Throughout the centuries, man has tried to understand the creation of the world and how he came to be thru Religion, but what exactly is Religion? How did it come to be? Who invented it? And the most important part is, is it good for you the individual?
Religion is a system of human thought, which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's or a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs. (Webster 1996, 578)
To me religion is zealous ritualistic devotion to an unseen greater power/being that has at any given time the ability to make nice and or destroy anyone or anything granted that he/she/they are listening and deems your request worthy. They may even grant wishes like genies!
Now the English word "religion" is derived from the Middle English word "religioun" which came from Old French "religion." It also may have originated from the Latin word "religio" which means good faith and so on. Or it may have come from the Latin religore, which means to tie fast. If that is to confusing then maybe this will help.
1150–1200; ME religioun (<>religion) <>religiōn- (s. of religiō) conscientiousness, piety, equiv. to relig (āre) to tie, fasten (re- re- + ligāre to bind, tie; cf. ligament) + -iōn- -ion; cf. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion 2009)
Now I am not going to delve into all of religion as a whole, but focus on one religion that we rarely hear or speak about, and it has not gained any real national attention for that matter. It is “The Rastafarian Religion”.
As a youth growing up in a Catholic house in Trinidad and Tobago, I was always lead to believe that rastas were only about smoking ganja and was told to keep away from them, and the ones I did bump into were, but as luck would have it my youngest Uncle Milton became a Rasta and kinda sought of told me what it meant for him and it was great to have someone in the family step outside the norm that was until two of his older brothers who were Constables in the TnT police force found out he (my Ras uncle) was growing weed in my grandmothers’ garden. They gave him such a beating that he had to quit being a Rasta but he kept the dreads though and they are now down to his hips. If you someday go to Trinidad and Tobago, and happen to bump into Uncle Milton, he still talks the Rastafarian language but I don’t think he smokes ganja anymore. I think he is doing the Rasta way of life without the ganja.
Nowadays you see dreadlocks everywhere and you find yourself in deep thought trying to figure out if these people are the real deal or are they just in it for the hair. I must admit that I myself was in it for the hair but then I thought to myself that I have more right to having dreadlocks because of my Island upbringing than someone who is born here in the U.S. FYI (You may not know this but I started growing dreads in 1998 and I have cut my hair on three separate occasions because it was getting in the way of me performing my jobs properly). The people who are into the dreadlock fad, are confusing the rest of the general public, the ones who know nothing about the hairstyle how it came to be and the meaning behind it. They make assumptions based on the actions of the urban youth and think that is what rastas are like and that is sad to me. these are the ones who lead sheltered lives and don’t try to educate themselves in the difference on what they are seeing and what the real thing is all about. Luck for you guys you have me to set the record straight and if you don’t like what I have here you have the Internet to fill in the blank. Hope you enjoy what I have put together for you.
Lahtaz Eddie aka Irishtrini
Generally
Brief History:
Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), a black Jamaican who taught in the 1920s and is considered a second John the Baptist, was said to be the founder of the religion. Marcus Garvey, A black Jamaican publicist and organizer, used his political and cultural vision to help inspire a new worldview. He often spoke of the redemption of his people as coming from a future black African king (Magical Blend, June/July 1994, p. 76). On one occasion, Garvey proclaimed, "Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black King, he shall be the Redeemer" (The Rastafarians, p. 67). Only a few years later that prediction would be fulfilled in the person of Ethiopia's king, Haile Selassie. As Barrett has explained, "in the pantheon of the Rastafarians, Marcus Garvey is second only to Haile Selassie". There is said to be about one million rastas worldwide.
