INTRODUCTION

The birth of the movement of Rastafarians can be officially fixed in Ethiopia during the coronation of the prince Ras Tafari Makonna (Haile Selassie) on November 2, 1930. This was no ordinary event in Jamaica because a year earlier Marcus Mosiah Garvey had a prophetic vision, seeing a king being crowned in Africa. After the coronation of his Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie, several individuals searched the Bible for confirmation and found it in Psalms A prince shall come out of Egypt, and Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto Jah. It seems the prophecy was fulfilled and these were the first Rastafarians. My intention is to study in depth, the history of the Rastafarian Movement and its beliefs. Then based on my findings, do an indepth analysis in order to achieve my aims.

Acknowledgment

The researcher wishes to acknowledge the following persons without whom this SBA would not be possible. First I acknowledge God who gave me the strength to carry it out. I also want to acknowledge my mother who edited for me and my teacher who gave me invaluable information and assistance. To the Rastafarians who answered my questions untiringly, thank you. To my friends who encouraged me and my brothers who accommodated me, I say a very big thank you to one and all.

AIMS

The aims of the research are: 1. To identify Rastafarian origin 2. To identify the basic beliefs of the Rastafarian movement. 3. To evaluate the impact of the Rastafarians basic beliefs on the Jamaican society.

INFORMATION COLLECTION

In order to gather information to complete the SBA, field trips were taken and informal interviews were carried out with Rastafarians. Other information was gathered from text books, the internet and other written text. The materials were numerous and so a summary of the information gathered was done. It is my hope that not too much was left out and not too little was given.

THE BASIC BELIEF SYSTEM OF RASTAFARIANS

The belief system of Rastafarians consists of six basic beliefs which are as follow: 1. Haile Selassie is the living God: All true Rastafarians believe that Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia is the true and living god, at least of the black race. A member of the Rastafarians Repatriation Association explained it in this way. We know before that when a king should be crowned in the land of Davids throne, that individual would be Shiloh, the anointed one, the messiah, the Christ returned in the personification of Rastafari (on his vesture and on his thigh is a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords). He (Ras Tafari) is the ancient of days (the Bearded God). The scripture declares that the hair of whose head was like wool (matted hair), whose feet were like unto burning brasses therefore black skin. The scripture declares that god hangs in motionless space surrounded with think darkness, hence (black man).

2. The black person is the reincarnation of ancient Israel: Deeply influenced by the Jews and Christian religion as well as the use of the bible, they believed that they are the true Israelites, who have been punished for their sins by God their father through slavery under the white men. This sin led to their exile in Jamaica. They have long since been pardoned and should have returned to

Ethiopia long ago, but they have been unable to return. As true Israelites though, they observe strict and hygienic laws based on the Old Testament.

3. The white person is inferior to the black person: The idea of black supremacy comes largely as an echo from the days of Marcus Garvey and remains a strong point both for the black Muslim of the (US ) and the Jamaican Rastafarians movements.

4. The Jamaican situation is a hopeless hell and Ethiopia is heaven

5. The invincible emperor of Ethiopia is now arranging for the expatriated person of African origin to return to Ethiopia.

6. In the near future blacks shall rule the world: The Rastafarians believe, based on their interpretation of the prophecy of Daniel 2:31-42, that blacks are destined to be the ultimate rulers of the world. In this prophecy, the black person is the the stone hewed out of the mountain without hands. This stone is the rising African nation which has already smitten the great image, interpreted as European nations that once colonized the African continent.

ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF INFORMATION COLLECTED

Rastafarians believe that God revealed himself many ages ago in various forms. God first revealed himself in the form of Moses and later as Elijah who did not die. The third person he revealed himself as was Jesus who although was crucified, resurrected. Haile Selassie is said
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to be the second coming of Jesus and inevitable attributed the title of God. However, not all Rastafarians see Haile Selassie as God because some see him as a mere prophet. As was shown earlier one of their basic belief is that Jamaica is regarded as hell. Jamaica is the western world and is Babylon, Africa is the only home. The police on numerous occasions have harassed the Rastafarians for reasons such as smoking the marijuana and many Rastas identify this as an unjustified act because the herb is use for meditation purposes. In the 1930s when the Rastafarians movement sprang forth in Jamaica, violence was used as a method by the government to try and destroy the movement. Rastas were often prosecuted and victimized because of their ideology, however, in todays society they are seen as equals. The Rastafarians have closely linked their existence with that of the Israelites of past time through biblical terms. In the eye of the Rastafarians black people are the chosen people. They claimed that the Israelites were of dark complexion and so being the black people of today, they are also the chosen people of God.(Biblical proof assures their argument such as lamentation 4:8, 5:10; Joel 2:8 Habakkuk 2:10; Job 30:30; Psalms 119:83; Jerimiah14:2; and Revelation 1:14). The fact of the blacks being taken from their homeland to be enslaved is linked

