Haile Selassie, Rastafari God and King

Rastafarianism, or as adherents prefer to call it, the Rastafari movemant, or simply Rasta, is a religious movement that reveres the former emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I - who as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and as the Lion of Judah, is seen as God incarnate. The name Rastafari comes from Ras Tafari, the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie I, who Rastas say is the earthly aspect of Jah and part of the Holy Trinity. The movement emerged in Jamaica among working-class and peasant black people in the early 1930s, arising from an interpretation of Biblical prophecy, black social and political aspirations, and the teachings of their prophet, Jamaican black publicist and organiser Marcus Mosiah Garvey, whose political and cultural vision helped inspire a new world view. This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is the religious symbol for God incarnate in the Rastafarian religion. ... A new religious movement or NRM appears as a religious, ethical or spiritual grouping that has not (yet) become recognised as a standard denomination, church, or body, especially when it has a novel belief system and when it is not a sect. ... Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is the religious symbol for God incarnate in the Rastafarian religion. ... The Lion of Judah is an important Rastafarian symbol of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, or Jah (God), himself. ... The term God is ordinarily used to designate a singular, universal Supreme Being. ... Incarnation, which literally means enfleshment, refers to the conception, and live birth of a sentient creature (generally human) who is the material manifestation of an entity or force whose original nature is immaterial. ... Jah is traditionally thought to be a shortened form of the name Yahweh or Jehovah. ... This article concerns the holy Trinity of Christianity. ... Events and trends Technology Jet engine invented First atom was split with a particle accelerator Golden Age of radio begins in U.S. Science Nuclear fission discovered by Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassmann Pluto, the ninth planet from the Sun, is discovered by Clyde Tombaugh British biologist Arthur... The Bible (From Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material), is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... This article refers to the topic of prophecy as the purported telling of future events or supernatural revelations. ... Marcus Garvey (far right) in parade Marcus Mosiah Garvey (August 17, 1887 - June 10, 1940) was a publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, crusader for black nationalism and founder of the UNIA-ACL. Garvey, is best remembered as a champion of the so-called back-to-Africa movement, which was interpreted as encouraging...

The religion has spread throughout much of the world, largely through immigration and interest generated by reggae music—most notably, that of Bob Marley. By 2000, there were more than one million Rastafarians worldwide. About five to ten percent of Jamaicans identify themselves as Rastafarians. Reggae is a style of music developed in Jamaica and is closely linked to the Rastafarian religion, though not universally popular among them. ... Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (February 6, 1945 - May 11, 1981), better known as Bob Marley, was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Saint Ann, Jamaica. ...

Doctrines

The doctrines of Rastafari depart radically from the norms of the modern western mind, something encouraged deliberately by the Rastas themselves. Unlike most religious and Christian groups that tend to stress conformity towards the powers-that-be, Rastafari stresses nonconformity and peaceful rebelliousness towards what it terms Babylon, which is the modern society where we live. Rastafari grew up amongst very poor people, to whom society had nothing to offer except more suffering. Rastafarians see themselves as conforming to a vision of how Africans should live, reclaiming what they see as a culture stolen from them when they were brought on slave ships to Jamaica, birthplace of the movement. Their religion is difficult to categorise, because Rastafari is not a centralised organisation; and it is left to the individual Rastafarians to work out the truth for themselves, resulting in a wide variety of beliefs entering beneath the general umbrella of Rastafari. Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ... The mind is the term most commonly used to describe the higher functions of the human brain, particularly those of which humans are subjectively conscious, such as personality, thought, reason, memory, intelligence and emotion. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... A monument celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, erected in Victoria Tower Gardens, Millbank, Westminster, London Wiktionary has a definition of: Slavery Slavery can mean one or more related conditions which involve control of a person against his or her will, enforced by violence or...

