Visit the Religious Movements website. Learn about Rastafarianism, a Jamaican religion representing a syncretism between Christianity and African religious traditions of Ethiopia. Who was Ras Tafari Makonnen? Who were the maroons? What is the original symbolism of dreadlocks? According to a believer, what are some myths and stereotypes about Rastafarianism?
Rastafarianism's origins come from the philosophies of Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Marcus Mosiah Garvey promoted the universal negro improvement association in the 1920's. The organizations goal was to unite black people in their homeland africa. In 1927 Garvey went to Jamaica to spread his views and he left them with a prophecy saying to "look to Africa for the crowning of a king to know that your redemption is near". In 1930 prince Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned emperor of ethiopia. After this the Rastafarian movement began. Ras Tafari Makonnen is known as the founder but he himself was Ethiopian Orthodox which is more christian based. The Jamaican Maroons were runaway slaves who fought the British during the 18th century. During the long years of slavery Maroons established communities in the mountainous interior of Jamaica, maintaining their freedom and independence for generations. The Rastafarian culture is a syncretism, a mix of both jamaican and christian relegion. They follow their own version of the bible. The Rastafarians wear locks as an expression of inner spirituality and to emphasize their identity. Their religion says that they must remain "whole". Following Haile Selassie, cutting dreads is highly prohibited in the Rasta culture. Because of this, dreads knot naturally because their hair is not to be tampered with. This website http://www.globalexchange.org/countries/americas/jamaica/rasta.html describes stereotypes of the rastafarian culture it said "Before to the 1970s, images of the unsanitary-looking, marijuana-smoking "Natty Dread" with unkempt dreadlocks, often controlling crime-infested streets of Kingston, New York City, or London were the most common perceptions of Rastafarian culture, and stereotypes of these kind still exist today".
It is important that the Rastafarians preserve their culture. Unfortunately stereotypes do arise with the whole us and them thinking and people misconceive things. This is the way that they are but they are looked at differently when they are exhibiting their culture in another culture.
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing. Before reading this, I thought rastas were followers of another popular culture related to music and limin' (hanging out..) I didn't know it was a religion, and especiialy concerning the hair, (much like the Sikh not cutting their hair), it is very symbolic.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.