Rastafarianism

Rastafarianism, political-religious movement amongst black people which evolved in the early 20th century and has expanded considerably from the 1950s to the present day, not only in Jamaica, but in many European countries and North America, and also in some Aboriginal and Maori groups in Australia and New Zealand.

Rastafarianism stems from the black activist movements of the 1930s, particularly the “Back to Africa” campaign of Marcus Garvey, which advocated the repatriation of black people to Africa. Rastafarianism is based on black resistance to white oppression, which has manifested itself in slavery and colonialism, and today, more subtly, in the racial and economic superiority supposedly afforded to white people by the social system known to Rastafarians as Babylon.

As there is no centralized Rastafarian organization or formal Church, there are no official statistics concerning membership, and there is a great variety of practices and beliefs. However, common to most Rastafarians is a belief in the divinity of Ras Tafari, former emperor of Ethiopia, crowned Haile Selassie I.

A combination of African religion and Old Testament narrative is incorporated into the quest for black emancipation. Rastafarians believe that they are reincarnated from the lost tribes of Israel. Their redemption will take the form of an exodus led by God, or Jah, to Africa, the homeland, which will be a heaven on Earth in which there is black superiority and whites will be subservient. Parallels can be drawn between Rastafarianism and other movements proclaiming the millennium.

Many Rastafarians are vegetarian, or avoid eating pork, or drinking alcohol. They wear their hair in matted locks (dreadlocks), and often cover these with knitted caps (tams) of red, gold, green, and black—the colours of the Ethiopian flag, which hold particular symbolic significance for them. Many Rastafarians smoke ganga (cannabis), as an aid for meditation and relaxation. The illegality of this drug in most countries has contributed to the sometimes unfavourable reputation of Rastafarians. However, the creed itself is generally peaceful. A number of social groups are attempting to redress the female subordination which has been a characteristic of this male-dominated religion.

In the 1970s and early 1980s the mainstream popularity of reggae singer Bob Marley helped the Rastafarian message to become widespread. Today Rastafarianism is becoming increasingly accepted by more formal institutions, which recommend the acceptance of the movement as a valid religious group.