Introduction

On some of the remaining peaks of ancient Atlantis, to wit, today's Commonwealth Caribbean,* there was born a new breed of Prophets, a new sect of Nazarites called the Rastafarians. The nucleus of this new movement originated in the island of Jamaica. From there the burning message of truth, love and black heritage spread throughout the Caribbean and the world; where there are Africans in diaspora, the message spread. Their prophecy, lamentation and social commentary presented as poetry in song has captivated the hearts and minds of the world. Their natural, innate simplicity, profound philosophy and dread-locked mane demand attention; sometimes however, as will be explained below, the attention they have received, they could have done without.¹

The Heart of Rastafari

The 'heart of Rastafari' can be said to be 'the Spirit and Soul of the African experience', from the beginning of Man: from the Adam and Eve story. In modern times 'the Spirit and Soul of the African experience' enlivened the consciousness of a modern-day prophet known as "Marcus Mosiah Garvey".

Marcus Mosiah Garvey was born on the 17th of August, 1887 in St. Ann's Jamaica. Some authorities say that his name "Mosiah" was a compromise between his father and mother and was linked to the Name "Moses" of the Bible. His mother hoped he would lead his people like Moses; and indeed very much like Moses he led his people, as will be seen below.² The father of Marcus was a descendant of the famous Maroons and his mother was a God-oriented black woman who was a regular church-goer at the Wesleyan Methodist Church.³

By age twenty, Marcus Mosiah Garvey had become a master printer. In 1907 he was involved in the Printer's Union strike in Jamaica. Incidentally, the Printer's Union was the first labour organization established in that island.⁴ From such humble beginnings in the Labour Movement Garvey's life blossomed; seemingly, against all the odds, his life was filled with tremendous accomplishments; a few will be mentioned below.

During his life Marcus Mosiah Garvey was involved in the publication of numerous periodicals and papers such as – "Garvey's Watchman" and "Our Own" – in Jamaica; "La Nacional in Costa Rica; "La Prensa" in Panama; "The Negro World" in America; and with the well-known Pan-Africanist and publisher Duse Mohammed – "The African Times and Orient Review" in England, to name but a few. He travelled through many countries in South and Central America and worked tirelessly to improve the plight of the workers in those countries.

Garvey left England in 1914 after having spent two years there. After these two years of work, study and reflection he was inspired with the idea of "uniting all Negro (Black) peoples of the world into one great body"....... "envisaging not peons, serfs,.........and slaves, but a nation of sturdy men making their impress upon civilization and causing a new light to dawn upon the human race." Thus was his vision.⁵ Garvey also expounded the eternal Truth of – One God, One Aim, One Destiny – and consistently advocated the dignity and rights of all men.

Shortly after his arrival in Jamaica he established the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (U.N.I.A.). All people of African heritage were encouraged to contribute to the "rehabilitation of the race" ⁶ - so that in turn the black race could further contribute to the development and advancement of the human race.

The potent seeds of Garvey's philosophy and opinions found fertile soil in the hearts and minds of the downtrodden Negroes (black people) in America when he arrived there in 1916. By 1917 he established a branch of UNIA in Harlem. The UNIA eventually built to a membership of several million Negroes in the United States, Africa, Latin America and the West Indies.⁷ Garvey's economic program for the upliftment of his race also included the establishment of the Black Star Line Steamship Company and the Negro Factory Corporation.⁸

Support for Garvey and his Organization grew daily and he is said to have addressed 25,000 Negroes in Madison Square Garden on August 2nd, 1920, with delegates coming from the West Indies, Central and South America and Africa. It was a great day of hope for all Black people in America and by extension the world over.

