RASTAFARI MOVEMENT
By Eric Sebera
Source: internet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastafari_movement)
The Rastafari movement is a monotheistic,
Abrahamic, new
religious movement that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former, and
final, Emperor of Ethiopia, as the incarnation
of God, called Jah or Jah
Rastafari. Haile Selassie is also seen as part of the Holy
Trinity.
Other characteristics of Rastafari include the spiritual use of cannabis rejection of
western society (called "Babylon"), and various Afrocentric
social and political aspirations, such as the teachings of Jamaican publicist,
organizer, and black separatist Marcus
Garvey (also often regarded as a prophet), whose political and cultural
vision helped inspire Leonard Howell to develop the foundations of this
world view. The Rastafari movement predominantly emerged in Jamaica in the
20th century, and it proclaims Africa (also "Zion")
as the original place where the body of the first man was found, which
established independency among blacks.
The name Rastafari is a portmanteau of
"Ras" (literally "Head," an Ethiopian title equivalent to Duke and which was the pre-regnal
title of Haile Selassie), and the first name of Selassie's pre-regnal given
name, Tafari Makonnen. The movement is commonly refered to as
"Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and
offensive by some Rastas.
God
Rastafari are monotheists,worshipping
a singular God whom
they call Jah. Rastas
see Jah as being in the form of the Holy
Trinity, that is, God being the God
the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Rastas say that Jah, in the form of the Holy Spirit (incarnate), lives within
the human, and for this reason they often refer to themselves as "I and
I". Furthermore, "I and I" is used instead of "We",
and is used in this way to emphasise the equality between all people, in the
recognition that the Holy Spirit within us all makes us essentially one and the
same.
Rastas usually accept the Christian doctrine that God
incarnated onto the Earth in the form of Jesus Christ, to give his
teachings to humanity. However, they often feel his teachings were corrupted by
Babylon. Many Rastas, in accordance with
their assertion that "word, sound is power", also object specifically
to the English pronunciation of his name (/dʒi:zəs/) as impure, preferring instead to use the
forms in Hebrew (Yeshu) or Amharic ('Iyesus).
Rasta doctrines concerning the Holy Trinity are
mostly related to the name "Haile Selassie" meaning "Power of
the Trinity" or "powerfull trinty" in Ge'ez,
but the exact significance of this tends to vary.
.jpg)
An 18th century Ethiopian image of Jesus
Acceptence of the God-incarnate status of Jesus is
central in Rastafarian doctrine, as is the notion of the corruption of his
teachings by secular, Western society, figuratively refered to as Babylon.
For this reason, it was prophesied in the Book of Revelation "And I heard the
number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty
and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."[7]
that Jesus would return with a new name that would be inscribed on the
foreheads of 144,000 of his most devoted servants. Rastas hold that this was
fufilled when Haile Selassie was crowned King of Kings Nov. 2nd 1930, whom they
see as the second coming of Jesus or the coming of the holy spirt and therefore
Jah, onto the Earth.
Rastas[who?] say that Jesus was black,
and that white society (or Babylon) has commonly depicted him as white for
centuries in order to suppress the truth and gain dominion over all peoples
Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia,
considered by Rastas to be the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
Haile Selassie (1892-1975) was the Emperor of Ethiopia from
1930 to 1974. Rastas claim that he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and
therefore an incarnation of Jah onto the Earth. They also claim that he will
lead the righteous into creating a perfect world, called "Zion." Zion would
be the ultimate paradise for Rastas. Zion is identified as the New Jerusalem
which has be known to be lalibela named after the emperor lalibela in lasta
amhara rigion in the highlands of Ethiopia ref [kebra negast], the very
Habitation of the Godhead (Trinity)creator, Rastafari [Ras= head
Tafari=creator] , and is also geographically located no where else but Ethiopia
according to the Bible, especially in the books of Isiah and Psalms. From
Genesis to Revelation, Ethiopia is mentioned and plays the most significant
role of any place in the universe.
Rastas say that Haile Selassie's coming was prophesied
from Genesis to the Book of Revelation. Genesis, Chapter 1: "God made man
in His own image." Where did He put him; in Ethiopia, along the River Nile
(gehon river or blue nile). Psalm #2: "Yet I set my Holy king/ On My Holy
hill of Zion" Which is identified by them as Jesus Christ. Psalm 87:4-6 is also
interpreted as predicting the coronation of Haile Selassie I. During his
coronation, Selassie was given many of the same titles used in the Bible, such
as "King of Kings," "Elect of God," and "Conquering
Lion of the Tribe of Judah the author of mankind" are just some of more
than 38 titles and anointments." This is one of the primary reasons and
fullfilments he is held to be God incarnate. Rastas also refer to Selassie as
"His Imperial Majesty" and "Jah Rastafari". The very name
"Rastafari" comes from his own name.
Of great importance is that Rastafari[3]
do not accept that God could die and thus insist that Selassie's 1975 supposed
death was a hoax, and that He is still here in the flesh and in the spirit and
will return to liberate his followers and vanquish all Evil, Restoring His
Creation. A few Rastas today consider this a partial fulfilment of prophecy
found in the apocalyptic 2 Esdras 7:28.From Genesis to Revelation.
For Rastafari, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile
Selassie I, the first King of Kings, Lord of Lords, conquering Lion of the
tribe of Judah, remains their God and their King.[8]
They see Selassie as being worthy of worship, and as having stood with great
dignity in front of the world's press and in front of representatives of many
of the world's powerful nations, especially during his appeal to the League of
Nations in 1936, when he was still the only independent black monarch in
Africa.[8]
From the beginning the Rastas, decided that their personal loyalty lay with
Africa's only black monarch, Selassie, and that they themselves were in effect
as free citizens of Ethiopia, loyal to its Emperor and devoted to its flag.
In the 10th century BC, the Solomonic
Dynasty of Ethiopia
is said to have been founded by Menelik I, the son of Solomon and
Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, who had visited Solomon in Israel. 1 Kings 10:13
claims "And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty.
