Rastafari and dreadlocks Thread

[Touches]

Just providing a little research here...

Check what Wikipedia have to say bout Rasta.

I find this Wikipedia thing have plenty contradiction to what was said in the previous pages....however it does have alot of common things too....which as my inital post implied this Rasta thing is a setta confusion. Also Wikipedia itself is not the end all and be all of information but I find it reliable and what I reading here.....may sound good in theory but I think is far from in practice.

Now Rasta diet as taken from wikipedia

As mentioned, many Rastas eat limited types of meat in accordance with the dietary Laws of the Old Testament; they do not eat seafood or pork. Others abstain from all meat and flesh whatsoever, asserting that to touch meat is to touch death, and is therefore a violation of the Nazarite oath. However, the prohibition against meat only applies to those who are currently fulfilling a Nazarite vow, for the duration of the vow. Many Rastafari maintain a vegan diet all of the time, with the exception of the use of honey.

Now after clicking the Ital link check out what popped up

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ital or I-tal is food approved of in the Rastafari movement. The word derives from the English word vital, with the initial syllable replaced by the word I. This is done to many words in the Rastafarian vocabulary to signify the unity of the speaker with all of nature.

Though there are different interpretations of ital regarding specific foods, the general principle is that food should be natural, or pure, and from the earth. Rastas therefore avoid food which is chemically modified or contains artificial additives (e.g., colour, flavourings, and preservatives). Some also avoid added salt in foods. In strict interpretations, foods that have been produced using chemicals such as pesticides and fertiliser are not considered ital.

In common with religions such as Judaism and Islam, Rasta prohibits the eating of pork. Some Rastas also avoid eating shellfish because, in common with pigs, they are considered to be scavengers. Most Rastas consider the ital diet to forbid the consumption of all red meat, many do not eat fish or those fish over twelve inches in length, and some are strict vegetarians. Stricter interpretations would also avoid food that has been preserved by canning or drying and even prohibit the use of metal cooking utensils. In this case, only clay and wood cooking pots, crockery and cutlery would be used. Few adherents of ital follow the strictest interpretation; some Rastas do not adhere to them at all.

You see the term highlighted...many different interpretations, I find everything bout Rasta is different interpretations, as if people could do what they want and just say I interpret it so and there is nobody to justify, condone pull them up or acknowledge.

There must be a right and a wrong in religious practices.

Also it real hard to believe I see all kinda Ras maintaining a fish....Down to Luciano in one of he videos have he and some youth men ketching fish in a river and dey bubbling a broth, with a rusty ole iron pot and a metal potspoon....and who is more Jah Messenger than he.

Granted I should not let one video on tempo or synergy form the basis of my argument however for those who have seen it one cannot refute the claim.

Anyway carry on

The eternal student

[Touches]

Now they say a little bit of knowledge is a Dangerous thing.

This Leanord Howell fella....the first Rasta. Look at the "ideas" he was pushing.

Also if you listen to certain Reggae Artistes they have a slight racial slant to some of their tunes. they have one by Warrior King...he has a tune Africa Shall be free...check the lyrics he have.


VERSE 2: africa for africans without a delay
europe for de whites, there dats where they must stay
palestines for jews i say ah ok
india for indians dats where they must pray
i speakin a likkle truth for dats what my fadda say
and even de prophet marcus garvey
world readjustment dats what im all about
restoring de human family without ah doubt


As Dr. E.E. Cashmore observed, "The belief system of Ras Tafari was so vague and loosely defined, even at its inception, due to its lack of a single authoritative voice, that what was to be acceptable doctrine was largely matter of individual interpretation." In spite of that claim, early in the history of the movement Leonard Howell gave the Rastafarians six fundamental principles:

Hatred for the white race.
The complete superiority of the black race.
Revenge on whites for their wickedness.
The negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica.
Preparation to go back to Africa, and
Acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of black people.
This list comes from an organization called "Watchman Fellowship", whose description of Rasta beliefs is based on writings of a Christian counter-cult ministry. [1]


Yet these early black supremacy beliefs were for the most part replaced by a doctrine of racial equality within the first decades of the movement.

Today, three key concepts to Rastafarian beliefs include:

Babylon: "Babylon" is the Rastafarian term for the oppression they see in modern society, equal in their eyes to that in the ancient city of Babylon. Babylon can refer to a political institution, a country, an economic system, or even a single police officer. Rastas remember how blacks were held down physically by the shackles of slavery in the past. In the present, Rastas feel that most black people continue to suffer from poverty, inequality, and a lack of power over their lives. The Rastafari movement strives to remind blacks of their heritage, and have them stand up to make their own lives away from this Babylon.

I and I: This concept has become "the most important theoretical tool apart from the Babylonian conspiracy in the Rastafarian repertoire," as Cashmore explains; "I and I is an expression to totalize the concept of oneness, the oneness of two persons. So God is within all of us and we're one people in fact. I and I means that God is in all men. The bond of Ras Tafari is the bond of God, of man. But man itself needs a head and the head of man is His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia."