Followers of the Rastafari movement are known Rastafarians, Rastafaris, Rastas, or Ras Tafarians. The movement is named for Ras Tafari Makonnen, who was crowned Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopian in 1930. On November 2, 1930, Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned king of Ethiopia. Upon his coronation, he claimed for himself the titles of "Emperor Haile Selassie (Power of the Trinity) I, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God and King of the Kings of Ethiopia" (Ethiopia and Haile Selassie, Peter Schwab, editor, p. 11). These titles are traditionally given to Ethiopian kings and reflect the Old Testament emphasis of Ethiopian Christianity. For Rastafarians, Selassie's coronation was a clear fulfillment of Revelation 5:5, Ezekiel 28:25, and Marcus Garvey's prophecy. Haile Selassie was an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian and he explicity denied his divine status as proclaimed in Jamaica. In a radio interview with Canada's CBC news in 1967, he said, "I have heard of that idea [that I am divine]. I also met certain Rastafarians. I told them clearly that I am a man, that I am mortal, and that I will be replaced by the oncoming generation, and that they should never make a mistake in assuming or pretending that a human being is emanated from a deity." This denial has not deterred Rastafarians from believing the emperor to be divine.
Rastafarians dislike the term "Rastafarianism" because they reject the "isms and schisms" that characterize oppressive and corrupt white society. The working-class and peasant black people in the early 1930s, coming from an interpretation of Biblical prophecy see themselves as conforming to a vision of how Africans should live, reclaiming what they see as an identity, culture even, stolen from them when they were brought on ships as slave labor to Jamaica. (http://www.important.ca/rastafari.html 2009)
The Rastafari movement has spread throughout much of the world, largely through immigration and interest generated by Nyahbinghi and reggae music—most notably, that of Bob Marley, who was baptized Berhane Selassie (Light of the Trinity) by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church before his death, a step also taken later by his widow Rita. By 2000, there were more than one million Rastafari worldwide. About five to ten percent of Jamaicans identify themselves as Rastafari. Most Rastafarians are vegetarian, or only eat limited types of meat, living by the dietary Laws of Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. (http://www.important.ca/rastafari.html 2009)
The doctrines of Rastafari depart radically from the norms of the modern western mind, something encouraged deliberately by the Rastas themselves. Unlike many modern religious and Christian groups that tend to stress conformity towards the "powers-that-be", Rastafari instead stresses loyalty to their concept of "Zion", and rejection of modern society ("Babylon"). "Babylon" in this case is considered to be rebelling against "Earth's Rightful Ruler" (JAH) ever since the days of Nimrod. Rastafarians believe in the Judeo-Christian God, whom they call Jah. In general, Rastafarian beliefs are based in Judaism and Christianity, with an emphasis on Old Testament laws and prophecies and the Book of Revelation. Allegorical meaning is often sought in the Holy Piby.
This "way of life" is not merely to be given intellectual assent, or "belief" as the term is often used; it is about knowing or finding one's true identity. To follow and worship JAH Rastafari is to find, spread and "trod" the path with which one was rightfully born. The religion is difficult to categorize, because Rastafari is not a centralized organization. Individual Rastas work out the truth for themselves, resulting in a wide variety of beliefs entering beneath the general umbrella of Rastafari. (http://www.important.ca/rastafari.html 2009)
Rastafarians do not believe in an afterlife, but instead look to Africa (called "Zion") as a heaven on earth. True Rastas are believed to be immortal, both physically and spiritually, a concept called "ever living."
An important Rastafarian concept is "I and I," which is said instead of "you and I." It emphasizes the oneness between humanity and God as well as the equality of all humans.
Another central concept is Babylon, which refers to the white power structure of Europe and the Americas. Rastas seek to resist Babylon, which once cruelly enslaved blacks and still continue to hold them down through poverty, illiteracy, inequality, and trickery. The greed and conceit of Babylon is contrasted with the humble simplicity and naturalness of the Rastas.
Rastafarians are perhaps best known for their religious use of marijuana, which grows plentifully in Jamaica. Rastas know it as ganja, the holy herb, Iley or callie, and believe God gave it. Scriptural support is found especially in Psalm 104:14: "He causeth the grass for the cattle and herb for the service of man." Other texts interpreted to refer to cannabis include Genesis 3:18, Exodus 10:12, and Proverbs 15:17. In addition to ritual use, Rastas also use marijuana for medicinal purposes, applying it to a variety of ailments including colds. ("Rasta's Symbolism" - The Afro centric Experience)
Marijuana is used primarily during the two main Rastafari rituals: reasoning’s and nyabingi. The reasoning is an informal gathering where small groups of Rastas smoke ganja and engage in discussion. The ritual begins when one person lights the pipe, or "chalice," and recites a short prayer while all other participants bow their heads. The pipe is then passed around the circle until all of the people have smoked. The reasoning ends when the participants depart one by one.