to the enslavement, the exile, and the dispersement of the ancient Jews. This is also seen as another proof to the Rastafarians (in relation to who they are.) Whites are the oppressors in the eyes of the Rastafarians because they have taken Gods people from their homeland to enslave them in Babylon (western world). The Rastafarians identify the act of the white man trying to attribute himself as the true Israelites as very wrong because the Bible proves the point that the whites are the Gentiles. The white mans system has no hope for the Rastas because it leads to the oppression of Gods chosen people. What must be understood, though, is the fact that God assured his chosen people rulership over the earth, and as Rastafarians attribute this to black people, eventually blacks will rule the world. However, with all this said, Rastafarians of todays society are accepting the whites as fellow brothers and sisters because they have come to the realization that Babylon is not made up of only white but black also. In this time we see even white Rastafarians and this expresses a non-racial approach of the movement. The Rastafarians firmly believe that Haile Selassie will one day repatriate them to Ethiopia; he has gone to prepare a place for them to live. Heaven is Ethiopia and it is where the Rastafarians want to be with their father Haile Selassie.

As time passes the Rastafarians have become more accepted among the people of Jamaica. They are now getting jobs that at one time would be impossible for them to get. Rastafarians have made major contribution to the Jamaican music industry, especially where reggae music is concern as this was birth out of the movement. They have also impacted the art industry with their carvings and canvases. These days even their hair styles have become fashionable, as there are many society Rastas and fashionable ladies sporting sister locks. The colours they have adopted for their emblem; red, green and gold are also very popular. Though Rastafarians have impacted the Jamaican society both negatively and positively to a great extent, the impacts of their beliefs remain more with their believers than the Jamaican society as a whole.

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SUMMARIES OF FINDINGS

The researcher finds that Rastafarianism is largely of Jamaican origin; born out of Garveyism, energised and sustained by the crowning of Haile Selassie and his arrival in Jamaica. The movement was born during the early 20th century, a little over fifty years after the Morant Bay Rebellion, at a time when poor Negroes had neither land nor jobs. It was at a time when a group of marginalized Negroes living in a slum area of Kingston needed hope and something to believe in. Garveys message of black consciousness and Africa as the homeland fill this need thus the birth of Rastafarianism. At first the Rastas as they were called were held in contempt and look down on by the rest of society. Because of the area where they lived and the dread locks they wore society sideline them, making it impossible for them to get any jobs. They therefore turn to self-employment in the form of farming, broom making, fishing and carving among other things. The years passed and their numbers grew then fame and fortune smiled on one of its members; Bob Marley. Bob Marley introduced reggae music to the Jamaican and then the international stage and so bring a semblance of acceptance for Rastafarianism not just to Jamaica but to
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the world. The rest is history, Rastafarianism is now accepted as a minority religion.

CONCLUSION

The Rastafarians beliefs are important aspects in their everyday life, since they guide and teach them what to do, and how to act in certain circumstances. It is also important to them because it shows them where they are coming from, the struggles they had to go through to reach where they are today and the parallel to that of the ancient Jews. The Rastafarians origin is also a very important aspect in their everyday life, as this teaches them about their history and provides a link between King David and their one and only god Haile Selassie. It also teaches them about some of the leaders of the black race such as Marcus Mosiah Garvey. I have found out and learned many things about Rastafarianism that I did not know. What I already knew was reinforced by the information gathered. It is safe to say that my aims were achieved.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Watson, A.G.

(2002) Dread

J D Publishing.

Internet Sites www.wekipedia.com

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Appendix

Fig. 1 Council

Headmen of the Rastafarian

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Fig. 2 David

Rastafarian Star of

Fig. 3

Empire Hail Selassie

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Fig. 4 Lion is use to represent their strength

Fig. 5 The beginning of Marcus Gravy teaching in the Rastafarian movement

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Fig. 6 there group

The Flag that represent

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