Oh there are some typos in here that I don't feel like finding, this isn't the final version.
In order to understand Rastafarianism as a religious and cultural movement, it is essential to first examine the circumstances that led to its creation. Throughout history, black people have been oppressed politically and socially. During the age of colonialism- specifically the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries- African nations were conquered by white, Western powers. When under the rule of these powers, black people were moved out of their homelands and used as slaves. Those who were brought to Jamaica were mostly from the Gold Coast and Nigeria (Barrett [16]). It wasn’t until 1962 that Jamaica finally achieved independence from the British, who had conquered the island in 1655.
Jamaican religion has always been ambiguous, having stemmed from old African cults as well as Christianity, Judaism and local movements that came and went. The English planters that colonized Jamaica were for a long time adamantly against evangelizing the Jamaicans. They felt that the black people were of “lesser breed” and refused to share Christianity with them (Barrett [17]). This attitude accounts for the way that the Europeans oppressed black people. The Jamaicans always had to deal with being seen and treated as significantly inferior to whites. Researchers unanimously agree that Rastafarianism, as a movement, is a reaction to historic injustices. “There is certainly true injustice in Jamaica, the geographical center of Rastafarianism: As is often the case in developing nations, five percent of the population (mostly white) holds on to 90% of the wealth, while the rest of the population is marginalized in extreme poverty. Socially, many regard Jamaica as still possessing, against the will of the majority of the population, a "neocolonial" status in which the country has been given the responsibility, but not the means, to be independent” (Nicholas, [18]).
Living conditions in Kingston, the most densely populated city on the island, are representative of the distinctly defined separation of wealth and poverty. The area called Cross Roads typifies the division most blatantly. To the north of the Cross Roads are “beautiful manicured homes, which house wealthy Jamaicans and their servants. The Rastafarian population, however, is drawn from the horrific slums that lie on the other side of the Cross Roads” (Barrett [9]). The conditions that the poor were subjected to resulted in the development of a rebel movement. As complex and indefinite as it sometimes tends to be, the Rastafarian faith that came into existence around 1930 grew to serve as a source of unity and hope on the island of Jamaica.
The original Rastas drew their inspiration from the philosophies of Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940), who promoted the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the 1920s. The organization's main goal was to unite black people with their rightful homeland, Africa. Garvey believed that all black people in the western world should return to Africa since they were all descended from Africans. (The Rastafarians). Garvey himself had no particular allegiance to the Rastafarian movement, but he unwittingly earned the status of the movement's "John the Baptist" thanks to a prophecy allegedly made by him in 1916, when he said, "Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black King, he shall be the Redeemer." (Edmonds, [43]). For the Rastafarian, this prophecy came to pass with the ascension of Haile Selassie to the throne of Ethiopia in 1930 (Clarke [45]).
A common misconception is that Rastafarians are racist against the white man. However, rather than striving for black supremacy and dominance over the white man, Rastafarians are seeking to live in harmony and equality. Their belief is that their only way to redemption lies in the mass migration of all black people back to Ethiopia. Whatever racial resentment appears within the movement is a natural repercussion of the centuries of undeniable oppression and injustice that black people faced at the hands of colonial Europe.
Although Rastafarians reject Christianity, the movement is made up of mostly ex-Christians (Barrett [2-3]), as evidenced by Rastafarian doctrines which build on and “rectify” (in their view) Christian beliefs. It is a fluid movement by its very nature: Rastafarianism "is not a church movement with hierarchical structures, highly developed institutions, and systematic theology." It has neither a priesthood nor a clergy. (Clarke [49]). It has "no agreed system of beliefs, no agreed credo equal to the Nicene Creed," and "attendance and participation in worship and ritual are not obligatory." (Clarke [63]). Rastafarians accept the Old and New Testaments, but feel that the white man has distorted many facets of scripture. While many details of doctrine and practice differ from Christianity, it can easily be seen how Christianity and Rastafarianism share their roots.
Let it be noted that there are many inconsistencies and variances from person to person within the Rasta faith. Rastafarianism is held together through their fundamental principles and beliefs. For example, most Rastafarians worship Haile Selassie as the living God and black Messiah. Some hold the belief that Selassie is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. They firmly believe that Christ and his followers were black. Some see him as the Messiah, Selassie being his reincarnation. Others think Jesus was a great prophet (many Jews and Muslims hold this belief as well). Some Rastafarians see Halie Selassie as also embodying the Holy Spirit, while others believe the people of the Rastafarian faith are themselves the Holy Spirit. Selassie himself was an Eastern Orthodox Christian and never joined the Rasta movement. However, he never denounced it, and even visited Jamaica. There are numerous differing Rastafarian explanations for the death of Halie Selassie in 1975 are extremely varied. “At first, some Rastafarians refused to believe that he had died and proposed that reports of his death were part of a conspiracy or a lie of the press” [Clarke, 51]. Others came to terms with the demise and death of Selassie by seeing it as part of a divine plan in which he has simply "disappeared" (Moodie, [33]).
