[261] The most successful reggae artist was Bob Marley, who—according to Cashmore—"more than any other individual, was responsible for introducing Rastafarian themes, concepts and demands to a truly universal audience". [105] Rastafari espouses the view that this, the true identity of black Africans, has been lost and needs to be reclaimed. [428], The Twelve Tribes peaked in popularity during the 1970s, when it attracted artists, musicians, and many middle-class followers—Marley among them[429]—resulting in the terms "middle-class Rastas" and "uptown Rastas" being applied to members of the group. [87] Some left the movement altogether. The Rastafari people are also known as Rastafarians or Rastas. [465] Although Fidel Castro's Marxist–Leninist government generally discouraged foreign influences, Rastafari was introduced to Cuba alongside reggae in the 1970s. It was influenced by both Ethiopianism and the Back-to-Africa movement promoted by black nationalist figures such as Marcus Garvey. [364], In the 1940s and 1950s, a more militant brand of Rastafari emerged. Jah or Yah (Hebrew: יה ‎, Yah) is a short form of Hebrew: יהוה ‎ (YHWH), the four letters that form the tetragrammaton, the personal name of God: Jehovah, which the ancient Israelites used. [207] Groundings often take place in a commune or yard, and are presided over by an elder. [364] For its first thirty years, Rastafari was in a conflictual relationship with the Jamaican authorities. Ever living, ever faithful, ever sure! [468], Rastafari was introduced to the United States and Canada with the migration of Jamaicans to continental North America in the 1960s and 1970s. Its plot revolved around the crowning of the fictional Prince Cudjoe of Sudan, although it anticipated the crowning of Haile Selassie later that year. [313] Sometimes this dreadlocked hair is then shaped and styled, often inspired by a lion's mane symbolising Haile Selassie, who is regarded as "the Conquering Lion of Judah". [62] Many Rastas regard Christianity as the creation of the white man;[63] they treat it with suspicion out of the view that the oppressors (white Europeans) and the oppressed (black Africans) cannot share the same God. [434] They can be found in many different regions, including most of the world's major population centres. [495] In France for instance it established a presence in two cities with substantial black populations, Paris and Bordeaux,[496] while in the Netherlands, it attracted converts within the Surinamese migrant community. [355], Haile Selassie was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930. [311] They argue that their dreadlocks mark a covenant that they have made with Jah,[312] and reflect their commitment to the idea of 'naturalness'. Blessed Love & Unity. [40] They believe the Bible to be key to understanding both the past and the present and for predicting the future,[40] while also regarding it as a source book from which they can form and justify their beliefs and practices. [467] In Cuba, most Rastas have been male and from the Afro-Cuban population. [410] The three most prominent branches are the House of Nyabinghi, the Bobo Ashanti, and the Twelve Tribes of Israel, although other important groups include the Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc., and the Fulfilled Rastafari. [241] Rastas have also advocated for the legalisation of cannabis in those jurisdictions where it is illegal;[242] in 2015, Jamaica decriminalized personal possession of marijuana up to two ounces and legalized it for medicinal and scientific purposes. [348] As a mass movement, Garveyism declined in the Great Depression of the 1930s. Rastas, as members of the movement are called, see their past, present, and future in a distinct way. [469] By the late 1960s, Rastafari had attracted converts from the second generation of British Caribbean people,[469] spreading beyond London to cities like Birmingham, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, and Bristol. [332], Rastafari owed much to intellectual frameworks arising in the 19th and early 20th centuries,[333] with Edmonds stating that it emerged from "the convergence of several religious, cultural, and intellectual streams". Rastafari, also spelled Ras Tafari, religious and political movement, begun in Jamaica in the 1930s and adopted by many groups around the globe, that combines Protestant Christianity, mysticism, and a pan-African political consciousness. There are an estimated 700,000 to 1,000,000 Rastas across the world. There is no central authority in control of the movement and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Rastafari, Rastafarians, or Rastas. The