Historical And Ethnographical Study Of The Rastafari Religion

Historical and Ethnographical Study of the Rastafari Religion
Historical and Ethnographical Study of the Rastafari Religion The Rastafari people are a group of
(primarily) men that originated in Jamaica, especially in and around Kingston, who believe in being
repatriated to a designated homeland in Africa. Through their reinterpretation of the bible, an
ascetic–leaning lifestyle, and heavy influence of previous Revivalist religions and African Myal
traditions, they have carved a religion that is worldly, conscientious, and , now, world renouned.
Icons such as Bob Marley, spliffs, their red, gold, and green flag, and their memorable accent make
these people very interesting to listen to, and definitely assist in disseminating their belief structure
throughout ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Following a period of nearly 50 years of post–slavery Revivalism, particularly Zion and Pukumina,
efforts in Jamaica, some of the adherents were growing tired of the obeah, or the carried over
mysticism. Zion Revivalism was more traditionally Christian, while Pukumina was much more
varied and allowed for any spirit to possess, thus it was the more influenced by Myal. The Rasta
religion was partially founded on attempts to eliminate these mystical elements, but there were
many more causes that formed the religion. It originally rose up out of the black urban masses of
Kingston. In the 1920s–40s there was a massive influx of migration into Kingston. Most had no
guarantees of jobs, shelter, or survival, but the dwindling sugar trade, increased corporatization of
agriculture, and lack of farmable land forced many into the slums around Trenchtown and Old
Spanish Road. It was in these slums and ghettos that the early militancy and anger of Rasta was
kindled. Some of Rasta's predecessors were very charismatic people and led hundreds of their
followers in street services, marches, and demonstrations against the downpressors, those that were
part of Babylon, or the white establishment. They rallied around the calls to end European
colonialism in Africa, increased the quality of living in their home slums, and the correction of the
slave injustice and repatriation of Africans to their
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Rastafari : Not Just An Excuse For Get High
Rastafari: Not Just an Excuse to get High Rastafari is the religion that developed in Jamaica in the
1930's as a result of the crowning of Haile Selassie I as king in 1930. The people that belong to this
religion are known by many different names: Rastafarians, Rastas, Sufferers, Locksmen, Dreads or
Dreadlocks. Rastas are often viewed as "pot–heads" with long dreadlocks and gnarly beards who
simply claim to belong to Rastafari to justify smoking marijuana. Rastas are often viewed as modern
day hippies who smoke marijuana and listen to reggae music and nothing more. The issue is that
most of the world views Rastas this way, but know nothing about their religion, Rastafari, and the
many beliefs that belong to it and drive their cultural ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rastafari is not some religion to overlook or push to the side labeled as the religion for "pot–heads."
Our culture prides itself on our increasing tolerance of different peoples, their beliefs and lifestyles,
so it is crucial that we learn the facts to these different persons and groups. If we truly desire to be
tolerant, we cannot simply turn a blind eye to these different cultures, religions and people groups
and live in ignorance. Rather, we need to learn about these people groups; Rastas and Rastafari
being one of these. We see snippets of information about Rastafari in the media, and it is often their
custom of smoking marijuana that is the focus of the media. This is the image we got from media
coverage of famous rap artist, Snoop Dogg, converting to Rastafari and becoming "Snoop Lion."
Overall, Rastas and Rastafari have been misrepresented due to ignorance of their beliefs and
customs, and if we truly want to be a tolerant country, we must get the facts of this religion and its
people. Barry Chevannes was native to Jamaica and held a Masters of Science in Sociology and a
Ph. D. in Anthropology from the University of the West Indies and Columbia University,
respectively. He was the former head of the Sociology, Social Work, and Psychology Department at
the University of the West Indies and was also a Professor of Social Anthropology. Chevannes is
well known and respected in these departments as well as international research. Most of his

Christianity and Rastafarianism-a Discussion of Six...
Christianity and Rastafarianism A Discussion of Six Similarities Christianity and Rastafarianism are
both rooted in Judaism and draw from the Hebrew sacred scriptures. Rastafarianism evolved as a
reaction to the Christianity that was imposed upon African–American slaves and their descendents.
There are several other aspects in which these two religions are similar, the purpose of this paper is
to explore some of those similarities. The Christian religion began around 2000 years ago in Judea,
which is now Israel. Christianity began with Jesus of Nazareth and his disciples. Jesus traveled from
village to village, teaching in the synagogues, and healing those who were sick and suffering. He
challenged the authorities to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rastafari's believe Tafari Makonnen, who was crowned Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia on
November 2nd, 1930 is the living God incarnate, called Jah. He is the black Messiah that will lead
the world's people of African origin into the Promised Land of full emancipation and divine justice.
This is partly because of his titles King of Kings, Lord of Lords and Conquering Lion of the Tribe of
Judah. These titles match those of the Messiah mentioned in the book of Revelation, in the Christian
New Testament (Rastafari). Second Similarity–The Creation of the World: Just as the Christian
Bible begins with, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth", (Holy Bible) The Holy
Piby, the Rastafarian Bible, begins with, "From the beginning there was God and he spake and all
things were made that are made". Both of these sacred texts go on to state that God made man for
his glory and then made woman for man, God called the man Adam and the woman Eve. (Holy
Piby) Both of the sacred texts also agree that God rested on the seventh day and said that men
should also use the seventh day as a day of rest. Third Similarity–Worship Practices: Christian
worship centers on meetings or services held on Sunday. These services consist of Biblical readings,
communion, and music either with or without instrumental accompaniment, prayer, a teaching from
the Bible in the form of a sermon and a collection of tithes. Other forms of worship, such

Religious Education School Based Assessment
Haile Selassie was born Tafari Mekanon in the late 1800's in the African country Ethiopia. He was
crowned king, or "Ras" Tafari in the 1930's, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Marcus Garvey decades
earlier has he proclaimed, "look to the east for the coming of a black king." Marcus Garvey is
looked at in the Rastafarian movement as the biblical Moses since he was not only one of the
greatest advocates for black repatriation in the Western World but also since he prophetically
introduced and announced the coming of the Messiah. When the early Rasta's heard of the crowing
of King Selassie – they knew that Marcus's prophecy was fulfilled. Early Rastafarians were not
accepted by the Jamaican population at large. They were looked at as dirty ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
We must at all times put our trust and faith in Him and he will not desert us or permit us to destroy
ourselves or humanity that He created in His image. We must examine ourselves and look deeply in
our souls. We must become something we have never been before. We must become bigger that we
have been, greater in spirit, more courageous, and larger in our outlook. As His majesty said, we
must overcome our petty prejudices, even if the weight of history is heavy, owing our ultimate
dedication or allegiance not to any nation or country, but to our fellow men within the human
community and become member of a new race, the true race: the human race. What is Rastafari
Rastafari is a movement of black people who know Africa is the birthplace of mankind, all mankind.
It is a twentieth century manifestation of God that enlightened our pathway towards righteousness
and is therefore worthy of reverence. Rastafari recognizes Africa as the central origin of religious
history, culture, science and technology. Africa, symbolized in the scriptures by Ethiopia (I–thiopia)
is an emotional magnet for many Africans, that is calling us home to the continent which our
ancestors were taken by force from more than three hundred years ago, during slavery, the black
holocaust. That call has never been felt more deeply than by members of the Rastafari faith.
Rastafari wants all people, especially black people, to know that we are

The Anatomy Of Religion By Anthony Wallace
In his article "The Anatomy of Religion", Anthony Wallace discussed how certain behavior can be
considered as religious behavior. In this article, he named thirteen different behavior that are
religious. While not all the thirteen behavior are going to be observed in every religion, but it is
certain that many of them will be observed in every religion. It is also important to note that some of
these behaviors are more obvious in certain religions. For example, one of the behavior is sacrifice.
This behavior can be observed differently in Christianity and voodoo; in voodoo people sacrifice
goats or chickens while Christians gives offerings at church. The Rastafarian movement of Jamaica
is one of the youngest religion practiced; it is not even an hundred years old. For religion that is so
young, it is understandable that not a lot people know what the religion is about; certain people don't
even know that it is a religion. For some people, when they hear Rastafari they only think about Bob
Marley. Using the Wallace's essay, the Rastafarian movement of Jamaica can be analyzed. One of
the religious behavior mentioned by Wallace is the act of addressing the super natural most known
in a Christian society as prayer. Just like Christians, Rastafarians also pray, they also address the
supernatural. In everything they do, they say a prayer. For example before smoking ganja, it is
possible that some of them say a little prayer. But