The nyabinghi, or binghi for short, is a dance held on Rasta holidays and special occasions (see below). These dances can last for several days and bring together hundreds of Rastafarians from all over Jamaica. They camp in tents on land owned by the host Rastas. Formal dancing takes place at night in a tabernacle especially set up for the occasion. The Rastas sing and dance until the early hours of the morning. In the daytime, they "rest and reason. (B. Chavannes, Rastafari and Other African-Caribbean Worldviews Rutgers University Press, 1998, 17-18)
There are several Rasta holidays, most of which center around events in the life of Emperor Haile Selassie. The most important celebrations are:
November 2- the coronation of Selassie
January 6 - ceremonial birthday of Selassie
April 21 - Selassie's visit to Jamaica
July 23 - Selassie's personal birthday
August 1 - emancipation from slavery
August 17 - Marcus Garvey's birthday
One of the most visible practices of Rastafarians is the wearing of one's hair in dreadlocks. Dreadlocks have several purposes and layers of meaning for Rastafarians, including:
The biblical command not to cut one's hair (Leviticus 21:5)
The appearance of the lion's mane, representing strength, Africa, Ethiopia, and the Lion of Judah
Naturalness and simplicity, which are associated with Africa
The Rasta's roots in Africa
The other main Rasta symbol besides dreadlocks, are the colors of red, gold and green. Red stands for the triumphant church of the Rastas as well as the blood of the martyrs in the black struggle for liberation. Gold represents the wealth of their African homeland and green symbolizes Ethiopia's beauty and lush vegetation. Black is often also included, representing the color of the Africans. Another important symbol is the Lion of Judah, which represents Haile Selassie as the King of Kings, Africa, and strength.
Diet:
The most observant Rastas follow a dietary law called Ital. Ital food is food which is completely natural (not canned and free of chemicals and preservatives) and eaten as raw as possible. Old Testament prohibitions against pork and shellfish are part of Ital; most Rastafarians are vegetarians or vegans. Coffee and milk are also rejected as unnatural.
Rastafarians reject the use of alcohol, since it is a fermented chemical that does not belong in the temple of the body and it makes a person stupid, thereby playing into the hands of white leaders. This is contrasted with the holy herb of marijuana, which is natural and believed by Rastas to open their mind and assist in reasoning.Religious Sects:
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. An Assembly of Elders oversees it.
Prince Emanuel Charles Edwards founded Bobo Shanty 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.
Dr. Vernon “Prophet Gad” Carrington founded the Twelve Tribes of Israel sect, in 1968. 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 Rastafarian Orders/Sects." Jamaicans.com
Interview w/ Ras Jesse:
Interview With Rastafarian Jesse:
Internet sources
(Webster 1996, 578)
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/religion 2009)
(http://www.important.ca/rastafari.html 2009)
The Rastafarian Orders/Sects." Jamaicans.com
Rasta's Symbolism" - The Afro centric Experience
Kelleyana Junique, Rastafari? Rasta for You: Rastafarianism Explained (Athena Press Pub, 2004)
Peter Schwab. “Haile Selassie I Emperor of Ethiopia” Ethiopia and Haile Selassie edited by Peter Schwab pg11 New York 1972.
B. Chavannes, Rastafari and Other African-Caribbean Worldviews p. 17 & 18 Rutgers University Press 1998.
Book Source:
Lewis.”Urban Rastas in Kingston, Jamaica” Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion edited by P. Moro, J. E. Meyers & A.C. Lehmann New York City: McGraw-Hill, 2008
Videos Found on YouTube.