truth of Rastafari and how it began still remains untold. [375] Clamping down on the Rasta movement, in 1964 the island's government implemented tougher laws surrounding cannabis use. [21] In 1989, a British Industrial Tribunal concluded that—for the purposes of the Race Relations Act 1976—Rastafarians could be considered an ethnic group because they have a long, shared heritage which distinguished them from other groups, their own cultural traditions, a common language, and a common religion. [174] Trousers are usually avoided,[175] in favour of long skirts. ... meaning he believed in Jesus. [127] During the first three decades of the Rastafari movement, it placed strong emphasis on the need for the African diaspora to be repatriated to Africa. [12] Many Rastas nevertheless reject descriptions of Rastafari as a religion, instead referring to it as a "way of life",[13] a "philosophy",[14] or a "spirituality". [361] Police feared that Howell was training his followers for an armed rebellion and were angered that it was producing cannabis for sale. [291] This is often grown organically,[292] and locally. Rastas place great emphasis on the idea that personal experience and intuitive understanding should be used to determine the truth or validi… [26] It is thus difficult to make broad generalisations about the movement without obscuring the complexities within it. [487] At an African Union/Caribbean Diaspora conference in South Africa in 2005, a statement was released characterising Rastafari as a force for integration of Africa and the African diaspora. [222] Among the names that Rastas give to the plant are callie, Iley, "the herb", "the holy herb", "the grass", and "the weed". [156] Rastas typically look critically upon modern capitalism with its consumerism and materialism. [218] During the daytime, attendees engage in food preparation, ganja smoking, and reasoning, while at night they focus on drumming and dancing around bonfires. [439] In valorising Africa and blackness, Rastafari provides a positive identity for youth in the African diaspora by allowing them to psychologically reject their social stigmatisation. Rastas maintain that the King James Version is a corrupted account of the true word of God, since English slave owners promoted incorrect readings of the Bible in order to better control slaves. While some still hold this belief, non-black Rastas are now widely accepted in the movement. [323] For instance, many reggae musicians who do not adhere to the Rastafari religion wear their hair in dreads. [391] Manley described Rastas as a "beautiful and remarkable people"[326] and carried a cane, the "rod of correction", which he claimed was a gift from Haile Selassie. [85] Its emphasis is on the purging of any belief in the inferiority of black people, and the superiority of white people, from the minds of its followers. [363], In 1936, Italy invaded and occupied Ethiopia, and Haile Selassie went into exile. [425] Maintaining dreadlocks and an ital diet are considered commendable but not essential,[426] while adherents are called upon to read a chapter of the Bible each day. [397], Enthusiasm for Rastafari was likely dampened by the death of Haile Selassie in 1975 and that of Marley in 1981. [410] The wearing of dreadlocks is regarded as indispensable and patriarchal gender roles are strongly emphasised,[410] while, according to Cashmore, they are "vehemently anti-white". Today's Rastafarians believe that they will be … In the Old Testament, Babylon is the Mesopotamian city where the Israelites were held captive, exiled from their homeland, between 597 and 586 BCE;[114] Rastas compare the exile of the Israelites in Mesopotamia to the exile of the African diaspora outside Africa. The term "Jah" is a shortened version of "Jehovah", the name of God in English translations of the Old Testament. [193] Each contributor is supposed to push the boundaries of understanding until the entire group has gained greater insight into the topic under discussion. [362] Upon his release he returned to Pinnacle, but the police continued with their raids and shut down the community in 1954; Howell himself was committed to a mental hospital. [218] They establish and maintain a sense of solidarity among the Rasta community and cultivate a feeling of collective belonging. [376], At the invitation of Jamaica's government, Haile Selassie visited the island for the first time on 21 April 1966, with thousands of Rastas assembled in the crowd waiting to meet him at the airport. [29] It is unknown why the early Rastas adopted this form of Haile Selassie's name as the basis of the term for their religion. [255] Rasta themes also appeared in Drummond's work, with songs such as "Reincarnation" and "Tribute to Marcus Garvey". Princes shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hand unto God. [438] It then provides these disaffected people with the discursive stance from which they can challenge capitalism and consumerism, providing them with symbols of resistance and defiance. Jah is the gift of existence. I and I love rasta pasta with a side of ital stew. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [337] Further contributing significantly to Rastafari's development were Ethiopianism and the Back to Africa ethos, both traditions with 18th century roots. [417] Male members are divided into two categories: the "priests" who conduct religious services and the "prophets" who take part in reasoning sessions. [193] Activities that take place at groundings include the playing of drums, chanting, the singing of hymns, and the recitation of poetry. [96], By the movement's fourth decade, the desire for physical repatriation to Africa had declined among Rastas,[128] a change influenced by observation of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. [38] Rastas place great emphasis on the idea that personal experience and intuitive understanding should be used to determine the truth or validity of a particular belief or practice. [84] Rastas also view Haile Selassie as a symbol of their positive affirmation of Africa as a source of spiritual and cultural heritage. [366] Jamaica's Rastas expressed contempt for many aspects of the island's society, viewing the government, police, bureaucracy, professional classes, and established churches as instruments of Babylon. [66] Rastas therefore often view Christian preachers as deceivers[65] and regard Christianity as being guilty of furthering the oppression of the African diaspora,[67] frequently referring to it as having perpetrated "mental enslavement". [127] To this end, various Rastas lobbied the Jamaican government and United Nations to oversee this resettlement process. [236] In the 19th century, enslaved Bakongo people arrived in Jamaica, where they established the religion of Kumina. [150], Rastafari promotes the idea of "living naturally",[151] in accordance with what Rastas regard as nature's laws. Rastafarianism takes elements of the Bible and combines them with the ideology of Marcus Garvey and the belief that Haile Selassie I, emperor of Ethiopia (1930—1975) was the second advent of the Messiah. I and I (also spelled I&I, InI, or Ihi yahnh Ihi) is a complex term, referring to the oneness of Jah (God) and every human. [483], By the early 1990s, a Rasta community existed in Nairobi, Kenya, whose approach to the religion was informed both by reggae and by traditional Kikuyu religion. There are several denominations, or "Mansions of Rastafari", the most prominent of which are the Nyahbinghi, Bobo Ashanti, and the Twelve Tribes of Israel, each offering a different interpretation of Rasta belief. Rastafari is Afrocentric and focuses attention on the African diaspora, which it believes is oppressed within Western society, or "Babylon". God is an immanent deity for Rastas, meaning that God is inherent in all people and that everyone is connected. [269] Practitioners therefore often use their own form of language, known commonly as "dread talk",[270] "Iyaric",[271] and "Rasta talk. Monique Bedasse’s Jah Kingdom: Rastafarians, Tanzania, and Pan-Africanism in the Age of Decolonization makes a commendable and sterling contribution to the body of Rastafari literature by focusing on an often under emphasized dimension of the movement–that of repatriation. Add Media. [218] Nyabinghi Issemblies often attract Rastas from a wide area, including from different countries. [132] There are nevertheless many Rastas who continue to emphasise the need for physical resettlement of the African diaspora in Africa. [411], Probably the largest Rastafari group, the House of Nyabinghi is an aggregate of more traditional and militant Rastas who seek to retain the movement close to the way in which it existed during the 1940s. [7], Jesus is an important figure in Rastafari. [483] The Shashamane community peaked at a population of 2,000, although subsequently declined to around 200. [157] Some Rastas have promoted activism as a means of achieving socio-political reform, while others believe in awaiting change that will be brought about through divine intervention in human affairs. [488], During the 1950s and 1960s, Rastas were among the thousands of Caribbean migrants who settled in the United Kingdom,[489] leading to small groups appearing in areas of London such as Brixton[490] and Notting Hill in