Afrocentrism

Rastafari is a response to racist negation of black people as it was experienced in Jamaica, where in the 1930s, black people were at the bottom of the social order, while white people and their Christian religion were at the top. Marcus Garvey's encouragement of black people to take pride in themselves and their Africanness inspired the Rastas to embrace all things African. They believe they were brainwashed while in captivity to negate all things black and African. They turned the racists' image of them as primitive and straight out of the jungle into a defiant embracing of these concepts as a part of the African culture they see as having been stolen from them when they were taken from Africa on the slaveships. To be close to nature, and to the African jungle and its lions, in spirit if not in the flesh, is central to their idea of African culture. They believe that when they were in captivity, their African cultural awareness was stolen from them, and that they must do everything within their power to reclaim this culture. Living close to and as a part of nature is seen as African. This African approach to "naturality" is seen in the dreadlocks, the marijuana, the ital food, and in all aspects of Rasta life. They disdain the modern (non) approach to life for being unnatural and excessively objective and rejecting of subjectivity. The Rastas say that scientists try to discover how the world is by looking from the outside in, whereas the Rasta approach is to see life from the inside, looking out. The individual is given tremendous importance in Rastafari, unlike some European-originated philosophies, and every Rasta has to figure out the truth for himself or herself. Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) The Lion (Panthera leo) is a mammal of the family Felidae. ... Dreadlocks Dreadlocks are ropy mats of hair that have been allowed to grow out over time. ... Cannabis is a plant also known as Cannabis sativa, hemp, or marijuana. ... I-tal food is food which is approved of by the teachings of Rastafarianism. ... The word objective means any of several things: It has several dictionary definitions, such as goal or fair. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Another important Afrocentric identification is with the colours red, gold, and green, from the Ethiopian flag. They are a symbol of the Rastafarian religion, and of the loyalty Rastas feel towards Haile Selassie, Ethiopia, and Africa rather than for any other modern state where they happen to live. These colours are frequently seen on clothing and other decorations. Red stands for the blood of martyrs, green stands for the vegetation of Africa, while gold stands for the wealth and prosperity Africa has to offer. (Many Ethiopian scholars state that the colours originate from an old saying that the Virgin Mary's belt is the rainbow, and that the Red, Gold, and Green are an abbreviation of this.) A flag is a piece of cloth flown from a pole or mast, usually intended for signaling or identification. ... Historically, a martyr is a person who dies for his or her religious faith. ...

Many Rastafarians attempt to learn Amharic, that they consider to be the original language, because this is the language Haile Selassie I spoke, and in order to emphasise themselves as African people - though in practice, most Rastas continue to speak either English or their native languages. There are reggae songs written in Amharic. Amharic (አማርኛ) is a Semitic language spoken in Northern Central Ethiopia, where it is the official language. ...

Haile Selassie and the Bible

Haile Selassie, Rastafarian God and King

The one belief that unites all Rastafarians is that Ras (an Amharic title of nobility corresponding to Duke; also having the meaning "Head") Tafari Makonnen, who was crowned Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia on November 2nd 1930, is the living God incarnate, called Jah, who is the black messiah who will lead the world's peoples of African origin into a promised land of full emancipation and divine justice. This is partly because his titles of King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah is, according to Ethiopian tradition, the 225th in an unbroken line of Ethiopian kings descended from the Biblical King David. These titles match those of the Messiah mentioned in Revelations. Psalm 87:4-6 is also interpreted as predicting the coronation of Haile Selassie. This work is copyrighted. ... This work is copyrighted. ... Amharic (አማርኛ) is a Semitic language spoken in Northern Central Ethiopia, where it is the official language. ... Haile Selassie Haile Selassie (Power of Trinity) (July 23, 1892 – August 27, 1975) was the last Emperor (1930–1936; 1941–1974) of Ethiopia, and is a religious symbol in the Rastafarian movement. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... The term God is ordinarily used to designate a singular, universal Supreme Being. ... Incarnation, which literally means enfleshment, refers to the DNA-encoding, conception, and live birth of a sentient creature (generally human) who is the material manifestation of an entity or force whose original nature is immaterial. ... Jah is traditionally thought to be a shortened form of the name Yahweh or Jehovah. ... Negro means the color black in both Spanish and Portuguese languages, being derived from the Latin word niger of the same meaning. ... In Judaism, the Messiah (מָשִׁיחַ Anointed one, Standard Hebrew Mašíaḥ, Tiberian Hebrew Māšîªḥ) is a human descendant of King David who will rebuild the nation of Israel and bring world peace by restoring the Davidic Kingdom. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... Emancipation means becoming free and equal; the term can be used in various contexts: historically, a slave becoming free by being set free by the owner (manumission), voluntarily or in accordance with laws requiring it after a certain time or in certain cases, thereby becoming freedman (e. ... The concept of the divine is a key ingredient in all religious faiths, and it is frequently used to refer to the monotheistic God that is part of most of the worlds great religions as well as the various deities that are part of polytheistic religions such as Hinduism. ... Justice is a concept involving the fair, moral, and impartial treatment of all persons, especially in law. ... The Bible (From Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material), is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... Michelangelos David This page is about the Biblical king David. ... Visions of John the Evangelist, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ...