However, the Aryan rulers would not tolerate such power, dignity and organization as exemplified in Madison Square Garden; neither were they prepared to listen to the truth about the ill-treatment of Black people; hence, with the able assistance of some 'brain-washed' 'Negro elite' and the 'uncle Toms' of the Black Race, the racists resolved to destroy Marcus Garvey and all he stood for. The forces of evil and racism were then led by the notorious J, Edgar Hoover, who was then U.S Attorney General. Hoover was in the forefront in the battle against Garvey and all oppressed black people. Unjustly, Marcus Garvey was accused and convicted of knowingly and with criminal intent, using the mail service to promote the sale of the stock of the Black Star Line Corporation, that is, after he knew the venture was hopeless. After Garvey was convicted of mail fraud in 1923, the forces of evil rejoiced; they felt that they had got "their pound of flesh" as Garvey had been an affront to white racists. He always rejected white supremacy as well as the injustices and lies it perpetuates; he saw it as a crime against humanity, as it is indeed.⁹

In 1927 Garvey's sentence was commuted and he was immediately deported to Jamaica. In 1929 he began a new political party in Jamaica known as "The Peoples Political Party". The 'war' against Garvey was however continued by the Aryans and their 'lackeys' in Jamaica. Unfortunately, as bad as it may sound, some of us Caribbean people, from the days of slavery have been taught well to grovel for acceptance and to vehemently oppose our own; all this for some small monetary benefit or feigned acceptance by the white power-structure.¹⁰ It is not surprising therefore that opposition to Garvey's advanced thinking as regards the development of the Black race was so strong that he had to leave Jamaica and go to England. There in exile, this Black leader, Organizer, Philosopher and Prophet ended his life sojourn as "Marcus Mosiah Garvey".

It is posited that the following books relating to Marcus Garvey, to wit, "Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey or Africa for Africans" compiled by Amy Jacques Garvey (2nd Edition), "Black Moses" by E.D. Cronon and "Garvey's Children" by Tony Sewell should be required reading for all Africans on the continent and in diaspora; for that matter, for all lovers of righteousness and Truth.¹¹

Marcus Mosiah Garvey's "Back to Africa" philosophy brought about not so much a physical movement back to Africa, but a movement of consciousness, that affected the hearts and minds of all people of African heritage, especially those in the Caribbean, as well as North and Central America.¹² The revered Garvey helped to organize and unite his people as no one else in modern times had ever done; he revived in them a new self-dignity and pride, which is evolving to this day. One of the many things of note he told his people was to look for a black king to be crowned; this event was to mean that the 'day of deliverance' was close at hand.

Garvey had spoken those words in the 1920's therefore his words certainly seemed prophetic with the coronation in Ethiopia of Ras Tafaria, as Emperor Haile Selassie I in 1930. With the designation King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah, Haile Selassie I, as a direct line descendant of King David, seemed to fit the prophetic words of Garvey perfectly; his blood line can be traced back to Solomon and Sheba, who had a son named Menelik I. The deeply spiritual Africans in diaspora, especially those in Jamaica, the land of Garvey's birth, searched their Bibles for proof of this prophecy; many were satisfied that they had found sufficient proof in Biblical writings that Haile Selassie I was the fulfilment of prophecy. Some Biblical references usually cited are as follows: Revelations 1:14-18, 5:2-5, 19: 19-20; Isaiah 43:1-15, 24-28, 65:9; and Ezekiel 37:19, and 22 - 25. ¹³

Almost immediately after the coronation in Ethiopia, some spiritual and religious leaders of Jamaica started to spread the faith that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Lion of the tribe of Judah with 'hair like lamb's wool' (Rev. 1:14) and 'feet like burnt brass' (Rev. 1:15), was the manifestation in this time of the living God referred to in the Bible¹⁴ and spoken of by Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Some of the early advocates were Leonard Howell, Robert Hinds, Joseph Hibbert, Altamont Reed and Archibald Dunkley. The early founders and followers referred to themselves in honour of Haile Selassie I as "Ras Tafari", utilizing his name prior to his coronation, "Ras Tafaria", when incidentally, he was also called by his countrymen "the Golden Prince".¹⁵

