
ble’s oldest book written by Enoch, son Afreekan most original language of Ge’ez.
of Yared1 was found in Ethiopia recorded
in Ge’ez. He is known hence as Enoch the ABUNE ZEBESEMAYAT YITQEDES SIMIKE
Ethiopian proving the existence of Ge’ez our father of heaven hallowed be thy name
long before the Great Noah floods. It was
later on translated into other languages TIMTSAE MENGISTIKE WEIYIKUN FEQADIKE
like Greek but was failed to be acknowl- come thy kingdom be done thy will
edged to this fact, rather its origin was
proclaimed obscure. BEKEME BESEMAY KEMAHU BEMIDR
as it is in heaven like this on earth

A
fter the floods a series of
worldwide catastrophes
drove the entire human race
to Khemet or Egypt2, at this time
the immigrants integrated and
mingled freely with the natives
of Khemet. They were cultured
in their ways of life, educated by
their scholars and proselyted into
their religious rituals. Many of
this people particularly the He-
brews, Greeks and Arabs owe their
common practices to this period
of habitation. Ethiopian Power-
ful Emperor His Imperial Majesty
Haile-Selassie I once attributed
the Hebrew and Arabic, Hamitic-
Sematic relation to Ge’ez, to the
historic movements and influx of
these people into Afreeka espe-
cially Ethiopia and Khemet. Ge’ez
was of course purely a Hamitic
tongue spoken in Afreeka by the
descendants of Cush3.
Colonization that took place
centuries later was a systematic
eradication of an entire people’s
cultural heritage by ways of for-
eign subordination so as to domi-
nate an already destabilized pop-
ulation. First it was annexed by
propagandist missionaries-cum-
educationists, then further mor-
bidly through military conquest
by mercenaries. Free to plunder
the land, pilfer the mines and leave
Maafa in their wake. These pow-
Learning the Fidel alphabet table from an early age. Jewelry courtesy of; Lion of
Judah silver ring Ras Gmani and Ankh silver ring Sista Lorna.
ers justified their monstrosities
as the spoils of “civilizing” wars.
Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini
once quoted having said, pertain-
ing Ethiopia as “can’t be ranked
among civilized nations” as his
army forces prepared to invade the
very country in the East.
See then how our Lord and Sav-
ior YahSua provided emancipa-
tion through His Gospel of God’s
Kingdom to the vanquished. Ethi-
opia right from the Beginning has
known the True God and remained
piously firm in His faith. In return
they have won His favor that lit-
erature great Homer romanti-
cized of the “Blameless Ethiopi-
ans”. She, just as the Mary of Sion
has had to fight through many on-
slaughts under the vigilance of the
House of David. Guarded with the
lives of neguses like Warrior King
Emperor Tewodros of Magdala
and Menelik of Adwa. The King
of Kings, Defender of the Faith,
Our Pride and Joy, Good Shep-
herd to His lambs of His pasture
Who if was not for we would have
been slaughtered. Emperor Haile-
SISAYENE ZELELE ILTENE HABENE YOM
our bread of each day give us today
HIDIGLENE ABESANE WEGIGAYENE
forgive us our sins and trespasses
KEME NIH’NNI NIHIDIG LEZE ABESE LENE
as we forgive who sin against us
EETABIANE EGZIO WUSTE MENSUTE
lead us not o lord into temptation
ALA ADHINENE WEBALIHANE EMKWULU IKUY
but deliver us and save us from all evil
ESME ZIAKE YEITI MENGIST HAYL WESIBHAT
for thine is the kingdom power and glory
LEALEME ALEM
forIver and Iver selah
Selassie I of Maychew upheld this
tradition to the much delight of
His People and the dignity of every
Afreekan home and abroad.
Thereof Ethiopia’s heritage
was preserved for the sake of those
who lost or mixed with the here-
tic’s toxic conventions. Intact, con-
served like an erect lighthouse,
preferably an obelisk, to guide
Afreekan children back to their
own extraction. The Ge’ez lan-
guage alphabet or Fidel is central
to Ethiopia’s Kristyan Heritage
and is where it survives today; it is
 4

