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Large congregation pays last tribute to Rastafarian patriarch, Mortimo Planno
By Basil Walters Sunday Observer Reporter
Sunday, March 26, 2006

In death, as in life, Mortimo St George Planno brought the various strands
of the Rastafarian movement together, at a packed thanksgiving service
remembering his life and work yesterday at the Holy Trinity Ethiopian
Orthodox Church, 89 Maxfield Avenue in Kingston.

And although he was not a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, Planno, as
he was fondly called, was symbolically conferred by the group with the
title "Rt Honourable", an adaptation of the national title and a public
show of their respect for the Rastafarian patriarch.

"He was an agreeable force, always unifying the different threads of
light," said former national football star Allan 'Skill' Cole, a
self-professed progeny of Planno. "Kumi (as Planno was also known) was a
free spirit moving through all the different houses of Rastafari, bringing
forth understanding that would evolve eventually into the unification of
Rastafarians."

The congregation of well-wishers packed the relatively small Maxfield
sanctuary and overflowed onto the grounds to hear tribute after tribute
extolling the virtues of the man regarded by many as the most influential
Rastafarian of his time.

In front of the altar his red, green and gold casket was adorned with two
wreaths and a single candle burnt, representing the light that would
perpetually shine for Mortimo Planno.

Planno, who died on March 5, was a founding member of the Rastafari
Movement Association and was credited with numerous initiatives for the
advancement and development of what is now a worldwide movement, as well as
his ceaseless efforts in organisation and centralisation of the Rastafari
community.

"This title of honour, Rt Honourable, given by us the Rastafarian brethren
of Twelve Tribes of Israel... demonstrates our conviction and his
(Planno's) own ideals that we as Rastafarians must possess and retain the
right to define and honour our own leaders, as opposed to waiting on others
to do so or to categorise or define them for us," said Twelve Tribes
representative Karl Phillpotts Naphtali.

"The Rt Honourable Mortimo Planno in our eyes represents the energy and
aspiration of the African, who was illegally removed from the motherland...
and never compromised the desire to return to her soil to play his part in
the total liberation, unification and development of that great continent,
Naphtali, an author said."

University of the West Indies professor, Barry Chevannes, declared that
"not since the passing of Robert Nesta Marley has the passing of a Rastaman
attracted such national and international attention as the passing of the
man we honour today, Mortimo Planno".

Chevannes, who also brought tributes on behalf of several local and
overseas-based academics added: "From Africa, Europe, North America and the
Caribbean have come outpourings of sympathies and inquiries about his
funeral. Journalists from the Independent and Guardian, two of Britain's
leading daily newspapers, have contacted us in preparing obituaries."

Posing the rethorical question, "What has Mortimo Planno done to warrant
such attention and recognition?" Chevannes said: "Because he was a leader
of men, that's why... and that was why from his early life as a young
dreadlock - when the dreadlock trend among the brethren was but a
signature-mark of young rebels within the movement - Kumi rose to national
and international prominence."

He said Planno had displayed a remarkable stroke of genius in connecting
with the University of the West Indies to broker peace and greater
understanding of the Rastafari. "And then towards being recognised by the
Negus Negas (King of Kings) to render special service to him (His Imperial
Majesty) on that historic day on April 21, 1966," a reference to the
three-day state visit 40 years ago of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I.

The prime minister, in his tribute read by Senator Delano Franklyn,
described Planno as a cultural icon whose labour resulted in a rich harvest
which impacted positively on the Jamaican landscape.

"Planno's passing has ended an exemplary life of service, and commitment.
He played a significant role in building a movement which rests on sound
foundations and challenges the rest of our country to emulate," Patterson
said. "For indeed, we all would do well to emulate the nation-building
qualities of the Rastafari Movement: unshakeable nationalism, firm belief
in self, unwavering bonds of community and self-reliance, the virtues of
industry, hard work and the central role of spiritualism."

Professor Rex Nettleford recalled that it was Planno, along with some
brethren back in 1960, who invited the University of the West Indies to
study the Rastafari Movement to get a better understanding of its
progressive vision and to help the society to become liberated from the
obscurity of itself. "His time among us was indeed a blessing."

Music industry mogul Chris Blackwell said that Planno must be recognised
for the work he did a long time ago that paved the way for spreading the
Rastafarian community all over the world.
Nettleford's and Blackwell's tributes were read by Professor Chevannes in
their absence.