Those early preachers and religious leaders above-mentioned were also supported by secular leaders like Paul Ervington, Vernal Davis and others who supported the philosophy of Marcus Garvey and recognized Haile Selassie I as the Living Christ. The attack by Mussolini on Ethiopia, (utilizing chemical warfare with the unfortunate blessing of the Head of the Roman Church),¹⁶ and Haile Selassie I's defiant stand as he led his warriors on a white horse against the invaders only confirmed what his followers already felt was self-evident. Revelation 19:19 was to them fulfilled: "And I saw the beast and the Kings of the Earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse and against his army". King Selassie I's inspired plea at the League of Nations on behalf of his people and subsequent triumphant return to Ethiopia in 1941 was seen as the fulfilment of Revelations 19:15 and 19:20 respectively.¹⁷

Incidentally, this feat of the exiled King who returned to Ethiopia to lead his army of two hundred and fifty thousand black soldiers to victory over their 'Bestial' enemies won the grudging respect and admiration of the World.¹⁸ Some racist writers tried, as they had done before, to sever the Ethiopians from the Black race by calling them 'Caucasian brunettes'; but as an ancient elder and prophet once said an "Ethiopian cannot change his skin".¹⁹

In keeping with the statement of the ancient elder and prophet, Ethiopia's children in diaspora cannot change their skin, hence Ethiopia's children in the Caribbean identified with and rejoiced at the Ethiopian King's victory. The 'long hair' or 'locks' of Ethiopian warriors, who fought alongside the Emperor, made an immediate impression on the early followers in Jamaica known as "Ras Tafari". Incidentally, the well-publicized success of the 'long haired' Niyabingi Order of Warriors in Ethiopia over white oppression is seen by some authorities as the reason why some Rastafarians were related to violence in their initial years of development; it was felt that those Rastafarians were of the view that the oppression and racism in Jamaica could likewise be overcome by violence. From the late 1930's to the early 1960's many Rastafarians were unfortunately involved in and arrested for crimes of violence; frequently, they were also charged for growing cannabis (marijuana), which was and still is illegal.²⁰ It should be noted however, that from the inception there were always many Rastafarians of the movement that dedicated themselves to natural living and spirituality; emphasizing purity of mind, body and spirit; there are many to this day who are so dedicated.

Before moving on with the development of Rastafari, it is important to realize that from the inception there were certain aspects of Rastafari that alienated the movement from the established social order. They proudly stood up for Africa, the Motherland of all Black people and by extension all people, if we are to take Biblical or scientific accounts of the creation of Man and his development seriously; they represented the down-trodden, the poor and dis-enfranchised, those with no political or financial clout; they stood up and vociferously denied the Eurocentric view of life that was, and still is the order of the day; they not only grew, but used cannabis (marijuana) medicinally, recreationally and as a sacrament; they also used the 'spoken word' with uncanny power, which was, and still is an aggravation to the authorities of the established social order. In those early days too, the British Colonial rulers were worried about the Movement's allegiance to, as strange as it may sound, a 'Foreign King'. In 1934, the above-mentioned Leonard Howell, the first known advocate that propounded the view that Emperor Haile Selassie I was the Divine King referred to in Revelations of the Bible, was sentenced to imprisonment for "sedition and blasphemy".²¹

Another development of note in the early years that influenced the development of Rastafari was the establishment in 1937 of the Ethiopian World Federation; this was accomplished with the blessings of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I. In 1938, a branch of the Ethiopian World Federation was set up in Jamaica. The Ethiopian World Federation was organized inter alia to bring about greater unity, solidarity, freedom and self-determination of all black people of the world; to secure justice and maintain the integrity of Ethiopia, as well as, to realize the brotherhood of Man under the auspicious Fatherhood of God.

The doctrine of the Ethiopian World Federation spread rapidly among the masses of Jamaica. Over the years tens of thousands of Rastafarians in Jamaica, and by extension, in the Caribbean and the world, developed an alliance, if not an allegiance, to the Spiritual Home of all Black People, "Ethiopia", the 'land of the Blameless Race'. Over the years the establishment in Jamaica of an Ethiopian Orthodox Church has further enriched and strengthened the link between Ethiopia and Ethiopia's children in Jamaica and by extension the Caribbean and other distant lands.

An insight into certain aspects of the Religious beliefs and Theology of Rastafari:

The religious beliefs and theology of Rastafari are generally not emphasized or understood. Hence, a brief insight is in order.