also used by the Falashas, or Black
Jews for worship. However with
the elapse of time Ge’ez has been
modified; developed into modern
Amharic the National language
with a few additions of some new
words to make it palatable to all
generations across Ethiopia. Al-
though to the North at Axum the
famous City of the Kings, the Ti-
grinya version spoken there is very
much similar to the Ancient Ge’ez.
It is vital then to learn this an-
cient Ethiopian alphabet after rec-
ognizing Ge’ez as our patrimo-
nial language having been handed
down from generation to gener-
ation. Next we should all as one
people adapt it to our own dialects
like the Ethiopians have done to
communicate with each other ir-
respective of tribe, geographical
background and customary rites.
We exceptionally stand at a van-
tage point as we already have Swa-
hili as a National language, whose
striking lingua similarity to Ge’ez
in most of our essential words
like kanisa (church), maji (water),
kama (like), damu (blood), safari
(journey), asubuhi (morning) and
some numbers, hints at our deeper
roots in Ethiopia, intrinsically em-
bedded in the language of Cre-
ation, Ge’ez. •
1 Genesis 5: 18-24; 2 Genesis 12; 3 Genesis 10:6-20

About the Writer

La’ake Maryam Reuben has attempted to translate the Emperor’s Autobiography from
Amharic to Swahili of which he’s just about done. He is conversant with the Amharic
language and a bit of Ge’ez from his theological studies in Ethiopia. He is also a devout
Twelve Tribes of Israel member of the Kenyan Chapter, and a host of a virtual C.D. radio
programme called Toregna that teaches both of these Ethiopic languages. He’s in ad-
dition a regular pilgrim to Ethiopia and an admirer of Abyssinian antiquity. •

A Retract by Small axe Magazine

The Warriors would like to take this oppor-
tunity to thank Rekebisho Rehabilition
Centre for their continued support in our
undertakings. Rekebisho has been sig-
nificantly helpful in hosting and accom-
modating us and our vision in our time
of dire need. This brotherly love can never
be equated with any material or the vain
things of this world. We are really grate-
ful for all this Non-Governmental Organi-
zation has done for us and the youths of
Mukuru as a whole. Surely your reward is
a Kingly prize, the jewel in the Crown.
Allow us also to set the record straight
concerning a misguided article that ap-
peared on the Sunday Nation on the 31st
August 2008. The printed article man-
aged to mix up facts between these two
independent organizations, that is, The
Warriors and Rekebisho by stating that
the former owned some residential inter-
ests in the vicinity. We would like to say
that it is indeed the latter that are the le-
gal owners of this estate. It went ahead
to ruffle up the feathers of the local ad-
ministration by misrepresenting that the
N.G.O has been at logger heads with the
area Chief for the longest time. This is
both false and untrue. We can vouch for
Rekebisho youths as being much disci-
plined and law abiding whose only con-
cern is to see that fellow youths nurture
their artistic and sporting talents.
We sincerely apologize for any misunder-
standing that might have stemmed out of
this apparently ignorant article and hope
that our historical relationship will con-
tinue to thrive on mutual trustworthiness.
Give thanks. •

Small Axe Publishers would like to acknowledge Luciano

in 2012 kenya
and his Contingent’s recognition of our efforts to spread
the message of love, faith and hope. We take strength will go to the
in this and reiterate that, a Rastaman’s words are a true polls again,
vine to stand on. Selahssie. with haunting
memories of the
last general
election.

But this time will be different. The Rasta Community in Kenya has decided to
field a presidential candidate. Rastamen normally don’t meddle in the politics
of the day, however the people have called upon us to do it. so let’s register
and vote in a Ras.

rasta for president. rasta 2012

 5

Rekebisho Rehabilitation Centre

run by youths for youths.
{ article by } Joseph Wainaina,
Chairperson Rekebisho Rehab. Centre
{ photo by } Bishop

There has been much speculation as to

where Rekebisho is located, what it does
and its mission. This has led to lots of
people either distorting the truth, out of
unenlightenment or mongering lies from
hear-say knowledge.