Essay on The Mirroring Lives of a Jamaican and a Rastafarian
The Mirroring Lives of a Jamaican and a Rastafarian
Introduction
This paper is a series of two interviews that I had over the course of the semester. I used both of the
interviews as a series of research. I then used this research and supported it with published work.
The first interview occurred when I was in Jamaica. I randomly crossed paths with Peter. He
informed my friends and I that he was a Rastafarian. We spoke with him for about two hours on the
beach. He informed us about his religion and his lifestyle. Unaware at the time that I would use this
knowledge in my paper I am pleasantly surprised that I was able to transgress this information.
The second interview was with Marie Debal. She is one of my sister's clients. Upon ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Peter's response:
"I do not come down here to Negril very often any more. When I was younger my friends and I
would come down and enjoy the beaches. Now this place is such a tourist trap.
Jamaicans are dressed like Rastafarians with their long dreads and try to pretend that they are like
us. They try and sell tourist anything from drugs to crafts. Please do not take what I am saying the
wrong way. It just makes me so frustrated when Jamaicans try to imitate the Rastafarian lifestyle.
These Jamaicans may have long dreads and look like a Rastafarians but they do not know what it is
like to truly live and be a Rastafarian.
Rastafarian culture is very different from a Jamaican. We live in the mountains away from the
tourist area. I spend all my days and nights waiting for the signs of Haile Selassie. I understand that
these Jamaicans have to make a living I just wished that they did not mimic our lifestyle."
Marie's response:
"The difference between a Jamaican and a Rastafarian is probably similar to asking what is the
difference between an American and a Catholic. Rastafarians are people who reside in the mountains
of Jamaica and practice the Rastafari

The Impact Of Rastafari On The Culture Through The Voices...
Chaneil Hall
Professor Edmondson
Independent Study: The Impact of Rastafari
May 13, 2015
Reggae as a Means of Social Transformation Through The Voices of the Rastafari
Jamaica, the third largest Caribbean island is not only home to tropical weather and picturesque
landscapes, but also to social unrest and perhaps some of the most rebellious people. Since its
existence, this nation has seen a series of revolutions and riots in efforts to reverse the unjust social,
economic, and political conditions. The most influential of these revolutionary efforts contributed to
the formation of Jamaica's very own religious movement, Rastafarianism. With oppression serving
as one of the driving forces for the Rastafari Movement, it is understandable why its followers are so
adamant about professing their ideologies, beliefs and practices. The central language used to
express the grievances of Rastafarians is known globally as the music genre, Reggae. It is not
merely coincidental that the country pregnant with such radical motives also gave birth to its own
music brand. By examining the music of artists such as Bob Marley, Dennis Brown, Luciano and
more, we can deduce that Reggae music served and continues to serve as the most prominent
vehicle for the spread of Rastafarianism.
The Rastafari Movement emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s out of desires to defeat the crippling
British colonial culture and to establish an identity based on the reclamation of African heritage. The
men credited for

Bob Marley: His Music, His Words, His Legacy Essay
The 70's – musically, culturally, and politically – was a transitional phase, and a emotional link
between two very infamous periods. This decade was also the recess from reality, in which people
used music to escape from the real world leaving behind all their worries. People were consumed by
appetites, addicted to their guilty pleasures, and soon there would be a price to pay. During the late
60's and early 70‘s, reggae music was created by combining the characteristics of the North
American rock and African Jamaican music. This new style had a lot of influence from rhythm, the
blues, and some jazz. Though the textbook "America's Musical Landscape" the author Jean Ferris
states that, "the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His music spread through the hearts of Europeans, Africans, and Americans. He made lyrics and
music work together to offer messages comprised of both theoretical and emotional content through
the constructs of virtual experience (lyrics) and virtual time (music). Both virtual experience and
virtual time must exist for music to function. However it can sometimes work out otherwise. It was
the unique style of Bob Marley's reggae that allowed him to connect with the people. He abandoned
the classic style of "ska" and adopted a new style of a rhythm known as "rock steady". A lot of
emotional content can be taken from just the rhythm of music. Much like classical music, reggae
gave all people a vision. Smooth rhythm, thick bass lines and light percussion is what makes this
rhythm stand out and me enjoyable. Instrumental pieces may not have carried with them a deep and
intense message as songs with lyrics did, but it was another way for Marley to reach his audience.
He gained respect for his unique ways of creating music, and you could still feel his message even
when he was not singing. Today we sit in Tuff Gong' Recording studios in Kingston, Jamaica with
"Mr. Music" himself Robert Nesta Marley. Right here is where Bob has recorded all his music
throughout his career. We are here to talk a little bit about his life, his inspirations, his beliefs and
most of

Bob Marley : Political Activist
Bob Marley: Political Activist When you hear the name Bob Marley what do you think? I know I
thought of the Rasta movement and the colors green, yellow and red. I thought of a symbol being
abused to justify the smoking of cannabis. But if I was to tell you that Bob Marley may be one of the
most influential political activists of all time. Bob Marley was born in 1945 in Rhoden Hall of
Jamaica, after his parent separation he moved to West Kingston with his mother. West Kingston is
where the story begins for his love of music, which would have implications all around the world.
Marley's mother moved to Delaware, after a lengthy stay with her Marley returned to Jamaica and
converted from Christianity to Rastafarianism. Marley's presence can be felt in many platforms but
his music was source of inspiration and awareness for poverty, racism and colonialism (the policy or
practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers,
and exploiting it economically). The word Jah is used quite frequently in Marley's music that refers
to the black messiah whom they believe to be Haile Selassie who was the emperor of Ethiopia. The
poverty and hardship of West Kingston was the core influence for his music and the similarities of
trials West Kingston had linked the message to many people across the world. Bob Marley spoke on
the socioeconomic differences along with the influence of different ethnic backgrounds. Marley will
be remembered

Essay on The True Meaning Of A Religion
The True Meaning of a Religion Religion can be found almost everywhere around us, influencing
ones lifestyle and surroundings much more than we are aware of. Often becoming a huge element of
society in several areas of our lives. Though some argue one is born already knowing their religious
faith, classifying religion as something that cannot be learned but more as an inner spirituality
present at birth. Other would say there is no doubt religion is socially constructed and
subconsciously learned plus spread through peers, family or close ones, strongly impacting societies
and cultures. Some sort of hidden objective or purpose whether is it political, spiritual or other,
motivates the creation of a religion through a "designated" ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Much is mentioned about Ethiopia in the bible and as more slaves started to read about it soon
concluded that their homeland was part of the Garden of Aden, "cradle of mankind". (Napti). These
revelations about Ethiopia came at a time when majority of African people, inside and outside of
Africa were ruled by white supremacy. Ethiopia one of the few places still not dominated by white
power became for all the Africans living in despair and oppression, a place of freedom and of pride
in their heritage. Soon after, hope emerged among the black population, especially in Jamaica,
where they lived in despair and poverty, oppressed by white ruling as well. During the 19th century,
when many Africans learn to write and read English, some grew to be quite known and respected, in
particular Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican–born scholar. He was seen as a prophet among the people
living in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica. During this time, the Rastafarian religion was not quite
established yet; however "his travels, organizational abilities and pioneering efforts established a
basis and a spirit for a foundation for Rastafari's development" (Dubb). He wanted to unify Africa in
order to create a government ruled by the black people. Garvin's vision was for "blacks to overcome
their feelings of inferiority