the 1950s. [438] Internationally, it has proved most popular among the poor and among marginalised youth. [64] Many Rastas take the view that the God worshipped by most white Christians is actually the Devil,[65] and a recurring claim among Rastas is that the Pope is Satan or the Antichrist. [136] With Babylon destroyed, Rastas believe that humanity will be ushered into a "new age". [290] As well as being used by Rastas, the colour set has also been adopted by Pan-Africanists more broadly, who use it to display their identification with Afrocentricity;[289] for this reason it was adopted on the flags of many post-independence African states. [103] Some Rasta sects reject the notion that a white European can ever be a legitimate Rasta. [247] In addition, a peta drum improvises over the rhythm. [432], The Church of Haile Selassie, Inc., was founded by Abuna Foxe and operated much like a mainstream Christian church, with a hierarchy of functionaries, weekly services, and Sunday schools. Example Sentences (patois) Jah shall guide mi (english) The lord shall guide me. The Rastafarians believed that Jah—the Rasta name for God—had simply inhabited the body of Haile Selassie, and that when he died, it was "a sign that Jah was not just a human being but also a spirit." [252] Ossie was a drummer who believed that black people needed to develop their own style of music;[253] he was heavily influenced by Burru, an Afro-Jamaican drumming style. Clarke. Life and Jah are one in the same. Bob Marley “ [143] He suggested that this attitude stemmed from the large numbers of young people that were then members of the movement, and who had thus seen only few Rastas die. [86] The 1974 overthrow of Haile Selassie by the military Derg and his subsequent death in 1975 resulted in a crisis of faith for many practitioners. [455] The majority were male, working-class, former Christians aged between 18 and 40. [137] This is conceived as being a millennium of peace, justice, and happiness in which the righteous shall live in Africa, now a paradise. The Rastas refer to him as Jah, a Biblical name for God (shortened from Yahweh or Jehovah), found in Psalms 68:4, in the King James version of the Bible. [459] Jamaica is often valorised by Rastas as the fountain-head of their faith, and many Rastas living elsewhere travel to the island on pilgrimage. Definition. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [38] The conviction that Rastafari has no dogma "is so strong that it has itself become something of a dogma", according to the sociologist of religion Peter B. [297] Rasta dietary practices have been ridiculed by non-Rastas; in Ghana for example, where food traditionally includes a high meat content, the Rastas' emphasis on vegetable produce has led to the joke that they "eat like sheep and goats". [480] The popularity of dreadlocks and marijuana among the Baye Faal may have been spread in large part through access to Rasta-influenced reggae in the 1970s. [197] Both contraception and abortion are usually censured,[198] and a common claim in Rasta discourse is that these were inventions of Babylon to decrease the black African birth-rate. The movement takes its name from the emperor’s precoronation name, Ras Tafari. [436] This picture of Rastafari's demographics has been confirmed by ethnographic studies conducted in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. [201] Rastas typically see the growing acceptance of birth control and homosexuality in Western society as evidence of the degeneration of Babylon as it approaches its apocalyptic end. [128], Rastafari is a millenarian movement,[133] espousing the idea that the present age will come to an apocalyptic end. [385] Like Rodney, many Jamaican Rastas were influenced by the U.S.-based Black Power movement. [423] It is commonly regarded as the most liberal form of Rastafari and the closest to Christianity. [161] Clarke stated that "to all intents and purposes this was the beginning" of the Rastafari movement. "[83] Rastafari does not promote all of the views that Garvey espoused, but nevertheless shares many of the same perspectives. [493] According to the 2001 United Kingdom Census there are about 5000 Rastafari living in England and Wales. Rastafari. [44] Rastafari accords the Bible a central place in its belief system, regarding it as a holy book,[45] and adopts a literalist interpretation of its contents. [201], Rastas typically smoke cannabis through a form of large cigarette known as a spliff. [162] Other Rastas do engage in political activism; the Ghanaian Rasta singer-songwriter Rocky Dawuni for instance was involved in campaigns promoting democratic elections,[163] while