THE RASTAFARIANS: FOR EXACT REFERENCE: We advise that you buy the book, it's easy to find online. It's also the perfect Idea for a Reggae present BUY IT NOW (from the Publisher)

Chapter 8 / Where Go the Rastafarians?

The Death of the Deity
The Herb Is the Thing
Assessing the Future
The Rastafarian Church
The Functional Rastafarians
A New Syncretism
A Movement of Resistance
Afterword
A Selection of Rastafarian Poetry
 

We have shown that the Rastafarian movement is the most recent expression of that large class of Jamaican society which historically resists domination in a society where power at the apex is enjoyed by the few well-born, perpetuated and maintained by this small elite at the expense and sufferings of the masses. We have also seen that resistance by the powerless mass of African descent most often took on a messianic-millenarian overtone, deeply religious in nature, with victory rooted in the hope that the power of the supernatural would overcome might with moral right. The religious roots always form outside of the institutional churches in the island whether it be the Black Baptists with their African syncretism or the mythic identification with ancient Ethiopia.
Our study of the Rastafarians took us through their emerging stage, which we alluded to as the stage of revitalization; people under stress deliberately organizing themselves in a movement to construct a more satisfying alternative to oppressive conditions. Generally, this first stage of the movement may take on the spirit of flight referred to as millenarianism; or it may offer aggressive resistance to the society under charismatic leadership in which case the movement is called messianic. The Rastafarians exhibit examples of both. This dual nature of the Rastafarian movement is seen in our analysis entitled "ambivalent routinization." We further saw that socioreligious movements such as the Rastafarians develop momentum as they begin to routinize within the society. Aspects of this are discussed under rituals, symbols, and other cultural dynamics, all of which often prove fruitful as social catalysts for the emergence of new identity and cultural creativity.
Under normal circumstances, the writing of a book such at this would end in a summary or conclusion, but just as this research came to an end, a new chapter of the Rastafarian movement was opened with the death of Haile Selassie, the God-figure of the movement. At this point this new chapter, "Where Go the Rastafarians?" arose in my mind. In light of this new development we must now look at the effect of the death of Haile Selassie on the movement, paying particular attention to the words of the leaders themselves, and seeking to place the movement in perspective by comparing it with similar events in other movements. We shall close the chapter with some predictions based on the movement's strength and the real-politik of the Jamaican society at present.

The Death of the Deity 

When news of the political up heavals in Ethiopia was made known to the outside world, very few people imagined that it would eventually lead to the dethronement of Haile Selassie, one of the most revered monarchs in history. But developments were so swift and the implications so grave that the outside world could do nothing but gaze with astonishment. Very few Western nations knew of the internal politics of this fabled land. The spiritual aura surrounding the King of Kings gave the impression that everything was well in "the land of the gods," but this was not so. The wind of change had now caught up with Ethiopia and the end of Haile Selassie's reign. Throughout these developments, the Rastafarians remained undisturbed. To them the king stood above politics and whatever was being written in the Western press was nothing but dangerous propaganda. It was my privilege to interview a few of the leading brethren on their opinion of the incidents leading to his dethronement just three weeks before the death of Haile Selassie. This is how Ras "B" saw it:

Rastafarians have seen the overthrow of many kings and heads of states since I was born. Many who have been overthrown have either been assassinated, exiled, or things like that. In the case of Haile Selassie, we have seen no such thing. What we do believe are the things told us by people coming out of the land, and we have been assured that his removal is only an internal constitutional change within the Ethipian government. What the Zionist presses throughout the world have told us concerning the King still leaves the Rastafarians unshaken in our beliefs in the King's divinity and the imminent return. The Rastas are not in the habit of believing the press. Nothing that takes place in Ethiopia politically affects our beliefs. Our beliefs in the divinity and invincibility of the King are ones that are unshakable.

Here is the attitude of a true believer. He is not confused with so-called facts, his belief is his truth. The King is invincible and anything that suggests the contrary must be disbelieved. Faith so expressed needs no proof. The following statement by Ras "D" is even more enlightening about the faith of the brethren in their King. To my question: "What is your assessment of the present situation in Ethiopia?" he replied:

What I and I have read in the so-called Press does not satisfy us. I and I realize that a situation exists in Ethiopia. The soldiers and students were asking for certain things and His Majesty had agreed that these things should be given. The armed forces got militant and carried out some reforms. But we say that these reforms were carried out with the consent of His Majesty and we have concluded that what is taking place is the cleaning up of Zion. Zion must be clean. Certain of the hierarchy surrounding His Majesty have been dishonest and the armed forces have gotten rid of them. I and I in Jamaica do not see that it is our concern to go into the internal politics of Ethiopia. Right now his Majesty is free. He is free to travel and to perform his duty. If he leaves the throne he is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords for us. As soon as his mandates are carried out, the soldiers will re-instate him.

My next question was: "Would his death cause any problems is the movement?" or "Would it be similar to that of the leader of the Black Muslims?" Ras "D" replied:

Well, Elijah Muhammad was only a Messenger of God. Haile Selassie is the Almighty God. If death should come into the picture, we would have to return to the Bible to clarify that. Death does not figure among the Rastafarians. God is a God of the living, not of the dead. So we do not think about death. Even so, take Christ, when the Messiah first revealed himself in the person of Christ, he said at his departure that he would come again. He did not die, he gave himself. Should this happen again, the second return would be like the first. We do not know now, but the time will come when this will be revealed. It is only a Rastafarian who can understand this. One must seek first the kingdom of His Majesty before one can understand these things.