The Coronation Of Haile Selassie I As Emperor Of Ethiopia
The Rastafarian tradition was born in the early 1930s with the coronation of Haile Selassie I as
emperor of Ethiopia. Although, not initially a religious movement, its religious future was
prophesied by a western black political activist named Marcus Garvey when, in a newspaper article
and after frequent correspondence with Selassie, he stated, "The Psalmist prophesied that Princes
would come out of Egypt and Ethiopia would stretch forth her hands unto God. We have no doubt
that the time is now come. Ethiopia is now stretching forth her hands." It is a religious tradition that
is Afrocentric in its upbringing and focuses on defending and protecting the dignity of Africans and
those of African ancestry. The religion itself holds many ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rastafarian tradition is one that is founded and built upon the respect of all peoples. It is a new
religion that has seen rapid change since its conception and continues to see change even today. This
paper will explain how gender is understood in the Rastafarian tradition both at its inception and
today. Despite the fact that Rastafarian ideology states that respect of all people is necessary in the
ethic code, women are often left out of the traditions and practices. As said by Tracey Nicholson of
women in Rasta culture, "If serious business is at hand, it is likely that women will not be". It is hard
to believe that the religion could lean one way or another based on gender because it started as a
conscious social movement that dealt solely with the horrors of the oppression and exploitation of
an entire race. Women, during the inception of the religion, were seen as inferior, they were kept in a
place of subordination and a realm of domestication for a long time. Despite this fact, the role of
women in the tradition is a bit indecisive in and of itself. Chevannes, in his book Rastafari: Roots
and Ideology, states, "On the one hand, women are respected, perhaps even feared, for their powers
of fertility and command greater allegiance and love from males and females alike than do their
male counterparts." This idea that women are somehow higher beings because of their child bearing
abilities is prevalent throughout Rastafarian ideology. They are bestowed with titles

Similarities And Differences Of Rastafarianism And Judaism
Parallelisms and Differences:Rastafarianism and Judaism
The two religions of Rastafarianism and Judaism embody many of the same characteristics, as well
as their ancestry. Although the Rastafarians, at times, inaccurately explain the bible, their belief in
the Old Testament is still prevalent. Many of the customs are almost identical, but the rationale
behind the traditions and laws contrast greatly.
In 1933, when Leonard P. Howell was arrested for using"seditious and blasphemous language,"to
boost the sale of pictures of Haile Selassie, he stated that Selassie was,"King Ras Tafari of
Abyssinia, son of king Solomon by the queen of Sheba."1 Howell knew that in later years factual
information about Selassie's true origin would be ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Falashas adhere to the teachings of the Torah, the five books of Moses, as well as all the other
books of the Old Testament.
Although, they reject any scriptures from the New Testament and the Koran, which are used by
Christians and Muslims across the world. Orthodox rabbis have questioned the authenticity of their
attachment to the Jewish religion because they do not follow the precepts of the Halachah, or Oral
Law, which they follow. But the Talmud was not complete until about 500 AD, at a time when the
Jews of Ethiopia were already cut off from their co–religionists in the rest of the world.
In the Jewish religion, Judaism is not only obtained through conversion but mainly through our
mothers. According to Jewish Law, a baby boy or girl is Jewish because their mothers are, not their
fathers. Therefore, it could be claimed that Haile Selassie was not Jewish because the Emperor of
Ethiopia, Sheba, was not. On a contrary note, Menelik's mother, Sheba, was indeed Jewish
according to genealogical lists from the book of Genesis. In this book, it states

Essay about haile selassie
Haile Selassie
Haile Selassie who was believed to be a descendant from the line of David by Solomon, was a
symbol to the black man. He exhibited that the black man had the capacity to be strong. This image
that Selassie provided, was contrary to what blacks saw in Ethiopia, despite, Ethiopia being a black
nation that had been independent for thousands of years. As a result of his assumed decadency and
what he embodied, both Ethiopian's and Jamaican's assigned him as their savior. Within "Classic
Black Nationalism: From the American Revolution to Marcus Garvey", Young illustrates how
Selassie was able to transcend form Africa to Jamaica proving that he is the black Messiah.
On ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I do not say this because I equate the absence of arms o peace, or because I believe that bringing an
end to nuclear arms race automatically guarantees the peace...Disarmament is vital today, quite
simply, because of the immense destructive capacity of which men dispose.
Haile Selassie ruled Ethiopia nobly. He looked for the betterment of his people, and the
modernization of his country. He wanted his country to benefit from the implementation of good
education can do for a country. He brought Ethiopia into the international scene by helping Ethiopia
to be accepted into the League of Nations in 1928. He made the world understand that his country
lived and bled like all others when he pleaded for help against the Italians in Geneva in 1936. He
held his people in regard when he drafted Ethiopia's two constitutions in 1931 and 1958. Selassie
wanted to pull Ethiopia out of its archaic existence and matriculate it into modernity.
In 1829, through the "Ethiopian Manifesto" Young identifies all members of the African Diaspora as
"Ethiopians". Young refers to Psalm 68:31, which states. "Prince shall come out of Egypt... Ethiopia
shall stretch out her hands to God." Young claims that all self–aware black people are "Ethiopians";
He instructs Ethiopians that one single messiah will appear to deliver them from their state of
oppression. Young proves this by referring to

Music Content Comparison
The purpose of this content analysis was to compare and contrast how two artist of reggae music
from different eras developed their movement and how they each had a different style. The two
artists examined are from the same family, they are father Bob Marley and son Ziggy Marley. We
examine how they both essentially had a different voice yet still held onto the roots of reggae.
Extensive research was done on their backgrounds, their upbringings, their environment, and belief
systems. It was important to gather research about what reggae means to them and what voice they
wanted to portray to their audience. Much of the literature gathered was through the internet, using
the campus library online database. The sources gathered from the online database were; magazine
articles, music encyclopedias, interviews and academic research articles and journals. ... Show more
The paper will go into detail regarding how these communication concepts play a role in Bob and
Ziggy's reggae. These concepts are; empathy and empathic communication, emotional intelligence,
emotions and social influences of emotion. In addition, the analysis was based on the article, "Music
Content Categories" by Lamy & Levin. The premise of this research paper is based on the findings
from Lamy & Levin's research. Their article helped translate the two song lyrics into the major
value–themes. The two songs used were; Bob Marley's, "Get Up, Stand Up" and Ziggy Marley's,
"We Are the People." Other research methods used were websites; mainly Bob and Ziggy Marley's
personal websites and the Songlyrics.com site for the lyrics of the songs that were used for this

Rude Boy Music In Comparison With Gangster Rap Essay
Rude Boy Music In Comparison With Gangster Rap
Reggae music is a very powerful way of communicating a message to its listener's. Reggae has
evolved over time from many different types of music and lots of different forms from ska to
reggae. The history of reggae starts over 400 years ago in the days of slavery. Under the severe
oppression of slavery the African people tried to hold on the pieces of their culture that they could.
Music and dance were among the most important cultural traditions retained by the African people.
These African rhythms gave way to mento, which gave rise to Rastafarian chants, which in turn
gave way to ska and then rocksteady. (Potash, 29) When reggae music is thought of, Jamaica is
instantly the word that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rastafarians see Ethiopia as their homeland, and to fulfill a Rasta's dream would to be leaving
Babylon for Africa. Marcus Garvey tried to set up a company that would take the Afro–Caribbean's
back to their homeland of Africa. That project eventually went bankrupt, after Garvey got into
trouble with mail fraud in the Untied States. (Potash, 17) Even the Ethiopian government set aside
over 5000 acres of land for Jamaican people to immigrate back to Africa. Strangely enough very few
Jamaicans ever made it to Ethiopia. (Potash, 17) This seems very strange to me, because through all
the books and articles I've read I always read about how Jamaicans want to move back to Ethiopia.
Reggae music has become one Jamaica's leading exports. Reggae music deals with many issues that
concern the Rastafarians such as black unity, freedom and rights for all people in the world, as well
as the oppression of the world's people. Rastafarians are located mostly in Jamaica but there are
significant numbers in London and New York City. Rastafarians agree on two principles of faith
only: (1) that Haile Selassie I the king of kings, the lord of lords, Conquering Lion of the