R
ekebisho Rehabilitation Cen­­­
tre is a project situated at
the heart of Mukuru Fuata
Nyayo Slum. Its overall objec-
tive is to empower vulnerable chil-
dren and youth in different circum-
stances to enjoy their rights and
fulfill their potential for sustain-
able well-being.
The program seek to empower
the target group through provision
of basic skills ranging from boxing,
Visual Arts, Music - in conjunction
with a recording studio, gymnas-
tics- body building, and early child
education program(Development). Ghetto family,09, an acrylic painting by Kastone. Training session for this body builder at the centre’s gym.
The poverty cycle recurs exponen-
tially worse as the youth find it more than words of encourage- then. Rekebisho knows only too way as exemplary as we possibly
even harder to access quality edu- ment for these youths. Back in No- well that in order to get through to can, the impact has always been
cation, employment opportunities vember 2003 the lead singer of the fellow youths who in most likeli- overwhelming, that sometimes we
and as a result they turn into crim- Mighty Culture, the Late Joseph ness are homeless or belong to the can hardly tell who is inspiring
inal activities, prostitution as alter- Hill paid a courtesy call. He was street families’ category, we must who.
natives to supplement their income very pleased with the centre that he appeal to their self-esteem. We We would equally like to recog-
and meet basic necessities. Rekebi- took a small pebble from the front must show them that they too can nize the support of all who have
sho is employing all necessary ave- yard and kept it as a memento. make it in life and be as success- been so kind in making the run-
nues to reduce poverty among the Italian based reggae musician Ras ful as anybody else. That they just ning of the centre ever so smooth
youth. Tewelde has also been a guest here have to believe in themselves, stay and easy even when the going was
Despite its location the cen- among other visitors and volun- focus and pursue their goals with a and is barely so. We are highly in-
tre has seen people of prominence teers, both local and from abroad passion. By gambit-ting ourselves debted to you. Thank you and may
visit it and theirs has been just dropping in on the centre now and as the living example, leading the God bless you. •

Live clean by Mtapa Warrior

{ photo by }Bishop and Odops (www.odopsworld.com)
Check out “Dingo na Sinya”, a Warrior Live-up Band rare video stream on:
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=20920011

[Man live x4] {Chorus} Live clean and let Jah works be seen, Tell dem more and more, Live clean and let
Jah works be seen, Show dem more and more, If you are a teacher, live clean, If you are a preacher, live
clean, If you are a doctor, live clean, You are a farmer, live clean, Mr. Politician, live clean, If you are a
musician, live clean, Sons and dawtahs, live clean, Tell de gal dem and dem bwoy too {Chorus} If you’re
a bad man with your bad mind. Change you attitude and change your character. Do someting positive jus
to prosper. Inna you life don’t be a trouble maker. I see dem pull you to mek yo a player hater. Dem back
biters perpetrator traitor. Don’t let dem oppressors give you pressure. [Man live x4]. We are not perfect,
we try fe mek it happen, And our saw also we go sharpen, We gwaan do de right thing no pretending, In de
eyes of man and de Ilmighty, If ah go wrong I ask for forgiveness, If ah go wrong Jah on ma knees am re-
penting, For no minute or second I wouldn’t be here, A clean mind and a pure heart mek wi tap dem, Bun
corruption and see beyond de curtain, Share it a big, share it a small if dem in need too, No bad hard feel-
ings to da brethren or you sistren, Don’t pollute the environment for we were the first to maintain, Healthy
environs comes clean people, Clean people mek righteous people, Righteousness exult the Nation, So
don’t be sinners or yo’ll never stand in the congregation of the righteous. [Man live x8] Till fades