So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants." On the
basis of the Ethiopian national epic, the Kebra
Negast, Rastas interpret this verse as meaning she conceived his child,
and from this, conclude that African people are among the true children of
Israel, or Jews. Beta Israel black Jews have lived in Ethiopia for
centuries, disconnected from the rest of Judaism; their existence has given
some impetus to Rastafari, as they feel it validates their assertion that
Ethiopia is Zion. Haile Selassie was the 225th in an unbroken line of Ethiopian
monarchs who descended from the Biblical King Solomon and the Queen
of Sheba.
Rastas assert that Zion
(i.e., Africa, especially Ethiopia) is a land that Jah promised to them. To
achieve this, they reject modern western
society, calling it "Babylon", which they see as entirely
corrupt.[3][5][9]
"Babylon" is considered to have been in rebellion against
"Earth's Rightful Ruler" (Jah) ever since the days of the Biblical
king Nimrod.
Some Rastas claim themselves to represent the real Children of Israel or children
of god which is a main reason for why they call themselves after his name
that the word rasta derived from he's first crowning of three Ras Tafari, in
modern times, and their goal is to repatriate to Africa, or to Zion. Rasta reggae is peppered
with references to Zion; among the best-known examples are the Bob Marley
songs '"Zion Train," "Iron
Lion Zion," and the Damian
Marley song "Road to Zion,". Reggae groups such as Steel Pulse
and Cocoa
Tea also have many references to Zion in their various songs, and use of
Rastafarian language can also be found in non-Reggae genres of Western pop
music.
Many Rastas[who?] are physical immortalists
who maintain that the chosen few will continue to live forever in their current
bodies. This is commonly called "Everliving" life, particularly in
the context of "Life Everliving with Jah" as king and Amharic the
official language. This replaces the term "everlasting", as
"last" in "everlasting" implies an end (as in the term
"at last"), whereas Rastas say their life will never have an end.
A good expression of this doctrine is in Lincoln
Thompson's song "Thanksgiving". After asking "What's
destroying life?" he says, "Tell I if you know." Paraphrasing
the Bible, he continues, "There are too many dead bodies lying around
me... in a true reality, down in the grave there is no life. In silence there
you'll be, with no-one to hear nor see, and no matter what you saw, when you
are dead you cannot praise Jah." Another may be seen in the lyrics to the Third World's anthem, "96 Degrees in the
Shade":
As sure as the
Sun shine
Way up in the
sky,
Today I stand
here a victim -
The truth is
I'll never die...
Perhaps the most well known example of this is Bob Marley
refusal to write a will despite suffering from the final stages of an advanced metastasized
cancer (and the resulting controversy surrounding the distribution of his
estate after his death) on the grounds that writing a will would mean he was
"giving in to death" and forgoing his chance at everliving life.
There are some descriptions of something like paradise,
but on earth, in Rastafari poetry and reggae lyrics. Bunny
Wailer's song "Dreamland" and Marley's "Rainbow
Country" are well known paraphrases for a better life in a literal or
spiritual Africa.
Afrocentrism is another central facet of the Rastafarian
ethos. They teach that Africa, in particular Ethiopia, is
where Zion, or paradise, shall be created. As such Rastafari orients itself
around African culture.
Rastafari holds that evil society, or "Babylon"
has always been white-dominated, and has committed such acts of
aggression against the African people as the Atlantic slave trade. Despite this
Afrocentrism and focus on people of the black race, members of other races,
including whites, are found and accepted by Blacks among the movement, for most
believe Rasta is for all people.
Rastafari developed among poor Jamaicans of
African descent who felt they were oppressed and that society was apathetic to
their problems. Marcus Garvey, who is viewed as a prophet of Jah, was
a keen proponent of the "back
to Africa" movement, advocating that all people of the black race
should return to their ancestral homeland of Africa.
Many early Rastas for a time believed in black
supremacy. Widespread advocacy of this belief was shortlived, at least
partly because of Haile Selassie's explicit condemnation of racism in an
October 1963 speech before the United
Nations. Most Rastas now espouse the doctrine that racial animosities must
be set aside, with world peace and harmony being common themes. One of the
three major modern houses of Rastafari—the Twelve Tribes of Israel—has
specifically condemned all types of racism, and declared that the teachings of
the Bible are the
route to spiritual liberation for people of any racial or ethnic background.
During his famous UN address (which provided the lyrics for the Carlton
Barrett and Bob Marley song "War"), Haile Selassie made the following
statement:
"On the
question of racial discrimination, the Addis Ababa Conference taught, to those
who will learn, this further lesson: that until the philosophy which holds one
race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and
abandoned; that until there are no longer first class and second class citizens
of any nation; that until the color of a man's skin is of no more significance
than the color of his eyes; that until the basic human rights are equally
guaranteed to all without regard to race; that until that day, the dream of
lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will
remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained. And... until
bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been
replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; until all Africans stand
and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes
of Heaven; until that day, the African continent will not know peace."
He concluded this speech with the words, "We must
become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate
allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human
community."
Some Rastafari learn Amharic, which
some consider to be the original language, both because this was
the language of Haile Selassie I, and in order to further their identity as
Ethiopian. There are reggae songs written in Amharic.
Rastafari is a strongly syncretic Abrahamic religion that draws extensively from
the Bible.
Adherents look particularly to the New
Testament Book of Revelation, as this is where they find
the prophecies about the divinity of Haile Selassie. Rastas claim that they,
and the rest of the black race, are descendants of the ancient twelve tribes of
Israel, cast
into captivity outside Africa as a result of the slave trade.
Some[who?] assert that only half
of the Bible has been written, and that the other half, stolen from them along
with their culture, is written in a man's heart. This concept also embraced the
idea that even the illiterate can be Rastas by reading God's Word in their
hearts. Rastas also see the lost half of the Bible, and the whole of their lost
culture to be
found in the Ark of the Covenant, a repository of African
wisdom, which is allegedly located in Ethiopia.