Tosh's 'The Wailers'
Tosh stuck with The Wailers as a loyal contributor until he wanted a change, and the relationship
within the band became turbulent. In 1971, Tosh started a solo career while working with The
Wailers at the same time. Tosh's first song was "Maga Dog," but Gibbs didn't release it due to
similarities to The Wailers "Simmer Down" (Greene). Without Marley, Tosh also made "Hoot Nanny
Hoot", "The Jerk", "Making Love", "It's Only Love", "Rasta Shook Them Up", and "The Toughest."
His work with The Wailers made less time for his solo career, making Tosh very irritable (Greene).
Once the relationship between Tosh and The Wailers got too rough, he left them after a heated fight
with Marley in 1973 and started producing his own music ("Reggae Artists"). ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Unlike any other music, Tosh's was also much darker when it came to lyrics. His words raised
awareness of the stuff that went on in Jamaica, and he caused uproars when he let his true feelings
be known (Greene). An example of Tosh's militancy were some lyrics he had in his cover of
"Nobody's Business"– "Leave my business and mind your own" (Greene). At the same time as
Tosh's business with Mick Jagger, violence and gang warfare was at an all–time high in Jamaica. A
rogue army in Jamaica was tired of the gang violence and gunned down 10 members of the Skull
Gang. Of those members, five Rastafarians were killed. This act later became known as the Green
Bay Massacre (Greene). These murders shocked Jamaica and all gangs called a truce to stop the
violence. To commemorate the ones killed in the GB Massacre, they created the One Love Peace
Concert (Greene). It took place on April 22, 1978. Here, Marley and Tosh met again before their
performances. Tosh went first and the songs he chose were his darkest and his speeches were purely
militant. In between songs, he attacked the government, opposition, and peace itself. The people of
Jamaica acknowledged his words but the government and press

Rastafari Essay
Rastafari is, before it is anything else, a way of life. It offers approaches and answers to real
problems black people face in daily living; it promotes spiritual resilience in the face of oppressive
poverty and underdevelopment. It produces art, music and cultural forms, which can be universally
recognized and appreciated. More important, Rastafari provides a positive self–image, an alternative
to people who need and cannot find or accept one elsewhere. Even with its black foundation and
orientation, Rastafarianism is open to anyone, of any race, who chooses to discover and is able to
accept it.
My research focuses on the history of Rastafarians and the birth of Rastafarianism. I will reflect our
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rastas believe that Selassie the I is the Jesus that Christianity speaks of with his "hair of wool,
whose feet were like unto burning brass". Rastas worship Jah and we participate in rituals and
chanting as well as following the laws of Divine Power throughout our daily life. Rasta believe in
the power of doing good and being blessed and so forth, we believe in power of doing evil and being
punished. As the Rastas say, "Life is everliving" is the reward for following the word of the bible.
Rasta say that blacks are to blame for their own shortcomings because they strayed away from the
holy and divine way of living that was given to them in the Bible. Their enslavement and life ever
since has been a punishment from Jah for their sins. "The scriptures are fundamental to Rasta world
view. We do not look on the Bible as the 'the good book' –––everything has good and evil in it. Over
time, the bible has been altered from its original state. For political and economical reasons, things
have been edited out and different concepts and explanations patched in –especially by the
translators of the Kings James I of England. Therefore, the Rasta is particularly selective about what
they believe from the scriptures. Generally, Rastas point to the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Song of Solomon, Isiah, Ezekiel, Timothy, Corinthians, Hebrews
and Revelation to

Garrigan In Idi Amin
Haile Selassie Emperor of Ethiopia was famously quoted as saying "Throughout history, it has been
the inaction of those who could of acted; the indifference of those who should have known better;
the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to
triumph." This quote could relate no more so than in the novel The Last King Of Scotland with the
protagonist Nicholas Garrigan who continually takes no action against the atrocities he hears and
witness whilst he is Idi Amin's personal physician.We can view Garrigan in two different
perspectives one being that he is a good person who did nothing or the other being he is a good
person that did bad things.
The novel is a memoir of Nicholas Garrigan, a young scottish doctor who moves to uganda in 1971
seeking adventure. He begins work at a small hospital in Mbarara however he soons moves to
kampala to become Idi Amin's personal physician. Once there things begin to turn for the worst in
uganda, Idi Amin begins to persecute certain ethical and political groups. Things however soon
become even worse with mass executions, Garrigan struggles with ethical choices whether to use his
position to step in and take action or to keep himself safe. He once again faces a moral dilemma
when Stone the British foreign office representative asks Garrigan to assassinate Amin in return for
both money and help to leave the country.
We often perceive Garrigan to be a bad person due to his continuous selfish

African-based Spiritual Outlook: Rastafarianism Essay
Rastafarianism is an African–based spiritual outlook that emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s. It is
considered as a religion by few, but by many people it is considered as "a way of life" because it is
not very organized. In 1927, Marcus Garvey who is an Afrocentric, black political activist, made a
prophecy that his race will be emancipated after a black king is crowned. Three years later, in 1930
Haile Selassie was crowned as king in Africa. Selassie was later declared as the savior by four
Jamaican ministers. Rastafarians believe that Haile Selassie is the messiah, who they refer to as
"Jah" or God. They believe that one day he will lead them to the Promised Land. Although, Selassie
died in 1975, his death is not accepted by many due to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They celebrate days such as, Selassie's coronation day (November 2), Selassie's birthday (July 23),
and Garvey's birthday (August 17). Rastas also consider Selassie's visit to Jamaica in 1996, a
celebration, for which they call, Grounation Day (April 21). They also celebrate the Ethiopian New
Year which falls on September 11, and the Orthodox Christmas on January 7. Many Rastafarians
limit their diet to what they view as "pure food", which does not include any additives like artificial
coloring, flavoring, and preservatives. Their diet is called I–tal, which means clean and natural.
Most of these followers are vegetarian but some eat only certain types of fish. All the meals
prepared by Rastafarians do not include any salt, and they consume very large amounts of
vegetables, fruits, and fruit juice. Furthermore, coffee, milk, alcohol, and drugs (except for Ganja)
are avoided. Ganja is a strain of Marijuana viewed as a spiritual purifier, for which they believe
clears the mind and soul. Smoking Marijuana is very common, although, it is not required. In
addition, Rastafarians view Marijuana as a religious herb, because they interpret verses from the
Bible in a way to regard it as sacred. "He causeth the grass for the cattle, and herb for the services of
man." (Psalm 104:14), is an example of a verse that regards Marijuana as a holy herb. Since the
Ganja is a ritualized act, a prayer is often said before Marijuana is smoked. The prayer is "Glory be
to the father and

A Free And Home Of The Brave : The Freedom And Its Modern...
The piece of cloth that waves in every school, government building, and stadium holds extreme
significance for many. The echoes of being the land of the free and home of the brave seem to be
invisibly engraved within every star and stripe. However, the promises of freedom that are
established during a country's eager beginnings rarely come into play in the manner in which they
are intended. Flags are meant to be a representation of the ideals of a free country; however, flags
are often a facade for the unsettling inequalities that exist within a nation. In the young country of
Eritrea, the road to freedom and its modern day reality exhibits obvious discrepancies in the
freedoms that were promised. There are global parallels in which newly independent countries
promise rights to those who were long oppressed, only to realize that these expected liberties are
difficult to execute. The flag that is created at the formation of a country does not always accurately
portray the reality of freedom.
Eritrea, like most other African countries, has its formal historical beginnings with through
colonization in the late 19th century. In the scramble of Africa, the Italians came into the region on
the coast of the Red Sea and established their rule around the capital of Asmara. After nearly sixty
years of Italian colonial rule, Eritrea was supposed to be free from the oppressive rule by another
state. However, after World War II, the United Nations decided to federate Eritrea to Ethiopia.

