BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WEEKS after Jamaican Reggae Singer Etana performed at the Miss Labour Queen Show in St. Kitts and explained during her performance that although her hair was not locked she was indeed a child of Rastafari, a report on Yardflex.com stated that the artiste was baptised into Christianity.
“I am not gonna put no fake locks pon my head; it is all in my mind,” she said to the audience.
The report stated that Etana, whose real name is Shauna McKenzie, on Sunday, May 31 took a bold step and turned her life to the Lord and got baptised.
The artiste, who came to prominence in 2005 with her debut single ‘Wrong Address’, is known for her culturally chic wardrobe choices and steadfast commitment to the tenets of Rastafari.
“In the video for her follow-up single ‘Roots’, the heroine most reminiscent of the singer’s physical appearance is depicted as a young woman opposed to the western ideologies her family subscribes to. This baptism at a Christian church has come as a real shocker to those in the dancehall,” Yardflex.com reported.
However, on the artiste’s Myspace blog, dated June 1 and titled Religion and Philosophy, in an enlightened mood Etana wrote about the birth of the son of God and described it as an unprecedented and an unrepeatable long-awaited phenomenon.
She also said that it is no mockery, joke or surprise that as a Rasta she embraces Christianity.
“I have not turned my back on the teachings of Marcus, Martin Luther King or Selassie I. I have embraced them to the fullest and will try my best to live as close to all their teachings as much as I can,” she said. “When we think of Christians we think of a set of people kissing up to white god. Well, love has no color! I have never seen God in his physical except through the eyes and aura of man, but I know love and I know that my spirit lives on forever no matter what people say.”
She stated that someone asked her what makes her think she could bridge the gap between Christianity and Rastafarianism, and her reply was, “We must start from somewhere. Love, unity, togetherness, oneness…we speak all these things yet we are so divided. What do you expect from our children then?”
In terms of her new faith affecting her career, Etana stated that her music would speak for everyone on everyday situation, regardless of religion, class, color or creed.
“Life affects my music, people day to day living affects my music. I am the voice of the voiceless, I speak for everyone, so don’t expect me to have an album on religious talk or Pentecostal songs or Rastafarian songs.
“My belief is my belief and I make no apologies, expect me to continue doing songs of truth and real life situations always,” she said.
As many are shocked by her apparent change of faith and have been commenting on her blog for and against her new decision, Etana stated that it was simply her, not a religious debate but just her thoughts and opinions.
In another blog titled “Changes”, she stated that changes in life are always good and sometimes they come with loads of joy and sometimes with much grief.
“I have learnt the best thing to do is to recognise the time for change, take all mistakes and challenges with a smile, learn from them and move on,” she said.
Etana has 11 performances scheduled in California from the month of June until July 3, and is schedule to perform in Washington on July 9 along with two concerts in Canada.
