Marley died in Miami, but his grave is in Jamaica. Marley had a difficult relationship with Jamaica. It took him about a decade to become a success in the music industry in the island. In 1976, Marley was nearly assassinated shortly before he was set to perform a concert that was meant to bring peace and unity to the country. "Exodus," arguably Marley's greatest album, was recorded after a self-imposed exile from the land of his birth. But he remarked more than once that Jamaica - its people and its culture - were at the root of his music.
Marley grew up in Kingston, but it's important to note that his grave is in the country. You have to drive several hours outside of Kingston to get there. Marley's music had the edge of the city, but he drew on the myths and culture of the countryside. Marley was an urban sophisticate, but in his heart he was a man of nature.
When I went to visit Marley's mausoleum I was struck by the diverse crowd that the site attracted. There were visitors from Japan, South Africa, America, Europe, the Caribbean - all around the world. Bob had his roots in the West Indies, but his branches have reached around the world. That was true in life, but is even more evident in death.
The items people leave for Marley at his grave site also tell us something about the way he lived his life. They leave Bibles and soccer balls, guitars and personal letters, pictures of Marcus Garvey and photos of themselves. Marley's impact was political, personal, spiritual, sexual, whimsical, mystical and more. He meant many things to many people and that's demonstrated by the diverse array of gifts people leave him in tribute.
Perhaps the thing that struck me the most about Marley's mausoleum is how he is buried. He's not buried six feet below the earth, but instead he's entombed in marble several feet above it. And he's not buried alone. Marley had a half brother, Anthony Booker, a son of Cedella Marley Booker, but by another father. He was not a singing star. His birthday is not celebrated worldwide. Anthony was killed as a young man in a confrontation with Miami police. He was put to rest below his more famous sibling.
In the end, Marley's death is a triumph of living. For every great man, there is a road not taken. What seems in the end to have been destiny is often the result of sheer will and great talent. Marley, who had his own confrontations with Jamaican police as a young man, could have easily have succumbed to the obscurity of Nine Miles, to the poverty of Trench Town, to the hostility of the music industry, to any of the many slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Instead, he fought on. Instead, he's buried above the ground.
And so, in death, we celebrate his birthday. Decades after his passing, we still pause to remember the genius who was born in Nine Miles so many years ago. We celebrate because he lived a life that was memorable and he made music that was unforgettable. Happy birthday, Bob.
Christopher John Farley is the author of the biography "Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley" and the novel "Kingston by Starlight." Click here to purchase the book or visit him at his My Space page.