A flash from my past makes my weekend.

In 1973 my mom packed up her Chevy truck, packed up our few belonging, and loaded my sister and I in the truck, and we headed north out of the city of LA. Our destination: The Wild Wild West, The Final Frontier, The Great Expanse, the beautiful hills of Humboldt County in Northern California. There was a movement in the early 1970’s to head for the hills, and create an alternative life away from societal norms and restrictions. I was one of the fortunate one’s who got to grow up in the redwoods, run wild in the hills, learn to live off and love the land, unlike the children in suburban USA who would never get to experience these things.

There was an incredible community of artists, scholars, musicians, wizards, and witches that was emerging, and it was quite fantastic. We lived without electricity, using the power of the sun or wind to illuminate our home. We did not have indoor plumbing, so yes we used the back to nature theme when using the bathroom. It was a simple life, but exquisite at the same time. My mom got to stay home and raise us, rather then working away her life and never seeing her children. We laughed, played music, gardened, listened to mystery hour on the local radio, and pretty much had the best life a child could ever dream of. Over time things changed, although slightly at first, now it is quite different from when were running naked through the woods. More money has arrived, more people, more commerce. The community is still alternative, but just different. Only the old schoolers still use their outhouses.

In 1984, the local community came together and decided to create a music festival celebrating the freedom and movement of Reggae. And this is how Reggae on the River was born. The first year there were maybe 2000 people that attended, and now over 20 years later the music festival with the world renowned moniker of Reggae On The River, has more then 15,000 people from all over the world flocking to the hills of Humboldt County to experience the fun in the sun weekend. Playa del Carmen reminds me a bit of Humboldt County. Artists, musicians, and scholars, have flocked to this area of the world to create a laid back alternative lifestyle that seems to be becoming extinct in every other part of the world. And although there is an increasing number of people immigrating every day, I hope that we will still have the freedom vibe that has permeated places like Humboldt and Playa del Carmen.

One way to ensure this way of life keeps a firm grasp on the Rivera Maya, is to create venues for artists and freedom fighters to express their creativity and thought. This past weekend, Rasta del Carmen did just that, it was the first annual reggae festival put on by a local production company, Movement of Jah People, and it brought me back to the fantasy and wonder of my youth. It was raw in form, but the message was there, and everyone grooved to the likes of old school reggae and dance hall. There was incredible talent from all over the world, and if I have anything to say about it, it will soon become a staple of Playa del Carmen living. Reggae in the Caribbean, could it get any better?