‘I’ll walk until I die’ - Black X lashes out as Tacky overlooked for National Hero

Derrick 'Black X' Robinson, the Rastafarian who has walked barefoot for close to two decades advocating for hero status for Chief Tacky, was not a happy man on Heroes Day.

He was left disappointed when Prime Minister (PM) Andrew Holness announced the proposal for a new honour, National Icon, to be implemented with Louise 'Miss Lou' Bennett Coverley and Bob Marley set to be the first two recipients. But Black X had hoped to hear news about Tacky being given the nation's highest honour.

"This is the disappointment of the century when I didn't hear the prime minister mention anything about Tacky in his message for Heroes Day. In 2013, the PM, who was opposition at the time, met with us and told us that he did not know much about Tacky but was willing to learn more. But now I feel that there is enough info out there on Tacky for him to know," he said.

"There is the Tacky's Revolt book by Harvard professor Vincent Brown as well as a comprehensive essay published in the UK Guardian recently. I have also walked every parish in Jamaica and will continue to so as long as it is reasonably necessary," Black X added. He also opined that the national icon status was not enough for Miss Lou and Marley.

"Both persons should be declared national heroes because a national icon [honour] is merely short-circuiting the gracefulness of their impact. Both individuals are deserving of hero honours as they did a lot - Bob Marley through music and Miss Lou through patois and other things," he said.

In his message marking National Heroes Day on Monday, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the Government had completed preliminary work and will be moving forward with the legal process to introduce the new Order of National Icon. Once the legal process is completed, he said the honour would be conferred on Miss Lou and Bob Marley. Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding have expressed different opinions on how to honour the two late icons. Golding argued that the King of Reggae, Marley, should be given Jamaica's highest honour which is Order of National Hero. Marley died in 1981, while Miss Lou passed away in 2006. Both are members of the Order of Merit, the third highest national honour.

Black X, who lost his voice to throat cancer two years ago, said he will not be silenced as he advocates for Tacky to be a national hero. He stated that his last walk saw him adding Miss Lou to his agenda.

"My last walk was for five days last month. I walked from New Market, St Elizabeth, to Kingston. This was done in honour of Miss Lou's birthday," he said. He told THE WEEKEND STAR that he still maintains high hopes that his walks will not be in vain, and he will live to see the day when rebellion leader Tacky will be given hero status.

"The doctors have taken out my voice box but thank God it is not my feet, so the walking is as strong as ever. Time is a lot more dangerous but I am willing to die in the name of our ancestors known and unknown. They sacrificed their own lives and I am willing to do the same," he said.

"I will say that I am happy that the conversation has started and we have got a National Tacky Day which is a huge achievement. [Culture] Minister Olivia Grange has been supportive of us, and in fact, both [major] parties have been supporting the cause. I will continue to walk as long as I can breathe. I have hope," he said.