StarGate Family mashes up Kenyan Coast
{ article by } Yah’cob
The Small Axe Magazine heard of the com-
ing of a mash-bashing band from Eng-
land sometime in August 2008, from my
Breddah Yah’cob but I had no idea they
were that and so much more. So I probed
the cool Rasta, now undoubtedly a Rhatid,
decent Reggae Promoter to get the whole
story on the STARGATE FAMILY, their maid-
en trip and concert in Kenya. Here is the
itinerary of their arrival, press conferenc-
es and the concert as kept by Yah’cob’s di-
ary. Please also find therein his commen-
tary that I personally find both genuine
and very interesting.
On the first day of November 2008,
0800Hrs +0300 GMT
StarGate family arrives inna Nairobi’s
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
They are met by Sista Loks founderess of
the Ras Foundation, Ras Ghetto, Free-
man, Incient Shujaa and I. We accompa-
ny them to their resting quarters. <Com-
mentary> We waved the Ites, Green and
Gold banner in deh airport as a group.
--
2nd November 2008
We visit Papa Nasty a disc jockey at Citizen
Radio station where StarGate family does
an interview spot and several drops.
--
3rd November 2008
We visit Pamojah Fm inna Kibera and they
”A one, A two, A three drums, baseline …Chucking, skanking,
grooving, prancing, rocking no rules no vows just do it anyhow...“
are interviewed by Jah Hill the reggae dj
at the station. Pamojah Fm is a vibrant
community radio organization located
in the Lang’ata constituency. Lang’ata
is popular among the Rastamen because
the Bobo Ashanti Mansion is headquar-
tered in the neighboring Rongai.
--
4th November 2008
We head to Metro Fm also known as House
of Reggae for an interview that is con-
ducted by Junior Dread. We later on at
night travel to Mombasa arriving there in
the morning of the 5th November Sum-
mer day.
--
6th November 2008
I take them to practice with the resident
band which is composed of five members;
three visually challenged and two with
normal vision. The band has at the Key-
board Dick. He plays for a local church
choir. Riddim Guitarist – Ras Dave, a very
6
experienced Kenya musician at the Coast.
Both he and Dick have full use of their
sight. Bass Guitarist is a retired Litera-
ture teacher at the Shimo La Tewa High
School. He is known as Tenai amazingly
he’s visually impaired. <Commentary>
Mzee mnoma sa­­na huyu! “This old man
is a really good instrumentalist,” more
like a marvel. Drum sets – A blind yout’
called Ali. <Commentary> Kwa kuroll
mwache tu! Mbaya sana! He rocks and
he rolls! Payaka! Trumpet – A half blind
youth who seeks anonymity but plays a vi-
tal role in the beautiful arrangement of
the harmony. <Commentary> Surely this
group is formed purposively to play for
StarGate family. This is a charity show
and everyone who’ll attend the show
will enjoy it. We expect a large number
✶ is the Jeff Mwangemi of the coast when it
to come for the concert.
--
7th November 2008
Unfortunately no rehearsal today since
the power is gone for the day.
--
8th November 2008
Make up rehearsals takes up the whole
morning. In the Afternoon I take them to
Baraka Fm for the now routine interview,
drops and jingles. They go back to their
quarters to prepare for the show tonight.
--
8th November 2008, 1945Hrs at Fon-
tana next to The Bamburi Beach Hotel.
Evening has come, I can see everyone is
spruced, hyped and blacked up. The stage
is set, the sound is checked probably for
the twentieth time now. The mic toaster
continually tests the microphones with
his interludatory jives. The dj has been at
it since we opened the dance floor at 6pm.
I can see folks as they enter some are fa-
miliar faces, some are tourists accompa-
nied by new-found friends. Casual social-
izing occasioned by heart-felt laughter
promise to let the good times roll.
The curtain raisers do their thing. Ras
Madedo shows off, who can blame him
he’s home and the feeling is irie. Bish-
