No Woman, No Cry: In Conversation with Rita Marley

I don’t know what it was that convinced me to pick up No Woman No Cry at my local bookstore one Saturday afternoon in early 2005. Though I’d always been a fan of Bob Marley’s music (who isn’t?) I didn’t know much about the man other than that he was a devout Rastafarian and profound and prolific songwriter. That was enough for me. No Woman No Cry was a complete impulse buy but from the first page to the last I was hooked! Not just on the insights into the life and motivations of the great Bob Marley, but on the story of how his wife Rita survived turbulent times and public heartbreak to stand by her man.

Reading the book was a frustrating and infuriating experience. You wonder how an obviously intelligent and articulate woman could allow herself to be abused and humiliated by her husband’s frequent public affairs. You want to fling the book down in protest at Rita’s tacit compliance in her husband’s infidelity but because it’s a page turner, you’re forced to bear witness to the tragedy that ensues. With every page you feel moved to simultaneously shake her and console her. Perhaps it’s a woman thing.

Despite that, you can’t help but have respect for Rita Marley’s struggle. Mother, Wife, Widow, Grandmother, Activist, Philanthropist, Rita Marley is all of these things and more. She’s also a woman on a mission to see her and her late husband’s dream of African unity fulfilled. “Bob’s words were prophetic,” Rita insists. “He said, How good and how pleasant it will be towards God and man to see the unification of all Africans. As its been said already, let it be done. We’re hoping and praying that God will bless us with the strength to go all over Africa to bring attention to our people for unity. That’s the only strength we have as black people.”

When I met Nana Rita, as she is now known, she was in high-spirits. Not only was she in her favourite place, amongst the plants and flowers of her garden in the mountains of Aburi, Ghana, she was also celebrating the birth of her forty-second grandchild. Here she explains why it’s important to keep Bob Marley’s vision alive.

Q: What is it that drives you to keep Bob’s legacy alive?
A: Love for Bob and his livication. He died for the cause of his people. I knew it was real because I was a part of it. Everything that we do is for the purpose of our people. As a black woman with children and grandchildren I see a great future ahead. It’s important that we stand for the cause and keep the mission going so there is one Africa.

Q: Do you ever feel bitter that Bob gave so much of his life to the cause?
A: You have to give and take. There are times when you do but then when you realise what life means and what happens after death, if you believe in life after death

Q: When was the Rita Marley Foundation established and what is its mission?
A: It was set up about five years ago when I was enstooled as Queen Mother in a village called Konkonuru near Aburi. One of its main missions is to protect the poor and care for the infants. We have developed a lot of things. There’s a road, we’ve bought water, a community centre and now we’re in the process of building a health care centre with a holistic programme in terms of restoration, especially the old people, restoring them with their own natural herbs.

Q: What special role can women play in development?
A: Leadership. Leadership. Come on, leadership! It’s time for women to be on top as leaders and it starts in Africa. Why should Africa be in poverty when we are so rich in wealth from what God has given us on earth? We as black women should see ourselves as role models for our children and our children’s children and make our ancestors proud of us because we have a great heritage as black people. SA.

For more information on the Rita Marley Foundation visit www.ritamarleyfoundation.org.
No Woman, No Cry: My Life with Bob Marley can be purchased from Amazon.