Rastafarianism Beliefs and Rituals
Joaquim Domingos Baptista
Dr. Peter Patton
Western Arts and Culture
11/28/2012
Rastafarianism Beliefs and Rituals The incorporation in many modern societies of dread locks
amongst youths, the ever increasing efforts to legalize marijuana; what started out as an entirely
black oriented religion spread throughout the world, particularly in the 1970s because of the
popularity of reggae music, and currently has around one million followers in Japan, New Zealand,
and elsewhere (Simpson 96) , along with many other activities that we are accustomed to in the
American pluralistic society, represents a form of rituals and beliefs that have been brought to the
mainstream by the Rastafarians. I had often been puzzled by the way in which my ... Show more
Note also that many beliefs and rituals may vary from one group to the next depending on their
demographic location. Information regarding this investigation was obtained from various internet
sources, books, and scholarly published journals.
There are a few main beliefs that can be described as being truly Rastafarians, They are the
following!
Haile Selassie is the living God. All true Rastafarians believe that Haile Selassie, the emperor of
Ethiopia, is the true and living God, at least for the black race. One member of the Rastafarian
Repatriation Association it explained this way: We know before that when a king should be crowned
in the land of David's throne, that individual would be Shiloh, the anointed one, the Messiah, the
Christ returned in the personification of Rastafari. He (Ras Tafari) is the "Ancient of Days" (The
bearded God). The scripture declares that "the hair of whose head was like wool (matted hair),
whose feet were like unto burning brass" (i.e., black skin). The scripture declares that God hangs in
motionless space surrounded with thick darkness (hence a black man).
Rastafarians also regard Haile Selassie I as God because of Marcus Garvey's prophesy "Look to
Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be the redeemer "was swiftly followed by the
ascension of Haile Selassie I as Emperor of Ethiopia. The notion of Haile Selassie being the God of
the black

George Orwell 's Dystopian Novel
It is often debated why populations under totalitarian regimes allow the ten percent minority to
control the massive ninety percent majority with such inhumane tactics. Although the goals of
individual regimes vary on their end goal, the means of achieving that goal are strikingly similar.
From the distribution of propaganda exaggerating national progress, using food and necessary aid as
incentive to increase productivity, to imposing nationwide terror through the deadly pursuit of
enemies to the regime, the blatant commonality between these oppressors is their inventive ways of
using fear and tapping into the human survival instinct to keep the population at bay. These tactics
can be seen at work in George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Winston outlines the predicted economic growth set to occur per Big Brother's multi–year plan;
"The Times of the nineteenth of December had published the official forecasts of the output of
goods of various classes of consumption goods in the fourth quarter of 1984, which was also the
sixth quarter of the Ninth Three Year Plan." (Orwell 39). Orwell incorporates the multi–year plan
strategy as a direct parody of Stalin's tactics during the rise of communism; this tactic has not only
been parodied, but legitimately recreated in other totalitarian regimes like Ethiopia's Dergue regime.
Ethiopian scholar Bahru Zewde summarizes the Dergue version of this tactic, stating, "In October
1978, the Derg announced the National Revolutionary Development Campaign to mobilize human
and material resources to transform the economy, which led to a Ten–Year Plan" (Zewde). These
totalitarian governments employ multi–year plans for economic growth because they serve as a
point of structure and growth in an otherwise chaotic government setting. The majority of citizens
are too perplexed with maintaining their own livelihood that they cannot see the failures of these
plans. They all fall to conformity, accepting that their government 's plans are benefitting them when
they clearly are not. For those with the lowest quality of life, they view the plan as the silver lining
to their situation as they blindly follow orders to increase production for

Bob Marley Frankie Ruiz Analysis
Throughout the years, a lot of different music genres have emerge, with these music genres also
comes a variety of artists. Nowadays, music has become very important for a lot of young people
around the world, and not only music but also the artists, which are a big influence in their lives.
Two of my favorite music artists are, Bob Marley and Frankie Ruiz, I really enjoy their music and I
also admire them greatly. What makes Bob Marley and Frankie Ruiz unique for me is the the music
genres they sang, the life style they had, and their looks.
Although, Bob Marley and Frankie Ruiz sang different music genres, these genres come from the
Caribbean. Bob Marley sang reggae, which developed in the 1950's and 1960's and was influence by
the Rastafari movement. Bob ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
From their clothing to their hair, Bob Marley and Frankie Ruiz had opposite styles that made them
uniquely amazing and very well known. Bob Marley had deadlock, her started to grow them when
he converted into a Rastafari, he became very well known for his dreads and not only that, Bob
Marley was very well known for being a loving and caring man. Bob Marley dressed very casually,
for his concerts he didn't care about his looks, the only thing he cared was to enjoy the moment.
Also, he wasn't a materialistic person in fact, he let everyone into his home and treated everyone like
family, he gave them shelter, food, and clothes. Meanwhile, Frankie Ruiz had his own salsa flow, he
loved and enjoyed dancing at all times, from a really young age, he showed his latin roots, always
dancing in parties or wherever he could. He dressed very colorful and was known to be the soul of
the party. Frankie was a very caring person but drugs distance him from his loved ones, closing him
in a dark and sad world and turning his world upside down, after the drugs he didn't care about his
look not taking care of

Why Did Rastafarians Follow Their Religion?
The Rastafarian's faith is believed to have been founded by Leonard Howell, which originated in
Jamaica in the twentieth–century. This faith was inspired by crowning in 1930 of Ras, or Prince,
Tafari Makonnen as an emperor of the Ethiopian Kingdom, at that time one of only two sovereign
nations of the African Continent. Moreover, Rastafarianism in actual fact is a creole, religion rooted
in Africa, Europe, and Indian practices and beliefs. Rastafarians believe that the life that Christianity
relegates to the life of the soul after death is possible in this world. Therefore, instead, as Christians,
they focus on the present and not transcendentally realm beyond death (Olmos 192). Due to the fact
that they classified their religion as Christians, Rastafarians as Bible believers train themselves to
live accordingly.
Furthermore, Rastafarian's believe that the Bible is actually in fact a history of the African race. "If
God is the father of all he must have had ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They follow the example of Solomon and also other verses in the Bible, which indicates how they
interpreted the way they should styles their hair, the Dreadlocks style. '"From the beginning of the
movement Rasta Leader had advocated its use as a religious rite; Belief that it was found growing
on the grave of King Solomon and in the interpretation of biblical passages such as Psalm
104:14"'(Olmos 201). The text later on also says, "'they shall not make baldness upon their hair,
neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cutting in their flesh, Mentioned
in Leviticus 21:5'" (201). Moreover, although dreadlocks are well known to have been first
originated among the Howellites in Pinnacle during the 20th century (Chavannes 77). Rastafarians
rooted their dreadlock not based on the history of Howellites, but primarily on the Bible, which they
interpreted in their own way that best fit their

Garveyism and Rastafarianism Essay
Garveyism and Rastafarianism
I. Introduction
In the twentieth century, two movements have emerged out of Jamaica in protest of black oppression
and slavery, both mental and physical. The first to evolve was Garveyism, founded by Marcus
Garvey, and was born in the aftermath of the First World War.
Rastafarianism was the second movement to emerge, lead by Leonard Howell during the depression
years of the 1930's. Garveyism and Rastafarianism are both resistance movements based on the
same ideal: consciousness and essentialism of Africa and its descendants. The founding brethren of
the Rastafari movement were Garveyites themselves, although not members of the Universal Negro
Improvement Asscioation (UNIA), they agreed with and defended ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Garvey's aim was to recontextualize particular aspects of seeming irreconcilable systems of
Marxism/Leninism, monarchism, and even of National Socialism for the African of Africa American
experience (Zips, 224). Garvey did not feel restricted by established political ideologies, instead he
felt free to pick out the best attributes of every government. Ultimately, Garveyism hoped to develop
the African continent into a modern network of nations, modeling it after the United States and
Western Europe (Lewis, 146).
Garvey established the UNIA in Jamaica in the year 1914, two years later he left for the United
States in order to gain more momentum for his movement and spread the African unity he had
started in Jamaica. Before leaving Jamaica, Garvey made a prophecy of sorts to his followers: "Look
into Africa for the crowning of a black king. He shall be the Redeemer" (Barrett, 67). From this
prediction stems most of the discrepancy between Garveyites and Rastafarians, something I will
discuss later in this paper.
The four main themes that the Garvey movement was built upon were 1) Africa for Africans at
home and abroad, 2) unity, 3) self–reliance, and 4) retaining their black pride in the presence of
whites (Chevannes, 95). Garvey brought this ideology with him to the United States where he
founded an American branch of the UNIA in 1917 and furthered his initiatives

