Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Capleton was the ladies' favourite at Empress Menen's concert held at UWI Old Library last Saturday, March 24. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer

Just before Capleton came onstage early Sunday morning to seal the concert in honour of Empress Menen that led to the closing of a conference at the Old Library, UWI, Mona, there was a moment worthy of the building's former purpose.

A book entitled Healing The Nation and the Kingdom of Rastafari was presented onstage, but not before some very serious words from Ya Asantuah at the musical break in the '5th Annual Empress of Zion Health Retreat Conference for Healing, Reconciliation & Rejoicing'.

Encouraging some Rastafarian men with significant financial resources to not treat the Rasta lady 'a way' when she is at his gate, she said, "some Rastaman that sing onstage don't like Rastawoman because them treat Rastawoman like beggars."

A copy of the book was presented to Queen Mother Moses, who reaffirmed that "I and I are committed to the Rastafari creed. That is our mission."

And there was applause from those gathered at the Old Library when she said, "We agree to disagree in a warm and loving manner."

She noted that Empress Menen was crowned on the same day as Emperor Haile Selassie, thereby restoring the woman to her rightful place and thanked entertainer Sizzla for providing the bus that carried people to the hot springs in St. Thomas as part of the conference. And as Asantuah sent the evening back to music, she said, "Any rumours that Capleton don't like Rastawoman, tonight we deal with that."

It was a small gathering, falling way short of filling the already relatively small venue, for a concert to recorded tracks that at times seemed a bit disjointed with a series of short performances. There was no shortage of enthusiasm, though, for Capleton, from his opening That Day Will Come to exhortations to 'tune up' and declaration woman we lotion, we no lotion man, screams greeting Mongohonorebel's wish to hold her in my arms. Kulcha Knox and Capleton shared lines on a song at length to delight the audience, Jah Malo also making his contribution in the closing salvo from David House.

In the earlier going, coming up to 1:00 a.m., EQ said happy birthday to Empress Menen, crooning "mama say from the day me born, she know sey me a Rasta" as she

worked around a sometimes uncooperative CD. Boom Dawn requested 'Parental Guidance' while Empress moved from poetry that spoke of a man "who is one of a kind, he is so pure", then sang her wish that "I want to fly, fly so high", sending her respects to Angie Angel and Lady G.

Fire Pashonended the run of female artistes, Sean Sweetness, History I-Man, Mike General, Jahmali, Sugar Minott and Fredlocks among those performing before the book presentation.