Jah: The Rastafarian name for God is Jah. The presence of Jah in His children and in the world is the triumph over the tribulations of everyday life. Ethiopia specifically, and Africa in general, is considered by the Rastas Heaven on Earth. It is acceptable and normal to call Haile Selassie "Jah Jah".

What I want to know is....who change the beliefs from the first 6 principles.

Why were they changed? and since they were changed does all Mr. Howell's work teachings and ideas go tru the window even though he was the founding father?

Come nah Rastas on board enlighten yuhself, educate yuhself and provide me with some answers.....I curious.

[WestCoast]

can I interject my opinion about the youths and their knowledge or lack of such where it concerns the movement and what they believe that it entails.

around 2006 years ago a man was born and during his life he gathered many followers, the Start of the Catholic Church. well I am sure that teachings, ideologies, and certain ceremonies that people experience now within their catholic church were not thought of during those early times. there was a train of thought that it was a type of cannibalism as it spoke about the body and blood of someone. I am sure that people during those times 2006 years ago Hoped that Christ was there to lead a revolt against the Babylon of that time , "The Roman Empire".

The Rastafarian movement is just over 70 years old and So what i am saying is that the Rastafarian movement is in its infancy so to speak and over time universality and common ideas and beliefs will become the norm..or maybe not.......... as Tallman says that there are many Christian organisation in the world today. During a sermon that I witnessed, the Minister claimed that there were 26,00 Christian organisations in the world today.

[asylumseeker]

Been somewhat sampling this thread rather than absorbing it in its entirety - more a product of being time-challenged than interest-deficient.

Ez something right in mih heart.

Tallman, leh me say. Nuff salute eh. From what I sampled you addressed several matters with the appropriate measure. But, then again ez an inborn concept.

(As a man who use to wear di green polyester pants on di Coffee in your time, glad tidings. I love di personal trajectory ... )

And when man utter Rodney, nuff man doan know dred ... this New World movement - even with its deficiencies and ideological gaps (Touches daz a lil kudo in honour of yuh intellectual curiosity) - has so transformed the residual consciousness of the most pedestrian among us.

Black Uhuru will gi yuh di translation if dat too deep:

Long long ago
They use to say
Rastafari going around
taking little children away
But now time is at hand
I and I know those
saying was wrong
And that Rasta let them
know their homeland
And seek their culture

Oh what a joy to hear the utterance of a Rasta!

Not every man might chant Rasta, but plenty men received an education on injustice - some on the sidelines. Some on the front lines. None of them left the experience unaffected. Some man have to dead so other man can live.

Yunnerstan? Locks for rebellion, if not theology ... but doan locks for gallery ... beloved daz a mockery.

QUESTION: Who remember when Tac Tac was cutting man dread?
Doan play allyuh eh know!

I had a front-row seat in dis ting.

[Touches]

Yes people

I reading and is more and more I getting confused. But still I find alyuh ent giving meh the answers to the questions I seeking.

Every body saying is interpretation and it young etc, but still.....

I have some more thought provokers today and I want alyuh do something for meh. Go find one of yuh LEGIT or Fake rasta brethrin and ask him dese questions and come back to meh. In fact I sure I educate or enlighten with the help of this thread more  than 3/4 of alyuh out there and alyuh know more than most of them fellas who walking round the place with a locks or they head tie up.

I see some people say growing of locks is discipline and a sign of strength but what is long hair to a Hippy? Or a Sheik under that turban or any of the other ethnic groups that sport a long hair at some point in their history. At the end of the day it is hair and its a length so really Rasta get the bad stigma due to what?.......Why would someone of the same skin colour not like they neighbour cause his hair is a certain length. Why do families ostracise they offspring and kin for the length of his hair?

Also if yuh check Leonard Howell and his 6 fundamental principles again how would he look at the white rasta who is "Babylon" who have Ras and playing more Rasta than the black people for who this religion was created. I tell yuh the new wave of Rasta in TT all fair skin and have straight hair went to prestige secondary school and they last name have some kinda clout in society and dem ent need Ras to progress or move up in life. If anything it does hamper them.

You really know what I think........

All these fellas who rocking a Ras who come from well off family and who ent know one arse with what going orn just growing hair and looking scruffy so that they could fit in when they go and buy dey weed from the not so well off pusher down the road in an attempt that dey doe get rob.........and its to pull birds.

But anyways my personal opinion and hypothesis aside which is yet to be investigated...Red Howler posted a bess article here.

http://www.trinidad-tobago.net/Article.aspx?PageId=19

AFter reading this lemme hit alyuh with some questions.

Now this is the authors interpretation but lets go.

A visit to their Congress at Second Street, Maingot Road, Tunapuna revealed a well organised and disciplined way of life, which revolves around strict belief in a Black Christ, Black Supremacy, and international repatriation. The Congress, which has a live-in membership of 30 brethren, is headed by His Majesty Priest Shanty Tafari Edwards.