A careful reading of this quotation will show that the Rastafarians have a rather explicit theological foundation for the movement. The speaker was quick to distinguish between the role of Elijah Muhammad and that of Haile Selassie. Elijah Muhammad was a Messenger of God; Haile Selassie was the Almighty God. And influenced by the Christian doctrine of Christ being God revealed, he associates Haile Selassie with the messiahship of Jesus as contained in the Gospel of St. Mark. Haile Selassie, then, is the returned messiah whose nature is revealed only to true Rastafarians. Death does not figure in Rastafarian theology, so the death of the King would only be a transformation from the temporal body.
The idea of a revelation was brought out in the answer of Ras "T" when he said:

As to the so-called dethronement, I and I who believe firmly, Ras Tafari is still our divine Imperial Majesty. His so-called removal is only a temporary thing, he is still our spiritual head and God and King of Earth. To some who are not grounded, it is a great shaking up; but it has not caused any deflection. If anything, it has caused deep reflection and even a deeper replenishing of our faith. We see this as a part of the prophecy of the Bible which speaks of great tribulation in heaven. The Bible says that there will be a time when the King will persecuted for many things and will be called names and things like that. His experience in Ethiopia is just one experience of the problems that Rastafarians will pass through. This, however, is merely temporal. The spiritual side is enriched as a result of this. It has been a healing process. Since the King came here in 1966, we Rastafarians have been looking for a revelation.

The most dramatic revelation has been the death of the King in August of 1975. His death caused many to seek out the Rastafarians for some words of wisdom about their future. But to the surprise of many, the Rastafarians, true to their doctrine about death, did not show any emotional response. To them, the King had not died, he had only moved away from the temporal scene in order to carry out his work as God and King in the spiritual realm. As spirit, he will be much more accessible to his followers both in Ethiopia and in Jamaica. One needs only to call his name and enter into his spiritual vibrations to feel his power.
Students of religious movements should find this nothing new. Of the many deaths of religious founders one comes vividly to mind---the well known leader Father Divine whose missions in the United States, Germany, and Australia have been written on, and whose enterprises were believed by many to have been dependent solely upon the charisma of the founder. Many thought his movement would suddenly fall apart at his death, but this has not come to pass. In every one of his multimillion-dollar enterprises his presence is acknowledged. The present author, who was visited the Father Divine headdquarters yearly since 1953, can find no evidence for the imminent demise of this movement. In their services and banquets, the empty chair of Father Divine represents his living presence among his followers. He is addressed as if alive and members testify to their continued communication with him.
The death of founders does not severly affect religious movements; it often deepens the faith of the followers as the last quotation implies. In the case of Rastafarians, Haile Selassie is not seen as a founder; he has only a religious connection with the movement. He is only a God-figure to the members who see him as a mythical ancestor of the Black race and this only because Haile Selassie occupied the throne of Ethiopia, which really is at the heart of the movement. Ethiopianism, then, meant more than Haile Selassie. The King, his throne, and the land, have a combined ontological concept in Rastafarianism; the King played but one part. The concept of the King played only a unifying function in the development of the movement, a collective self-discovery device for that segment of the society from which the movement evolved. The real force of the movement is the concept of Ethiopianism, Haile Selassie being only a part of the Godhead.

The Herb Is the Thing 

If it is agreed that the God-figure Haile Selassie may not be the most dominant force in the movement's ideology, what then is the real center? The real center of the movement's religiosity is the revelatory dimensions brought about by the impact of the "holy herb." Under this influence the person of Haile Selassie is transformed into that supernatural reality or a cosmic significance befitting a racial redeemer. To the Rastafarians the average Jamaican is so brainwashed by colonialism that his entire system is programmed in the wrong way. He is thus unable to perceive of himself as a Black man; his response to the world is conditioned by unseen forces due to European acculturation. To rid his mind of these psychic forces his head must be "loosened up," something done only through the use of the herb. The herb enables one to see one's true self. A true revelation of Black race; it rids the mind of social and psychological "hang ups" by altering one's state of consciousness, revealing the true nature of the world to the inner consciousness. This done, one's true identity can be experienced, including the revelation that Haile Selassie is God and that Ethiopia is the home of the Blacks.
According to the Rastafarians, the structure of Jamaican society is inhuman and cannot provide the psychic nutrients demanded by the Blacks who originated in the satisfying cultures of Africa. They see Jamaica as death oriented; redeeming values for human life are absent; success in the society is defined largely in terms of having money and a certain standard of living. To them the work roles which yield this money and standard of living are spiritually de-meaning and unsatisfying; so, rather than strive for this kind of upward mobility, they have opted for the simple life. This poverty, however, is voluntary, free from the pressures and dictates of a dying culture. By withdrawing from the acquisitive society into a counterculture, they believe that they will be able to redefine themselves and restructure their values with new norms and goals.
The herb is the key to new understanding of the self, the universe, and God. It is the vehicle to cosmic consciousness; it introduces one to levels of reality not ordinarily perceived by the non-Rastafarians, and it develops a certain sense of fusion with all living beings. According to a leading Rastafarian:

Man basically is God but this insight can come to man only with the use of the herb. When you use the herb, you experience yourself as God. With the use of the herb you can exist in this dismal state of reality that now exists in Jamaica. You cannot change man, but you can change yourself by the use of the herb. When you are God you deal or relate to people like a God. In this way you let your light shine, and when each of us lets his light shine we are creating a God-like culture and this is the cosmic unity that we try to achieve in the Rastafarian community.