In the 10th century BC, The Solomonic Dynasty of Ethiopia was founded by Menelik I, the son of Solomon and 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 Kebra Negast, Rastas interpret this as meaning she conceived his child, and from this, they concluded that the black people are the true children of Israel, or Jews. Falasha black Jews have lived in Ethiopia for centuries, disconnected from the rest of Judaism; their existence gave some credence and impetus to early Rastafarians, validating their belief that Ethiopia was Zion. (11th century BC - 10th century BC - 9th century BC - other centuries) (1000s BC - 990s BC - 980s BC - 970s BC - 960s BC - 950s BC - 940s BC - 930s BC - 920s BC - 910s BC - 900s BC - other decades) (3rd millennium BC - 2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC) Events Partition of the ancient Israelite... Menelik I first Emperor of Ethiopia, traditionally believed to be the son of King Solomon of ancient Israel and Makeda, Queen of Sheba. ... Solomon or Shlomo (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה; Standard Hebrew: Šəlomo; Tiberian Hebrew: Šəlōmōh, meaning peace) in the Tanakh (Old Testament), is the third king of Israel (including Judah), builder of the temple in Jerusalem, renowned for his great wisdom and wealth and power, but also blamed for falling away from worshipping the... The Queen of Sheba, referred to in the Bible, the Quran, and Ethiopic history, was the ruler of Sheba, which modern archeology places in present-day Yemen. ... (Redirected from 1 Kings) The Books of Kings (also known as [The Book of] Kings in Hebrew: Sefer Melachim מלכים) is a part of Judaisms Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. ... Kebra Negast (The Glory of Kings) is an illustrated book on the history of the Ethopian orthodox religion. ... The Beta Israel (or House of Israel), known by outsiders by the pejorative term Falasha or Falash Mura (exiles or strangers) are Jews of Ethiopian origin. ... Zion or Tzion (צִיּוֹן Height, Standard Hebrew Ẓiyyon, Tiberian Hebrew Ṣiyyôn; Arabic صهيون Ṣuhyūn) originally was the specific name given to a Jebusite fortress near modern-day Jerusalem that was conquered by David. ...

Some Rastafarians choose to classify their religion as Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, Protestant Christianity, or Judaism. Of those, the ties to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church are the most widespread, though discussed controversially by their clergy. Rastafarians believe that standard translations of the Bible incorporate changes created by the racist white power structure. They also revere the Ethiopian national epic, the Kebra Negast. Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. ... The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church is an Oriental Orthodox church in Ethiopia that was part of the Coptic Church until it was granted its own Patriarch by Cyril VI, the Coptic Pope, in 1959. ...

For Rastafarians, Selassie I remains their king as well as their God: an African Haile Selassie, with great pomp and dignity in front of the world's press and representatives of many of the world's powerful nations. From the beginning the Rastas decided to treat themselves in effect as Ethiopian citizens, loyal to its leader and devoted to its flag.

Most Rastafarians believe that Selassie is in some way a reincarnation of Jesus and that the Rastafarians are the true Israelites. Reincarnation, also called transmigration of souls, is the rebirth in another body (after physical death), of some critical part of a persons personality or spirit. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ... An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Biblical patriarch Jacob who was renamed Israel by God in the book of Genesis, 32:28 The Israelites were a group of Hebrews, as described in the Bible. ...