The Bobo Shanty believes in the Bible and it was used in their worship. They read from Pslams and Proverbs. They sung hymns from their Black Supremacy Hymn Book. However, the Bobo Shanty interpretation of the Bible differs from the mainstream Christian interpretation. During the service it was learnt that heaven is actually in Zion which is the body of the Rastaman or woman. It is the Bobo Shanty present reality and not something for which one must look forward. They believe that Africa should be for the Africans, China for the Chinese, India for the Indians etc.

  .....So I am experiencing Zion right now in my body and there is nothing to look fwd to   What about those who body not in shape and they suffering from some kinda ailment?.....So the suffering one may experience in this present life is the best there is?

Also Africa for the African, Chinese for the Chinee etc. Warrior King had this in one of his tunes.... Do you not find that racist?....Where would mixed people like me go? Maybe its a good thing Trinidad and Tobago is my home.

Jah is the Black Christ who had manifested as King Emmanuel Charles Edwards, founder of the Bobo Shanty movement in Jamaica. King Emmanuel was the first true Rastaman.

So whappen to Howell? Wais d scene with Selassie and how he was the Black king from the east?

After the service we met with His Majesty Priest Shanty Tafari Edwards -the true manifestation of King Emmanuel- he was accompanied by Priest Pierre, Priest Jah Well and Priest Obadiah. The Bobo Shanty believes in reincarnation and that God must be real or he cannot be worshiped and it is on this principle that King Emmanuel after his death manisfested in the body of Priest Shanty and has remained there.

Priest Shanty explained that King Emmanuel was crucified by his followers in 1994. His death was a shock to the Bobo Shanty community in Jamaica who believed that King Emmanuel had eternal life and would never die. But he had to die to teach his followers a lesson, according to Priest Shanty. They had become disrespectful to King Emmanuel's wishes and he allowed himself to die to show them the error of their ways.

So OK....We have God in the pix above living in Tunapuna and he is the spirit of King Emmanuel manifested in the body of Priest Shanty and he has remained there. NOW what about the Jamaicans who make up this thing or belief? They know the spirit reach across here and do they worship and regard priest Shanty as such.........or do they have a replacement in Bull Bay in Jamaica?.............if they have a replacement...then you saying King Emmanuel spirit manifesting in more than one person?

So is more than one King Emmanuel spirit and it can be shared and go into different people?

SO would Capleton or Sizzla or any other mainstream Bobo or even a Bobo from Jamaica honour Shanti in Tunapuna the same way they hold whoever in JA with high regard and vice versa from the followers in TT or do we have the ReaL deal here and the one in JA is a imi. Or we have the Imi and the real deal across there. Or is More than one man, different spirit and all of them is God.

Interestingly, despite their belief in Black Supremacy the Bobo Shanty is not at all interested in hating persons of other races. Priest Shanty explained that they were not against anyone because of their skin colour. They are basically against dominance and control of one people by another. He looked at Lars who is white and summed it up thus: "We prefer to deal with a white man like you with a black heart, rather than a black man with a white heart."

The movement he said had been betrayed many times over by Black brethren who had "come out of themselves" and adopted the white culture of dominance. Her own children had betrayed from Africa within. Slavery would not have been possible if the children of Africa had not lost the essence of themselves. And the Bobo Shanty mandate is to bring Africans back to themselves, according to Priest Shanty.

I find this thing kinda thought provoking yet confusing.... against dominace and control of one people by another but want Africans to go back to themselves. So if the Africans start to dominate then things nice and thats the end result?

Interestingly, even though the Bobo Shanty should not at all indulge in the things of this world, there do have a television set on the compound. Priest Shanty explained that it was important for them to keep abreast of international and local events.

Ent God supposed to know all...he ent go need a TV then....... and if he have a TV why he cyar have internet and computer?
Also I wonder if they have cable, directtv  or is local channels they using?

The Bobo Shanty does not eat meat but they do consume fish, which are not more than seven inches in length. It was explained that fish bigger that this are scavengers and not fit for consumption.

Foods, which grow on vines such as pumpkin, are not used since it by nature grows out of control. It runs in every direction on the ground.

Going and do some research on that and can a vine not be cultured...i.e grown on a stick or something....also for the agri people out there...doesn't everything by nature grow out of control if left unnattended?

So yuh see it have plenty more than just growing yuh hair...pulling a peng...having yuh Selassie badge pin orn yuh shirt and bawling Bless Fadder.

Up to now I ent meet a Bobo or Rasta who could match wits with me and answer meh properly. I just trying to help alyuh reaffirm yuh faith, dig deeper into your religion and help enlighten others who might want to join...But do the thing properly and not have a setta confused youths who being frowned upon on society running around  further reinforcing the negative sterotypes that already exist.

