RASTAFARI MOVEMENT The history of Rastafari begins in Africa, or what is known to Rastas as Ethiopia. When European powers were taking over countries around the world, many took Africans as slaves, divided them up, and sent them to their newly captured colonies. For the African people, this captivity marked the suppression of their culture, and they knew the areas of captivity as Babylon. The Rastafari movement itself began on the island of Jamaica in the 1930s. It was led by a black political leader by the name of Marcus Garvey (a man rastas consider a prophet). Garvey led an organization called the Universal Negro Improvement Association whose purpose was to unify black people with Africa, their land of origin. Garvey taught his followers to “look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be your Redeemer.” This statement was the foundation of the Rastafarian movement. This statement was considered a prophecy and was soon followed by the crowning of Haile Selassie I as the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastafarian saw this as the fulfillment of Garvey’s words. Haile Selassie, whose real name was Ras (Prince) Tafari Makonnen, became known as the Black Messiah or Jah Rastafari. Selassie is a symbol of salvation and Rasta’s believe he will save blacks from white suppression and reunite them with their African homeland. In the mid-1930s the first branch of Rastafari is believed to have been established by Leonard P. Howell in Jamaica. Howell talked of the divinity of Haile Selassie and preached that blacks would one day gain superiority of whites. His message encouraged other people to spread the word of Rastafari, and this marked the first uniting of Rastafarians. It brought hope to blacks that one day they would be free and return to Africa. It also created a path for the movement to move forward. In 1948 Haile Selassie donated the Ethiopian land of Shashamane for the use of blacks from the West Indies. Numerous Rasta settled there in the years that followed. 1966 marked the first visit by Haile Selassie to Jamaica. The island’s people greeted him with great excitement and enthusiasm, and until that time he had never confirmed of denied his divinity. During this time Reggae was gaining popularity and at the same time was introducing Rastafari to the world. Some more traditional Rastas were concerned by the popularity reggae gained, fearing that their faith would be commercialized instead of being thought of as a legitimate religion. Today there are a relatively small number of Rastafarians in the world (roughly 265,000), but they have had a great influence on Jamaica an its culture and continues to be a symbol of the island nation.... There can be no question that the rastafari philosophy and movement is a highly conscious and liberating movement in which the original man looks to recapture self and reconnect with the inner self for new spirituality and reality..and thus distinguishes between that awakened and the slumbering majority. however, certain. beliefs of the rastafari isnt only contradictory of lessons of true Afrikan history, but also the reality of awakening itself...for examples: the rastafari still hold on to dem bible. (even though doesnt accept its white literal interpretations ) to be true....the movement affirms jesus as the son of god ; though the rastafari believes all biblical characters are Afrikan and black and including jesus whom they believe was reincarnated in Emperor Hallie Selassie, the Lion of Judah, as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy as we have read...that the bible itself was written about the black people etc.., but Afrikan history teaches that both the bible and Jesus were all made up for political domination and supremacy purposes by the white race...same history says that though Selassie was a great man, he consequently exposed Ethiopia to Afrikas historical enemy through tragic outward policy of political engagement with the white race which hurt Ethiopias pride and economy and ultimately political power and dignity ..the rastafari revered same.Selassie as god, yet the whole world witnessed the ignominious manner of Selassies death... killed by his own people (mengistu hallie mariam )...and even though the movement believes Sellasie would rise again from death, several decades after his death, that hasnt happened! The rastafari also claims spiritual connection to both christianity and Judaism....two domineering alien religions that have spiritually pauperized and impoverished the blackman....so how can the flagship of modern black consciousness and spirituality be linked with such paradoxes and desire to be taken seriously by redeemed black people? how can the rastafari hold Selassie divine when the man was never? why didnt the rastas believe and hold on to AmenRA? or EL-Elyon? or even Imhotep? why argue and quarrel with the europeans over the originality and true intendment of the bible when you cannot in.all reality win the argument simply due to euro agelong propaganda and entrenchment of bible authorship and ownership? it is these contradictions that tend to undermine the deserved credibility of the rastafari movement as a true vehicle of blackmans spiritual reclaim.and revival especially the established and elevated lifestyles of devotees...something the negro-Afrikan lacks a d badly needs...smh.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:49:20 +0000
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