Rastas call Selassie Jah, Jah, or Jah Rastafari, and believe there is great power in these names. They call themselves Rastafari (pronounced Rasta-FAR-I) to express the personal relationship each Rasta has with Selassie I. Rastas like to use the ordinal with the name Haile Selassie I, with the dynastic Roman numeral one signifying "the First" deliberately pronounced as the letter I - again as a means of expressing a personal relationship with God. They also like to call him H.I.M. (pronounced him), for His Imperial Majesty. Commonly, ordinal numbers, or ordinals for short, are numbers used to denote the position in an ordered sequence: first, second, third, fourth, etc. ...

When Haile Selassie I died in 1975, his death was not accepted by Rastafarians who could not accept that God could die. They said it was a lie. 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ...

Rastafari is a strongly syncretic Abrahamic religion that draws extensively from the Bible. They particularly like the New Testament Book of Revelations, as this (5:5) is where they find the prophecies about the divinity of Haile Selassie. Rastas believe 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. Syncretism is the attempt to reconcile disparate, even opposing, beliefs and to meld practices of various schools of thought. ... An Abrahamic religion (also referred to as desert monotheism) is any religion derived from an ancient Semitic tradition attributed to Abraham, a great patriarch described in the Torah, the Bible, and the Quran. ... The Bible (From Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material), is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Scriptures, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... The Revelation of St. ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Some believe 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. Literacy is the ability to read and write. ... The word culture comes from the Latin root colere (to inhabit, to cultivate, or to honor). ... A late 19th-century artists conception of the Ark of the Covenant, employing a Renaissance cassone for the Ark and cherubim as latter-day Christian angels The Ark of the Covenant (in Hebrew: aron habrit) is described in the Hebrew Bible as a sacred container built at the command...

Rastafarians are criticised, particularly by Christian groups, 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. They are also criticised for using the English language (and particularly the King James version) of the Bible, as many have no interest in Hebrew or Greek scholarship. However, in recent years a greater interest in the Amharic Orthodox version, authorized by His Majesty in 1950's, has arisen among Rastas. The term Christian means belonging to Christ and is derived from the Greek noun Χριστός Khristós which means anointed one, which is itself a translation of the Hebrew word Moshiach (Hebrew: משיח, also written Messiah), (and in Arabic it is pronounced Maseeh مسيح). ... This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ... The word Hebrew can variously mean: The Hebrew language or Hebrew languages The ancient Hebrew people, or their descendants the Jews The New Testament book Hebrews The term Hebrew is sometimes used by certain Christian groups to distinguish the Jews in ancient times (before the birth of Jesus) from Jews... Scholarly method - or as it is more commonly called, scholarship - is the body of principles and practices used by scholars to make their claims about the world as valid and trustworthy as possible, and to make them known to the scholarly public. ...

Repatriation and Race

The Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy

The Rasta dream is that Haile Selassie will call the day of judgement, when the righteous shall return home to Mount Zion (which is identified with Africa,) to live forever in peace, love and harmony. In the meantime the Rastas call to be repatriated to Africa. Repatriation, and the desire to return to Africa after 400 years of slavery, is central to Rastafarian doctrine. The first Rastas, stuck on a tiny Caribbean island, dreamed of the possibilities of Africa. The Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy Author: Rev. ... The Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy Author: Rev. ... Zion or Tzion (צִיּוֹן Height, Standard Hebrew Ẓiyyon, Tiberian Hebrew Ṣiyyôn; Arabic صهيون Ṣuhyūn) originally was the specific name given to a Jebusite fortress near modern-day Jerusalem that was conquered by David. ...

Many early Rastafarians for a time believed in black supremacy. Widespread advocacy of this doctrine was shortlived, however; at least partly because of Selassie's explicit condemnation of racism in a speech before the United Nations. Most Rastafarians now espouse a belief that racial animosities must be set aside, with world peace and harmony being common themes. One of the three major modern sects, 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. Black supremacy is the belief that blacks are genetically or racially superior to people of other racial backgrounds. ... An African-American drinks out of a water cooler designated for use by colored patrons in 1939 at a streetcar terminal in Oklahoma City. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ...