Rastafari Culture The Extreme Ethiopian Rasta Vs. The...
Rastafari Culture The Extreme Ethiopian Rasta Vs. The Mellow Dallas Rasta
Many people throughout the world have a hard time understanding what it means to be a Rasta. For
some their troubles in understanding Rasta's come because they look as Rastafari as only a religion.
When one does this they run into many problems. This is because Rastafari is much more than a
religion. It is a way of life, a social movement, as well as a mind set. Another reason why western
people have a hard time understanding Rastafari is because the movement lacks the structure that
the western world is use to.
A lot of people's understanding of Rasta's only goes as far as to think that Rasta's are people that live
in Jamaica, smoke weed, and have ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Garvey created the U.N.I.A. and the Negro World newspaper, which helped to inform the Jamaicans
of what was going on in the African world. Garvey told his followers, "Look towards Africa for the
crowning of a black king – he shall be the redeemer". Garvey often used many biblical terms in his
teaching to free his movement from the oppression of the "White Man", whether he meant them to
be taken literally is unclear, but what is clear is that many Jamaicans took them literally. An event
that would happen in 1930 would be as important to a Rasta's as the birth of Christ is to a Christian.
In 1930 a man named Tafari Makonne or Ras Tafari (Ras meaning king) claimed himself Emperor
of Ethiopia Haile Selassie I as well as the traditional titles "King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and
Conquering Lion of the Tribe Judah. To some Jamaican people this meant that Garvey's prophecy
had been fulfilled. These people tuned to the Bible and through literal translation of the documents
found much correlation into what had taken place. An important correlation to the Bible is the fact
that Selassie claimed to be a direct descendent of King David. By Selassie claming his relation to
David, he had made a coalition to Revelation 5:2–5. To some Jamaicans this meant their Messiah
had arrived.
In Jamaica some people such as Leonard P. Howell, J.N. Hibert, and Archibald Dunkle, began to
spread the word of the Messiah coming to save the African people. To

Irony In The Case Of The Socialist Witchdoctor
This paper will consider the positionality of Tuma in relation to the post–colonial Ethiopian state
and his use of stereotypes in the prologue and stories in The Case of the Socialist Witchdoctor
(Tuma: 1993). The book is divided into two sections, the former highly satirical and the latter rather
serious. The paper will consider a quote by Ogude: "If in the prologue Hama Tuma introduces us to
a variety of stereotypes about Ethiopians as survivors with the endurance of a beast, in the court
trails the stereotypes are revised if not altogether subverted" (Ogude 2000:95). The paper starts off
with a dissection of Tuma's mockery of the state in a brief look at the satire in "The Case of the
Socialist Witchdoctor" and further draws on a Freudian understanding of the unconscious and the
role it plays in the novel, based on the critique of the state in "The Case of Criminal Thought. ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tuma, through a series of cases that are recounted by an unemployed male narrator, ridicules the
nature of the trails noting, through these recounts, lack integrity and a scrutiny of real social malaise
that are so prevalent in the proceedings. His accounts of the proceedings seem to mock the
proceedings by merely titling them with names, which imply their disingenuous nature i.e. "The
Case of the Illiterate Saboteur" (7), "The Case of the Professor of Insanity" 82) and so on. While
each case is preceded by a prologue, which in itself undermines the trail, it also provides an account
of the framing of each case from a lay perspective. While most of the cases are amusing to the
layperson, the prosecutors, highlighting a disjuncture between citizens and the state, take them very

Haile Selassie King of Kings, Conquering Lion of the...
Haile Selassie King of Kings, Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah
When Ras Tafari Makonnen took the imperial throne in Ethiopia in 1930 as Haile Selassie I, a new
movement was born in Jamaica. The crowning of a Black King? Was this not what Marcus Garvey
told his Jamaican followers fifteen years earlier when he said"Look to Africa for the crowning of a
Black King; he shall be the Redeemer"(BARRETT 8 1)?
Selassie would prove to be one of Ethiopia's most noble leaders. He pushed education for his
people. He made a valiant effort to drag Ethiopia out of its stagnant state of unpaved roads, minimal
schools, very little education and no say in international affairs. He looked and carried himself like a
king. The Ethiopian Emperor ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This only added to the Jamaicans belief that he was their savior. Whether or not he was the second
coming, Christ himself or just related to Christ through his heritage.
Haile Selassie was not the infallible savior that these people saw from their island in the Caribbean,
however. As true with most governments and monarchies, Selassie's government had its deal of
corruption. Although they placed their faith in a noble King, the Jamaicans were disillusioned about
the man they believed to be their savior.
The old Ethiopian legend of the Kebra Negast tells the story of the Queen of Sheba's visit to
Solomon's mighty kingdom to learn the secrets of being a great leader. While in his kingdom the
Queen of Sheba bore Solomon a son, to which Solomon gave a jeweled ring to prove his descent
from the seed of David. The Queen of Sheba returned to her land in, then southern Ethiopia, what is
today Somalia, with her son to continue to rule the land (GORHAM 9).
Between two hundred and three hundred kings are believed to have ruled between the time of
Solomon and Haile Selassie, the last emperor of Ethiopia.
Believed to have been descended from the seed of David, Tafari Makonnen was born July 23, 1892
in the city of Harar in the eastern province of Harege (KALEIDOSCOPE). His mother died two
years after his birth, and shortly after that his country was engaged in a war with the Italians. The
Ethiopian army

A Brief Note On The Ethiopian Church Of Egypt
Rastafarianism is the child of two very distinct and unrelated entities. One parent is Garveyism, an
ideology which at its essence is a Black supremacist socio–political movement with the end goal of
repatriating African descendants in the diaspora back to Africa and and Ethiopian Orthodox
Christianity. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is one of the five monophysite churches, characterised
by their rejection of the Council of Chalcedon 451 AD(Ethiopian) This council was convened in an
effort to create uniformity in regards to doctrine amongst varying christian sects. One of the many
decisions agreed upon was that God had two distinct natures in Christ. Ethiopian orthodox
christianity vehemently disagreed with the council and instead decided that Christ 's humanity
cannot be separated from his divinity.(Encyclopedia britannica) The Ethiopian church was for most
of its existence placed under the jurisdiction of the Coptic Church of Egypt. In 1959 the Ethiopian
church became independent from Egypt when an Ethiopian patriarch was elected"(Ethiopian) It
most be noted that although the Ethiopian Orthodox church and associated teachings are accepted by
the Rastafarian community all other christian denominations are rejected. They hold the belief that
all other religious institutions, buildings, churches and schools, including Jamaican Pentecostal
revivalism although indigenous, are created with the sole intent of keeping black people down. They
believe that Jamaican

MUSLIM VS. RASTAFARIANS Islam interprets the relationship...
MUSLIM VS. RASTAFARIANS Islam interprets the relationship between a man and a woman as
one, which should make many babies while living a peaceful existence. "...(God) has created men
and women as company for one another, and so that they can reproduce and live in peace and
serenity according to the commandments of Allah and the directions of his messenger." On the other
hand,"...(Rastafarians) view the position (of) women as a (weak–willed) one." "...(Although) women
are respected,...(and sometimes) even feared, (because of) their powers of fertility,...(their existence
is still gazed upon as a fragile one)." Although both religions entrust the women with existence,
thereby acknowledging that a woman's womb is the giver of life, the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
It also symbolizes the blood that the martyrs have shed in the history of the rastas. The yellow
represents the wealth of the homeland. Green represents the beauty and vegetation of Ethiopia, their
promised land. Another characteristic of the Rasta's belief is the use of Ganja for religious purposes.
Its use is written in the bible in scriptures saying "He causeth the grass for the cattle and herb for the
services of man" (Psalms 104:14), ". . . thou shalt eat the herb of the field " (Genesis 3:18) and ". . .
eat every herb of the land " (Exodus 10:12). The use of this herb is very extensive among Rastas not
only for relaxation, but for spiritual and medical purposes. On the other hand, Islam originated in the
seventh century when the message was revealed to the holy prophet Muhammad. Although, the
revelations were passed down from Allah ('The God') to angel Gabriel, Muhammad manifested the
knowledge. This message was thus preserved in the Holy Quran. The Quran is perceived as the
word of God, the supreme Allah. Islam means submission or self–surrender of one's own pleasure
for the pleasure of God. Muslims believe that you must not only surrender to God but the laws of the
world also. Muslims believe that every person is born pure and we have a choice to either follow
good or evil. Islam teaches that the path to spiritual growth is open to all. Nonetheless, the main
message is to seek delight God through faith, prayer and charity. To be a genuine Muslim there are
five

