Rocky Dawuni: A homecoming of rhythm, spirit and unity

By Tracy Moore

When Ghanaian musician and activist Rocky Dawuni arrived in Barbados for CARIFESTA XV, it was not just another stop on his world stage. A four-time Grammy nominee, Dawuni has built his career on blending reggae, Afrobeats, highlife, and soul into his signature “Afro Roots” sound. Yet this visit carried a deeper meaning: a reconnection with history and kinship.

“Barbados really represents, you know, the essence of Africa,” Dawuni said. “Our brothers and sisters who were taken from our shores, coming from Ghana, and coming here and seeing my brothers and sisters thriving, I know that regardless of the history between us, our people survived and thrived.”

For him, CARIFESTA XV was more than a performance opportunity. It was a reminder of shared survival and cultural strength, and a chance to bridge the gap between Africa and the Caribbean. 

“Coming here is almost like completion of a circle, but only to do a fresh start,” he explained. “It’s homecoming, reconnection, spiritual bonding, elevation of self, exchange of information, and then aligning our purpose as one family.”

Known globally not just for his music but also for his activism, Dawuni approaches every stage with purpose. He has long used his platform to promote environmental awareness, social justice, and Pan-African solidarity. That perspective shaped how he experienced CARIFESTA XV.

“What I’ve experienced since I’ve been here is just a spirit—the urge and the intention to find each other,” he said. “Every time I reveal where I’m from, every time I perform, there’s this connection. People get very excited. It’s almost like we’ve been looking for each other for a long time. And I feel that spirit of excitement—it’s so palpable in the air.”

For Dawuni, one of the most powerful aspects of CARIFESTA was its ability to gather not just Barbados, but the entire region in one space: “Seeing the people, everybody coming from the Caribbean—because CARIFESTA is about bringing the entire Caribbean. So bringing the entire Caribbean here, having an infusion of Africa here, it’s almost like going back to the fundamentals of who we were as a people, with the same design. It’s really a beautiful thing to behold.”

His invitation to CARIFESTA XV as Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s special guest underscored the festival’s deeper significance: not only a celebration of artistic talent, but also a moment of reconnection between Africa and the Caribbean.

For Dawuni, CARIFESTA XV is about survival, renewal, and unity. Through his words and his Afro Roots sound, he reminded Barbados and the wider Caribbean that the rhythms of Africa are still alive in Caribbean hearts and that in finding each other again, both regions can continue to thrive together.

tracymoore@barbadostoday.bb