in Grenada, many Rastas joined the People's Revolutionary Government formed in 1979. [234] This is often rolled together while a prayer is offered to Jah; the spliff is lit and smoked only when the prayer is completed. [30] As well as being the religion's name, "Rastafari" is also used for the religion's practitioners themselves. [91] A third response within the Rastafari community was that Selassie's death was inconsequential as he had only been a "personification" of Jah rather than Jah himself. The adherents of Rastafari teachings believe 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. Attracting between 500 and 2000 people, his community became largely self-sufficient. [248] Many of these songs are sung to the tune of older Christian hymns,[249] but others are original Rasta creations. [263] Although reggae contains much Rastafari symbolism,[5] and the two are widely associated,[264] the connection is often exaggerated by non-Rastas. [228], In Rastafari, cannabis is considered a sacrament. Born in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica, the Rastafarian movement has captured the imagination of thousands of black youth, and some white youth, throughout Jamaica, the Caribbean, Britain, France, and other countries in Western Europe and North America. [256] Like calypso, reggae was a medium for social commentary,[257] although it demonstrated a wider use of radical political and Rasta themes than were previously present in Jamaican popular music. Du Bois. [472] In West Africa, Rastafari has spread largely through the popularity of reggae,[473] gaining a larger presence in Anglophone areas than their Francophone counterparts. [389] Many Rastas were angered by this, believing it commercialised their religion. [281] For instance, Rastas use "I" in place of "me", "I and I" in place of "we", "I-ceive" in place of "receive", "I-sire" in place of "desire", "I-rate" in place of "create", and "I-men" in place of "Amen". But nowadays it's shortened to just "Jah". [359], Howell has been described as the "leading figure" in the early Rastafari movement. Based on their reading of the Old Testament, many Rasta men uphold patriarchal values, and the movement is often charged with sexism by both insiders and outsiders. [248], The bass-line of Rasta music is provided by the akete, a three-drum set, which is accompanied by percussion instruments like rattles and tambourines. [421], The Twelve Tribes of Israel group was founded in 1968 in Kingston by Vernon Carrington. Updates? [72] Many, although not all, believe that the Ethiopian monarch was the Second Coming of Jesus,[73] legitimising this by reference to their interpretation of the nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation. [115], In portraying Africa as their "Promised Land", Rastas reflect their desire to escape what they perceive as the domination and degradation that they experience in Babylon. [55] Rastafari holds strongly to the immanence of this divinity;[56] as well as regarding Jah as a deity, Rastas believe that Jah is inherent within each individual. [343] For adherents of Ethiopianism, "Ethiopia" was regarded as a synonym of Africa as a whole. [90] Rastas typically refer to Haile Selaisse as "Haile Selassie I", thus indicating their belief in his divinity. JAH RasTafarI Haile Selassie I And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. [275] The use of this language helps Rastas distinguish and separate themselves from non-Rastas,[276] for whom—according to Barrett—Rasta rhetoric can be "meaningless babbling". [120] Many Rastas, adopting a Pan-Africanist ethos, have criticised the division of Africa into nation-states, regarding this as a Babylonian development,[121] and are often hostile to Western resource extraction from the continent. Rastas, as members of the movement are called, see their past, present, and future in a distinct way. [268] Most Rastas adhere to the dietary laws outlined in the Book of Leviticus, and thus avoid eating pork or crustaceans. [e][230] They regard it as having healing properties,[231] eulogise it for inducing feelings of "peace and love",[232] and claim that it cultivates a form of personal introspection that allows the smokers to discover their inner divinity. [408] This and subsequent international conferences, assemblies, and workshops have helped to cement global networks and cultivate an international community of Rastas. The religion is based on Christianity but followers worship the former Ethiopian ruler Haile Selassie. [54], Rastas are monotheists, worshipping a singular God whom they call Jah. [302] Rastas also generally avoid alcohol,[303] cigarettes,[304] and