Rastafarianism Essay
Rastafarianism Rastafarianism began as a religion of the dispossessed. In 1930, a prophecy of
deliverance was fulfilled for Jamaica's slum–dwellers and rural poor. Ethiopia symbolized Africa
and the homeland for the slave–descended Jamaicans. Ras Tafari Makennen, in 1930, became
Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. Emperor Selassie claimed to be a direct descendent of King
Solomon. Many Jamaicans were waiting for a black messiah. Selassie, who at his coronation was
proclaimed Negusa Negast (King of Kings), and whose imperial name meant "Power of the Holy
Trinity", seemed to be the one. A core group of Jamaicans believed Selassie was the "Living God of
Abraham and Isaac/ He Whose Name Should Not Be Spoken." They took on his ... Show more
In the present, Rastas feel blacks are held down by poverty, illiteracy, inequality, and trickery by the
white man. To stand up against this Babylon, Rastas want to remind blacks of their heritage.
"Heaven on earth", in Rastafarian belief, is in Africa and especially Ethiopia. There's no afterlife. A
black Exodus to Ethiopia will occur in the future. This Exodus will begin after a signal from Jah.
This means that Rastafarians are very focused on any news from Ethiopia. As a result, Jamaican
blacks have looked more deeply into their African heritage. Red, gold, green, and black are
Rastafarian colors. Red stands for Church Triumphant, which is the Church of the Rastas. It also
stands for the blood of martyred Rastas. Gold represents the wealth of the homeland. Green
symbolizes the beauty and vegetation of the Ethiopia, the "promised land." Black is used to
represent the African people. "He causeth the grass for cattle and the herb for the service of man,"
Psalm 104:14. Rastas use this scripture and others as the basis for their use of "ganja." Regarded as
"wisdomweed," Rasta leaders urge that "ganja" be smoked by followers as a religious rite and aid to
meditation. A potent strain of "ganja" or marijuana grows in abundance on Jamaica. It grows wild,
providing a good supply for Rastas spiritual and medicinal purposes. Rastas eat I–tal food. I–tal
food is chemical free and not canned. Though cooked,

The Various Religions in Africa and Religions...
The Various Religions in Africa and Religions African–Americans Preach
My assignment is to write about the various religions that are situated in Africa and religions
African–Americans preach. There are many different religions in Africa because there are various
regions and countries in Africa. Also Africa and its inhabitants have been around for many, many
years. One reason that there are so many different religions. The first and most widespread religion I
am going to talk about is Christianity. Christianity was introduced into Northern Africa in the first
century. It later spread to the regions of Ethiopia and Sudan around the fourth century. Christianity
was able to survive in Ethiopia because of the Coptic Church but in ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The Swedish are established in the Italian colony of Erythracea and the Norwegians have an
important mission in Betsileo. The English though, have had a long history of missions in Africa.
Some of the more important ones are: The London Missionary Society, which was established in
1795. This church was primarily felt in South Africa with Moffat and Dr. Livingstone. Also was the
Universities Mission Society, which was based in Zanzibar. The French Protestants were successful
in the Northeastern Cape Colony, and in the French Congo where the replaced the American
Presbyterians in 1892. Lets not forget America though; the Methodist Episcopal Church, The Baptist
church and the Presbyterian Church are all in Africa from America. The Methodists began the
colony of Liberia in 1820 but was only able to establish a permanent Bishopric there until 1858. The
Baptists have missions in Monrovia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Lagos. Presbyterians are very
influential also. In Egypt almost every village on the Nile is not without one of their schools. In light
of this, you can see that Christian Religions from all parts of the world flourished in Africa. The
second most widespread religion in Africa is Islam. Islam was introduced to Northern Africa in the
seventh century. In the following centuries it

Personal Narrative Letter Essay
Wolliso, Ethiopia, June 1997
Around 9:30 on the day I am to leave for a three–day respite in Addis Ababa I try to mail my letter
to Maureen at the post office. I do this, rather than carrying the letter with me to the city to mail,
even though letters from Wolliso can take days to reach Addis Ababa. Perhaps I just want to get to
know Wolliso better, and it is rumored that the woman who runs the one–room, one–desk, one–
drawer post office has lived in the States and speaks impeccable English.
The door to the post office is locked, but through the slats I can see that someone is inside and I can
hear the English–language radio station broadcasting the news that Haile Gebre Selassie, the
Olympic runner, has just been in a car accident in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hope was so tangible that even the foreign community was living in a heightened sense of
anticipation. The hard part for me today is that the memories of those heady early days of hope are
tinged with the reality of the carnage that followed. I will always remember that night in 1974 when
hope turned to fear with the execution of former Prime Minister Endelkachew Makonnen and
members of his government. For the past 20 years, I have tried to put to rest that time and those
events –– that fascination with danger, with living in places of great risk. In Ethiopia, danger and
risk were coupled with a tinge of guilt: That as a foreigner, I was not a target of the revolution; that I
got off easy and therefore must continually prove if only to myself that I am not a coward; that I will
not run from danger as I had by leaving my friends behind, friends who disappeared in the night.
So I thought that by returning to Ethiopia to take a three–month contract job with the Peace Corps to
train a new group of volunteers, I might finally close the door on that haunting time. It would be
simple. I would return to my old house on Bishoftu Road in Addis Ababa, where I lived at the height
of the revolution. If the house had remained gleaming white and the lilac–colored

Compare Rastafarianism
Running head: RELIGION AT A GLANCE
Religion at a Glance:
A Brief Study of How Rastafarianism and Puritanism Compares to Christianity
Tyreta Pickett Cespedes
Sonship School of the Firstborn Abstract
This essay is a brief compare and contrast of three types of religions: Christianity, Rastafarianism or
"Rastas", and the Puritanism. If you study the meaning of the word religion in Latin it is translated
as religion which means "to be bound to, or "to be tied to." In the Concise Oxford Dictionary
religion means "the belief in a superhuman controlling power especially in a personal God or gods
entitled to obedience and worship". In 2 Timothy 2:15 it states that we are to study to show
ourselves approved. Through my research, I have ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
One's knowledge and understanding is even more increased once we open our hearts and minds to
learn more. In order to learn, one must be taught. Matthew 28: 19 says to "Go ye therefore and teach
all nations....." Even though your beliefs are different from the next person's, we all must be
respectable and tolerable of each other. Rastafarianism, Puritanism, and Christianity are just a small
portion of the world's religions. With this brief study into three of the forty–two hundred different
religions, we studying to show ourselves approved.
References
Hagger, N. (2007). The secret founding of America: the real story of freemasons, puritans and the
battle for the new world. London: Watkins Publishing. 14
Shouler, K. A., & Pollock, R. (2010). The everything world's religions book: Discover the beliefs,
traditions, and cultures of ancient and modern religions (2nd ed.). Avon, MA: Adams Media. 192–
193
Religion. (n.d.). In Concise Oxford Dictionary online Retrieved from
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/religion
Rastafarian (n.d.). In Merriam–Webster online Retrieved from https://www.merriam–
webster.com/dictionary/Rastafarianism
BBC – Religion: Rastafari. (n.d.). Retrieved from

