BASIC BELIEFS: Rastafarians beliefs can be summarized in the following positions: 1) Rastafarians are basically defined as those who accept Haile Salessie as the true and living God. Since August, 1975, he has reigned in spiritual body. 2) The Black people are the reincarnation of ancient Israel who, at the hand of the white man, were exiled in the New World, especially Jamaica. 3) Rastafarians do not necessarily believe white people are inferior to black however they believe white people are products of an evil civilization, with no spiritual basis and also, the white culture is an "unnatural" culture. 4) The Jamaican situation is hopeless; Ethiopia is the true home of the black people and heaven. 5) The Emperor of Ethiopia is now arranging for the expatriated persons of African origin to return to their home. 6) When black people return, white society in the west will collapse and black people will rule the world. Creedal statements and authoritative literature include the King James version of the Bible, the Twenty One Points (a semi political statement summarizing the Rastafarians position in society), and various statements and issues by different leaders, such as the moral code quoted below. PRACTICES AND BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS: Widely used in the ten point moral code written by Rastafarian leader Sam Brown: 1) "We" strongly object to sharp implements used in the desecration of the figure of Man, e.g., trimming and shaving, tattooing of the skin, and cutting of the flesh. 2) "We" are basically vegetarians, making scant use of certain animal flesh, outlawing the use of swine's flesh in any form, shell fish, scaleless fishes, snails, etc. 3) "We" worship and observe no other God but Rastafari, outlawing all other forms of Pagan worship yet respecting all believers. 4) "We" love and respect brotherhood of mankind, yet our first love is to the sons of Ham. 5) "We" disapprove and abhor utterly hate, jealously, envy, deceit, guile, treachery, etc. 6) "We" are avowed to create a world of one brotherhood. 7) "We" do not agree to the pleasures of present day society and its modern evils. 8) Our duty is to extend the hand of charity to any brother in distress, firstly, for he of the Rastafari order secondly, to any human, animal, plants, etc... 9) "We" do adhere to the ancient laws of Ethiopia. 10) Thou shall give no thought to the aid, titles, and possessions that the enemy in his fear may seek to bestow on you; resolution to your purpose is the love of Rastafari. The most important holiday is Haile Salessie's birthday (July 23rd). Other holidays are Marcus Garvey's birthday (Aug 17th) and Jamaican Independence Day (tat Monday in August). ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The Rastafarians are very loosely organized into "circles," each headed by several "brethren" who assume leadership charismatic ally, that is, due to their personal authority and power. Attachment to a circle is informal. ROLE OF MINISTERS: (See "Organizational Structure"). WORSHIP: Any leading brother may conduct worship services. Group worship is not required, but weekly meetings are generally held. Members will at intervals gather for a "yabingi," a convention of Rastafarians in a given region. DIETARY LAWS OR RESTRICTIONS: Most Rastafarians are vegetarians, eat on natural foods (termed I Tel foods) fruits, grains, roots, and vegetables, and avoid bleached flour and dairy products. Alcohol is avoided but Ganja is freely used. FUNERAL AND BURIAL REQUIREMENTS: None. MEDICAL TREATMENT: No restrictions; however herbal rather than chemical medication is preferred. Cosmetic surgery, even oral dental is forbidden. OTHER: Most Rastafarians are pacifists and would tend to avoid military duty. Most Rastafarians do not cut their hair and wear it in long braids, called dread locks, symbolic of a lion's mane and strength. Women are required to wear skirts or dresses, no pants, and keep their heads covered in public. The frequent use of Ganja (marijuana) among Rastafarians would conflict with military practices. Also, the term 'dread' used by the Rastafarians denotes the irreconcilable point seen to exist between Rastafarians and authority systems, especially authority systems headed by white people. Rastafarians are very evangelical among fellow black people and most recruitment is by word of mouth. Reggae music is very popular and influences many young adults. The only group that the Rastafarians are known to fellowship with is the Ethiopian Coptic Church which has congregations in the United States (with headquarters in Brooklyn, New York). Although Marcus Garvey was considered a leader among Black people, he is not regarded as a leader by Jamaican Rastafarians i.e. a prophet or someone of spiritual significance. GENERAL SOURCE BOOKS: Clarke, Peter B. Black Paradise: The Rastafarian Movement. Wellingorough, Northamptonshire, UK: Aquarian Press, 1986. 112pp. Itations of Jamaica and I; Rastafari. New York: Roger Bernhard, 1982. unpaged. Nicholas, Tracy. Rastafari: A Way of Life. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1979. 164pp. Owens, Joseph. Dread, The Rastafarians of Jamaica. Kingston, Jamaica: Sangster, 1976. 282. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: This report was prepared from personal contact with individual Rastafarians in Jamaica and the collection of books both by and about Rastafarians gathered by the Institute for the Study of American Religion, Santa Barbara, California. |
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| Black Rose Spiritual Center, Inc : Belief Systems |
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| Rastafarian |
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| ADDRESS: No central address. No known address for contacting Rastafarians in the United States is available. LEADERSHIP: No central authority or spokesperson. MEMBERSHIP: Unknown. HISTORICAL ORIGIN: The Rastafarian Movement grew out of one phase of the Black Nationalist movement of the 1920s and 1930s. Among the leaders of the Black Nationalist Movement was Marcus Garvey (1887 1940), who returned to Jamaica in 1927 after a stormy career as a leader of black people in the United States. Here he revived the United Negro Improvement Association to proclaim his major themes of the unity of black people. In Kingston 1927, he prophesied, "Look to Africa, where a black king shall be crowned , for the day of deliverance is herein In 1930 Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia. He took as his title, "King of Kings, Lord of Lords, His Imperial Majesty the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God. He was known to the world as Emperor Haile Selassie (Power of the Holy Trinity). In Jamaica, followers of Garvey saw Haile Selassie as both fulfillment of Garvey's prophecy and the Biblical one, in Revelation 5:2,5: "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a voice, " is worthy to open the Book and loose the seals thereof"...And one of the elders saith unto me, "Weep not: behold the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, heath prevailed to open the Book and loose the seven spirits of God sent forth onto all the earth." Several people began to pray to Haile Selassie as a living God and as the central figure in the redemption and liberation of the black people. Among the most prominent of the preachers was L. P. Howell, who in 1940 gathered his followers on a mountain outside Kingston and proclaimed himself Haile Selassies's regent in Jamaica. At this time the growing of long hair (called "dreadlocks") and the frequent smoking of Ganja (marijuana) began. After the breakup of Howell's settlement, known as the Pinnacle, in 1954, the Rastafarians, who had taken their name from Haile Salessie's real name, scattered throughout Kingston and the rest of Jamaica. Rastamen began to arrive in the United States in the late 1960s as Jamaican immigration increased. |
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