Trench Town Live! – Celebrating the Place Where Reggae was Born

Home of reggae icons like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and, the Wailers, the community of Trench Town, in association with Kingston Creative, hosted “Trench Town Live!” a community day of arts and craft, walking tours and a concert.

Trench Town Live! Artwalk

The day starts with a cultural walking tour around the Trench Town community, famously dubbed the “birthplace of reggae” due to the many Reggae icons the community produced. The aim of the walking tour, in association with Kingston Creative, is to promote community tourism and empowerment. The Trench Town Live! walking tour was led by local volunteers and youth from Trench Town.

The first stop on the walking tour is to the Trench Town Reading Centre, a library and education centre focused on improving literacy and personal development skills in children of the community.  The Reading Centre has an extensive afro-centric library where children can read and learn more about Jamaica’s culture and ties to Africa.

As the tour continues, different community volunteers take turns highlighting areas of significance within Trench Town. The volunteer guides share their own stories of the community and immediately painted a vivid picture of life in Trench Town.

Stops along the tour also include cultural walk up First Street; a visit to the Ceramic Centre; and viewing the Ambassador Theatre – one of Jamaica’s premier open roof theatre in the 1980s. The Walking Tour ends with a photo-opp at the Wilton Gardens Train Park, which is the site of an old steam engine locomotive from the 1960s.  

Trench Town Live! Arts and Craft

The Arts play a significant role in Trench Town’s history. Not short of reggae legends, the community also nurtures ceramic artisans, painters, and fabric weavers. Trench Town Live! Artwalk was filled with performances, music and live mural painting. Michael Robinson – lead painter for the murals – gave a review of the murals being painted and a quick demonstration.

At the Trench Town Ceramic Centre, we were given a first hand look at clay washing, the different types of equipment used to make ceramics, and ceramic painting. The Ceramic Centre is a large building chock full of beautiful ceramics designed by local artists on display. The clay used is found in Trench Town and is noted for its high quality. Each ceramic design hinted at Jamaican culture imbued with Jamaican pride.

Live Music Concert

What’s a cultural tour to Trench Town without some sweet reggae music? Trench Town Live! culminated in a lively music concert at Culture Yard – the home of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and The Wailers. A mix of local and international musicians graced the stage and played their favourite renditions of iconic reggae songs of old and new. Acts included Y.A.R.D Empire, a Kingston-based youth group for boys; local reggae artist Deenie Dread; and Musicians Without Border, an international group of travelling bandmates.

My Take on Trench Town Live!

The Trench Town Live is the third in a series of community-led cultural tours, put on by Kingston Creative in collaboration with community youth and volunteers. The Trench Town Live! Artwalk reminded me of the cultural significance of Trench Town to Jamaica’s heritage, music influence and cultural impact on the world.

Jamaican culture that the world has come to know and love wasn’t created “Uptown”. It was cultivated by marginalized Jamaicans who came together in community to create our beloved culture…as a means of their survival.

Kingston Creative understands this profoundly. Respects this culture deeply and constantly works to amplify the voices and cultures of these communities. Preserving our intangible culture is necessary. Artwalk by Kingston Creative is a monthly series that highlights this with grace and humility.

Trench Town Live! reminds us that there is vibrancy in our garrisons. Beauty in our ghettos. And rich creativity in Downtown Jamaica.