Rastafari are criticised, particularly by Christian
groups[who?], for taking Biblical
quotes out of context, for picking and choosing what they want from the
Bible, and for bringing elements into Rastafari that do not appear in the
Bible. A great interest in the Amharic Orthodox version of the Bible,
authorized by Haile Selassie I in the 1950s, has arisen among Rastas. Selassie
himself wrote in the preface to this version that "unless [one] accepts
with clear conscience the Bible and its great Message, he cannot hope for
salvation," thus confirming and coinciding with what the Rastafari
themselves had been preaching since the beginning of the movement.[10]
The Kebra Nagast, the national epic of Ethiopia, is
also taken as important amongst many Rastas.
There are two types of Rasta religious ceremonies.
Reasoning
A "reasoning" is a simple event where the Rastas
gather, smoke cannabis ("ganja"), and discuss ethical,
social, and religious issues. The person honored by being allowed to light the
herb says a short prayer beforehand, and the ganja is passed in a clockwise
fashion except in time of war when it is passed counterclockwise.
Grounation
A "grounation" or "binghi" is a holy day; the
name "binghi" is derived from "Nyabinghi",
believed to be an ancient, and now extinct, order of militant blacks in eastern
Africa that vowed to end oppression. Binghis are marked by much dancing,
singing, feasting, and the smoking of ganja, and can last for several days.
In public gatherings, Rastafarians often say the
following standard prayer, with several variants, comparable to the Lord's
Prayer:
"Princes
and princesses shall come forth out of Egypt, Ethiopia now stretch forth her
hands before JAH. O Thou God of Ethiopia, Thou God of Thy Divine Majesty, Thy
Spirit come into our hearts, to dwell in the parts of righteousness. Lead and
help InI to forgive, that InI may be forgiven. Teach InI Love and loyalty as it
is in Zion, Endow us with Thy wisemind, knowledge and Overstanding to do thy
will, thy blessings to use, that the hungry might be fed, the sick nourished,
the aged protected, and the infant cared for. Deliver InI from the hands of our
enemy, that InI may prove fruitful for these Last Days, when our enemy have
passed and decayed in the depths of the sea, in the depths of the earth, or in
the belly of a beast. O give us a place in Thy Kingdom forever and ever, so we
hail our God JAH Selassie I, Jehovah God, Rastafari, Almighty God, Rastafari,
great and powerful God JAH, Rastafari. Who sitteth and reigneth in the heart of
man and woman, hear us and bless us and sanctify us, and cause Thy loving Face
to shine upon us thy children, that we may be saved, SELAH."
When lighting a chalice, the following, shorter
invocation is often used: "Glory be to the Faada and to the Maker of
Iration, as it were ina the Iginnin, are now an shall be foriva, world without
end, SELAH."
Some important dates when grounations may take place are:
- January 7
- Oriental Orthodox Christmas
- February 6
- The birthday of Bob Marley
- May 11 -
The day that Bob Marley passed on.
- April 21 -
The anniversary of Haile Selassie's visit to Jamaica. Also known as Grounation
Day.
- July 23 -
The birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie
- August 17
- The birthday of Marcus Garvey
- September
11 - Ethiopian
New Year
- November 2
- The coronation of Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie I
Generally, Rastas assert that their own body is the true
church or temple
of God, and so see no need to make temples or churches out of physical
buildings. However, some Rastafarians have created temples, or as some call
spiritual meeting centers in international communities with large Rastafarian
populations.
There are three main sects or orders of Rastafari today.
All agree on the basic principles of the divine status of Haile Selassie and
the importance of black images of divinity. Many Rastafari do not belong to any
sect and the movement as a whole is loosely defined and organized.
The Nyahbinghi Order (a.k.a. Theocratic Priesthood and
Livity Order of Nyabinghi) is named for Queen Nyahbinghi of Uganda, who fought
against colonialists in the 19th century. This is the oldest of the orders and
it focuses mainly on Haile Selassie, Ethiopia, and the eventual return to
Africa. It is overseen by an Assembly of Elders.
Bobo Shanti was founded by Prince Emanuel Charles Edwards
in Jamaica in the 1950s. "Bobo" means black and "Shanti"
refers to the Ashanti tribe in Ghana, from which this sect believes Jamaican
slaves are descended. Members of Bobo Shanti are also known as Bobo Dreads.
In belief, Bobo Dreads are distinguished by their worship
of Prince Emmanuel (in addition to Haile Selassie) as a reincarnation of Christ
and embodiment of Jah; their emphasis on the return to Africa
("repatriation"); and their demands for monetary reimbursement for
slavery.
Members of the Bobo Shanti order wear long robes and
tightly wrapped turbans around their dreads. They adhere closely to the Jewish
Law, including the observance of the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown
Saturday and hygiene laws for menstruating women. They live separately from
Jamaican society and other Rastafarians, growing their own produce and selling
straw hats and brooms. They often carry brooms with them to symbolize their
cleanliness.
The Twelve Tribes of Israel sect was founded in 1968 by
Dr. Vernon "Prophet Gad" Carrington. It is the most liberal of the
Rastafarian orders and members are free to worship in a church of their
choosing. Each member of this sect belongs to one of the 12 Tribes (or Houses),
which is determined by birth month and is represented by a color. The Standard
Israelite calendar begins in April.
The Twelve Tribes of Israel
Napthali-January-Green; Joseph-February-White;
Benjamin-March-Black; Reuben-April-Silver; Simeon-May-Gold; Levi-June-Purple;
Judah-July-Brown; Issachar-August-Yellow; Zebulon-September-Pink;
Dan-October-Blue; Gad-November-Red; Asher-December-Grey.
Main article: Ital
Many Rastas eat limited types of meat in accordance with
the dietary Laws of the Old Testament; they do not eat shellfish or
pork. Others abstain from all meat and flesh whatsoever, asserting that to
touch meat is to touch death, and is therefore a violation of the Nazirite vow.
(A few make a special exception allowing fish, while abstaining from all other
forms of flesh.) However, the prohibition against meat only applies to those who
are currently fulfilling a Nazirite vow ("Dreadlocks Priesthood"),
for the duration of the vow. Many Rastafari maintain a vegan or vegetarian
diet all of the time. Food approved for Rastfari is called ital. The purpose of
fasting (abstaining from meat and dairy) is to cleanse the body in accordance
to serving in the presence of the "Ark of the Covenent".
