The source
of Rastafarianism lies in Ethiopia. In 1930 a man called Ras Tafari,
who descended directly from King David was crowned emperor Haile Selassie
I. of Ethiopia. He formed the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Rastafarians acknowledge that their religion is the blending of purest
forms of both Judaism and Christianity; they also accept the Egyptian
origins of both those religions. Rastafarians
live a peaceful life with low claim. Six out of ten Jamaicans are
believed to be Rastafarians.
Worldwide, the Rastafarian movement
has over one million "members".
Rastas, as they are more commonly
called, have special beliefs and practices.
They use Marijuana ("ganja";"Weed
of Wisdom") as a sacrament for an aid to meditation and as
a religious rite.
They have special dietery and hygienic
laws, which say that they have deny all the things that are not
Ital. This is common language for pure, natural or clean. They are
not allowed to consume alcohol, tobacco and meat.
It is also forbidden for them to
cut or comb their hair. Dreadlocks have their origin in this rule.
The Rastas deny allegations by other
religious groups that they were anti-white or anti-brown. They think
that there exists a secret hour known only to a devout few, when
all the Rastas return to Ethiopia, leaving behind the tropical Jamaica.
Until that time, Rastas would refuse to take part in the machinations
of daily life and commerce in "Babylon", which means literally
the Hell on Earth. As Rastas, they could now await with dignity
the Judgement Day, when the last shall be the first and the first
shall be last. |