One of Europe’s most popular reggae festivals has become another
casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic, joining the list of arts events that
have had to cancel their 2020 presentations or move to a virtual format because
of the global health crisis.
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| Ziggy Marley performing at Reggae Sun Ska in 2019. (Photo courtesy of the festival.) |
The festival, Reggae Sun Ska, held annually for 22 years in
France’s Médoc wine region, announced that it would not take place this year
but would be back in August 2021. It also launched the hashtag #SunSkaSoonCome.
“This is usually the time when we count the days before the
doors open… when the excitement of organizing this festival so dear to us
becomes palpable, and when we look forward to hearing the bass reverberating on
stage and festival-goers rushing to the entrance with their smiles,” stated the
organizers.
“But after growing uncertainty… we must resign ourselves
to cancelling the festival this year.”
The three-day event is known for bringing together music
fans to enjoy reggae, calypso, zouk, dancehall and other forms of Caribbean
music now performed globally.
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| Singer Tiken Jah Fakoly at Reggae Sun Ska 2019. (Photo courtesy of the festival.) |
In 2019, some 27,500 spectators traveled from far and wide
to see internationally renowned artists such as Jamaica’s Buju Banton and Ziggy
Marley; Trinidad’s Calypso Rose; France’s Dub Inc; Brazil’s Flavia Coelho; and
Ivory Coast’s Alpha Blondy and Tiken Jah Fakoly. According to participants, the
shows were some of the best put on by the festival, the largest event of its kind in France.
The 2020 line-up was to have included young Grammy winner Koffee, Zouk pioneers Kassav and legendary UK band Steel Pulse. But despite remaining
“mobilized to move forward”, organizers said the decision to cancel was
“inevitable” when the French government announced that public gatherings would
be restricted after the end of lockdown on May 11.
Still, the festival has got used to dealing with setbacks
over the years, surviving criticism and debates about what Reggae Sun Ska means
for the Médoc region and having to relocate from one venue to another. The organizers
say they are determined to guarantee the event’s “longevity”, and, alongside
the music, they now offer a range of well-being activities, including outdoor
yoga and dance.
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| A poster announces the 2021 Reggae Sun Ska dates. |
“Sun Ska is a spirit, it's a family, it's a way of life, a
way to think, a philosophy, and this state of mind is nothing Utopian,” said
the event’s director Fred Lachaize, following the success of last year.
“Living together, learning together, co-building, recalling
the essential values that make up our education and our daily life. This is the
basis of our … collective gathering,” he stressed.
Lachaize and his team said the festival would “overcome
this new obstacle to offer an unparalleled edition in 2021”.
Acknowledging that the arts sector is among the hardest hit
by the pandemic, the festival organizers also called for support in ensuring
that cultural events continue to exist, and they expressed concern for the vast
numbers of people who’ve contracted Covid-19 as well as for workers on the
frontlines.
“We often talk about ‘well-being’ and ‘living well
together’ at Sun Ska, so let's take care of ourselves and others,” they urged.
– SWAN
Follow SWAN on Twitter: @mckenzie_ale
Follow SWAN on Twitter: @mckenzie_ale