The Rastafarian movement is presently alive and well. The movement has not been visibly affected by the death of their deity. If anything, his death strengthened the group, for the real source of the movement's vitality is not in a belief but in an experience brought about by a liberating ideology. The hallucinogenic state caused the herb reinforces this. The sacramental use of the herb has the similar effect of the spirit-filled consciousness of Christianity; it is the vehicle to the spiritual world, the revealer of hidden things, and the comforter in times of distress. Through this energizer of life great feats are accomplished. The totality of the Rastafarian experience, as they themselves report it, seems sufficient to establish the movement's existence as a religious alternative for its followers. The future of the movement can only be predicted with caution.

Assessing the Future 

Predictions about the shape of a socioreligious movement like the Rastafarians are risky matters, but other movements of this kind provide some guidelines. Caution must revolve around the fact that no two cultures are alike. Thus observable models developed in the United States may be inapplicable to Jamaica. And too, movements' behaviors are erratic to such an extent that most of their declared objectives may change almost overnight, thus making one's predictions useless. A case in point is the radical change in the Black Muslims' attitude toward Whites. One of their strongest rules was that no Whites could visit their temples, all Whites being devils. This doctrine was changed without warning. We are, however, sure that most movements of this type undergo change when reasons for their emergence no longer exist. Thus, the strength of revitalization movements is directly proportional to the stress experienced in the society. When the stress no longer exists, the movement may either fade away or it may organize itself into a benign organization merely celebrating those values it once represented. Many church organizations of our day fall into this category.
Jamaican society is now undergoing dramatic social changes, many indirectly brought about by the challenge of the Rastafarians to the plastic lifestyle that once existed. The resistance to these changes is adamant. Should the forces for change be successful and a "steady state" come into being where all its citizens are seen as equally meaningful to the future of the island, then the repressed energies that go into movements of resistance will be set loose in creative channels for the good of the whole; only then will movements such as the Rastafarians have outlived their usefulness, But, as this "stady state" seems to be utopian dream not likely to appear anywhere on earth, we envisage that four basic developments will eventually take place in the Rastafarian movement. First, a unique Rastafarian church is likely to emerge as one of the sects of the island; second, an equally large body of what Professor Rex M. Nettleford calls "functional Rastafarinas" will continue on the island, secularizing the movement further from its strongly religious orientation; third, a large body of Rastafarians will opt for the Ethiopian Orthodox church as a syncretistic religious body; and fourth, the movement could become the vanguard of resistance should the socioeconomic situation in Jamaica be reversed.

The Rastafarian Church 

We have already seen the church which now exists in St. Thomas under the leadership of Prince Emanuel Edward. This group may provide an example of what a uniquely Rastafarian church may be. Separatist in nature, communal in its associations, nonmilitant, repatriationist, it devotes itself almost totally to religious activities. Its high priest functions only sacerdotally and is perceived as God. The members are readily identifiable from other Rastafarians in dress, mannerisms, and occupations. Over against Rastafarians who are amorphously structured, this group is responsible to a strong religious leader who demands discipline and accountability to the membership. They maintain a tabernable specifically for worship in which some of the rituals of the Ethiopian Orthodox church are adopted, with blood sacrifice and all. Despite this syncretism, the main tenets of the Rastafarians are observed: drumming, dancing, and the smoking of the herb are all part of the church; however, their hairstyle is covered at all times by a turban, rather than displaying their "locks." The church has within it a hierarchy of men called priests, apostles, and prophets, suggesting the possibility that this organization will soon see the need to establish branches in other parts of the island.

The Functional Rastafarians 

A careful observation of the Rastafarian movement suggests that this category will always remain the largest in number. Included in this group will be the large body of "dreadlocks" who represent the most radical element of the movement. Many will be the uneducated, the unemployed, and the unemployable, but proud sons of the soil. Represented are the self-employed farmers, craftsmen, fishermen, and those who just like the unencumbered life. Also prominent will be those converts to the drug culture, with no real religious conviction, but who are mere followers of a segment of people who see liberty as their goal. A large segment of these will be escapees from the law using the anonymity of the Rastafarian as a disguise.
Also incorporated in this large group are the dynamic youths who will still find themselves unwanted in the Jamaican society. At present many youths in the Rastafarian movement represent that growing body of young people who cannot get an education even though they desire it largely due to an insufficient number of schools on the island. Recent figures estimate this group at eighty thousand. These youths have no recourse but to gravitate to functional Rastafarianism. Among the functional Rastafarians we shall include the clean-face Jamaicans, those who share the whole value system of the movement but are integrated into the "straight" world to provide for their families. Most are men and women in their thirties; some highly trained university and secondary school individuals whose social acceptance allows them to articulate the Rastafarian ideology with the possibility of being heard and believed. Secret Rastafarians capable of social mobility will remain the apologists for the movement, insuring the force of its ideology for many years to come.
Sculptors, painters, poets, and musicians will also serve as functional Rastas who will carry on the theme of African identity which should continue to be a major emphasis in Jamaica from now on. I can even imagine a development in which a school of Rastafarian art might evolve similar to the ethnic art forms of Africa and Haiti. An African example would be Sneufu, Baule, or Dogon art. All these patterns are well known to art experts and are identifiable on sight. The functional Rastafarian artists will realize that their art form is a new creation with a specific societal role to play. One can easily foresee Rastafarian art moving from its now primitive period to the classical, through modern and stylistic developments. Some creative personalities will emerge such as restauranteurs specializing in I-tal foods similar to the kosher foods of other religions. At present there are Rasta medicine men in Montego Bay who sell medicine in which the herb is a major ingredient, which is presumed to be good for certain ailments---a point which the author will not debate. This could well be a trend toward meaningful uses of the herb when laws against it are lifted. All this suggests that the contribution of the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica is still in its infancy.

