Professor Rex Nettleford - Out of many, one Rex Rex Nettleford who passed away on 2nd February 2010 achieved so much in his 76 years – he failed by only a couple of hours to reach his 77th birthday – that the heading in the Gleaner newspapers in Jamaica “Out of many – one Rex” is particularly appropriate. My own obituary to Professor Nettleford was published in The Times of London on 11th February. You can tell the greatness of the subject of an obituary by the amount of information that has to be left out. In spite of having a generous allowance of words I had to leave out as much, if not more, as was included. My first knowledge of Rex Nettleford was in his role of dancer and choreographer. It took some time for the truth to sink in that he was the same Rex Nettleford as the academic and social critic. It didn’t seem to be possible that one person could achieve so much. His life and work is reflected in so many strains of contemporary Jamaican life that it is tempting to use the epitaph of the architect of the architect Sir Christopher Wren – “if you want something to remember by – look around”. Nor was his influence limited to Jamaica – it was regional. Nettleford’s Caribbean perspective comes from an earlier, less parochial, time. It is not surprising to learn that he was inspired by the ideals of statesman Norman Manley. Yet he transcended the philosophy of mere party: all Jamaican Prime Ministers still living, whatever their party allegiance, paid full and heartfelt tribute to his life, and they should know as Professor Nettleford had counselled or worked with all of them. He and the National Theatre Dance Company, and his work in academia, had been with Jamaica since its inception as an independent country in 1962. The three years from 1957 in which Professor Nettleford was a Rhodes Scholar in England was the only time in his adult life that he was not based at/with the University of the West Indies. Other Jamaican / West Indian scholars have settled in overseas centres of academic excellence, from where they have spoken fondly of their homeland, but by returning home Rex did not cut himself off from the roots of his own community. He spoke of Jamaica from within. Commentators, unanimously, have written that they cannot remember a bad word having been said about Professor Nettleford. I share the view – expressed by Rex Nettleford, himself, among others – that the word “icon” has been devalued by flippant and over- use, but it is difficult to find another epithet that is so suitably apt. Over recent months Jamaica has suffered a particular, and frequent, loss of its cultural icons. Professor Nettleford’s mother, Labertha, passed away only last month – aged a full hundred years. With that precedent Rex still had a lot more to contribute to his country and region. Obituary of Professor Rex Nettleford in The Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article7022324.ece Clayton Goodwin 13th February 2010