Some early elements of Rastafarianism were closely related to indigenous religions of the Caribbean and Africa, and to the Maroons, though these elements were largely purged by the Nyahbinghi warriors - dreadlocked Rastas who fought the corrupting power of some leaders who sought to add these syncretic elements to the Rastafarian doctrines. This article needs cleanup. ... Dreadlocks Dreadlocks are ropy mats of hair that have been allowed to grow out over time. ...

Middle-class people, white people, Asians, and Native Americans also comprise minorities within the religion. The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... Whites is a broad term used to describe people of ethnic European, Middle Eastern, and North African descent, especially those with fair skin. ... The term Asian can refer to something or someone from Asia. ... -1...

Church and The Holy Trinity

To further confuse the issue of classifying Rastafarian practices, one type of religious gathering (grounation) is similar in many ways to Jewish services, and may have descended from African-American slaves who converted to Judaism -- a number of Jews in the southern USA owned slaves -- and escaped to Jamaica. Rastas believe 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. A church building is a building used in Christian worship. ... The word temple has different meanings in the fields of architecture, religion, geography, anatomy, and education. ...

Rastas believe that Haile Selassie is both God the Father and God the Son of the holy Trinity, while it is themselves, and potentially all human beings, who embody the Holy Spirit. Thus, the human being is a church that contains the Holy Ghost. Rastas see Haile Selassie as the head, and themselves as the body, as another way of expressing this doctrine. Some see Melchizedek in addition to Jesus as having been former incarnations of Haile Selassie. The reason Rastas have the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is because Haile Selassie is Power of the Trinity in Ethiopic. In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... Son of God is a biblical phrase from the Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament. ... This article concerns the Holy Trinity of Christianity and related religious denominations. ... The Holy Spirit, from the Christian viewpoint, while related to Gods will, is not Gods will personified. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ...

Physical Immortality

Prince Lincoln and Rasta children

Rastas are physical immortalists who believe the chosen few will continue to live forever in their current bodies. This idea of everliving (rather than everlasting) life is very strong and important. prince lincoln True Experience record cover File links The following pages link to this file: Rastafarianism Lincoln Thompson ... prince lincoln True Experience record cover File links The following pages link to this file: Rastafarianism Lincoln Thompson ... Immortality is the concept of existing for a potentially infinite or indeterminate length of time. ...

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." In Walk in Jah Light Thompson sings about "living under the 6 feet of sorrow" and asks "who's going to live to glorify the gift of Jah eternally?" Experience album cover Prince Lincoln Thompson, known as Sax, was a Jamaican singer, player of instruments and songwriter with the reggae band the Royal Rasses, and a Rastafarian. ...

Homosexuality

Homosexuality is seen as sinful and decadent, though in this attitude Rastafarianism is far from unique among Christian sects, and some Rastafarians are indifferent to homosexuality or accept it. Some claim that extra attention may be paid to homophobia in Rastafarianism, however, because persecution of homosexuals is common in Jamaica among Rastas and non-Rastas alike, though no more so than in other Third world countries, or in other religions. Homosexuality may refer to: A sexual orientation characterized by aesthetic attraction, romantic love, and sexual desire exclusively or almost exclusively for members of the same sex or with the same gender identity (e. ... Homophobia is a term which is interpreted differently by different people. ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ...

Reggae Music Expressing Rasta Doctrine

Early Rasta reggae musicians (besides Marley) whose music expresses Rastafarian doctrine well are Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer (in Blackheart Man), Prince Far I, Lincoln Thompson, Ijahman Levi (especially the first 4 albums), Misty-in-Roots (Live), The Congos (Heart of the Congos), and The Rastafarians. Peter Tosh (October 9, 1944 - September 11, 1987) was a pioneer reggae musician. ... Bunny Wailer, also known as Bunny Livingston, was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. ... Prince Far I (1945-1983) was a reggae singer. ... Experience album cover Prince Lincoln Thompson, known as Sax, was a Jamaican singer, player of instruments and songwriter with the reggae band the Royal Rasses, and a Rastafarian. ... Ijahman Levis first album, Haile I Hymn, was released on Island Records in 1978. ... Misty-in-Roots began life as a Southall based British roots reggae band in the late nineteen seventies. ... The Congos were the reggae duo Ashanti Roy and Cedric Myton, both born in 1947. ... The Rastafarians is a California-based Reggae group co-founded by Herb Daly. ...