A New Syncretism 

Presently a large number of the Rastafarians are members of the Ethiopian Orthodox church, and many new recruits are in a state of great ambivalence. Looking into the near future it would not be difficult to predict that, if the membership of the church becomes predominantly Rastafarians, they will eventually reject the Christian element of this denomination and institute the Rastafarian doctrine alongside those rituals of the church believed to be basically African. Already some Orthodox rituals are adapted in most Rastafarian communities. Such syncretism is not new to Jamaican religious movements.
This process of ritual adaptation began in Jamaican as early as the late eighteenth century when the Black Baptist church entered Jamaica and grafted itself onto Kumina. Later, it evolved into present-day Pukumina and the Native Baptist church of which Bedford was one of its best known leaders. All Revival churches in Jamaica are syncretisms of African and Christian rituals. In present-day Africa this kind of syncretism has yielded six thousand new movements since the last research was done. Most missionary churches in Africa are now seeking ways to make the church more relevant to an African religious expression. One of the setbacks in Jamaican institutionalized religion has been their rejection of the drum, which represents all things African. Most denominations represented in Jamaica are also in Africa, but while the African branches of the church are moving toward an incorporation of the African ethos, the Jamaican churches remain plastically colonial. It would be a great mistake, then, for the Ethiopian Orthodox church to copy the attitudes of these churches for the outcome would be unfortunate.
Counterculture movement such as the Rastafarians do not easily submit to any organization whose attitudes remind them of aspects against which they have developed psychic resistance. Any cues of the oppressive society are like waving the proverbial red cloth in front of a bull. Traditional missionizing psychology needs special refinements in dealing with a movement that has developed for itself alternative modes of religious expression more suitable to their status in life. This has already been achieved by the Rastafarians; whatever else they accept should be aimed at enriching their experiences, broadening their visions, and building upon foundations already laid. This then will be a syncretism, not a conversion. Anything less than this approach will be a fission. What the Rastafarians need at the moment is an organization that can provide for them a framework in which they can feel at home; should this vision be grasped by the new denomination, it could be an instant success.
The Rastafarian phenomenon is merely an infant. Many more books will be written on them in the future. From humble, despised beginnings they have emerged with a new and vital message to the Jamaican society. They have proved themselves to be a vital socioreligious movement for necessary change, which has been heeded by the larger society. Although the implementation of some of their social visions has yet to be accomplished, Jamaica is moving toward a more equitable society. For the first time in the island's history there is a conscious attempt to grapple with the problems of the dispossessed mass in such things as land reform, education, housing, medical care, and equitable justice.
Jamaica is presently a leader of the Third World ideology advocating that those who have had the privilege of amassing great wealth at the expense of the poor must now see that a portion of this wealth is utilized in lifting the economic levels of the "have nots"---the alternative of which will certainly bring on a social Armageddon. It is useless to state that this kind of philosophy is unpopular to the privileged class. Most of the present struggles in Jamaica revolve around this radical sociopolitical philosophy which was declared by the Manley grovernment. There is no question in the author's mind that the present trend to a more equitable society is an ambiguous adventure, filled with many risks and pitfalls, but then all social change will initially involve disagreeable situations. But with steady, resolute, and imaginative leadership, backed up with the enlightened self-interest of those who have for generations enjoyed the "fruits of the land," there could emerge in Jamaica a society never before attained.
Social movements such as the Rastafarians are signs of deep social commotion, a stirring among people, an unrest, a collective attempt to reach a visualized goal, and a change in social institutions; neglected, they can become volcanic. An attempt to remedy these conditions is the responsibility of imaginative leadership which can be overlooked only at the peril of the wider society.