As indicated above, Rastafarians trace their origin to Africa generally, but more specifically to Ethiopia. The physical as distinct from the spiritual link to Ethiopia follows from two beliefs, one is that Black people are the reincarnation of Ancient Israel;²² and the other is that they see themselves as the 'flesh and blood' descendants of the original ancient Israelites in that many of their ancient forebears from North-West Africa were either "Jewish at least in faith, and perhaps too in origin"²³ or at the very least well versed in the religious beliefs and theology of the Hebrews. This seems well-founded if one reads the scholarly work of Joseph Williams, to wit, "Hebrewism of West Africa".²⁴

The followers of Rastafari therefore represent those incarnate Israelite-souls who had seen the Light of salvation since the days of Yashua, the Christ, also called Yeshai or Jesus, pronounced by Rastafari as "Jess-us", after the root "Jesse".²⁵ Today, it is well known and acknowledged by most historical and religious authorities that the original Israelites were Black people; and even in fairly recent history during the Second World War even the European Jews, many of whom had adopted Judaism, were seen by some 'purist-blue-eyed-blonde-white Germans' as 'tainted' with black blood. For that unforgivable 'impurity,' as well as for other reasons, they were mercilessly persecuted by the world-renowned racist fanatic, Adolph Hitler, close associate of the above-mentioned fascist, Mussolini.

Rastafari, as the Seers or Prophets of those Black Israelites in diaspora, not only accept Christ Jesus, unlike the European Jews, but recognize King Haile Selassie I, of Ethiopia as the returned Messiah, the Christ-man of this Era. As above-mentioned, they proudly trace Haile Selassie I's lineage to the union of King Solomon and Sheba or Makeda as she was called in Africa.²⁶ It is believed by Rastafari as well as by some other authorities that Menelik I, the fruit of that union, took the original Ark of the Covenant to Ethiopia where it is secretly held to this day.²⁷

It is very evident that Rastafari accepts Christ in the flesh and look to the Bible, more specifically to 1 John, chapter 4, verses 1-3 to support this. The origin of the House of David and Rastafari's link thereto is said to be reflected in Isaiah, chapter 2, verses 1-4, which is supported in Jeremiah 23, where one reads inter alia "Behold the day is coming, said the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the Earth". ²⁸ "In his day Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely". ²⁹ "And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase." ³⁰ The Biblical prophecy in Revelations 5 and Jeremiah 23 was believed, as indicated above, to have been fulfilled in the coronation of Haile Selassie I as King of Kings, Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He is seen as the prophesied appearance of Christ as King in this time through the lineage of David.

We read inter alia in Revelations 5: "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither look thereon...... And one of the elders saith unto me weep not: Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof".³¹

Specific Biblical references in Isaiah and Ezekiel have been shown earlier, according to Rastafari Theology, to refer to King Haile Selassie I; and by extension, to the children of Rastafari in diaspora, who are seen as that "righteous Branch" of David, that "remnant of God's flock", the modern-day Nazarites or Nazarenes of "the children of the Kingdom of God".³² Before moving on, it would be good for the reader, especially those of us souls in temples of flesh commonly referred to as "Black Folks" or "Negroes", to realize that whereas the Tibetans accept their Dalai Llama as the God-King and many of us respect this, as we should, we may be the first without any investigation, to reject the consciousness and beliefs of Rastafari. ³³

Before delving further into the Religion and Theology of Rastafari, it would be remiss of me not to mention two things, one is - the pre-eminence of the Bible in the life of a Rastafarian; the Bible to the Rastafarian is a Sacred Book written primarily about Black People.³⁴ The other is that the religious beliefs and views of Rastafari are certainly not racist, although there are some misinformed people who may be of that view. Undeniably, Rastafari's Religion and Theology propounds and engenders great racial consciousness and self-dignity. This is a natural, necessary response to the rank racism that is the order of the day in Western societies. Fortunately, the perverse reverse racism is not meted out by Rastafarians to white people to counteract white racism. On the contrary, like their prophet Garvey, they preach One God, One Aim, One Destiny; their racial self-consciousness merely stands firm in the face of white racism and flatly negates it.³⁵