[WestCoast]

I just came across some info about Ras Tafari

Emperor Haile Selassie
Selassie abolished slavery and worked to modernize Ethiopia. In 1935 the country was invaded by Italy. Selassie personally led his troops into battle, but the Ethiopians were overwhelmed and eventually the emperor was forced to flee the country. His powerful appeal for help to the League of Nations attracted worldwide sympathy, but failed to spur the League to action. At last, in 1941, with the help of the British, Selassie returned home and regained his throne. The Rastafarian religion arose in Jamaica in the 20th century. Its name is derived from Emperor Haile Selassie's original name, Ras Tafari. There is no single central Rastafarian church, but in general Rastafarians believe that Haile Selassie was the Messiah and that Africa, especially Ethiopia, is heaven on earth. These beliefs are based in part on interpretations of Old Testament prophecies. Haile Selassie himself was Christian and not a Rastafarian.

Mussolini and the Italian Intervention in Ethiopia
Benito Mussolini created a fascist state through the use of state terror and propaganda. Using his charisma, total control of the media and intimidation of political rivals, he disassembled the existing democratic government system. His entry into World War II on the side of Nazi Germany made Italy a target for Allied attacks and ultimately led to his downfall and death. In 1935, seeking to expand the Italian Empire in eastern Africa, Mussolini ordered the invasion of Ethiopia on 3 October. During the ensuing seven-month campaign the Italian forces used chemical weapons and air power to defeat the Ethiopians, tens of thousands of civilian Ethopians were killed.. Mussolini announced the Italian victory to a jubilant crowd of 400,000 in Rome on 9 May. In 1937, following a failed assassination attempt on the Italian colonial governor, 30,000 Ethiopians are executed.

from  http://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/data/files/REP_INSIGHT_3_SISTERS.pdf  pages 20 and 21

[Touches]

Yes more confusion...

So I was watching synergy nights...and Jason WIlliams and Blaze have a lil show.

The artiste of the week is Capleton.

So they show the lil hand sign star of David as alluded to by tallman and they say...dat sign is Love..... Blaze say is protection.

Then a Ras who they interviewing say no no...see dat sign...see the kinda circle it forming dais a Globe and the top point with yuh thumbs is heaven and the bottom points is the earth.....So Blaze say but I thought is protection...den the Ras pop down and say yeah yeah isa encompassing of heaven and earth...so yeah dais protection.


Is only because they flim d show alredy I ent call in and hit them the piece of info Tallman give us.

But then again is Tallman correct??........Could the Minister of Information be wrong on matters of the faith.

Anyway I hope it ent look like I fighting down the rastas and dem, But is dis kinda Jokeyness that just being pumped into society, this is a show plenty youths watching and they go take thing like this as gospel and we does just have more and more young people running round with nuttin of substance in they head.

See me I am a skeptic by nature and EVERYTHING a man say or do I does question on some level.

Also it hard to believe any of these fellas who in terms of success ent really make it by society standards. WHen yuh have a conversation with them and yuh probe them with questions you does turn them against theyself. I ent know but i sorry I cyar take none of these local Rasta seriously.

All Rasta beware, doe lemme ketch yuh cause is level questions coming your way.

[Tallman]

So they show the lil hand sign star of David as alluded to by tallman and they say...dat sign is Love..... Blaze say is protection.

Then a Ras who they interviewing say no no...see dat sign...see the kinda circle it forming dais a Globe and the top point with yuh thumbs is heaven and the bottom points is the earth.....So Blaze say but I thought is protection...den the Ras pop down and say yeah yeah isa encompassing of heaven and earth...so yeah dais protection.

De Seal of Solomon aka de Star of David has many intepretations and is used in various faiths such as Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity etc as well as disciplines like alchemy and ritual magic. In Ethiopia there was even and Imperial Order/Decoration called the The Order of Solomon’s Seal


To give another perspective to my earlier post on the subject, in the Kebra Negast (the Miguel Brooks translation) there is a pic of Selassie making the sign with his hands and underneath the photo are the following words:
"Haile Selassie I (Last of the Solomonic Kings) H.I.M. Negusa Nagast, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I (Power of the Holy Trinity) Emperor of Ethiopia, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, Light of the Universe - displaying here the mystical and metaphysical "Salutation of Peace" or the Sign of the Holy Trinity. The triangle pointing downwards is and esoteric symbol representing the material phase of the Seal of Solomon; the six-pointed star is also known as the Star of David."

[Mr Fix-it]

Loved de post, ah lot of useful information.  Thanks to all

[zuluwarrior]

lem me tell alluh up front ah have no locks, iz a ah ball head ah hav, az the bible say it is hidden in ma heart . never thought bout growin a locks . anyhow back intrini ,hanging on the block, ah ask dem rastafari dem bout ah song marley sang . he say got to hav kayah now for the rain is fallin,dem tell me him saying he got to hav weed to smoke cause the rain is fallin , i say no the man say he got to hav a house cause dey rain is fallin . rastars on board give me some enlightment was i right or iam  rong.

