Rastafarisn is a young, Africa-centred religion which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, following the coronation of Haile Selassie I as King of Ethiopia in 1930. Rastafarian Beliefs The most definitive list is found in the 1977 book The Rastafarians The Dreadlocks of Jamaica by scholar Leonard Barrett who lists what he regards as the six basic principles of Rastafarian. He developed the list by attending public meetings and through anthropological research into the movement.
The main beliefs: 1. Haile Selassie I is the Living God 2. The Black person is the reincarnation of ancient Israel, who at the hand of the White person, has been in exile in Jamaica 3. The White person is inferior to the Black person 4. Jamaica is hell Ethiopia is heaven 5. The Invincible Emperor of Ethiopia is now arranging for expatriated persons of African origin to return to Ethiopia 6. In the near future Blacks shall rule the world Rastafarianism has changed their beliefs as the years went on. Early beliefs
The basic tenets of early Rastafarian, according to preacher Leonard Howell included some very strong statements about racial issues, as might be expected in the religion of an oppressed people living in exile: 1. Hatred of Whites 2. Superiority of Blacks * Blacks are God’s chosen people * Blacks will soon rule the world 3. Revenge on Whites for their wickedness * Whites will become the servants of Blacks 4. The negation, persecution and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica 5. Repatriation: Haile Selassie will lead Blacks back to Africa 6.
Acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as God, and the ruler of Black people Modern Rastafarian beliefs From the 1930s until the mid1970s most Rastafarians accepted the traditional Rastafarian beliefs. But in 1973 Joseph Owens published a more modern approach to Rastafarisn beliefs. In 1991 Michael N. Jagessar revised Owens’s ideas, devising his own systematic approach to Rastafarian theology and providing an insight into the changes in the group’s beliefs. The key ideas in contemporary Rastafarian are: 1. The humanity of God and the divinity of man 2. God is found within every man 3.
God in history: It is very important to see all historical facts in the context of God’s judgement and workings. 4. The supremacy of life: Human nature is very important to Rastafarians and they should preserve and protect it. 5. Respect for nature: This idea refers to the importance and respect Rastafarians have for animals and the environment, as mirrored in. Worship Rastafarian doesn’t have a specific religious building that is set aside for worship. Rastafarians usually meet weekly, either in a believer’s home or in a community centre. The meetings are referred to as Reasoning sessions.
They provide a time for chants, prayers and singing, and for communal issues to be discussed. Marijuana may be smoked to produce heightened spiritual states. The music used at these meetings is known as Nyabingi, and so when meetings are mostly musical they are often referred to as Nyabingi meetings. Meetings may also include large feasts. Use of Marijuana Marijuana is regarded as a herb of religious significance. It is used in Rastafarian reasoning sessions, which are communal meetings involving meditation. Rastafarians first began using Marijuana in reaction to the treatment of blacks in society.
It became a reactionary device to enable freedom from the establishment. Marijuana is used by Rastafarians to heighten feelings of community and to produce visions of a religious and calming nature. Rastafarians are unlikely to refer to the substance as marijuana they usually describe it as the wisdom weed or the holy herb. Dreadlocks Rastafarians can often be recognised from the way they style their hair. Rastafarians grow their hair long, before coiling it into dreadlocks. The wearing of hair in dreadlocks by Rastafarians is believed to be spiritual this is justified in the Bible: They shall not make baldness upon their head.
Food laws •Rastafarians eat strictly natural and clean food •Early Rastafarians are unlikely to eat meat scavengers or shellfish •Rastafarians do not eat pork •Rastafarians regularly eat fish but will not eat fish more than twelve inches long •Rastafarians eat copious amounts of vegetables, as they are of the earth and therefore good •Food is prepared without salt and coconut oil is the most likely form of oil to be utilised •Rastafarians do not drink alcohol •They do not drink milk or coffe but will drink anything herbal, grown from natural roots •Rastafarians consume plentiful amounts of fruit and fruit juice
Famous Rastafarians Bob marley Snoop dogg Daimen marley Ziggy marley Green, Gold, and Red The Rastafarian colours of green, gold and red are very commonly sported on Rastafarian flag, badges, posters, hats and other Rastafarian stuff. The green, gold and red are the colors of the Ethiopian flag and show the loyalty Rastafarians feel towards the Ethiopian state in the reign of King Selassie. Red is said to signify the blood of martyrs, green the vegetation and beauty of Ethiopia and gold the wealth of Africa.