hard drugs such as heroin and cocaine,[232] presenting these substances as unnatural and dirty and contrasting them with cannabis. [243] In 2019, Barbados legalised Rastafarian use of cannabis within religious settings and pledged 60 acres (24 ha) of land for Rastafarians to grow it. [24] Some Rastas do not wear their hair in dreadlocks; within the religion they are often termed "cleanface" Rastas,[316] with those wearing dreadlocked hair often called "locksmen". [293] Other Rastas remain vegetarian,[294] or vegan,[295] a practice stemming from their interpretation of Leviticus. The term "Ras" means a duke or prince in the Ethiopian Semitic languages; "Tafari Makonnen" was Selassie's personal name. [205], The term "grounding" is used among Rastas to refer to the establishment of relationships between like-minded practitioners. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Rastafari, Minority Rights Group International - Rastafarians, Rastafarianism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Answer (1 of 4): Rastafari is the name of Haile Selassie I, the final Emperor of Ethiopia. [434] Rastafari's influence on wider society has been more substantial than its numerical size,[435] particularly in fostering a racial, political, and cultural consciousness among the African diaspora and Africans themselves. [405] Since the 1970s, there have been attempts to unify all Rastas, namely through the establishment of the Rastafari Movement Association, which sought political mobilisation. [113] The term "Babylon" is adopted because of its Biblical associations. [348] Rastas hold Garvey in great esteem,[115] with many regarding him as a prophet. [344] Across the continent, although particularly in South Africa, Christian churches were established that referred to themselves as "Ethiopian"; these groups were at the forefront of the burgeoning African nationalist movement that sought liberation from European colonial rule. [128] An alternative explanation is that it was inspired by the hairstyles of the Hindu sadhus. [68], From its origins, Rastafari was intrinsically linked with Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. [182] Rasta men are permitted multiple female sex partners,[183] while women are expected to reserve their sexual activity for one male partner. [78] Members of the Twelve Tribes of Israel denomination, for instance, reject the idea that Selassie was the Second Coming, arguing that this event has yet to occur. "[272] Developed in Jamaica during the 1940s,[273] this use of language fosters group identity and cultivates particular values. [a][97], According to Clarke, Rastafari is "concerned above all else with black consciousness, with rediscovering the identity, personal and racial, of black people". [180] Although men and women took part alongside each other in early Rasta rituals, from the late 1940s and 1950s the Rasta community increasingly encouraged gender segregation for ceremonies. [328] In various countries, Rastas have since won legal battles ensuring their right to wear dreadlocks: in 2020, for instance, the High Court of Malawi ruled that all public schools must allow their students to wear dreadlocks. To male leadership Castro 's Marxist–Leninist government generally discouraged foreign influences, Rastafari is a belief... [ 166 ] including the idea that women should submit to male leadership `` Chant down Babylon '', indicating... ] reggae artists incorporated Rasta ritual rhythms, and thus avoid eating pork or crustaceans they! 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A movement in which believe that Jesus was a black African descent and some mansions accept only black.. Sedition in 1934, resulting in his divinity of Marley in 1981 are opened and closed with.... Census, 29,026 individuals identified as Rastas 175 ] in 1982, the Rasta community and cultivate a feeling collective. Which beliefs and practices are Orthodox and which are heterodox herbal medicine for,! 'Jah, ' is not the same term is also used to describe a of! A prophecy made in the Book of Revelation the white Jesus was a African! Regards procreation as the purpose of sex, and developed new strategies for with! Who continue to emphasise the need for physical resettlement of the views Garvey. 427 ] Membership is open to individuals of any racial background countries like,... 266 ] out of the physical body and mind being in oneness with soul 323 for... Donning Trousers [ 30 ] as well as being the religion is based Christianity. A word should be linked to its meaning complexities within it [ ]! [ 215 ] the pipe is passed in a counter-clockwise direction around the Rastafarians and will...