op Dread never disappoints we now know
that for sure, Lion Paw Family’s Kimo-
jah is no new face at such events, new
strength though; he’s blazing fire red hot.
Then the moment we all have been wait-
ing for, enters StarGate family….Salutes.
A one, A two, A three drums, baseline …
Chucking, skanking, grooving, pranc-
ing, rocking no rules no vows just do it
anyhow, waltzing, twisting, raving, jam-
ming… 1 hour… Screaming, gyrating,
trancing, have I mentioned skanking?...
again more callie skanking, whirling,
stepping, twirling, swaying, rub-a-dub-
bing… 2 hours… craving, non-stop selec-
tion ramming, waving, wailing, swinging,
moving, jumping, romping, jouncing…
3 hours… and they still want more mu-
sic, balling, calling, imploring StarGate!
StarGate… pull out and come back again,
gwaan! Wheel it! Tell you ‘bout it. <Com-
mentary> Manze hawa watu wa bendi
wako poa wameroll it for 3 good hours,
“The band plays for 3 hours.” Let me
say the show is a success and its only
Jah who mek tings happen. Him ah Don
de Lion you dun knouw.
--
9th November 2008
All are resting the morning off. In the af-
ternoon I take them to Pwani Fm for an
interview with dj Ally Carlos. Ally Carlos
comes to reggae radio hosting.
--
10th November 2008
We visit Spinal Bifida Children and their
parents. We give our donation from the
gate collection. We then visit End Glory’s
Children home and here we present food-
stuff and gifts donated by the StarGate
family. <Commentary> Everyone we vis-
it is glad, grateful for our effort and
those of the StarGate family’s. Star-
Gate family enjoys it too, its pure hap-
piness in paradise.
--
11th November 2008
We do some shopping around town and
the markets for souvenirs.
--
12th November 2008
We travel to Nairobi by day and arrive late
evening. StarGate schedules to perform
at Kwetu Children’s Home the following
day. Unfortunately their flight leaves on
the 13th at 0900Hrs. So we decide to get
them up very early to present their dona-
tion to the orphans then rush to the air-
port. We get them there on time and off
they take to the air, back to England roots
re-Italized. <Commentary> I think they
overjoyed here in Kenya wakajisahau
“they lost track of time.” They want-
ed to stay longer but promised to come
back again possibly before the year is
through.
--
13th November 2008
<Commentary> The End, at least for
now. There you have it Rases and Prin-
cesses of Africa, the StarGate family ful-
la love, strikly Jah Waks overtime all the
time. •
This has been an excerpt from Yah’cob’s
diary on the itinerary of the StarGate
family concert at the Coastal city of
Mombasa, Kenya. Yah’cob is a member
of the One Heart organization based in
Mombasa. One Heart organizes charity
shows for Children homes at the coast.
They have previously fund raised for
two orphanages there with Jamaican/
Ethiopian Reggae artist Teddy Dan.
Special thanks to Kingston Medical
services, Fontana, Ras Foundation, and
all who made the concert a success.
Editorial
{ the small axe newsletter }
Small axe newsletter is part of the small axe
magazine published by the Warriors Self-
Help Group. Some of the proceeds go into
charitable organizations that the group
supports. You too could pledge support in
form of material items or services but NOT
money.
{ contact }
warriorsliveup@yahoo.com
or cell +254721296669
You could also reach the Chief Editor via e-
mail smallaxe.mag@gmail.com
or cell +254726885807
{ head office }
P.O. Box 00200-60554
Nairobi, Kenya
{ disclaimer }
Views and opinions held in this publication
do not necessarily reflect those of the pub-
lisher or those of the editorial crew. Due
diligence on submitted articles will be ex-
ercised however the editor reserves all the
rights to edit or rewrite them where deemed
fit. No reproduction is permitted in whole
or in part without prior written consent of
the publisher.
 7