Rasta doctrine as developed in the 80's was further expressed musically by a number of other prominent artists, such as Burning Spear, Steel Pulse, Third World, Black Uhuru, and Aswad. Winston Rodney (born March 1, 1948) a. ... Steel Pulse are a well-known roots reggae outfit. ... For the Jamaican reggae band, see Third World (band). ... Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae band probably best known for their hits Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, Sinsemilla, Mondays, and Chill Out. ... Formed by immigrants from the Caribbean, English reggae group Aswad (Black in arabic) are intriguing in that they have performed (according to critics) better music as they added more soul and R&B influences to it. ...

Politics

Most Rastas in the early stages of the movement did not vote, out of principle. Ras Sam Brown formed the Suffering People's party for the elections of 1961, where he received fewer than 100 votes, but solely by standing for election, his influence has been much greater than this. For the Finno-Ugric people, see Votes. ... Ras Sam Brown was born on 16th December 1925 and died in August 1998 while attending an international trade fair in Barbados. ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year—i. ...

In a famous free Peace concert in 1976, first Peter Tosh lambasted the audience, including attending dignitaries, with political demands that included legalising cannabis. He did this while smoking a spliff, a criminal act in Jamaica. Later Bob Marley asked 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 pre-election campaign. This was also the campaign where Manley took his "healing rod" on the election trail to try and persuade the Rastas to vote for him. Peace is generally defined as a state of quiet or tranquillity, as an absence of disturbance or agitation (Latin derivation Pax = Absentia Belli). ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Peter Tosh (October 9, 1944 - September 11, 1987) was a pioneer reggae musician. ... This article refers to the type of cigarette. ... Michael Norman Manley (December 10, 1924 - March 6, 1997) was the fifth Prime Minister of Jamaica (1972 - 1980, 1989 - 1992). ... The Right Honourable Edward Philip George Seaga (born May 28, 1930) was Prime Minister of Jamaica for the Jamaica Labour Party from 1980 to 1989, and served as leader of the opposition 1989 to January 2005. ...

Language

Main article: Rastafarian Vocabulary

Rastafarians 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. Their remedy for this situation has been the creation of a modified vocabulary and dialect, reflecting their desire to take forward language and to confront the society they call Babylon. The Rastafarian vocabulary is part of an intentionally created dialect of English. ... The term African languages refers to the approximately 1800 languages spoken in Africa. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ... A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. ... Babylon (disambiguation). ...

Isms

Rastafarians claim to reject "-isms". They see a wide range of isms and schisms in modern society, and want no part in them. They reject the word Rastafarianism, because they see themselves as having transcended isms and schisms. This has created some conflict between Rastas and some members of the academic community studying the Rastafarian phenomenon, who insist on calling this religious belief Rastafarianism, in spite of the disapproval this generates within the Rastafarian movement. One possible reason academics call it Rastafarianism is to fit the structure they have declared for the English language. The Rasta perspective does not include a need to talk about religion in an analytical and objective way.

Ceremonies

There are two types of Rastafarian religious ceremonies. A reasoning is a simple event where the Rastas gather; smoke "ganja" (or marijuana); and discuss ethical, social and religious issues. The person honored by being allowed to light the herb says a short prayer before doing so, and the pipe is always passed counterclockwise. A binghi or grounation is a holiday; the word binghi is believed to refer originally to 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. Ganja is both: a slang term for cannabis derived from the Hindustani language; and the Azerbaijani city of Ganja. ... Cannabis is a plant also known as Cannabis sativa, hemp, or marijuana. ...

Important dates where grounations may take place are:

• January 6 - Ethiopian Christmas
• February 6 - Bob Marley's birthday
• April 21 - The anniversary of Emperor 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
• November 2 - The coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie

January 6 is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... July 23 is the 204th day (205th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 161 days remaining. ... August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ...