Holding strong to their beliefs that the people in scripture were black, Rastafarians feel that they are the true descendants of the Israelites, God’s “chosen people”. They refer to Jamaica, the island where they have felt as though they were captives, as “Babylon”. This is a reference to the horrors faced in the Babylonian captivity in the 6th Century B.C. by the Jews, which Jamaicans feel they are still victims of. “Babylon” is also used as a reference to the white man and white European culture as a whole. Rastafarians do not hold any doctrinal beliefs pertaining to the afterlife. The only belief they hold about what happens after death is that the Christian Church that is run by “Babylon” makes empty promises about heaven. The Church’s doctrines on the afterlife are degradingly dubbed “pie in the sky when you die” (Edmonds [27]). Whereas Jamaica is “Babylon”, having a very negative connotation, Ethiopia is “Zion”. The term “Zion” refers to the Promised Land of the Old Testament. Since Rastafarians embraced the idea of a return to Ethiopia by all black people of the world, it is seen as “heaven on Earth”. Ethiopia is seen as the new Eden, a paradise where happiness and harmony can finally be reached. Ethiopia is also important to them because it is where Halie Selassie reigned and where all black people have roots. “Ethiopia” to some people means the entire continent of Africa rather than just the country of Ethiopia itself. (Barrett [1])
Rastafarianism is a culture as well as a religion. Having its roots in the impoverished slums of Jamaica has impacted many facets of the Rastafarian customs. The defining colors of the Rastafarian religion are red, gold, and green. These colors were taken from the Garvey movement, but adapted to better fit Rasta beliefs. The color red symbolizes the blood that martyrs have shed in the history of the Rastafarians. The yellow represents the wealth of the homeland. Green represents the beauty and vegetation of Ethiopia. Sometimes black is used to represent the color of Africans, to whom 98% of the Jamaicans are descended. In terms of dress, Rastafarians may wear torn or tattered clothes as a symbol of their rejection of "Babylonian" values stressing the importance of appearance (MacFarlane [110.]). The growing of dreadlocks is another important custom which is done simply by letting the naturally tightly-curled hair of Africans grow without being combed or brushed, and washed with no more than water (Nicholas [5]). The dreadlocks are meant to stir up fear or “dread” in the Babylonians. Looking like a mane, the hairstyle also pays homage to Halie Selassie’s title of the “Lion of the Tribe of Judah”. They also serve as a "psychic antenna" which collects and distributes mental energy: "the shaking of locks is thought to unleash spiritual energy that will eventually bring about the destruction of Babylon." (Edmonds[31-2]). Rastas cite the following Old Testament passage in explaining their hairstyle: "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" (Leviticus 21:5). The Rastafarian diet, another unique aspect of the Rasta way of life, can be simplified as a more rigorous version of vegetarianism, emphasizing the intake of only the purest and most natural foods. It excludes pork or any dead flesh, as well as alcohol, tobacco, and food prepared by non-Rastafarians. Some will also eat with their hands rather than use silverware or plates, or drink only rainwater (Nicholas [58]).
A controversial feature of the Rastafarian faith that truly sets it apart from mainstream religions is their use of “ganja” (marijuana) as a means of prayer and spiritual cleansing. It is frowned upon, contrary to popular misconception, for a Rastafarian to smoke the herb recreationally. Ganja has four times the “punch” of the ordinary street drug, and it is used for meditative and medicinal purposes only. Their use of this drug is motivated by the belief that God is literally within every human being. The feelings that result from getting high allow Rastafarians to strengthen their connection to God (whom they refer to as “Jah”). This belief that God is within them has resulted in the excessive use of the pronoun “I”. Instead of saying “I am going to the market”, a Rastafarian would say “I-n-I are going to the market.” The purpose of this is to always keep in mind the fact that Jah is within them.
Music is another extremely important part of Rastafarianism. Reggae is the dominant style that has used to preach the Rastafarian message. The music is slow and is defined by the sharp accents on the up-beats of each measure, usually played by guitar or organ. Reggae is a very modern form of music, having come to fruition through a blending of ska, R&B, soul, and tribal music in the 1960s. It was developed in Jamaica, mainly in Trenchtown, which is an extremely destitute part of Kingston. None have been more influential in spreading Rastafarianism worldwide than Bob Marley, the most famous and influential reggae musician of all time. When his music gained remarkable popularity in Europe and the United States, the world was exposed to his faith. His lyrics preached about love, equality, justice, Jah, ganja, and Zion. It is due to Marley’s songwriting that Rastafarianism grew and spread.
Now, it is not only the poorest of the poor in Jamaica that practice Rastafarianism. People all over the world have come to embrace this interesting way of life, which eliminates the typical hierarchal structures of modern religion and drives home simple universal messages. As of 1997, there were approximately one million participants in the Rastafarian movement worldwide (Murrell [1]), including people of different races and origins. Most notably, Japan, Russia, Canada, and the United States have seen the growth of Rasta movements. Obviously, these movements do not have to embrace the “back to Africa” initiative. Instead, these non-black Rastas focus on rejecting Babylon and promoting inner oneness with Jah. Within Jamaica, there is no exact census taken of the members of the faith. However, it has been estimated that one out of every six Jamaicans are Rasta or Rasta sympathizers (Barrett [2]).
Rastafarianism is clearly a very complex and interesting movement that has somehow managed to remain very strong despite having no typical form of human leadership. Rastafarianism has a plainly defined reason for existence: Redemption. In a world where oppression is rampant and injustice the norm, perhaps the need for redemption is greater than ever. Although their approach may seem unorthodox to the modern Westerner, a great deal can be learned from studying the thinking of the Rasta. Perhaps Bob Marley best expressed the ultimate goal of the Rastafarian in his “Redemption Song”:
Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfill the Book.
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets,
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it:
We've got to fulfill the book.
Won't you have to sing
These songs of freedom? -
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs -
All I ever had:
Redemption songs:
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.
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