THE MEANING OF COBO BOBO

The COBO in nature is a vulture, specifically the Cathartes aura or the Turkey Vulture. Known as the “John Crow” in some parts of the Caribbean, in Trinidad and Tobago it is called the “cobo,” derived from the French word “corbeau” (which actually translates into “raven” another bird of significance to the original people of North America.) They are raptors. The cobo is used to symbolize the birds of heaven and the cleansing forces of nature (Revelation 19: 17-21).

BOBO, although it applies to a specific house of Rastafari, is generically used in this term to refer to the warrior-priest class and encompasses the spirit our ancient indigenous warrior societies and those of the modern age such as the Mau Mau of Kenya, Nyahbinghi of the Congo and the Dog and Wolf societies of the wilderness of North America.

The idea of “Cobo Bobo” occurred in November of 2005 in St. James/Port-of-Spain, Trinidad while traveling along with a local Bobo Rasta named Zebbie (Zebulun). I saw six cobo flying east and then shortly thereafter, another bird, a seventh that was much larger than the first six. When I returned home and asked my mother-in-law about the bigger bird, she said that it was a CONDOR! Having just learned of the Native American prophecy of the reunion of the EAGLE, which represents the north, and the Condor, which represents the south (http://tiny.cc/aq0pb), I saw this as a sign.

The chant of “COBO BOBO!!!” erupted from my mouth during the euphoria of this epiphany. Thus the war cry was born.

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