Rastafari's Theology can be said to go beyond racial boundaries because it teaches of the inherent dignity of all Men, that is, the doctrine of the living-Christ or divinity in Man. To Rastafari, Christ is alive, incarnate within Man; and your soul, mind and body must become one with Christ. They emphasize that the physical body is the temple of God and de-emphasize the large concrete structures emphasized by other Christian religions. Besides preaching love, which is the key theme of Jesus, they preach that Jesus Christ destroyed death and not the other way around; also Rastafari, as the followers of the living Christ must in this time "perpetuate this victory over death..... and by so doing .....verify the existence of Christ's life within" them.³⁶

The esoteric teaching about the divinity in Man is as ancient as time. Within the framework of Christianity and the Holy Bible, "The Brotherhood", "The Ancient Order of the Divine Brotherhood", "The Order of Melchizedek" and since the coming of Jesus Christ, "The Secret Order of The Christian Brotherhood and School of Christian Initiation" have all taught and in the case of the latter Order, still teaches the reality of the Divinity or Christ within Man. This Christ or Divinity-within must be realized here on Earth and not, as Rastafari would say: as a 'duppy in the sky'. The teachings of Rastafari are therefore in keeping with the highest esoteric teachings of the Massu³⁷ Jesus the Christ, as well as the Ancient Prophets, High Priests and Elders.

Incidentally, a key concept of Rastafari, to wit, the "I-n-I" concept refers to the indwelling divinity or Eternal "I" Spirit of "Jah Rastafari" that dwells in the hearts of all men. This Eternal "I" within Man is the uniting "I-n-I" spirit of Rastafari, in Christian parlance, the Christ in Man, the True Self, the son or daughter of God.³⁸

Although Rastafari teaches the divinity of Man coupled with Man's direct link to God: Man being made in the image and likeness of God, Rastafari acknowledges the Absolute Supremacy and Primacy of God; Man being His humble creation and subordinate. Rastafari justifies Man's life and existence only in terms of God and justifies Man's existence only if he serves God. "For the whole purpose of Man is to serve God.(Daniel)".³⁹

The main name and appellation of God used by Rastafarians is "JAH RASTAFARI" or simply "JAH". "JAH" is possibly derived from the Hebrew 'Yahweh'. The name "Jah" is used in certain Bibles, and is similar to words like Eli-jah or Hallelu-jah.⁴⁰ As indicated above, the word "Rastafari", is derived from Haile Selassie I's appellation before his coronation as Emperor. In Amharic the word "RAS" means Prince, Head or Self, and the word "Tafari" reflects His Imperial Majesty's proper name prior to coronation. Hence, to a Rastafarian "Jah Rastafari" is God, the Creator, the One who brought the World into existence and maintains it. They believe that "Jah dwells everywhere and has existed from the beginning of time; He knows Man's innermost thoughts and can accomplish all things." To them "the spirit of the King lives within all things."⁴¹ Obviously to the Rastafarian, the impersonal all-pervading God is personalized in the persona of King Haile Selassie I. The strict Rastafarian devotee teaches that those who recognize Haile Selassie I as king will receive a kingly reward and those who recognize him as God will receive a godly reward.⁴²

It must always be remembered that the God of Rastafari is first and foremost a God of life. To them, death certainly does not come from God, but comes from Man's evil ways. Rastafari teaches that Man was created to conquer death, which comes to Man as 'the wages of sin'. To conquer death you must live a life full of hope and faith in the God within yourself.⁴³

It can be said that the doctrine of Rastafari evolved from the crucible of oppressed African Souls in diaspora, who, grovelling in material poverty, realized the Eternal Truth of the divinity and peace within Man. As the Rastafarian would say: "Jah dwells within I-n-I". The Movement of Rastafari did not only quest to 'resurrect' for themselves the fullness of their own humanity, but sought to achieve this for all oppressed Black people. In discovering the depth, length and breadth of their own humanity they realized their divinity and by extension the divinity of all of human beings. To Rastafari, to be completely human one must also be divine; and for God to be completely Divine, which He is, He must also be within Man.⁴⁴

