Acknowledgement And Respect Please

By Kerwin De Matas

It has been a long time now, that I wanted to do a tribute to a certain movement, but I wanted to make sure that I had enough readers before undergoing this tribute. The Rastafarian movement, for me as a kid growing up in Trinidad, has always had for me, a certain amount of curiosity. I saw these people with dreadlocks, some well taken care of, others unkempt. Their kids were also groomed in the same manner, they were always acquainted with the colours red, yellow and green. The diet of a rasta consisted of " Ital " foods prepared with poultry, seafood, sometimes totally vegetarian. My mother was a police, so of course, we were always taught, that these people were strongly involved with cannabis ( ganja, weed, spliff, herb, joint etc ), smoking it all the time, and that they were a troublesome people. But getting older, I learnt that the majority of the rumors that I heard about the Rasta movement, were just that, bad rumors.

Dread Locked Rasta

There are guys that are described as bad boys, growing dreadlocks, doing what ever crime, and of course society would be quick to blame it all on the Rastafarian! I respect the Catholics, Muslims, Baptists, Evangelists, Hindus, etc. But I find them just that, religions, formed on doctrines on how people should worship God, and if we don't follow these doctrines, then we don't go to heaven. Rastafari now, is not considered to be a religion, it is a culture, and they believe that everyone has the right to discover God in his or her own manner. In the Rastafarian movement, there exist different branches, called mansions.

Marcus Garvey, To The Far Right

These are the Bobo Shanti, the Nyabinghi, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, and others. The first three are much known because of the amount of followers that are involved. The Bobo Shanti, Most of its members, called "Bobos" or "Bobo dreads", live in Bull Bay, Jamaica, in a small utopian community called Bobo Hill in 10 Miles Bull Bay. The Niyabinghi resistance inspired a number of Jamaican Rastas, who incorporated what are known as niyabinghi chants (also binghi) into their celebrations ("grounations"). The Niyabinghi Theocracy Government was named for a legendary Amazon queen of the same name, who was said to have possessed a Ugandan woman named Muhumusa in the 19th century. The Twelve Tribes of Israel is a Rastafari group founded in Kingston, Jamaica, and now functioning world wide. The main theological difference of Twelve Tribes of Israel Rastafari organization is their acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord & Saviour. So here it is in short, The Rastafari movement was started in Jamaica, based on the belief in some of the mansions that H.I.M Haile Selassie I, was/is god incarnate.

H.I.M Haile Selassie I

Of course in other mansions, they acknowledge H.I.M and Marcus Garvey, as divine disciples of God, brought on earth to lead all the oppressed and poor to Zion ( heaven ). My personal opinion of course, is that these personalities were indeed special, and had a lot to do, as other independence fighters all over the Caribbean, in bringing the peoples of the Caribbean together, during our colonization of the British. Therefore, I accept them as very mortal, but were indeed a real force and encouragement against the imperialism of England. The base of this entire culture was formed of course, by the ancesters of the maroons ( escaped slaves ) in Jamaica, in part, because of the constant battles between the British and escaped slaves, during the slave era on the island, in protecting their maroon villages. I personally have respected this culture, and have done my personal research for a long time before leaving my island. It is much for people on the never ending search for God, to easier understand the concept of this culture, where followers can always sit down during their " Reasonings " to discuss God, and what they can do on their constant search for God, and finally their deliverance and acceptance in Zion.

An excerpt from Wikipedia on Rastafari dietery habits.
As mentioned, many Rastas eat limited types of meat in accordance with the dietary Laws of the Old Testament; they do not eat seafood or pork. Others abstain from all meat and flesh whatsoever, asserting that to touch meat is to touch death, and is therefore a violation of the Nazarite oath. However, the prohibition against meat only applies to those who are currently fulfilling a Nazarite vow, for the duration of the vow. Many Rastafari maintain a vegan diet all of the time, with the exception of the use of honey.

The Controversial Cannabis, Which Is Strictly Cultural For Rastafari

Usage of alcohol is also generally deemed unhealthy to the Rastafarian way of life, partly because it is seen as a tool of Babylon to confound and suppress the masses, and partly because placing something that is pickled and fermented within oneself is felt to be much like turning the body (the Temple) into a "cemetery".

In consequence, a rich 'alternative' cuisine has developed in association with Rastafari tenets, eschewing most synthetic additives, and preferring healthier, natural vegetables and fruits such as coconut and mango and cannabis. This cuisine can be found throughout the Caribbean and in some restaurants throughout the western world. Some Rasta elders are known to be highly expert in exactly what vegetables are rich in potassium and all other elements required for maintenance of good health. Rastafari Movement

So this is my personal tribute towards the Rastafarian movement, and may JAH bless always on all endeavours put forward by this organization, and their ever ready acceptance of all races and ethnic backgrounds into the movement. For more reading on this topic, and on understanding all the misunderstandings of this culture, go to www.wikipedia.com Rastafari movement. As an island person, I am really proud of this part of my culture, and I believe that every other islander should recognize this part of our culture that has become such a part of our Caribbean, and the world at large.