There are many similarities between Bob Marley’s songs and...
There are many similarities between Bob Marley's songs and the Biblical book of Exodus. Bob
Marley's songs "Exodus" and "Africa Unite" connect his tribulations and dissatisfaction with his life
with the Biblical book of Exodus while his seemingly aloneness and his tribulations throughout his
life seem to connect with Moses. The Biblical book of Exodus begins more than 400 years after
Joseph; his brothers and the pharaoh he once served have all died. Egypt is under a new leadership
that is threatened by Jacobs's descendants. The new leaders embark on a crusade to subjugate the
Israelites, forcing them into slavery and eventually declaring that all Hebrew boys must be killed at
birth in the Nile River. However, there was one Hebrew mother ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The pillar of cloud guided them during the day and by fire at night. They headed west toward the
sea. The pharaoh ended up chasing them, so Moses parted the sea and he and his people walked
past. Once the pharaoh and his soldiers were in the walls, Moses let the walls go and drown the
pharaoh and his army.
After witnessing the miracle, the people decided to trust Moses. Their optimism was brief, and the
people soon began to worry about the shortage of food and water. God responded by sending food
and water from the Heavens. He sent the people manna, which is a sweet bread–like substance.
Even though Bob Marley seems to reference the bible, his religion was officially Rastafarian.
Rastafarianism is a religion that is indigenous to Jamaica and is heavily influential on reggae
culture. Rastafarianism is a hybrid religion that combines Christianity, mysticism, and Black
Nationalism. Rastafarianism is of both colonial and postcolonial experiences. Rastafarianism
developed in the 1920s and 30s in Jamaica while being surrounded with depression, racism,
hierarchy discrimination and poverty. The Rastafarianism message was that of black pride which
described freedom from oppression and the hope of returning to Africa one day.
Rastafarianism began with Marcus Garvey who was a black, Jamaican who led a "back to Africa"
movement. Garvey's beliefs were that Africans were the true Israelites and have been exiled to
Jamaica.

Analysis Of Flight Patterns By Sherman Alexie
Beliefs and values are the characteristics in humans that help determine how one reacts to their
surroundings. In the story, "Flight Patterns" by Sherman Alexie, William, being of Spokane descent
and a constant target of discrimination, his beliefs heavily influence his behavior throughout the
story. William's value of family, heritage and his compassion can be seen as influencers in the story.
As and the make to me by we are now saved in the touch I can wait.
As William is first being introduced in the story, the author includes that William is married and has
a daughter. William would love nothing more than to spend as much time with his family as possible
but his job requires that he travels often and he is said to be an "obsessive–compulsive workaholic"
(Mays 55). However, during his interaction with his wife, Marie, prior to his departure, he is
conflicted between going to the airport and staying in bed with his wife. As she lays in bed, she
entices him to stay by make sexual gestures at him and he even begins to engage her. He ultimately
decides to proceed his salutations and makes his way to his daughter's room. Not only does William
loves his family, he thinks lovely things of them. For example, he thinks that his daughter is perhaps
the "most logical person on the planet" (Mays 57). If William did not have a strong sense of family,
he would have simply left Marie and Grace, his daughter without saying goodbye, but he made sure
that they knew he was leaving and he

Bob Marley
In a time of political, economic, and social unrest, a new way of protest was beginning to emerge
from Jamaica in the form of reggae music. It was 1963 when a young man from Jamaica by the
name of Robert Nesta Marley, better known as "Bob Marley", formed a band called The Wailers,
who would undoubtedly become one of the only reggae bands to rise up from the oppression of the
third world country. The country of Jamaica had just gained independence from the U.K. in 1962,
but was anything but a free nation. Those in power chose to exploit the country's few main exports,
primarily bauxite, a mineral used in the process of manufacturing aluminum. The first ten years of
Jamaican independence saw considerable economic growth, but these ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
So the Jamaican sound systems, mobile devices such as vans or musical equipment on wheels,
would be used to host dances, and the deejays would also use their sound systems to inform his
listeners on political happenings. King states that, "As one of the few affordable social activities for
the poor, the sound system brought music to places where the voice of the poor could be heard
without interference by local authorities" (16). Like most of the world during this time, the black
population was not allowed any political power, and many began to seek ways to resist. One of the
methods used as a means to passively fight back against the imbalance was the Rastafarian religion.
The Rastafarian religion was born early in the twentieth century, but its roots date back as far as the
late 1800's when slaves felt compelled to revolt against the plantation owners on the belief that God
was calling them to fight for freedom. In 1927, a man named Marcus Garvey brought forth to
Jamaicans the basis of the Rastafarian religion, which was to look to Africa for the crowning of a
king. This would be a sign for Jamaica that freedom is near. From Africana, the Encyclopedia of the
African and the African–American Experience, author Roanne Edwards quotes Garvey: "Look to
Africa for the crowning of a king to know that your redemption is nigh" (Edwards 1592). In 1930
Ras Tafari was crowned emperor of Ethiopia and baptized with the name Haile Selassie.

Rastafarianism And Alcohol Use
Catholicism, Rastafarianism, Scientology, and Mind Altering Substances.
Drugs are used everyday in society, from medicine, to recreational use, they are all around us in our
everyday lives. Some are considered to be bad, and dangerous, and yet others save lives, so who
decides which ones we should, or should not, use? Besides the obvious answer of not using the ones
that have very high chances of killing you, such as heroin, meth, etc..., But what about the ones that
do not have a tendency to kill, are very hard to overdose on, and for the most part are Scientifically
safe to the human brain? In most cases all drug use is frowned upon in the two out of three religions
(Catholicism, and Scientology) and marijuana is the only drug mentioned in ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Like Catholicism they tend to have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to recreational drug use,
and even have their own rehab program developed specifically targeted at youth. They do believe in
the use of medicine, when prescribed by a doctor, and will rely on medical advice given to them by
a doctor as well. Smoking and drinking have no prohibition on them, as long as they are used in
moderation, just like catholicism and they believe that it is important for one to enjoy themselves
every now and then, if that means drinking so be it. However it is commonly believed that
Scientology tends to send false messages about their actual beliefs, and it has been noted that in the
rehab program made by Scientologists (called Narconon) they state that all drugs of any type are
evil and poisonous to the body, which is quite contradicting to what they stated about medicine.
Overall it would be safe to assume that Scientology has a strict belief that all drugs are just generally
bad, and use can only lead to destruction, which is quite a fogged, close minded approach, but, it is
the one they have chosen to go.
Some religions use drugs as a part of the religion, others consider them evil and deadly, and some
just believe in simple moderation, overall it is clear that every religion has a different perspective on
drug use, whether it be medicinal or recreational. In today's society it truly is up to independent
choice, as there are so

Bob Marley’s Spiritual Rhetoric, the Spread of Jamaican...
Bob Marley's Spiritual Rhetoric, the Spread of Jamaican Culture and
Rastafarianism
By
Mark Haner
Senior Seminar: Hst 499
Professor John L. Rector
Western Oregon University
June 16, 2007
Readers
Professor John L. Rector
Professor Kimberly Jensen
Copyright © Mark Haner, 2007
The spread of Jamaican culture and Rastafarianism can be accredited to many events and
technical advances in communication. Bob Marley is one of the main influences the spread of
Jamaican culture and Rastafarianism due to the lyrical rhetoric used in his popular music. Growing
up as an impoverished youth, Marley struggled to create a music career where his voice as well as
others could be heard globally.
Bob Marley's lyrics contributed to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Gilroy defines Marley calling him the greatest man in reggae music and the greatest leader and
proponent of the spread of the Rasta religion. This article poses
Marley "as an icon for the struggle for justice, peace and human rights" 5 not just another musician
or pop icon.
Although opposed to many established governmental policies, Marley was not an anti–establishment
advocate. He was an individual that believed governments and everyday people, such as those who
may not be involved in politics, needed to look out for their fellow humans and treat all people
equally regardless of ethnicity and income.
Marley used his music to bring many social issues to the forefront that had previously been
suppressed. Many of these issues were not suppressed because of their nature, but because of the
lack of influence Jamaica had on the world.
The country of Jamaica is highly dependant on tourism and agricultural exports such as raw sugar.
By–products of the raw sugar production are molasses and rum. Due to these limited industries,
most citizens of Jamaica are of the working class and this

4
Gilroy, Paul. "Could You Be Loved? Bob Marley, Anti–Politics and Universal Sufferation." Critical
Quarterly 47.1/(Spring 2005): 226–245.
5
Gilroy, 232.
5
creates a service and now, product–based economy typical of the developing world.
Marley focuses on the situations he experienced both in his

Historical And Ethnographical Study Of The Rastafari Religion

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