Usage of alcohol is also generally deemed unhealthy to the Rastafarian
way of life, partly because it is seen as a tool of Babylon to confuse people,
and partly because placing something that is pickled and fermented within
oneself is felt to be much like turning the body (the Temple) into a
"cemetery".
In consequence, a rich alternative cuisine has developed
in association with Rastafari tenets, eschewing most synthetic additives, and
preferring more natural vegetables and fruits such as coconut and mango. This
cuisine can be found throughout the Caribbean and in some restaurants
throughout the western world.
Some of the Houses (or "Mansions" as they have
come to be known) of the Rastafari culture, such as the Twelve Tribes of
Israel, do not specify diet beyond that which, to quote Christ in the New
Testament, "Is not what goes into a man's mouth that defile him, but what
come out of it". Wine is seen as a "mocker" and strong drink is
"raging"; however, simple consumption of beer or the very common
"Roots Wine" are not systematically a part of Rastafari culture this
way or that. Separating from Jamaican culture, different interpretations on the
role of food and drink within the religion remains up for debate. At official
state banquets Haile Selassie would encourage guests to "eat and drink in
your own way".
See also: Spiritual use of cannabis
For Rastas, smoking cannabis,
usually known as "healing of the nation", "ganja", or
"herb" (from the Sanskrit word, "Ganjika", created by the
Hindus of India), is a spiritual act, often accompanied by Bible study; they
consider it a sacrament
that cleans the body and mind, heals the soul, exalts the consciousness,
facilitates peacefulness, brings pleasure, and brings them closer to Jah. The
burning of the herb is often said to be essential "for it will sting in
the hearts of those that promote and perform evil and wrongs." By the 8th
century, cannabis had been introduced by Arab traders to Central and Southern
Africa, where it is known as "dagga"[11]
and many Rastas say it is a part of their African culture that they are
reclaiming.[12]
It is sometimes also referred to as "the healing of the nation", a
phraseology adapted from Revelation 22:2.[13]
The migration
of many thousands of Hindus
from India to the Caribbean in the 20th century may have brought this culture
to Jamaica. Many academics point to Indo-Caribbean origins for the ganjah
sacrament resulting from the importation of Indian migrant workers in a
post-abolition Jamaican landscape. "Large scale use of ganjah in Jamaica…
dated from the importation of indentured Indians…"(Campbell 110).
Dreadlocked mystics, often ascetic, known as sadhus, have smoked
cannabis in India
for centuries.[14]
According to many Rastas, the illegality of cannabis in many nations is
evidence that persecution of Rastafari is a reality.
They are not surprised that it is illegal, seeing it as a powerful substance
that opens people's minds to the truth — something the Babylon system, they
reason, clearly does not want.[15]
They contrast their herb to alcohol and other drugs, which they feel destroy
the mind.[16]
They hold that the smoking of cannabis enjoys Biblical
sanction, and is an aid to meditation and religious observance. Among Biblical
verses Rastas quote as justifying the use of cannabis:
- Genesis
1:11 "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb
yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose
seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."
- Genesis
1:29 "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb-bearing seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is
the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
- Genesis
3:18 "... thou shalt eat the herb of the field."
- Proverbs 15:17 "Better is a dinner of
herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."[2]
- Psalms 104:14
"He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the
service of man."
According to some Rastafaris[17]
and other scholars, the etymology of the word "cannabis" and
similar terms in all the languages of the Near East may be traced to the Hebrew
"qaneh bosm" קנה-בשם, which is
one of the herbs God commanded Moses to include in his preparation of sacred anointing perfume in Exodus 30:23; the
Hebrew term also appears in Isaiah
43:24; Jeremiah 6:20; Ezekiel
27:19; and Song of Songs 4:14. Deuterocanonical and canonical
references to the patriarchs Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses "burning incense before the Lord" are also
applied, and many Rastas today refer to cannabis by the term
"ishence" — a slightly changed form of the English word
"incense". It is also said that cannabis was the first plant to grow
on King
Solomon's grave.
In 1998, then-Attorney General of the United
States Janet
Reno, gave a legal opinion that Rastafari do not have the religious right
to smoke ganjah in violation of the United States' drug laws.
The position is the same in the United Kingdom, where, in the Court of Appeal
case of R. v. Taylor [2002] 1 Cr. App. R. 37, it was held that the UK's
prohibition on cannabis use did not contravene the right to freedom of religion
conferred under the Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
On January 2, 1991, at an international airport in his
homeland of Guam,
Ras Iyah Ben Makahna (Benny Guerrero) was arrested for possession and
importation of marijuana and seeds. He was charged with importation of a
controlled substance. The case was heard by the US 9th Circuit Court November
2001, and in May 2002 the court had decided that the practice of Rastafari
sanctions the smoking of marijuana, but nowhere does the religion sanction the
importation of marijuana. Guerrero's lawyer Graham Boyd pointed out the court's
ruling was "equivalent to saying wine is a necessary sacrament for some
Christians but you have to grow your own grapes."[18]
In July 2008, however, the Italian Supreme Court ruled that
Rastafari may be allowed to possess greater amounts of cannabis legally, owing
to its use by them as a sacrament.[19][20]
The flag of Ethiopia as was used during Selassie's reign. It combines the
conquering lion of Judah, symbol of the Ethiopian monarchy, with green, yellow,
and red, which would later be adopted by many African nations, becoming
pan-African colors.
The lion is a symbol of Haile Selassie. Jesus Christ is
described as "the lion of Judah" in the Bible, and for this reason,
Haile Selassie is seen as the reincarnation of Jesus.
See also: Dreadlocks
The wearing of Locks is very closely associated with the
movement, though not universal among, or exclusive to, its adherents. Rastas
maintain that Locks are supported by Leviticus
21:5 ("They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they
shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in the flesh.") and the Nazirite vow
in Numbers 6:5 ("All the days of the vow of his
separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be
fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy,
and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.").
It has often been suggested (e.g., Campbell 1985) that
the first Rasta Locks were copied from Kenya in 1953, when images of the
independence struggle of the feared mau
mau insurgents, who grew their "dreaded locks" while hiding
in the mountains, appeared in newsreels and other publications that reached
Jamaica. However, a more recent study by Barry Chevannes[21]
has traced the first Hairlocked Rastas to a subgroup first appearing in 1949,
known as Youth Black Faith.