With the foregoing in mind, Rastafari had to deal with what most would have thought was a telling blow to the root of the Movement, that is, the passing away of Haile Selassie I from the Physical Realm. However, Rastafari responded with typical intuitive insight to the dethronement and death of King Haile Selassie I, who was undoubtedly, "one of the most revered monarchs in history."⁴⁵ Hence to Rastafari, the King of Kings was above politics; political events in Ethiopia didn't affect their belief "in the divinity and invincibility of the King".⁴⁶ Further, the concept of "death does not figure in Rastafarian theology, so the death of the King would only be a transformation from the temporal body." ⁴⁷

Ras "D" in response to a question from Professor Leonard Barrett said inter alia: "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 up of himself."⁴⁸ To Rastafari, "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..... (o)ne needs only to call his name and enter into his spiritual vibrations to feel his power."⁴⁹

In the words of a Rastafarian from Portland Cottage in Clarendon, Jamaica : "I accept Selassie as I personal father, I personal teacher, I personal master. Jah, the most high, who is King Alpha and Omega, first and forever, beginning without last. Selassie-I liveth in the hearts of I-n-I I-dren, as creator of Zion and earth and all things and all people ..."⁵⁰

In October 1975 within five weeks of the reported death Haile Selassie I, there was a massive extravaganza of sound at the Jamaican National Stadium where thousands of people not only heard 'one of the seven wonders of the world,' Stevie Wonder, but also heard the legendary Prince of Reggae, Robert Nestor "Bob" Marley O.M sing: "Jah live, children, yeah!" The song like an anthem of the people was felt and understood by all present.⁵¹

The fact that the death and burial of King Haile Selassie I was covered in secrecy with "no details of where the burial took place" is also alluded to by Rastafari.⁵² As Professor Barrett correctly points out on pages 215-216 of his book - The Rastafarians - throughout history - "the death of founders does not severely affect religious movements; it often deepens the faith of the followers.." and further he posits that the King concept "played... a unifying function in the development of the movement, a collective self-discovery device..... The real force of the movement is the concept of Ethiopianism, Haile Selassie being only part of the Godhead." Nevertheless, in the hearts and minds of Rastafari "Jah-Jah Live".⁵³ And in the words of a Rastafarian- "Jah liveth within all who have life upon the face of this earth.........Jah in the white- Jah in the black- Jah in the red. In any colour you want to name, Jah in him." In the theology of Rastafari, "Jah Rastafari" lives within the hearts of all human beings.⁵⁴

The followers of Rastafari are naturalists who feel a tremendous affinity not only to Jah Rastafari, but also to Mother Earth, the Realm of our present existence. The Earth and nature are seen as a unit and both are identified with God.⁵⁵ The key to understanding Rastafari is being "natural".⁵⁶ They are down-to-earth people. That is why they do not preach about "duppies in the Sky" but of a living God here on Earth. Likewise, Rastafari's view is that eventually heaven must be realized on Earth and requires that Man's morals and life-style be in accord with Natural law. Their natural living is reflected in the way they grow their hair, the way they relate to the land, the way they eat and use herbs, the way they communicate, work, write songs and make music.

The growing of one's hair and beard is simply an expression of naturalness. Certainly, as Rastafari would say: 'Jah, the Creator made no mistake when Jah Rastafari created I-n-I and bestowed upon I-n-I hair as Jah Rastafari knew to be necessary'. It is noteworthy that from ancient times, it was normal for people to speak of 'the long-haired spiritualist'; it is said that when people become truly spiritual and immersed in God they have an innate desire not to act unnaturally by cutting their hair.

Rastafari, moving away from the traditional 'vanity of vanities' life-style grow their hair naturally into locks. They do not cut, comb and style their hair like most people do (which is seen as mere vanity), but wash it with an assortment of herbal plants; this they do to demonstrate their commitment to naturalness and the righteous path of Rastafari. They see this commitment to growing locks as a covenant with God similar to the covenant between the Ancient Hebrews, known as the Nazarites and later the Nazarenes and their God, Jahovah; incidentally, the Nazarites, the Nazarenes and later still "the Essenes" represented the elect of God, the spiritual 'eye' or 'nucleus' of the ancient Hebrews.