[fari]

i think is weed the man talkin about.  granted this is open to debate since alot of what the man saying is metaphors but lyrics like "i feel so high i even touch the sky, above the falling rain"  to me sound like he describing the feelings he gets when he partakes of the herb.

when he say "i feel so good, in my neighbourhood, so, here i come again"   that might mean that he going and take a next draw on the spliff or the chalice.


i didn't really detect any building/constructing images in the song. there is a scholar at my university called kwame dawes, the man is a bob marleyanatic, i will ask him what he thinks of the song.

[Tallman]

anyhow back intrini ,hanging on the block, ah ask dem rastafari dem bout ah song marley sang . he say got to hav kayah now for the rain is fallin,dem tell me him saying he got to hav weed to smoke cause the rain is fallin , i say no the man say he got to hav a house cause dey rain is fallin . rastars on board give me some enlightment was i right or iam  rong.

Just look at de back cover of de Kaya album and it will be crystal clear what he singing bout  .

[Touches]

Question Time Again,


Do the Rastas put up Christmas tree and celebrate Christmas like the rest of Christians or do they have a different celebrations or more than one, e.g. ...King Emmanuel Charles Edwards Bday, Haile Selassie bday?


Any Rasta Christmas traditions?

Do Rastas Have a figure Akin to Santa or any kinda tales or folklore with regards to Christmas.


Thnaks in advance,


The Eternal Student.

[Quags]

lem me tell alluh up front ah have no locks, iz a ah ball head ah hav, az the bible say it is hidden in ma heart . never thought bout growin a locks . anyhow back intrini ,hanging on the block, ah ask dem rastafari dem bout ah song marley sang . he say got to hav kayah now for the rain is fallin,dem tell me him saying he got to hav weed to smoke cause the rain is fallin , i say no the man say he got to hav a house cause dey rain is fallin . rastars on board give me some enlightment was i right or iam  rong.

True cause if he ein't have no roof ,the rain go wet he spliff and it go out 

[Patterson]

Question Time Again,


Do the Rastas put up Christmas tree and celebrate Christmas like the rest of Christians or do they have a different celebrations or more than one, e.g. ...King Emmanuel Charles Edwards Bday, Haile Selassie bday?


Any Rasta Christmas traditions?

Do Rastas Have a figure Akin to Santa or any kinda tales or folklore with regards to Christmas.


Thnaks in advance,


The Eternal Student.

Must celebrate de birthday of HIM Haile Selassie on de 23rd of july as well as his coronation on 2nd novemebr

[Tallman]

Do the Rastas put up Christmas tree and celebrate Christmas like the rest of Christians or do they have a different celebrations or more than one, e.g. ...King Emmanuel Charles Edwards Bday, Haile Selassie bday?

Some choose to celebrate it, some don't, some may do Kwanzaa or Ethiopian Christmas instead, and some couldn't care less.

Some of de important dates for Rastafari are:
January 7 - Ethiopian Christmas
April 21 - Anniversary of Selassie's visit to Jamaica
May 5 - Ethiopian Liberation Day
July 23 - Birth of Selassie
August 17 - Birth of Marcus Garvey
September 11 - Ethiopian New Year
November 2 - Selassie's Coronation

Any Rasta Christmas traditions?

No

Do Rastas Have a figure Akin to Santa or any kinda tales or folklore with regards to Christmas.

No

[zuluwarrior]

ah hear allyuh, but at the same time, when ah heard the song got to have kaya now for the rain is falling , before ah bring up the topic ah check de dictionary an dise  how i got my answer ,so i int saying wah ah think ,ah saying wah the dic say the word mean.

[Tallman]

ah hear allyuh, but at the same time, when ah heard the song got to have kaya now for the rain is falling , before ah bring up the topic ah check de dictionary an dise  how i got my answer ,so i int saying wah ah think ,ah saying wah the dic say the word mean.

De word Kaya have many different meanings and "home" or "house" is one of dem, but in dis case it refers tuh de herb.

An excerpt from de official Bob Marley website, in reference tuh de Kaya album reads:
As Bob put it, "Kaya means herb. It's a password some of the brethren use in JA. So Kaya is really dealing with togetherness and humanity and peace, (because) the thing of peace travel through the earth now. Yes, Rastaman Vibrations and Exodus were 'arder. This time we dealing with something softer."

[zuluwarrior]

Tallman da answer yuh give ma mind int to settle wid it and we go geh back to dat ,as fari said de word kaya and its meaning is  debatable.
any how ah was watching a documentary about Selassie when he visit  JA ,the queen of reggae Rita Marley was being interviewed by this English guy ,he ask her Wat she tink about Selassie and she said that he is Jesus Christ so he ask why u say that she said that she saw a halo over his head and when he wave his hand she saw the hole from the nail in his hand when he was crucify on the cross . this was an interview on national geographic some time last year, ah mean to say to each his own but tha one to much .as touches would say confusion.

