The Reggae Nation: Global Legacy of Bob Marley & The Wailers

Martijn Huisman was born in 1986 in the Netherlands in the city of Rotterdam, where he is currently based. He is a long-time reggae fan, experienced researcher and author, and husband to a reggae-loving wife and father of two young children. Professionally, Huisman is an academic- and market researcher, with a BA in History and a MA in Media and Journalism (both Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands) and a recently obtained doctoral degree (PhD) in Communication Sciences from Ghent University (Belgium).”  Huisman discovered roots reggae in the early 2000s when he was a teenager. One day, he and his friend settled down with drinks. He put an LP on his turntable and it was ‘Catch a Fire, by Bob Marley and the Wailers. He already knew Marley superficially from songs like ‘One Love’ and ‘Three Little Birds’, which were always played on the radio, particularly in the summer. But what he heard that afternoon was something completely different. It was music which he had never heard before, with hard-hitting lyrics and a simmering sense of rebellion speaking through the sounds and words. It immediately intrigued and fascinated Huisman. Reggae became the inspirational soundtrack to his daily life after that. Looking back, Bob Marley really served as a gateway to the world of reggae; the countless great reggae artists and bands from around the world all the way from the 1960s to the present day.”  

Huisman never had the chance to see Marley and many other reggae stars live on stage. This is perhaps the reason for the fascination and the reason for my desire to discover and understand the world of reggae through research and writing. In his student years, Martijn started to dig in archives and do interviews to get the full picture of the visits of Marley and the Wailers to Japan (where I studied some time) and the Netherlands. This resulted in an online work entitled Jamming in Japan: Bob Marley & The Wailers in Japan 1979. It was followed in 2018 by the photo book Babylon By Bus: Bob Marley & The Wailers Live and Up Close (English) / Babylon By Bus: Bob Marley & The Wailers in Nederland (Dutch) in collaboration with pop photographer Gijsbert Hanekroot. So, in short, it started really small with trying to find out more about Marley’s concerts in Japan and the Netherlands and gradually it just kept growing and growing, eventually into these two books, Babylon By Bus and The Reggae Nation.” In the late summer of 2011, I stumbled upon a YouTube video called ‘Redemption Song, Song Around The World’ by Playing for Change, which aims for positive change through music and arts education. Bob Marley’s son Stephen and musicians and singers from Japan, Congo, Italy, Jamaica, India, Cape Verde, and Spain render a really beautiful version of Marley’s masterpiece ‘Redemption Song’. That video really captivated Huisman because it showed, in a direct and pure way, Marley’s music being played and celebrated around the globe. More importantly, it inspired him to continue my research adventures. Not long after, he embarked on a new journey of discovery, this time to explore the global legacy and presence of Bob Marley and the Wailers. The fruit of that ten-year journey is his new book, The Reggae Nation: The Global Legacy of Bob Marley & the Wailers.”  

From the very beginning, he envisioned a visually rich and colourful book, but with depth and meaning, resulting from serious research. As the project progressed, he found it important to keep creative control over the book as much as possible. Moreover, the book was never about making money and turning a profit.  “Bob Marley once said: ‘Money is numbers and numbers never end. If it takes money to be happy, your search for happiness will never end.’ I started and undertook this massive project not to make money, but to satisfy my curiosity about the achievements and legacy of Bob Marley and the Wailers and to share my passion and knowledge with others.” Huisman stated. The Reggae Nation highlights his commitment to reggae and is his way of giving something back to the music which has given me so much. The project has a non-profit character; the proceeds of book sales (after covering the production costs) go to charity, namely the non-profit organization HELP Jamaica! supports educational projects in Jamaica to bring positive change and create opportunities for children, youths, and adults to learn and empower themselves. “So, what I hope to accomplish is that many people will enjoy the book and join me in supporting the people in Jamaica, where the great music we call reggae originates from”, said Huisman. 

The book can be ordered directly with the author, which has the benefit of the book being numbered, autographed, and personalized. Also, when ordering directly via the author, buyers receive an exclusive set of three custom-designed bookmarks as well as some other surprises. The book is of course also available via the large, well-known shops and online platforms. For book orders and more information see: www.reggaenationbook.com