A Movement of Resistance 

In Chapter 2 we observed that one of the caused of revolutionary movement resistance id the frustration of high expectations. This frustration may come about in several ways; first among these may be the ambigous language of desperate politicians---the multi-vocality of whose language, though reassuring to the traditionally priviledged, may dangerously threaten the high expectations of the oppressed. If a society such as Jamaica is to move toward equitable democracy, it must speak a single language, a language of love and hope, a language that gives assurance to the weak and hopelss. Any leader perceived to cater to the privileged class, ignoring the poor as a whole, may expect to see a deterioration of movements such as the Rastafarians into pockets of resistance. The ambitios politician, whose sole aim is power, may be blind to his image reflected in the eyes of the poor. Jamaican society today cannot afford the luxury of political ambivalence; the high expectation vested in national independence is fast dying out. Many of the sociopolitical and economic conditions before independence persist. The symbols of wealth and affluence are still in the hands of those who had them before independence, and color and class preferences remain glaringly obvious. Present trends toward equity of opportunities need the support of the enlightened elite if a catastrophe is to be avoided. The Rastafarian movement with its unorganized militancy could be fertile ground for huerrilla resistance, solidifying deep-seated emotional resentment.
A second ingredient for the frustration of high expectation may come from outside pressures. Cover intelligence activities often carried out by the developed nations seek to maintain the status quo of developing nations. This misreading of the internal Zeitgeist of developing nations often plunges a small country into social and economic turmoil. The shortsightedness of the developed nations, insensitive to the hope and aspirations of Third World peoples, cause them to back the party or politicians who upport foreign exploitation at the expense of the future. such leaders are strawmen whose future is generally short-lived. The Rastafarians are highly aware of this possibility of foreign infiltration. My experience at the Nyabingi service referred to in Chapter 4 proves without a doubt that the movement is well aware of the dangers of outside pressures such as those against Cuba, Mozambique, and Angola. Any such pressures in Jamaica can expect resistance of a high intensity by the Rastafarians, meaning serious setbacaks for social and economic advancement.
Any party or politician choosing to be the instrument of foreign pressures may for a short while receive the accolade of foreign multinational corporations and other agents of the status quo, but the social and economic problems that brought about the emergence of the Rastafarian movement will remain. Nothing short of political despotism could offset the terrorism of a civil war. Examples of this kind of frustration may now be seen in Ireland, Lebanon, Argentina, and Africa. Outside pressure and chaos are often brought to the Third World by withdrawing viable industries from operating in a country when levels of profits decline. Behavior of this ype has only punitive intent and results only in upheaval. In present-day Jamaica, a potentially frustrating situations is growing - it bodes further ills.
The message and visions of movements like the Rastafrians often point the way to new patterns of society. Though often unheeded, new movements generally have clear visions of where society should be going. The constant cry of Rastafarians is for land on which to live and work; as one of their leaders put in "lands on which to pitch the tents of Jacob." Any social scholar will agree that new movements possess a dynamic which, if given the right channeling, can create possibilities beyond expectations. This can be documented among the members of the Black Muslims of America whose motto - "do for self"- has changed the psychology of Black communities in America. They have attempted to develop grassroots industries in the cities and rural areas, staffed by thier members, giving incentives to Blacks to exert themselves for their own good. Today, the movement operates a multimillion=dollar industry. Other examples are numerous the world over where socioeconomic development has been generated by new religious movements without outside help. If there is one thing that the RAstafarians have taught Jamaica, it is that one must accept what one has and seek to make the best of it. No one can do for Jamaicans except Jamaicans. The messianic-millenarian syndroms is deeply rooted in the Jamaican psyche. Throughout the island's history, there has ever been a looking to the outside for the redeemer and for teh "cargo", which would bring about miracles and plenty. This philosophy can bring only disenchantment. Messianism and millenarianism are useful only to a society as instruments of revitalization toward self-fulfillment.
The Rastafarians have passed through the rhetorical stage of their movement; they have shown what a revitalization movement can do; their examples must be capitalized on for the good of all. They have rejected stagnation in a country where the zest for life and creativity had grown placid; their expamples should now be promoted by making them models for the masses. The good book tells us that " where there is no vision the pelple perish." This is expecially true of building a nation. The future growth of the Rastafarians into a well-respected cult may in the long run mean more to Jamaican history as a people than all the multinationsl corrporations in the world. Their farms would revenue to the economy; their art would bring much revenue to the economy; their music would lift the drabness that now exists in all parts of the island.
Worth mentioning is the fact that the Rastafarian movement is more capable of dealing with the neurotics, the maladjusted, the unbalanced, and the psychotic personalities than any government institution. Anyone who has done research among them cannot be but amazed at the Rastafarians's sensitivities to these types. The excitement they bring to lift, their uninhibited way of expressing themsxelves, their capacity to absorb devant behavior, and their love for their kind make them one of the most therapeutic communities to be found in Jamaica. The same thing can be said of the Black Muslims of America where a large number of their followers were either prisoners of societal misfits. Once they became members of the Muslim faith, a rapid recovery took place. This is not to equate the Muslim movement with the Rastafarians, for these two movements are rather different in teaching and techniques. But movement dynamcis of this type should be channeled and not blocked. Vision is needed to champion causes of this kind; they call for enlightened leadership.
Not only should there be a conscious effort to place the Rastafarians on land on which to build permanent communes, but there should be an effort to preserve the Rastafarian heritage. There should be a Rastafarian museum to preserve their artifacts, their sculpture, paintings, music, and other items for future generations of Rastafarian, other Jamaicans, and foreigners who will all get a feel for one of the most creative periods of our history. Portraits of Ras Heartman and others should now be preserved. Portraits of the great Rastafarian musicians should be made and exhibited before they pass off the scene. One of the important things about a nation is its pride in in its creative people - not only the lawyers and politicians, but the radicals, the saints, and the infields. The history of American cowboys and gangsters is preserved in museums all over the United States and fed to generations as folk tradition of the nation. It is encouraging to note here that examples fo the above vision are already taking place under the creativity of Professor Rex M. Nettleford, who choreograped Rastafarian dance and music in the Jamaican National Dance Theater.
A constant statement made by the Rastafarians is, "This is fi wi country," or "This is our country," This statement reveals a lot to the Jamaican researcher. Most of the author's colleagues who have migrated from Jamaica left the island because they were unable to feel at home. Many of the elite Jamaicans now living in the island would rather be somewhere else. It is somewhat surprising that the Rastafarians who emerged with the strong desire to repatriate to Africa now echo the contradictory statement, "this is fi wi contry." This contradiction is felt by all Jamaican swho are abroad. The love for Jamaican can never be erased but, despete the deep longing for our country, there is that ever-present contradiction that deters us from wholly casting our lot to reside there. The land we love has never been ours, because we have never been accepted fully as citizens. Like split personalities we have sought a home outside our home, seeking but never finding. The Rastafarians are showing us the way. The way is reflected in thier sculpture and expressed in their songs. For the first time, Black faces are being appreciated and not lampooned in cartoons by foreigners, projected in all their sorrows, aspirations, and dignity. for the first time Jamaican people, aspirations, and protests are being expressed in songs---not songs of caricature but experiences of sorrows.
Where go the Rastafarians? No one can tell for sure, but one thing can be said: they have brought us a long way toward understanding ourselves and our possibilities. Great social developments are not always made in the halls of parliament or in the citadels of learning. These institutions merely react to the dreams of the creative mass. Some of the most creative trends in nations' development are born in the dreams of the visionaries, the radicals, the seers, and the charismatic prophets. This is the cunning of history. It may yet be true that the heretics of today will be the saints of tomorrow.