[Tallman]

Tallman da answer yuh give ma mind int to settle wid it and we go geh back to dat ,as fari said de word kaya and its meaning is  debatable.

De meaning is not debatable; it has several meanings. It means:
the body - Sanskrit
elder little sister - Hopi
home/shellfish - Swahili
stay and don't go back - Ghanaian
sacred forest - Kenya
prosperous - Indonesia
rock - Turkish
mighty/wealth/great/power/rich - Malay
spear - Aborigine
Nutmeg-yew tree - Japan
Herb - Rastafari

It's just that in the context of Marley's album it refers to the herb.

any how ah was watching a documentary about Selassie when he visit  JA ,the queen of reggae Rita Marley was being interviewed by this English guy ,he ask her Wat she tink about Selassie and she said that he is Jesus Christ so he ask why u say that she said that she saw a halo over his head and when he wave his hand she saw the hole from the nail in his hand when he was crucify on the cross . this was an interview on national geographic some time last year, ah mean to say to each his own but tha one to much .as touches would say confusion.

She was probably so excited dat she see what she wanted tuh see.

Rita Marley: "So I say well the only way, I will say yes I know that this man is the Christ, the true Christ that is coming in flesh. Because the Bible tells us of his returning like man, he will be in flesh. Is if I see that nailprint in his hand, because I know that Christ was crucified. And it said that when he is coming, we will see that nailprint in his hand. You know? I say that will be my conclusion on this man. So just as I focus my eyes on it now as he passed by. I said," bwai if only I could only see his hand." You know because looking at him still, I saw that power. Because as I looked at him, his head turn around to me and I was looking straight at him. If only he can mek me see him hand, I was so excited!  As I said that to myself, he did his hand like this(waving his hand). And when I looked in his hand, there was the nailprint, the mark, that black mark in the center of his hand. So I said what? You know. And I just turn around mi head. And he went like this(waving hand again) and gave a nod. He turned the other side and I said," My God this is the man!" I was screaming and telling mi friend that this is him!"

[zuluwarrior]

Brothers and sisters  greetings to each and every one ,and deir family home an the nex fam in dey oder  hoise ,ah tite tong or fulley liquorize . if yuh driving please b safe, ah would try to do the same,  but we mus not foget d SOCAWARRIORS an the joy that they brought us on de world stage,to u guys cheers  dam dis thing to light.flex i mus tank dey  most high for giving u de insight for such a wounderful  websight and at dey end of dey day ah hope u gat yor jus reward for a job wel don cheers  u no daize how we doz do it trini style.tallman from the little dealings on the board u ar a wise broder an i hope u reach to what ever hights u endevour ,cheers or kaya whatever u choose , palos dint have much dealings, but  yer  guys was chosen to do a job not for flex but from a higher force through flex .GRETINGS .

[Tallman]

As Emancipation Day is imminent, ah feel is appropriate tuh resurrect dis thread.

[Feliziano]

As Emancipation Day is imminent, ah feel is appropriate tuh resurrect dis thread.

yuh resurrecting thread?..we go have to call yuh Alberta now eh 

Happy Emancipatation Day to you and everybody else here 

[Touches]

Is only cause I couldnt find this thread I ent keep alyuh up to date with the Jokeyness that going on in TT.

I am now convinced more than ever that is a setta Salon Dreads running round and the locks are used to pull girls and an excuse to validate the use of weed.

Now I ent mention the 500 or so original Rastas who line up on Wrightson Road to attend a Khaki Dance a few months ago.

Imagine the Guardian newspapers even print a Rasta Dictionary...with a setta slang coined from the dancehall tunes invading our airwaves today...and the terms used wrong.

One setta Folly.

Also I does real ketch kix when the richest of indian and syrian...both men and women...who have no "Real" oppression, does wanna play more Rasta than the youth on the block or the fella up in the hills. Yuh does see it in the West. You cyar smoke more weed, know more tune, or talk bout Jah more than them fellas.

Also as is Emancipation...why people does hadda move Gallery Harry and play Tanto Ting and coast Dashiki and Kofi hat. If you into that scene wear yuh cloth and styles right tru the year. Go a Carnival fete and yuh Christmas jump up in yuh garb. Go to Zen and yuh 51 in dat too.
They have only a few fellas who does move so right tru..and yuh must admire them for that. The rest on antics.

Anyways to all Rastas..Fake or Legit.

Bless up and continue to fight the good fight...real or imagined.

[Preacher]

Touches i have to jump in.   I haven't read all the pages yet.  Still doing it.

To me the dreads thing to Caribbean people is like Hip Hop culture to AA in the US.  Most of the styles come out of gang and prison culture but it has become popular (without understanding).   The same I feel is for Dreads.  There is scripture that talks about not cutting your hair in the OT.  Nuff man refer to that.  However, it is easier to do that than keep the laws of the OT.  People also make reference to that double standard. 