A man with Locks.
There have been ascetic groups within a variety of world
faiths that have at times worn similarly-matted hair. In addition to the Nazirites of
Judaism and the sadhus
of Hinduism, it is worn among some sects of Sufi Islam, notably the
Baye Fall sect of Mourides,[22]
and by some Ethiopian Orthodox monks in Christianity,[23]
among others. Some of the very earliest Christians may also have worn this
hairstyle; particularly noteworthy are descriptions of James
the Just, "brother of Jesus" and first Bishop of Jerusalem, whom Hegesippus
(according to Eusebius and Jerome) described as a Nazirite who never once cut
his hair. The length of a Rasta's locks is a measure of wisdom, maturity, and
knowledge in that it can indicate not only the Rasta's age, but also his/her
time as a Rasta.
Also, according to the Bible, Samson was a
Nazarite who had "seven locks". Rastas argue that these "seven
locks" could only have been dreadlocks,[24]
as it is unlikely to refer to seven strands of hair.
Locks have also come to symbolize the Lion of
Judah (its mane) and rebellion against Babylon. In the United
States, several public schools and workplaces have lost lawsuits as the
result of banning locks. Safeway is an early example, and the victory of eight
children in a suit against their Lafayette, Louisiana school was a landmark
decision in favor of Rastafari rights.
Rastafari associate dreadlocks with a spiritual journey
that one takes in the process of locking their hair (growing hairlocks). It is
taught that patience is the key to growing locks, a journey of the mind, soul
and spirituality. Its spiritual pattern is aligned with the Rastafari movement.
The way to form natural dreadlocks is to allow hair to grow in its natural
pattern, without cutting, combing or brushing, but simply to wash it with pure
water.
For the Rastas the razor, the scissors and
the comb are the
three Babylonian or Roman inventions.[25]
So close is the association between dreadlocks and Rastafari, that the two are
sometimes used synonymously. In reggae music, a follower of Rastafari may be
referred to simply as a "hairlocks","dreadlocks" or
"Natty (Knotty) Dread", whilst those non-believers who cut their hair
are referred to as baldheads.
As important and connected with the movement as the
wearing of locks is, though, it is not deemed necessary for, or equivalent to,
true faith. Popular slogans, often incorporated within Reggae lyrics, include:
"Not every dread is a Rasta and not every Rasta is a dread...";
"It's not the dread upon your head, but the love inna your heart, that mek
ya Rastaman" (Sugar Minott); and as Morgan
Heritage sings: "You don't haffi dread to be Rasta...," and
"Children of Selassie I, don't lose your faith; whether you do or don't
have your locks 'pon your head..."
Many non-Rastafari of black African descent wear locks as
an expression of pride in their ethnic identity, or simply as a hairstyle, and
take a less purist approach to developing and grooming them, adding various
substances such as beeswax in an attempt to assist the locking process. The
wearing of dreads also has spread among people of other ethnicities, including
those whose hair is not naturally suited to the style, and who sometimes go to
great lengths to form them. Locks worn for stylish reasons are sometimes
referred to as "bathroom locks," to distinguish them from the kind
that are purely natural. Rasta purists also sometimes refer to such dreadlocked
individuals as "wolves," as in "a wolf in sheep's
clothing," especially when they are seen as trouble-makers who might
potentially discredit or infiltrate Rastafari.[26]
Rastaman in Barbados
Rastafari culture does not encourage mainstream political
involvement. In fact, in the early stages of the movement most Rastas did not vote, out of principle.
Ras Sam Brown formed the Suffering
People's Party for the Jamaican elections of 1962 and received fewer
than 100 votes. In the election campaign of 1972, People's National Party leader Michael
Manley used a prop, a walking stick given to him by Haile Selassie, which
was called the "Rod of Correction", in a direct appeal to Rastafari
values.
In the famous free One Love Peace Concert on April 22, 1978, Peter Tosh
lambasted the audience, including attending dignitaries, with political demands
that included decriminalising cannabis.
He did this while smoking a spliff,
a criminal act in Jamaica. At this same concert, Bob Marley
led both then-Prime Minister Michael
Manley and opposition leader Edward
Seaga onto the stage; and a famous picture was taken with all three of them
holding their hands together above their heads in a symbolic gesture of peace
during what had been a very violent election campaign.
Main article: Rastafari vocabulary
Rastas assert that their original African
languages were stolen from them when they were taken into captivity as part
of the slave trade, and that English
is an imposed colonial language. Their remedy has been the creation of a modified
vocabulary and dialect, reflecting their desire to take
language forward and to confront the society they call Babylon.
Some examples are:
- "I-tal" is
derived from the word vital and is used to describe the diet of the
movement which is taken mainly from Hebrew dietary laws.
- "Overstanding"
replaces "understanding" to denote an enlightenment which places
one in a better position.
- "Irie"
(pronounced "eye-ree") is a term used to denote acceptance,
positive feelings, or to describe something that is good.
- "Upfulness"
is a positive term for being helpful
- "Livication"
is substituted for the word "dedication" because Rastas
associate dedication with death.
- "Downpression"
is used in place of "oppression," the logic being that the
pressure is being applied from a position of power to put down the victim.
- "Zion" the
most distinctive modifications in "Iyaric"
is the substitution of the pronoun "I-and-I" for other pronouns,
usually the first person. "I", as used in the examples above,
refers to Jah; therefore, "I-and-I" in the first person includes
the presence of the divine within the individual. As "I-and-I"
can also refer to "us," "them," or even
"you," it is used as a practical linguistic rejection of the
separation of the individual from the larger Rastafari community, and Jah
himself.