Symbols

Dreadlocks

Rasta hairstyle

The wearing of dreadlocks is closely associated with the movement, though not universal among (or exclusive to) its adherents. Dreadlocks are supported by Leviticus 21:15 ("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 Nazarite vow in Numbers 6.5-6. Part of the reason the hairstyle was adopted was to contrast the kinky long hair of black men with the straighter hair of whites. Close image of dreadlock, duty free This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Close image of dreadlock, duty free This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Dreadlocks Dreadlocks are ropy mats of hair that have been allowed to grow out over time. ... Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, also the third book in the Torah (five books of Moses). ... A Nazarite or Nazirite, Nazir in Hebrew, was a Jew who took an ascetic vow described in the Book of Numbers at 6:1-21. ... Numbers can mean: Number The Book of Numbers, the fourth book of the Bible NUMB3RS, a CBS television show This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

It is believed that the first Rasta dreadlocks were copied from Kenya in the 1940's, when during the independence struggle the feared maumau freedom fighters grew their "dreaded locks" while hiding in the mountains. However, there are ascetic groups within nearly every major religion that have at times worn their hair in this fashion. In addition to the Nazirites of Judaism and the Sadhus of Hinduism, there are the Dervishes of Islam, the Coptic Monks of Christianity, and the Sikhs, among others.

Dreadlocks have also come to symbolize the Lion of Judah and rebellion against Babylon. In the United States, several public schools and workplaces have lost lawsuits as the result of banning dreadlocks. 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 Rastafarian rights. The Lion of Judah is an important Rastafarian symbol of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, or Jah (God), himself. ... Safeway is a brand name used by several supermarkets around the world: Safeway Inc. ... Lafayette is a city located on the Vermilion River in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. ...

Rastafari associate dreadlocks with a spiritual journey that one takes in the process of locking their hair (growing dreadlocks). It is taught that patience is the key to growing dreadlocks, a journey of the mind, soul and spirituality. Its spiritual pattern is aligned with the Rastafarian religion. People who do not understand the process sometimes mock the dreadlock style and make comments about the cleanliness of the locked hair. The way to form dreadlocks, with a black person's hair, is to not comb it. There is no twisting or braiding involved, and anything that makes the locking process easier or faster is regarded as akin to sacrilege among the Rasta faithful.

Many non Rastafari, however, of black African descent have adopted dreads 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. The wearing of dreads also has spread among people of other ethnicities whose hair is not naturally suited to the style, who sometimes go to great lengths to affect the look.

The word dread comes from Rasta terminology. For the Rastas the razor, the scissors and the comb are Babylonian or Roman inventions. So close is the association between dreadlocks and the Rastafarians that the two are sometimes used synonymously. In Rastafarian reggae music a follower of Rastafari may be referred to simply as a dreadlocks or Natty Dread, whilst those non-believers who cut their hair are be referred to as baldheads. Occams Razor or Hanlons razor A razor is a an edge tool (primarily, used in shaving). ... Different types of scissors - sewing, kitchen, paper Scissors are a tool used for cutting thin material which requires little force. ... A modern plastic comb with a handle A comb is a device made of solid material, generally flat, always toothed, used for staightening and cleaning hair or other fibers. ...

Ganja

For many Rastas, smoking marijuana (known as ganja, herb, or St. John's bread) is a spiritual act; they consider it a sacrament that facilitates consciousness and peacefulness, bringing them closer to God. Many believe that cannabis originated in Africa, and that it is a part of their African culture that they are reclaiming. Marijuana leaves Some home-grown marijuana, or more precisely, cannabis bud, which is well-cured, i. ... A sacrament is a Christian rite that mediates, in the sense of being a visible symbol or manifestation of invisible divine grace. ...

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. They contrast their herb to liquor, which they feel makes people stupid, and is not a part of African culture. While there is a clear belief in the beneficial qualities of cannabis, it is not compulsory to use it, and there are Rastafarians who do not do so. Dreadlocked mystics, often ascetic, the sadhus have smoked cannabis in India for centuries. The migration of many thousands of Indian Hindus to the Caribbean in the 20th century brought this culture to Jamaica. This article is in need of attention. ... In Hinduism, a sadhu is a common term for a renounced ascetic or practitioner of yoga (yogi) who has given up pursuit of the first three Hindu goals of life: kama (pleasure), artha (wealth and power) and even dharma (duty). ... Human migration denotes any movement of groups of people from one locality to another, rather than of individual wanderers. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

They believe that the smoking of cannabis enjoys Biblical sanction and is an aid to meditation and religious observance.
Among Biblical verses Rastafarians believe justify the use of herb: Cannabis is a plant also known as Cannabis sativa, hemp, or marijuana. ...

