The Bob Marley concert in Imphal. Picture by Eastern Projections

Imphal, Feb. 7: Long before “rebel” became a dirty word in the Northeast and elsewhere, a musical genius with a rebellious streak implored everyone to Get up, stand up/stand up for your rights and the world responded.

Last night, on Bob Marley’s 63rd birth anniversary, musicians from around the region gathered in Imphal for a tribute that was as much about celebrating the Rastafarian legend’s music as about lighting the torch of hope — metaphorically — in every oppressed soul who has the urge to rebel like he did.

Produced and promoted by the Folk Art and Culture Guild of Manipur in collaboration with Meghalaya-based Springboard Surprises, Exodus: The Bob Marley Tribute could well have been a Shillong gig in terms of ambience, enthusiasm and appreciation of music.

The lead vocalist of the Roots Reggae Band, Keith Wallang, stirred the capacity crowd at the Iboyaima Shumang Lila Sanglen with his rendition of the Marley classic Natural Mystic and appropriately ended the concert with Exodus. In between, Phu Ning Din from Assam’s Karbi Anglong district had the fans tapping their feet with the reggae anthem Buffalo Soldier.

The other artistes who performed at the concert were Daniel Boko from Arunachal Pradesh, hometown hero Reuben Mashangva, Dymsal and Sarhlee from Shillong and Jerry Sailo of Mizoram. Some of them sported long, braided hair like Marley did.

Wallang gave away interesting mementoes, including T-shirts with Marley’s picture emblazoned across them, and cigarette cases to those who correctly answered questions on the singer’s life and music. An excited boy who won a T-shirt said: “May the world become a more peaceful place and the soul of the reggae king rest in peace. I enjoyed the concert, and it felt like I was listening to the genius himself.”

Manipur’s Laishram Momo, a drummer of some repute, put things in perspective by calling Marley’s music “relevant to all of us” in the Northeast. “We are paying tribute to the king of reggae because his songs are patriotic and give inspiration to the oppressed and downtrodden.”

The Roots Reggae Band, comprising singers from across the region, celebrates Marley’s birthday every year with a concert but Imphal hosted the concert for the first time.

Born in Jamaica in 1945, Marley died young of cancer — at the age of 36 in 1981. The most striking characteristic of his music was that it transcended race, gender and class.

“To those fighting oppression, his ‘rebel music’ has a particular resonance. But one need not be oppressed and dispossessed to embrace Marley’s message of liberation, his anthems of hope and his dreams of freedom,” Momo said.