Rastafari say that they reject "-isms". They
see a wide range of "-isms and schisms" in modern society, for
example communism and capitalism, and want no part in them. They especially
reject the word "Rastafarianism", because they see themselves as
"having transcended -isms and schisms." This has created conflict
between some Rastas and some members of the academic community studying
Rastafari, who insist on calling this faith "Rastafarianism" in spite
of disapproval this generates within the Rastafari movement. Nevertheless, the
practice continues among scholars. However, the study of Rastafari using its
own terms has occurred.[27]
|
Kumina - Niyabinghi
- Mento - Ska - Rocksteady
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systems - Lovers rock
- Dub - Dancehall - Dub poetry - Toasting - Raggamuffin - Roots reggae |
|
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|
Aruba and the Dutch Antilles - Cuba - Dominica
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Lucia - United States - United Kingdom |
Music
has long played an integral role in Rastafari, and the connection between the
movement and various kinds of music has become well known, due to the
international fame of reggae musicians like Bob Marley
and Peter
Tosh.
Niyabinghi chants are played at worship ceremonies
called grounations,
that include drumming, chanting and dancing, along with prayer and ritual smoking
of cannabis. The name Nyabinghi comes from an East
African movement from the 1850s to the 1950s that was led by people who
militarily opposed European imperialism. This form of nyabinghi was centered around Muhumusa, a
healing woman from Uganda
who organized resistance against German colonialists. In Jamaica, the concepts of Nyabinghi
were appropriated for similar anti-colonial efforts, and it is often danced to
invoke the power of Jah
against an oppressor.
The drum is a symbol of the Africanness of Rastafari, and
some mansions assert that Jah's spirit of divine energy is present in the drum.
African music survived slavery because many slaveowners encouraged it as a method of
keeping morale high. Afro-Caribbean music arose with the influx of influences
from the native peoples of Jamaica, as well as the European slaveowners.
Another style of Rastafari music is called burru
drumming, first played in the Parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, and then in West
Kingston. Burru was later introduced to the burgeoning Rasta community in
Kingston by a Jamaican musician named Count Ossie.
He mentored many influential Jamaican ska, rock steady, and reggae musicians.
Through his tutelage, they began combining New Orleans R&B, folk mento, jonkanoo, kumina, and revival
zion into a unique sound. The burru style, which centers on three drums - the
bass, the alto fundeh,
and the repeater - would later be copied by hip hop DJs.[28]
Maroons, or communities of escaped slaves, kept
purer African musical traditions alive in the interior of Jamaica, and were
also contributing founders of Rastafari.
Main article: Reggae
Reggae was born amidst poor blacks in Trenchtown,
the main ghetto of Kingston, Jamaica, who listened to radio stations
from the United States. Jamaican musicians, many of them
Rastas, soon blended traditional Jamaican folk music and drumming with American
R&B, and jazz into ska,
that later developed into reggae under the influence of soul.
Reggae began to enter international consciousness in the
early 1970s, and Rastafari mushroomed in popularity internationally, largely
due to the fame of Bob Marley, who actively and devoutly preached
Rastafari, incorporating nyabinghi and Rastafarian chanting into his music, lyrics
and album covers. Songs like "Rastaman Chant" led to the movement and
reggae music being seen as closely intertwined in the consciousness of
audiences across the world (especially among oppressed and poor groups of African
Americans and Native Americans, First
Nations Canadians,
Australian Aborigines and New Zealand
Māori,
and throughout most of Africa). Other famous reggae musicians with strong Rastafarian
elements in their music include Peter Tosh,
Freddie
McGregor, Toots & the Maytals, Burning
Spear, Black Uhuru, Prince
Lincoln Thompson, Bunny Wailer, Prince
Far I, Israel Vibration, The Congos,
Mikey
Dread, Don Carlos, The Viceroys, The Itals, Cornell Campbell, The
Meditations, Wailing Souls, Norris Reid, Michael Phrophet, The Heptones, Dennis
Brown, Twinkle Brothers, and hundreds more.
Reggae music expressing Rasta doctrine
The first reggae single that sang about Rastafari and
reached Number 1 in the Jamaican charts was Bongo Man by Little Roy
in 1969.[29]
Early Rasta reggae
musicians (besides Marley) whose music expresses Rastafari doctrine well
are Peter
Tosh, Bunny Wailer (in Blackheart Man), Prince
Far I, Linval Thompson, Ijahman
Levi (especially the first 4 albums), Misty-in-Roots
(Live), The Congos (Heart of the Congos), The
Rastafarians, The Abyssinians, Culture,
Big Youth,
and Ras
Michael And The Sons Of Negus. The Jamaican jazz percussionist
Count
Ossie, who had played on a number of ska and reggae recordings, recorded
albums with themes relating to Rasta history, doctrine, and culture.
Rastafari doctrine as developed in the '80s was further
expressed musically by a number of other prominent artists, such as Burning
Spear, Steel Pulse, Third World,
The Gladiators, Black Uhuru,
Aswad, and Israel
Vibration. Rastafari ideas have spread beyond the Jamaican community to
other countries including Russia, where artists such as Jah
Division write songs about Jah, and South Africa where [Lucky Dube]
first learned reggae music from [Peter Tosh] recordings. Afro-American hardcore
punk band Bad Brains are notable followers of the Rastafari
movement and have written songs ("I Against I", etc.) that promote
the doctrine.
In the 21st century, Rastafari sentiments are spread
through roots
reggae and dancehall, subgroups of reggae music, with many of their most
important proponents promoting the Rastafari religion, such as Capleton, Sizzla, Anthony B, Barrington
Levy, Turbulence,
Jah Mason,
Pressure,
Midnite, Natural
Black, Daweh
Congo, Luciano, Cocoa
Tea, Richie Spice or H.I.M.
Sound System. Several of these acts have gained mainstream success
and frequently appear on the popular music charts. Most recently artists such
as Damian
Marley (son of Bob Marley) have blended hip-hop with reggae to re-energize
classic Rastafari issues such as social injustice, revolution and the honour
and responsibility of parenthood using contemporary musical style.
Berlin-based dub techno label "Basic
Channel" has subsidiary labels called "Rhythm & Sound"
and "Burial Mix" whose lyrics strongly focus on many aspects of
Rastafari culture and ideology, including the acceptance of Haile Selassie I.
Notable tracks include "Jah Rule", "Mash Down Babylon",
"We Be Troddin'", and "See Mi Yah".