Ghetto Echoes Studio tunes up as

Hewers of wood and drawers of water new Management Team takes over.
by Rasuli

Hewers of wood and
Drawers of water
Rule at last
Let’s rule the last
From a 40acre square to the White
House
That Great mansion slaves
Laid their lives as foundation
We now level claim to our own
Restoration and Redemption
As a people, as a Nation.
Dancing the hustle with Our warm { article by } Rasuli
kinsmen of Kogelo Repatriation is { photo by } Bishop
surely a MUST.
Ghetto Echoes studio the epic live record-
ing studio in an informal settlement area
Hewers of wood and
has started its plan towards keying up to
Drawers of water
quality standards. Located at the crux
On top of the world
of Mukuru Kayaba, the studio has been
And it is not lonely up here
recently inactive due to financial con-
straints that have kept eager artists who
Show them, show them
would wish to record there waiting long
Black ‘s beautiful
queues.
Black ‘s bold
Black ‘s strong

Hewers of wood and
Drawers of water
The tables have certainly turned
Just as they were foretold
Jim Crowed and Jemaimaed
Lynched, enslaved and chained
Dehumanized, degraded and hated
How far we have come
Now we have Real Africans
Baraka and Michelle Obama
Two daughters of Regal blood
How yet farther we have to carry on
Hewers of wood and
Drawers of water
In the White House
Through the wide open front door
No one lowered the bucket
No one paid out of their pockets
For the First African son President
He was and is the dream come true
He that could not be bought or
bought out
Take a bow, take a bow the Free world
as we know it
Rests on this man’s shoulders
And now for a change a Blackman will
shout out orders
Sharecroppers and
Pickers of cotton
Rejoice don’t be any longer forlorn seems taller could be shorter
You’re no more the hobble-dehoy of Or have had to ride a mule or a camel
the Human family
We have come of era, come of age
Back to the springs of the Motherland
By plane then by train, then by bus,
L
Black ‘s lovable
Black ‘s proud
Black ‘s wise
Black ‘s POWER, my brother.
Hewers of wood and
Drawers of water
Got them reaching back
To their inner BLAK self
They said we couldn’t do it
Mission impossible
Sent special agent
Mac from the lineage of Cain
And a heap of Sarah pain in the ass
Beating the rodents around the Bush
While the Hilarious Cling’d on
They can hold tight onto our backs
but not
Hold us back necessarily by means
Hewers of wood and
Drawers of water
The work has just begun.
Cleaning up 500years of mess
After Obama let there be on other
Looked down with a skewed odd-eye
because of his color
Mistreated or made feel unfit
Short linked off the equal opportunity
To become all he can ever be
Just because they have a funny name,
for that matter
To the land of the Chicago Bulls and
H. P. Newton of the B.P.P.S.D
As Hewers of wood and
uckily, the studio has now
charted a way forward con-
cerning the acquisition of
state of the art equipment, sound
proof material and the necessary
frameworks of the day in, day out
running of a modern live record-
ing studio.
Recently the interim committee
that was managing the studio was
replaced by a new team comprised
of three young men and a lady. The
new team promises to bring the
best out of the facility in terms of
creativity, originality, pomp and
local ownership. The studio was
set up by the Slum Rise Initiative
where musical artists from the sur-
rounding slums would have an op-
portunity to record their musical
ideas. The main objective was to
bridge the expansive divide that
still exists between artists who
have the means and those that
don’t. The former have the upper
hand when it comes to expressing
their ideas as opposed to the indi-
gent latter who don’t even have the
hopes of conducting their rehears-
als in seclusion let alone step up to
the vocal booth.
Ghetto Echoes Studio has made
tremendous strides in making sure
that at least one can have a feel of
The Orion in Warrior Mythology
A brand new bass guitar, one of the
many instruments in the studio
live instrumentation while rehears-
ing. Only last year the studio ac-
quired three guitars, a drum set,
medium size keyboard and some
microphones in a bid to bring the
studio to reality sound checks.
“With the new team now in
place things are looking up and
you should expect more from it,”
reaffirms one of the committee
members. The committee mem-
bers who all are aspiring musicians
and instrument players save for
one, are potentially charged with
the mandate to make the studio
the best it can ever be.
Very soon guns will fall silent
and the shatter echoes will be sub-
dued by sensational symphonies,
sweet melodies and smooth har-
monization of voices from the
“waste lands” of our industrial
backyards. •
To pledge your support to this noble cause
you can contact e-mail warriorsliveup@
yahoo.co.uk RE: Ghetto Echoes studio.