Afterword 

Rastas once existed on the edge of Kingston, Spanish Town, and Montego Bay, waiting for their God to bring about "the repatriation." Today it is clear that the movement has brought about a new culture change in the island. It has contributed new words to the Jamaica folk language known among linguists as "Jamaica-talk." Rastas have added a saltless diet to their cuisine called "I-tal" foods---"I-tal" means natural and is a new idiom in Jamaican-talk. They have commercialized the I-tal foods, selling juices from Jamaican fruits, and have made economic gains throught their artistic endeavors. While alcohol is taboo, the little weed (ganja) is encouraged.
Reggae music has also become popular in almost every aspect of Jamaican life, both religious and secular. Reggae is used in the rituals of the Catholic Church and among the Rastafarian brethren, who divide Reggae into two forms: "churchical" and "heartical." Churchical adopts the Reggae beat to all hymns; heartical is the regular dance music. The latter form is used by the Twelve Tribes of Israel in their dance sessions.
Early in the 1990s, a number of popular Jamaican song-writers turned to the Rastafarian faith of Bob Marley and others. They stopped cutting their hair and grew dread-locks. Some of their emphases are upon:
1. Patriotic love is expressed for Africa and especially Ethiopia. Africa and Ethiopia are two 'holy' places to most Jamaicans. Africa is often called Ethiopia---in fact, most Jamaicans confuse the two. This was also true of the great lover of things African---Marcus Garvey. To the Rastas, Ethiopia means that territory ruled by Haile Selassie, who is the God of Black people. It is through him that Blacks shall be removed from the far-flung places where they as Africans have been carried into slavery and, through repatriation, will be returned to their homeland.
2. The hair of Black people is celebrated. Jamaicans are noted for their disdain of kinky hair. The Rastafarians, who come from the working class, have struggled under this disdain for many centuries. Many Jamaicans will co-habit only with people with straight hair, in hopes that a child with "good" hair will be born. The hairstyle of the Rastafarians, and the enormous volume of it, is adopted partly to upset the more British-oriented Jamaican. Their hairdos are immortalized in the song "Natty Dread." Some Black people's hair is "natty" and must be combed often. The Rastafarians decided long ago to rid the hair of all restriction and allow it to grow at will. At least a third of the brethren cultivate this style and in this way they become "dreadful" to the more Europeanized Jamaican.
3. Reggae that is used in worship services must be purged of lewdness and sexism. Dance-hall Reggae, which is known for its lewdness and sexual suggestiveness, is loudly rebuked by Rastafarians. Sexual love is not a subject to air in public, according to most Rastafarians, who vigorously maintain a conservative approach to life. When reading Reggae lyrics, one meets descriptions of hunger, deprivation, colonialism, inequities, and all things that prey upon the Third World.
4. Oppression of all kinds is denounced in Reggae. There are crimes against women in the song "No 'omen No Cry," in which Bob Marley relates the experience of women in oppressed situations and shows his concern the plight of women. Jamaica is typical "macho" society; although men love their mothers, their women, and their children, they see themselves as the head of the household. The situation is changing, however; women are gradually managing offices and holding positions once held by men. Reggae music condemns "slave drivers," praises the "Buffalo Soldiers" of the Civil War, and rejoices in the shooting of the "sheriff." There are many more examples.
5. Reggae calls for truth and righteousness among Rastas. The Rasta's motto is "Peace and Love"---this surprises many irascible Jamaicans. The song "Man to Man Is So Unjust," as sung by Bob Marley, illustrates the morality of the lyrics and captures the Jamaican way of life.
There have also been changes in the movement itself. Women have been a part of Rastafarianism from its inception, yet their position as functionaries has been a major bone of contention among the brethren. In Jamaica, the early Rastas represented a group that was rather conservative. When dealing with the "fairer sex," their treatment of women was comparable to that of Islamic laws. Rastafarian biblical doctrine does not provide comfort for women: it states that man is superior to woman; her knowledge of the scripture is a direct copy of man's; she is not allowed to speak in Assembly; she is seductive; she bears the stigma of "periodical uncleanliness," which is a restriction placed on her by God. The Rastafari take the King James version of the Bible literally. Most women attending meetings were wives of Rastafarians. In more recent times, however, there is a more respectful approach toward women in their worship services. Women accept the doctrine by their own choice; many take leadership roles, and it would not be too much of a surprise to find a female Rasta leader in Jamaica.
Rasta hairstyles originated during the wilderness experience at the Pinnacle commune. Today there are several kinds of hairdos, although the term "dreadlocks" is misleading because Rastas do nothing to their hair other than wash it to creat the "locks" and/or "dread" look. The hair growth is natural and its form depends upon individual texture. There dreadlocks that are certain to cause fear in the weak of heart---some are as long as thirty-five inches. Then, there are the "combsomes," for which Rastas use combs to shape their dreads and groom their beards. A well-groomed combsome has the appearance of the well-groomed Afro. This Rasta is identified by the tam he wears upon his head. Finally, there is the "clean-face" Rasta. He is like any other Jamaican---he wears neither a beard nor either of the two hairstyles described above. The clean-face Rasta can more easily "pass" as an employee of the government, a pilot, or any other "acceptable" person in the society.
Jamaica has grown accustomed to the Rastafarian movement; it sees the movement's members as no different from any other person on the street. This attitude is not universal, but Rastafarianism has come a long way and, although it has met great resistance on its journey, it has overcome many obstacles. The Rastafarian movement is Jamaica's newest religion.
January 1997