Jamaican reggae artist Jah Cure also
praises Jah and the Rastafari movement in many of his songs, as do two Sinéad O'Connor rastafari/reggae CDs –
"Throw Down Your Arms" and "Theology".
There are several Jamaican films that are paramount to
the history of Rastafari, such as Rockers,
The Harder They Come, Land of Look Behind and Countryman.
Before Garvey, there had been two major circumstances
that proved conducive to the conditions that established a fertile ground for
the incubation of Rastafari in Jamaica: the history of resistance, exemplified
by the Maroons,
and the forming of an Afrocentric, Ethiopian world view
with the spread of such religious movements as Bedwardism,
which flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. These groups had long carried a
tradition of what musician Bob Marley referred to as 'resisting against the
system.'
Main article: Marcus
Garvey
Marcus Garvey
Rastas see Marcus Mosiah Garvey as a prophet, with his
philosophy fundamentally shaping the movement, and with many of the early
Rastas having started out as Garveyites. He is often seen as a second John
the Baptist. One of the most famous prophecies attributed to him involving
the coronation of Haile Selassie I was the 1927 pronouncement "Look to
Africa, for there a king shall be crowned," although an associate of
Garvey's, James
Morris Webb, had made very similar public statements as early as
1921.[30][31]
Marcus Garvey promoted Black Nationalism, black
separatism, and Pan-Africanism: the belief that all black people of
the world should join in brotherhood and work to decolonise the continent of
Africa — then still controlled by the white colonialist powers.
He promoted his cause of black pride throughout the 1920s
and 1930s, and was particularly successful and influential among lower-class
blacks in Jamaica and in rural communities. Although his ideas have been hugely
influential in the development of Rastafari culture, Garvey never identified
himself with the movement, and even wrote an article critical of Haile Selassie
for leaving Ethiopia at the time of the Fascist occupation.[32]
In addition, his Universal Negro Improvement Association disagreed with Leonard
Howell over Howell's teaching that Haile Selassie was the Messiah.[32]
Rastafari nonetheless may be seen as an extension of Garveyism. In early Rasta
folklore, it is the Black Star Liner (actually a shipping company
bought by Garvey to encourage repatriation to Liberia) that
takes them home to Africa.
Although not strictly speaking a 'Rastafari' document,
the Holy
Piby written by Robert
Athlyi Rogers from Anguilla in the 1920s, is acclaimed by many Rastafarians as
a formative and primary source. Robert Athlyi Rogers founded an Afrocentric
religion known as "Athlicanism" in the US and West Indies in the
1920s. Rogers' religious movement, the Afro-Athlican Constructive Church,
saw Ethiopians (in the Biblical sense of all Black Africans) as the chosen
people of God, and proclaimed Marcus Garvey, the prominent Black Nationalist,
an apostle. The church preached self-reliance and self-determination for Africans.
The Royal Parchment Scroll of
Black Supremacy, written during the 1920s by a preacher called Fitz Balintine Pettersburg, is a surrealistic
stream-of-consciousness polemic against the white colonial power structure that
is also considered formative, a palimpsest of Afrocentric thought.
The first document to appear that can be labelled as
truly Rastafari was Leonard P. Howell's The
Promise Key, written using the pen name G.G. [for Gangun-Guru]
Maragh, in the early 1930s. In it, he claims to have witnessed the Coronation
of the Emperor and Empress on 2 November 1930 in Addis Ababa,
and proclaims the doctrine that H.I.M. Ras Tafari is the true Head of Creation
and that the King of England is an imposter. This tract was written while
Howell was jailed on charges of sedition.
Selassie I in the 1930s
Emperor Haile
Selassie I, whom some of the Rastafarians call Jah, was crowned
"King of Kings, Elect of God, and Conquering Lion of the Tribe of
Judah" in Addis Ababa on November 2, 1930. The event created
great publicity throughout the world, including in Jamaica, and particularly
through two consecutive Time
magazine articles about the coronation (he was later named Time's Person of the Year for 1935, the first Black
person to appear on the cover), as well as two consecutive National Geographic issues around the same
time. Haile Selassie almost immediately gained a following as both God and King amongst poor
Jamaicans, who came to be known as Rastafarians, and who looked to their
Bibles, and saw what they believed to be the fulfilling of many prophecies from
the book of Revelation. As Ethiopia was the only African
country to be free from colonialism, and Haile Selassie was the only black
leader accepted among the kings and queens of Europe, the early Rastas viewed
him with great reverence.
Over the next two years, three Jamaicans who all happened
to be overseas at the time of the coronation, each returned home and
independently began, as street preachers, to proclaim the divinity of the newly
crowned Emperor as the returned Christ,[33]
arising from their interpretations of Biblical prophecy and based partly on
Haile Selassie's status as the only African monarch of a fully independent
state, with the titles King of Kings and Conquering Lion of
Judah (Revelation 5:5).
First, on 8 December 1930, Archibald
Dunkley, formerly a seaman, landed at Port
Antonio and soon began his ministry; in 1933, he relocated to Kingston
where the King of Kings Ethiopian Mission was founded. Joseph
Hibbert returned from Costa Rica in 1931 and started spreading his own
conviction of the Emperor's divinity in Benoah district, Saint Andrew Parish, through his own
ministry, called Ethiopian Coptic Faith; he too moved to Kingston the
next year, to find Leonard Howell already teaching many of these same
doctrines, having returned to Jamaica around the same time. With the addition
of Robert
Hinds, himself a Garveyite and former Bedwardite, these four
preachers soon began to attract a following among Jamaica's poorer classes, who
were already beginning to look to Ethiopia for moral support.
Main article: Leonard
Howell
Leonard Howell, who has been described as the "first
Rasta",[34]
became the first to be persecuted, charged with sedition for
refusing loyalty to the King of England George V. The British
government
would not tolerate Jamaicans loyal to Haile Selassie in what was then regarded
as their colony. When he was released, he formed a commune which grew as large as
2,000 people[35]
at a place called Pinnacle, at St. Catherine in Jamaica.
Visit of Selassie I to Jamaica
Haile Selassie I had already met with several Rasta
elders in Addis
Ababa in 1961, giving them gold medals, and had allowed West Indians of
African descent to settle on his personal land in Shashamane
in the 1950s. The first actual Rastafarian settler, Papa Noel Dyer,
arrived in September 1965, having hitch-hiked all the way from England.