A
then by boat, then by foot Drawers of water ccording to popular Greek
And we were home in the clear skies, K.K.They’ll just have to learn to { article by } Rasuli mythology the Orion giant
fresh air, and the contours of Our ut- love us as equals { photo by } Bishop was the hunter of Boeotia
most cradle And increase the peace • who was slain by Artemis the vir-
In astronomy there’s a very prominent gin goddess of hunting and moon,
constellation, the Orion. It lies on the ce- plausibly out of jealousy. While
lestial equator where the Betelgeuse and other legends hold that Diony-

✶ Rigel stars outshine the rest in this clus-

ter. The Orion stars align themselves as a
“Let there be no purpose in friendship trapezium-human like figure with three
stars across the mid-section called the
save the deepening of the spirit.” Orion’s belt and another three stars slant
down known as the Orion’s sword. This
His Imperial Majesty Haile-Selassie I feature owns the constellation the term,
the Hunter.
sus in a drunken stupor gouged
the Orion’s eyes blinding him in
the process. Most interesting and
the cause for contradiction with
us The Warriors is the theory that
this great hunter of the Great Neb-
ula eminence was stung to his de-
mise by a scorpion while on a

hunting mission on earth.
We strongly believe that the
Orion rises over the Scorpius
and dashes it afoot each and ev-
ery time. The Orion is a gallant
young warrior who because of
his radical outlook towards life
is shunned by a conforming soci-
ety. This society throws obstacles
in his way, impediments of many
designs and assembles like unem-
ployment, poverty, mis-education,
exploitation, betrayal, police bru-
tality and injustice. At the same
An Axe-pose of how the First ever Reggae F.M station in
Africa is both a sham and a shame
{ article by } Rasuli
{ photo ( frontpage ) by } Bishop
The calend of August 2005 marked in ear-
nest when Metro F.M went on air as an ex-
clusively Reggae radio station. The rates
shot the roof and the addictive Jam jams
were the ‘mention’ of the yard. Kenya had
set foot on the fact that it’s not only reg-
gae mad, but a familiar destination for
the genre. Despite many Pan-African re-
patriates settling in Ethiopia and Ghana,
Kenya had thus just confirmed that this
(Rastafari and Rasta) consciousness is
still ours, Zeen?!
M
etro F.M now House of
Reggae went further in
curving up a formidable
listenership that even at one time,
received a live call from some Ital-
ian breddah inquiring if his music
could be played by the station. The
response was of course cordially
welcomed. How proud the station
had made us feel then, we didn’t
get a chance to listen to his tracks
though, well…
The media trend at this time
was towards segmentation of the
audience necessitated by an ad-
vertisers’ nook. The radio media
in Kenya had just gotten a brain-
wave. There was now more than
ever a steady deliberate move on
the idea of market share, justi-
fied with about all kinds of varie-
gated demographics and categori-
cal analyses.
When Royal Media group cap-
italized on vernacular broadcast-
ing, fields Kenya Broadcasting
Corporation K.B.C had ventured
earlier but only whetted the appe-
tite then figuratively, starved the
community masses whose few lan-
guages they broadcasted in. Other
broadcaster groups and individ-
uals flocked their respective poli-
cies. For example Classic F.M. of
the Radio Africa Holdings went
grooving with the best of the 70’
8
time this scorpion-society fails
to see beyond its own greed, rigid
control and ephemeral narcissis-
tic satisfaction. It further courts
peril by allowing itself to be used
to wage war against its savior the
Orion Warrior. Consequently, The
Orion Warrior in raging anger,
seething with righteousness pulls
out his own eyes so that he can see
the Scorpius for who it really is,
without compromise or favor, the
arch-enemy both to him and itself.
The Orion Warrior follows the
and 80’s Soul and sister station
Kiss F.M. assumed the fresh hits
counter; even coined the catch-
phrase “the first for fresh hits”. Re-
sultantly, many more stations fell
into position according to genre,
advertising revenue - constantly
determined by the logistics of fre-
quencies radii and the audience
preferences.
Presently some of these stations
have religiously stuck to their in-
tentions with some enjoying enor-
mous market capitalization. How-
ever, a few have lost their identity,
though subtly nothing radical due
to the best re-adjustment in or-