• 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 3:18 "... thou shalt eat the herb of the field."
• Proverbs 15:17 "Better is a dinner of herb where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith."
• Psalms 104:14 "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man." Also see Spiritual use section of cannabis

However, then-Attorney General of the United States Janet Reno ruled that Rastafarians do not have the religious right to smoke ganja in violation of drug laws in the United States of America. 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 European Convention of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. This article is about Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible. ... This article is about Genesis, the first book of the Hebrew Bible. ... Proverbs may refer to: The plural of the word proverb. ... Psalms (Tehilim תהילים, in Hebrew) is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, and of the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. ... Cannabis is a plant also known as Cannabis sativa, hemp, or marijuana. ... The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. ... Janet Reno (born July 21, 1938) was the 78th Attorney General of the United States (1993-2001), and was the first woman to hold that post. ... The prohibition of drugs through legislation or religious law is a common means of controlling the perceived negative consequences of recreational drug use at a society- or world-wide level. ...

Rastafari Today

By the end of the 20th century, women had become more important in the functioning of the Rastafarian movement. In the early years, menstruating women were often subordinated to their husbands and excluded from religious and social ceremonies. To a large degree, women feel more freedom to express themselves now, thus they enjoy much greater freedom of self-expression, and contribute greatly to the religion. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Rastafari is not a highly organized religion. Most Rastas do not identify with any sect or denomination, though there are three prominent Sects of Rastafari: the Nyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel. By claiming Jah as the returned Jesus, Rastafari is a new religious movement that has arisen from Christianity, much as Christianity arose from Judaism. There are 3 main sects of Rastafari. ... Jah is traditionally thought to be a shortened form of the name Yahweh or Jehovah. ... The neutrality and accuracy of this article are disputed. ... Christianity is an Abrahamic religion based on the life, teachings, death by crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament. ... The Star of David, a common symbol of Jews and Judaism Judaism is the religion and culture of the Jewish people and one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths. ...

In 1996, the Rastafarian movement worldwide was given consultative status by the United Nations. 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic & Social Council. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945 and now made up of 191 states. ...

See also

History of Rastafarians, Rastafarian music, Reggae and List of Rastafarians. Haile Selassie, Rastafarian God and King Rastafarians call themselves such after Ras (prince) Tafari Makonnen, whose coronation as Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia on November 2, 1930 inspired them to believe that the messiah had returned. ... Rastafarianism is a religion from Jamaica that has since spread throughout the world. ... Reggae is a style of music developed in Jamaica and is closely linked to the Rastafarian religion, though not universally popular among them. ... This is a list of Rastafarians. ...

External links

• rastafarian.nl (http://www.rastafarian.nl)
• Scholarly profile (http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/rast.html)
• Shorter, more colloquial profile (http://www.camcnty.gov.uk/sub/cominfo/ethnic/rasta.htm)
• Well written and simple site explaining basic Rasta ideas. (http://www.swagga.com/rastaessence.htm)
• Website to listen to Rastafarian reggae lyrics (http://www.totallyradio.com/index.php?playing=N)
• Old academic article (http://www.saxakali.com/caribbean/EdP.htm)
• Jamaican Observer article about Rasta and politics (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20010820t210000-0500_12939_obs_rastafari_and_politics.asp)
• Marcus Garvey's prophecy of Haile Selassie (http://www.jamaicans.com/culture/rasta/MarcusGarveyProhecy.shtml)
• Garvey critical of Haile Selassie (http://www.jamaicans.com/culture/rasta/MarcusGarveyeditorial.shtml)
• Selassie's attitude to the Rastas (http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/config.pl?read=48591)
• Jamaican Gleaner 2001 letter asking not to call the religion Rastafarianism (http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20010228/letters/letters2.html)