Appendix

A Selection of Rastafarian Poetry (see Black activism and Poetry in the 20th Century)

Poetry is one way in which the Rastafarians have been able to convey their messages to the wider world. The earliest poets used themes dominated by the Back-to-Africa ethos. In these poems, their hero, Marcus Garvey received a prominent place. Following this, Reggae songs appeared. This musical phase, although retaining elements of the messianic-millenarian theme, began to focus more on the conditions experienced by the Rastafarians in Jamaica. Along with this new sorrow-songs type, a poetry also developed around African liberation themes. In the following selections we shall deal only with those of the first and third types. Much of the Rastafarian songs are now on records, the printing of which would demand clearance from record companies. These printed here were gathered in field research and are not yet under copyright laws. Many of these would have been lost to us in a very short while. Some date back to 1968, while others are only of very recent date.

A Rhyme for the Times

The following poem appeared in the Daily Gleaner of August 4. 1960, in a column written by Thomas Wright under the caption "Candidly Yours" and summed up the feelings of the public to the findings and recommendations of the research team of the University College of the West Indies, on the possible repatriation of the Rastafarians to Ethipia at government's expense.

Three cheers for the U.C.W.I.
For asking Mr. Manley why
He does not send the Ras Tafari
On an African Safari

While we are out to save the nation
By such pat repatriation
Why not get our Marxists pushed off
To the land of Mr. Krushchev?

Why not send us all back home?
Send all Catholics to Rome
Ship our Scots back to their heather
English back to rainy weather

Send our breadfruit back to Fiji
Welshmen back to Llanfair P.G.
Why twist the tail of Judah's lion
When all our Jews could go to Zion?

Mangoes, Indians hould not stay
Send them all back to Bombay
Finns to Finland, Swedes to Sweden
Grantley Adams back to Eden!

Send the Irish to Tralee
Germans back to Germany
Economists home to L.S.E.
For spiritual homeward bound are we.

Send every single person back
To Syria, China, Cayman Brac
And should we population lack
Go out and find some Arawak

So, free of speech and free from fright
Peace comes at last to Mona Heights
When Lewis, Augier and Smith
Have not a soul to argue with!

The Lion of Judah Hath Prevailed

Worship idols, worship Buddah
Worship Romans fail
But we claim the Lion of Judah
Because he hath prevailed

You read not of his speeches
You hear not of his tales
But true inspiration teaches
Judah's Lion hath prevailed

A smoking flax shall he not quench
But bring forth judgment unto truth
He lay himself on David's bench
And call upon the youth

Through the schemes of evil nations
His words we seldom hail
But who can conquer revelation
When the Lion hath prevailed

His love for man is widely spread
Can we forever fail?
To know for us his blood was shed
But now he has prevailed

But lack we may of more to know
Still we are satisfied
Because we now have seen the glow
Of Haile Selassie I

We care not who denounce him
We care not who agree
But now we have accepted him
The vine of David's tree

How could the seven seals be broken
To depart us from travail
Now that Zion's King has spoken
We know he has prevailed.

---Author unknown

Repatriation an Unfinished
Business

Repatriation not migration
Set the people free
It is known to every nation
Each vine to his fig tree

Rejpatriation not migration
A difference you will see
One stand for all the people's freedom
The other not for me.

Repatriation not migration
Then shall captives free
From savage and oppressive rule
To justice and equality

Repatriation not migration
It is for us to see
Three hundred years of hard oppression
Was read in history

Repatriation not migration
Our homes we long to see
Now comes the end of tribulations
As told in prophecy

Repatriation not migration
United we must stand
To claim our promised portion
With true determination

Repatriation not migration
All aliens now must flee
We know the truth of revelation
What is to be must be.

REPATRIATION : YES!
MIGRATION : NO!

---Author unknown

1961 Turn Upside Down Remains 1961

1961 turn upside down remains 1961
This proves Marcus Garvey was not wrong
Of the black man's redemption he spoke
From underneath colonial yoke.