For many black males the dread locks is a form of identity.  As in i'm special on account of what my hair can do.  Especially in white socities.  Dreads is a form of mystery for women (white!!)  It implies natural verility etc.  But in the caribbean it's more fade than anything else.  For many it gives cheap religion, in such that they could jess grow their hair long and that would some how complete their religious duties.  Where I believe religion goes deeper than that.

ah goin back and read.

[dinho]

easily one of the most enlightening and insightful topics i've ever read on this message board.

thanks to all for the substantial input..
I will just say this much..

The same way that you have pointed questions to the Rastafarian ideology, religion, faith and practices is the same way one can ask questions of Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism or any religion or belief system for that matter..

The sole difference is that these are much older and more accepted and established belief systems with doctrines and practices honed over a much longer period of time.. However, every religion has different interpretations, glaring inconsistencies and loopholes; which is why I believe more in spirituality than in religion...

The same way it have designer rasta coasting dreads is de same way it have designer catholic coasting rosary on dey chest, designer muslim coasting hijab and garb and designer hindu coasting sari and dhoti.. You will get that in any faith..  If someone sat down with you and ask you pointed questions about your religion, belief system or general way of life, you would probably be stumped for answers in the same way as the rastas who have been questioned in this thread..

The truth is... No one has or needs to have all the answers. Therein lies faith.

I respect anyone making an effort to find consciousness, spirituality and new meaning to life irregardless of oppression and objection to non-conformity.

Plenty of them men selling nuts on the highway much happier than you and me, because their goals in life don't necessarily entail waking up 5am every morning to battle traffic and go and work for some institution day to day... they have different goals in life and go about it their own way to achieve them..

much respect to them...

[Quags]

Becoming ah Ras ..
Is okay if before you start smoking ,you decide to do it .Praying and giving your life to god . But is never a good idea to make such a life altering decision while your high . To start listen to Bob and do it ,without really tinking wha yah doing . You really want to join a ereligion that start in the jungles of jamiaca ,if you do fine ,you ll go to heaven .
I still have serious doubts about Silassi being jesus doh ,cause Garvey say so .but ultimately you praying so is ok . But remeber jah is ah nother acient name for jesus ,so you praying to jesus ,like everybody else .

[Bakes]

The irony about this is those that profess to be rastafarians (ah not talking bout the haridresser dread dem) are following a man who was an Orthodox Christian.  His belief was in the incarnation of our Lord Christ, and his virgin birth.  Orthodoxy is the Eastern part of Christianity that has preserved most of its customs and holds on to its apostolic tradition despite the changes of mankind.  Selassie came to the West, and sent the Orthodox Church to teach men about Christianity that existed in Africa from time immemorial, but men still didn't listen. Doh vex, but who are men following:  Sizzla, Buju?  Dem fellas cyar be we leaders.  At least not mine.  If men want to be conscious and talk bout we African ancestry and Black consciousness, why men don't research African Christianity.  You will realize that the most ancient forms of African Christianity still exists today.  His Majesty tried to expose the diaspora by sending the Ethiopian Church, but men still doh want to listen.  Now slay me for my words.

I ah year late, but still...

Just to add that the Ethiopian Orthodox church is but a small part of the larger Eastern Orthodoxy based in Istanbul, formerly Constantinople, one time seat of the the Roman Empire.  The Holy or Great Schism refers to the break in the Christian church that occurred in the 4th century between what is now the Roman Catholic church, and the Eastern Orthodox church.

Additionally, the presence of Africans in the Roman Catholic church should not be downplayed.  In fact two of the earliest and greatest of the Church fathers were St. Athanasius and St. Augustine (yes, that Saint Augustine, of The Confessions fame).  St. Athanasius was born in Alexandria and would later become it's Archbishop, before taking a star turn at the Council of Nicea in defending the Church against the Arian Heresy.  He is revered by not only the Roman Catholic church, but also Oriental Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox & Eastern Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, and the Anglican Communion, and is regarded as a great leader of the Church by Protestants.

St. Augustine needs no introduction as most are already familiar with him, but he was born in Tagaste, which was then closely aligned with Carthage, and is now in present-day Algeria.  Before some dismiss him as being Algerian and not truly African, remember that Hannibal too was from Carthage, and even though they are separated by 400 yrs, there is no reason to think that they are not of the same people.  Here are some additional links on St. Augustine

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/jod/twayne/aug1.html

http://www.dacb.org/stories/tunisia/augustine_.html


I know this is a different direction from the thread's initial purpose...but it's central to any discussion on Afro-Christianity.

[Bakes]

hmm.  breds i really don't know.  i suppose the ivy league would have their old boys network but who knows...stranger things have happened.

This is just from my limited experience as a grad student, observing things at my own school as well as visiting other campuses and meeting people there and maybe I'm treading on thin ice by generalising but I think diversity is fashionable in academia these days, esp at prestigious institutions.  It seems as if there are some people who have an agenda to appear open-minded/enlightened and having locks might actually be a small advantage in some situations.