In that the Rastafarians see themselves as the Nazarites of today they try to conform to the Nazarite vow set out in the holy Bible. Numbers 6:5 reads: "All the days of the vow of his seperation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in which he seperateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy; and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow." Amongst the Hebrews the ancient Nazarites were set apart by their exemplary pure living. They did not cut their locks, drink alcohol or deal with the dead. Locks are said by Rastafarians to serve as antennae to receive inspiration from God, Jah Rastafari. This reasoning incidentally is by no means far-fetched but is substantiated by authoritative writings relating to Esoteric Truth.⁵⁷

Traditionally, locks symbolize "wisdom" and "authority". This is well reflected in the "wigs of locks" that Judges and lawyers wear. Other people expected to exhibit wisdom and authority, like a Speaker of the House, on occasion proudly wears his or her "wig of locks". One would think that "real locks" would get, at least, as much acceptability and respect as the "false locks". Finally, the "locks" of Rastafari symbolize "the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah," Haile Selassie I, who is said by some to have been a "Natty" as a youth. ⁵⁸

The above reasoning in no way denies that there are many 'dreadlocks' who are not genuine Rastafarians or Locksmen;⁵⁹ some merely grow locks as a style to attract attention to themselves or as a matter of youthful defiance; others are mere criminals under the guise of Rastafari: 'wolves in sheep's clothing'. Some Rastafarians would say those criminal elements are 'rascals' not Rastas.

In that Rastafari is of the view, in harmony with scriptural text that "the Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof", this has influenced their attitude to the land and the use they make of it. Some of them have the view that no one should claim absolute ownership of land; the scriptural text above mentioned has been used by some Rastafarians to assert their rights as squatters to the tiny pieces of God's land that they see as necessary for their survival.⁶⁰

Today, Rastafarians are to be found in all professions, trades and business ventures, but I think it fair to say that many are farmers; and even those that are not farmers have a great affinity to the land. The general view of Rastafari is that presently Mother Earth is in travail due to the abuse and total ignorance exhibited by 'Chemical-Western' man. Western man is said to have created an imbalance and is seen to have spread pollution throughout God's Earth. Rastafari is firmly of the view however, that balance and harmony: "Dhamballa" will be restored to God's Earth shortly.

In that the physical body is seen as the temple of the living God,⁶¹ that which feeds the temple is of great importance to the Rastafarian. Hence, they use the land to cultivate sustenance for the holy temple. Throughout the Caribbean they therefore produce fruits, vegetables and provisions that are indigenous to their island. These include oranges,⁶² grapefruits, limes, papayas, coconuts, sugar apples, pineapples, mangoes, sour sops, bananas,⁶³ plantains, avocado pears, bread-fruits, water-melons, ginger, pumpkins, yams and other ground provisions. Obviously, some land is usually used to produce good quality cannabis, 'the holy herb' or 'incense' for the body-temple.⁶⁴ This practice, as indicated above and which will be discussed below, has caused a great deal of conflict with the authorities.

Rastafarians' fidelity to nature and Mother Earth is reflected in the food they eat, which they call "Ital" food. "Ital" food, basically means - clean, vital, organic food, grown without chemical fertilizers.⁶⁵ Many strict Rastafarians in keeping with the idea of eating clean, pure food abstain from blood foods and are vegetarians. In Genesis 1:29 we read - "And God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat (food). Some Rastafarians eat fish however as you also find that quite a few of them are fishermen. It is interesting to note that in an authoritative book entitled "the Essene Gospel of Christ" vegetarianism is encouraged, but the eating of fish and birds in season is acceptable. Some Rastafarians have a strong aversion to pork and to meats generally, referred to as "deaders". The non-eating of meat is also related to the principle of non-violence, as meat eating involves violence and the shedding of blood.⁶⁶

The preparation of "Ital food" is an art in itself; basically, it is the art of cooking tastily but simply without salt. This art is shared by both the brothers and sisters of Rastafari. They use a great deal of other herbs and spices in cooking their food. They also grate coconut quite often to make coconut milk to flavour their "Ital dishes" such as rice and peas. As most Caribbean people would know the coconut milk gives certain dishes a delightful flavour.