1961 turn upside down remains 1961
Let us strike oppression down
No more shall we be pushed around
Underneath colonial crown.

1961 turn upside down remains 1961
United we must stand
And pray for God to guide us on
To that Promised Land

AFRICA FOR AFRICANS---THOSE AT HOME AND
THOSE ABROAD.
AFRICA : YES! JAMAICA : NO!

* * * * *

Never let hte new flag fall
For we love it the best of all
We are out on the march for Africa
The flag we raise is the Red, Gold and Green.
Join our ranks to fight the foe
Raise a standard for the race!
Selassie is a leader bold
Never let the new flag fall

OUR HANDS AND HEARTS MUST BE CLEAN
TO RALLY WITH THE RED, GOLD AND GREEN.

Reformation Truth

There's mighty reformation
Sweeping o'er the land
God is gathering His people
By this mighty Hand
For the cloudy days descended
And morning sun now shines
Yes! The reformation truth must stand.

Chorus:

It's the Ethiopian story
The mighty Church now takes its stand
Spreading righteousness forever
In its truth we all must stand.

Zion walls again are building
As in the days of old
All the clashing of opinion
And its strife will cease
For we all will be united
As the saints are joined in one
And the will of God in all be done.

Surely Negus had come back
To take his people home
He shall rule in righteousness
As His word go forth
We shall stand in one opinion
To defend this Holy Church
For the reformation truth must stand.

* * *

Emperor Haile Selassie I
Who sits on David's throne
He's King of Kings and Lord of Lords
He comes to Claim his own

Chorus:

Thou mighty King of Kings, Thou Tree of Life
Thou Father of the free
Thou Elohim Jehovah Jah
We stand secure in thee.

Stand up with might ye Rasses all
In righteousness arrayed
Put on your Robe and face the foe
With courage and with right.

Archangel Gabriel gave the sound
Ethiopia must be free
Arabia Desert Ranger said
They all shall bow their knee

As Babylon lift up his eyes
To spoil the Saints of God
Selassie stand up on his feet
To give them their reward.

* * *

Rule Ehiopia

Rule on! O gallant Ethiopia, rule!
Millions of foes around thee press;
But, ere the ruthless friends find their tools
Will reach that wished-for-spot, that blissful, hallowed rest!

Rule on! for thou alone must lift
The weight from off the shoulders of thy sons, who drift---
The rafters that thy daughters clung to, in their plight
Must be abandoned for sacred ark of Right!

Rule on in triumph, tho' the foe
Oppress us, as we onward go
Singing the song, "Ethipia Rules the Waves."
We've vowed that Ethipia no more shall be slaves.

And whilst thou rulest, let they children, far and wide
Thro' the medium of our MARCUS be gathered to thy side;
For the tri-colors that shall win us back the land we love so well
Must be the RED, the BLACK, the GREEN, our loyal hears to swell.

Three ringing cheers for Garvey---God bless Jamaica's son"
Hurrah for Ethipia, whose joys are begun!
Ten thousand joybells peal aloud the song NEW NEGROES sing
Ring out the old, ring in the New, and ring, ring, ring.

---Iris Lucille Patterson

Dem Call Dem

The following poem written by Ras Gill Tucker is in Jamaican dialect and is a satire on the Jamaican political system of what the author calls "the hide-and-seek political games played on the Jamaican masses by thge politicians." The various metaphors used in the poem represent various politicians, and they are so called by the masses, "Dem Call Dem" may be translated, "They Call Them." This poem is edited for the non-Jamaican reader.

Dem call dem political bull frog
Dem call dem shadow and brine
Dem call dem teethless lovers
Dem call dem white skin in black mask
Dem call Dem lion in monkey clothes
Dem call Dem footstep without foot
Dem call dem promise and empty promise
Dem call demselves what others no call dem
Dem call dem paper tigers
Dem call dem bonehead dunces in the Queens court
Dem call dem soft-face idlers hiding behind big desks
Dem call demselves the peoples' saviours
Dem ride upon dem back and ride upon dem head
Dem call demselves God-fooling and God-fearing
Yet-dem die without vision
Dem die without us---
Dem 'trive 'pon we children hunger
Dem get drunk 'pon we homeless and our fondest hope
Dem call demselves democratics dying in lies
Dem gwane living and dying in a wi nakedness
Dem white God wi' bless dem for dem works
And dem empty words and empty promise spread before wi empty table
Dem call dem.

Abortion

O terrble sin abortion! It is the worst of all
Eight letters spell the deadly sin, so is downfall
The wickedness of murderess destroy the yet unborn
They never gave the seed a chance to see creation's Morn.

There are many who defend such acts based on economy
Hearless creatures---if they had been aborted---they'd be non-entities
It is said man should multiply, he should replenish earth
Yet in the eyes of wicked men, the unborn is of no worth.

It is given to man to use all things, yet life is God's control
If God had aborted First Man, there wouldn't be a living soul
Some shades of people take hormones, they try to live forever
Yet for the other shades of men, destruction is their endeavor

The earth create with broad expanse that men should be prolific
But the crude acts of the seeming wise, prove men's minds are sick
When the enemies are at thy gates, thine offsprings are arrows in they bows
With thy large united house, the enemies are laid low

Some people love their people, they control food not birth
From the born to the yet unborn each has a place on earth
So it is for all to shun such acts that man may live his days
Dread repercussion shall be their lot for persistence in evil ways.

--- Sam Brown