der to profiteer. Regrettably, the
once shining beacon for Reggae
music lovers has fallen prey to the
cut-throat-steal-your-only-goat
race of the mainstream. House of
Reggae’s 24/7 Pure Niceness claim
has become not only a sham but
to say the least, a damn right dis-
grace. Although, some are of the
view that they expected it sooner
or later, after the -desperate cam-
paign- in my humble opinion to
market the station as “you don’t
haffi dread” to tune in.
Indeed now in retrospect avid
listeners have called off the bluff
and are angered by the ride they
have been taken. Complains have
been expressed on the inadequa-
cies of playing relevant selection
that elicit youthful happy or mili-
tant memories for the older gener-
ation and good mentoring for the
young blood. Excesses of contem-
porary riddims that are often cover
versions of earlier renditions, ef-
fortlessly riddled with the lack of
originality have brought down the
monumental sheen.
According to a report by the Af-
rican Media Development Initia-
tive on the development and chal-
lenges in the radio sector in Kenya,
there is founded fear of retrogres-
sive successes as quote “… radio
focused on the youth often has a
tendency to use obscene and un-
Scorpius to the ends of the world
crushing all its resistance and alle-
giance of doom till they both meet
in a bloody stand off. The Scorpius
loses its life but not before laying
its eggs in a hearth where the tired
Orion can’t see or figure out, that
he’ll just have to wait until the new
hatchings come due of age and
here we go again, another con-
quest gory as well as timeless.
This interpretation would ex-
plain the misgiving that the Scor-
pius is always rising when the
becoming language…” This path
Ra forbid may be what is being
trekked by our beloved station;
that delights in a near 30% audi-
ence share which is predominately
youthful. Listener of the Lover’s
Rock show might bear proof to
the lewd discussions and debauch
sexual innuendoes that are enter-
tained by the host, ‘forcing’ call-
ers to participate in them in or-
der to play their favorite requests.
At least majority of these people’s
overture highlights an undertone
of the X-rated nature by concen-
trating more on the man-woman
love relationship issues, thus plac-
ing squarely the irrelevancy of
great pay of mind to only coitus.
Strangely, as if skimming over the
genre’s over three million songs
plus to choose from is not enough
the national F.M. station has the
nerve to allocate two hours to Hip-
Hop music on Sunday evening.
The sheer impunity is baffling and
here we thought the Communica-
tion Council of Kenya C.C.K is
supposed to check into this kind
of hoax by local radio stations.
It may well be tardily recorded
here that we (Small Axe Newslet-
ter) couldn’t get the precise back-
ground information on this sta-
tion as it was, prior privatization
in 2005, under the laws termed as
Orion is setting. Similarly so, there
are several other erroneous exege-
ses about the youths of past days
and those yet to come subsisting.
That as it may be, we’re assured
of victory triumphant like the pro-
verbial anecdote of Shadrach, Me-
shach and Abednego, walking out
unscorched from the fiery furnace
edicted to be thrown in, to burn by
then king of Babylon Nebuchad-
nezzar, whose zodiac sign does not
surprise us at all as being that of
the scorpion. •
“Acts of Parliament”. However we
learnt that before being licensed,
every radio station must state
clearly what genre of music it in-
tends to broadcast among other
consistent specifics, also that iron-
ically it must be communicated (to
C.C.K) ahead of any change of
broadcast intent or content as well
as being aired or made public.
Expectedly, the station should
have to the effect communicated
this change to its loyal audience
who might not have forgotten the
promise made to them during its
launch four years ago. In contrary
to, lately, by mere airing promo-
tional spots for this adulteration,
the station seems even more un-
yieldingly resolute to belittle the
audience’s power to choose for
himself what he wants to listen to,
whenever he wishes to do so. Lead-
ing to the crucial question where
does gangster rap get off being
pure and nice in a 24/7 reggae F.M
station?
Frankly, Hip-Hop no mat-
ter how old school it gets, deeper
than KRS One and drum, hair and
base as the Roots can’t quite com-
pare to the King’s music, Reggae.
So, House of Reggae kindly gi wi
de roots an’ culture, nuh pop nuh
style. •