Agreed.  Not from experience, but purely on the basis of casual observation.

[fari]

An article in today's Sunday Express.

the guy made some interesting points but i would like to know exactly what "help" he expects to get from some of the african nations when they themselves have so many problems to deal with.

also, i am in agreement with most of what omarldinho said i.e. there are many christians, muslims etc who are ignorant of many of the true tenets of their faiths so why only attack the Rasta?   



The dream of returning to "the cradle of creation", "Mother Africa" has long been embraced by some members of the African diaspora and particularly within the Rastafarian community.

Historically, the most notable efforts at repatriation were organised by the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) in the early 1900s, under the leadership of Marcus Garvey. Garvey and the UNIA hoped to establish a genuine black state in Africa and managed to send equipment and large numbers of men and women, but their efforts were blocked by the United States and others who accused them of being subversive.

More recently, a number of Caribbean nationals have gathered in the area known as Shashamane in the Shoa Province of Ethiopia and have begun to build a repatriated community. The Rastafarian settlement in Shashamane was recently reported to exceed 200 individuals. In January 2007, the community organised an exhibition and bazaar in the city. In 1963, the then Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I donated 500 hectares of this land to allow Rastafari faithful from the Caribbean to return to their ancestral homeland in Africa; although when Selassie I was deposed in 1974 the new government of Mengistu Haile Mariam confiscated all but 11 hectares.

Here in Trinidad, the repatriation movement not only exists, but is vibrant largely through the efforts of the local Rastafarian chapter known as the 12 Tribes of Israel. There are three distinct Rastafarian orders/sects, the Bobo Shantis, The Nyabhingis and the 12 Tribes of Israel. Each possesses varying beliefs and symbols, but all agree on two common principles: the exalted status of Haile Selassie I and the rejection of white Eurocentric images of divinity.

The local 12 Tribes chapter was founded in the 70s and is rooted in the belief that the Bible is their guide through life and that we are all children of Mother Africa and should look after each other as such. This community adheres to several basic principles. Foremost among them is the belief that each person should read "one chapter a day" from the Bible, in order to obtain divine wisdom, knowledge and guidance through his/her life. Over the last two decades, The 12 Tribes chapter has been funding construction and infrastructural development in Shashamane and several of its members have either visited and/or migrated to the African state.

12 Tribes Elder, Selwyn Tyrell explains why repatriation is so important to the Rastafarian community:

"Firstly, you cannot call me a West Indian," he said, "because my lineage never came from India. For the people who are descendants of India, that may be appropriate, but not us Africans. I would respond if you call me a Caribbean man because as we like to say: they took us from our home in Africa and 'carried us beyond' the horizon. Now, we believe that Africa is the cradle of civilisation and the mother of creation and as such, we can never be whole until we are returned to her bosom. The teachings around the world are influenced by those who colonised it, so they cannot and would not teach me about myself, or teach my children about my people except through their eyes, which we already know are full of greed and hate and envy. Rastafari believe in peace and love and unity. In repatriating to Africa, we are building a state away from the systems of Babylon, where we can live and thrive in these positive ideals. The reason we love Ethiopia so much is because this was the one nation which was never colonised and thus, the land is free from persecution."

While Tyrell readily admits that living conditions in Africa are far from perfect he says that the Rastafari faithful are hard workers, who are dedicated to re-building their long lost legacy.

"Imagine if all the Rastas in Trinidad left all at once," he said, "and migrated to Africa. That would mean all the builders, all the masons, all the carpenters, all the business-men and women, the hairdressers, the chefs, all the hard-workers who are Rasta could now populate Shashamane and help to build a great nation!

"Right now, a ticket to go to Africa will cost you about TT$15,000 and that's just airfare alone. Obviously, not everyone can afford that, which is why we are also petitioning the governments of the West to give us what is owed to us as the descendants of the slaves, so that more of us can make the journey home. I was lucky enough to go there in 1983 and my mission at the time was to go and see the land and come back and report on what was going on there. Back then, it was really rough, but now it's a lot more improved and the brothers and sisters are improving the facilities. The government there is also working with us because they recognise that we are responsible people and they are helping us to improve the conditions there."

Sister Barbara Asher is a 12 Tribes Member from Jamaica, who has been visiting the members here in Trinidad over the last week or so. She also visited Shashamane in the 80s.

"At the time I went there, Africa was really broken down, but this is what I see: We helped to build all these places here in the West, so we need to go back to Africa and rebuild what has been destroyed there because Africa needs us; she needs her people to return her to her original glory."

"Our greatest joy," said Tyrell, "is when we can leave in numbers and go back to Africa. There are brothers and sisters who have repatriated and have been living on the land for more than 30 years already. There are many people who were successful here in Trinidad and have sold out everything and migrated there and set up businesses. Africa has about 900 million people, Trinidad only has about 1.3, so you can do well in business in Africa if you are hard-working and determined. There is no reason for our people to be afraid of it: Africa is our home and repatriation is our destiny."