Haile Selassie visited Jamaica on April
21, 1966. Somewhere between one and two hundred thousand Rastafari from all over
Jamaica descended on Kingston airport having heard
that the man whom they considered to be God was coming to visit them. They waited
at the airport smoking a great amount of cannabis
and playing drums.
When Haile Selassie arrived at the airport
he delayed disembarking from the aeroplane for an hour until Mortimer
Planno, a well-known Rasta, personally welcomed him. From then on, the
visit was a success. Rita Marley, Bob Marley's wife, converted to the
Rastafari faith after seeing Haile Selassie; she has stated that she saw stigmata appear
on his person, and was instantly convinced of his divinity.
The great significance of this event in the development
of the Rastafari movement should not be underestimated. Having been outcasts in
society, they gained a temporary respectability for the first time. By making
Rasta more acceptable, it opened the way for the commercialisation of reggae, leading in
turn to the further global spread of Rastafari.
Because of Haile Selassie's visit, April 21 is celebrated
as Grounation
Day. It was during this visit that Selassie I famously told the Rastafari
community leaders that they should not emigrate to Ethiopia until they had
first liberated the people of Jamaica. This dictum came to be known as "liberation
before repatriation."
In 1968, Walter
Rodney, a Guyanese national, author, and professor at the University of the
West Indies, published a pamphlet titled The Groundings with My Brothers
which among other matters, including a summary of African history, discussed
his experiences with the Rastafarians. It became a benchmark in the Caribbean Black Power
movement. Combined with Rastafarian teachings, both philosophies spread rapidly
to various Caribbean nations, including Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, and Grenada.
Today, the Rastafari movement has spread throughout much
of the world, largely through interest generated by reggae music—most
notably, that of Jamaican singer/songwriter Bob Marley.
By 1997, there were around one million Rastafari faithful worldwide.[36]
About five to ten percent of Jamaicans identify themselves as Rastafari.
By claiming Haile Selassie I as the returned messiah,
Rastafari may be seen as a new religious movement that has arisen from Judaism and Christianity.
Rastafari is not a highly-organized religion; it is a movement and an ideology.
Many Rastas say that it is not a "religion" at all, but a "Way
of Life".[37]
Most Rastas do not claim any sect or denomination, and thus encourage one
another to find faith and inspiration within themselves, although some do
identify strongly with one of the "mansions of Rastafari" — the three most
prominent of these being the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the
Twelve Tribes of Israel. In 1996, the International Rastafari
Development Society was given consultative status by the United
Nations.[38]
By the end of the twentieth century, women played a
greater role in the expression of the Rastafari movement. In the early years,
and in a few of the stricter "mansions" (denominations), menstruating
women were subordinated and excluded from religious and social ceremonies. To a
large degree, women feel more freedom to express themselves now, thus they
contribute greatly to the movement.
Today, Rasta was made by Blacks yet it is not racist and
believes in unity, rastas include other diverse ethnic groups including Native
American, White, Māori, Indonesian, Thai, etc. Additionally, in the 1990s,
the word Rastaman became part of the vocabulary of the Post-Soviet states. After the fall of the USSR, a youth
subculture of cannabis users formed, primarily in Russia and Ukraine, many of
whom began to call themselves Rastamany ("растаманы",
in plural).[39]
They adopted a number of symbols of Rastafari culture, including Reggae music
(especially honouring Bob Marley), the green-gold-red colours, and sometimes
dreadlocks,[40]
but not Afrocentrism (most are ethnically Slavic).
Many of them protest against what they call "Babylon".This has been a
touchy subject where many Blacks believe some aspects are being omitted and
their culture is being robbed, since a big part of being Rasta is unearthing
African roots and recognizing the black struggle. Many also feel that people
who are not black should be humbled and accept the culture instead of trying to
alter it.
A Russian
Reggae scene has developed that is only partially similar to
common reggae. Rastamany have their own folklore,
publish literature
and records, as
well as create websites
and form online communities. St
Agnes Place contained a Rastafari place of worship in London until it was
evicted in 2006.[41]
A small but devoted Rasta community developed in Japan in
the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rasta shops selling natural foods, Reggae
recordings, and other Rasta-related items sprang up in Tokyo, Osaka, and other
cities. For several years, "Japan Splashes" or open-air Reggae
concerts were held in various locations throughout Japan. For a review by two
sociologists of how the Japanese Rasta movement can be explained in the context
of modern Japanese society, see Dean W. Collinwood and Osamu Kusatsu,
"Japanese Rastafarians: Non-Conformity in Modern Japan," The Study
of International Relations, No. 26, Tokyo: Tsuda College, March 2000
(research conducted in 1986 and 1987). Many Rastafarian Marketplaces and small
shops have sprung up in Kensington Market in Toronto. Canada has a large
amount of Rastafarians mainly consisting of Black
people and persons of Native Canadian heritage.[citation needed]
Rastafari and other Abrahamic faiths
Some Rastafari choose to classify their movement as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity,
Protestant Christianity, or Judaism. Of
those, the ties to the Ethiopian Church are the most widespread, although this
is controversial to many Ethiopian clergy. Rastafari typically hold that
standard translations of the Bible incorporate changes, or were edited for the
benefit of the power structure.
- The song by
the comedy band The Lonely Island "Ras
Trent" is about a college student (played by Andy
Samberg) who has converted to Rastafari, who sings boastfully (and
stereotypically) about the culture, while being sheepishly aware that he's
basically a poser when he walks by a group of actual Rastas. In the song,
he says things such as how he lives in the "shanty dorms", has
made a chalice out of a Sprite can,
told his "bomboclat" parents he was changing religions (in the
video, the obviously upper-middle-class parents are shown rolling their
eyes), that his roommate Nick is an "ignorant bald head", he
"toils" at a part time job at Cold Stone Creamery, and more. The song is
on the album Incredibad.
COPIED FROM INTERNET BY ERIC
SEBERA (+250 788 79 89 17 sebericson@yahoo.fr)