Moving on we will now deal with the burning question of the growing and use of the herb, "cannabis sativa" by Rastafarians; no presentation dealing with Rastafari would be complete without some short, yet serious insight into their perspective on the herb.

It is noteworthy that Rastafari's view and understanding as regards the growing and use of cannabis sativa does not represent the current accepted view of the authorities in the Commonwealth Caribbean. As proof of this statement, it is presently a criminal offence throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean to grow or use cannabis sativa, also called 'marijuana' or 'ganja'.⁶⁷

It is interesting however that in recent times, Rastafari's view and understanding on the matter has received support and substantiation by many authorities including those with a medical and scientific background.

Rastafari's view on the matter can be said to be as follows: Despite the categorization of the herb - "hemp" or "cannabis sativa" as a drug, to Rastafari, it is not a drug. The hemp plant, cannabis sativa has a recorded use of thousands of years and the hemp plant is entwined with the history of the world. Some believe that it originated somewhere to the north of the Himalayan mountains, some say it originated in Asia, others Africa.

Rastafari points to history to support their use of cannabis (hemp). "The earliest known woven fabric was apparently of hemp, which began to be worked in the eighth millennium (8,000-7,000 B.C.)".⁶⁸ There is also recorded reference to the cultivation and use of hemp in China as far back as 3000 B.C. Also as far back as the fifth century its use as a euphoriant is recorded by the Greek historian Herodotus. He wrote that the ancient Thracians and Scythians, used hemp (cannabis) for clothing and also inhaled the vapors of the burning seeds.⁶⁹

The Thracians and Scythians were not the only recorded users. The sacred writings of India to wit, the Atharva-Veda mentions the plant as "bhanga" and the Zend-Avesta, written centuries before Christ also mentions it along with its euphorigenic properties. The fourth book of the Vedas called hemp "vigahia": the source of happiness. The Iranian tribes from time immemorial are said to have used it and so too do many of the holy men of India to this day; some Yogis and other contemplatives either eat or smoke it "to quiet the distractions of the world and to put their thoughts into an egoless trance."⁷⁰

By 500 A.D. the plant had spread all over Europe. However, it is said that hemp (cannabis sativa or marijuana) was known in the New World before the arrival of the Europeans. It was known to be used by the Aztecs and other indigenous people of the New World in religious rites. After the Europeans' arrival in the New World and their introduction of forced labour and slavery, the East Indian workers and African slaves were known to have used cannabis.

In more recent history many of the great thinkers and philosophers of Western civilization, such as, John Stuart Mill, Alexander Dumas, Fitzhugh Ludlow, Walter de la Mare, Aldous Huxley and William James are said to have used the herb. So too, it has been written about by many ancient and modern writers, such as: Pliny, Lucilius, Celsus, Cato, Columella and Titus Livius to name a few ancient ones, and Allen Ginsberg, G.Jung, Lewis Carroll, Alan Watts, and Herman Hesse, to name a few modern ones.⁷¹ It is also recorded that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, both Presidents of the United States of America, grew cannabis on their plantations.⁷²

Rastafari also points to the plant's economic and medicinal value throughout history. In February, 1938 an influential journal "Popular Mechanics" published an article about cannabis entitled the "Billion-Dollar Crop." Due to the fact that in those days the hemp plant was used to make paper, rope, ships' sails, canvas, fabric for clothing, oil for lamps, feed for animals amongst other things, many thought that "hemp" was to become the billion dollar crop to move America forward after the Great Depression. However, due to the fact that the best hemp is grown in the Equatorial regions of the world (where coloured people live) and the hemp trade at the time was controlled in America by Mexicans and Blacks, hemp (cannabis) was taxed in 1937. Immediately after legislation taxing cannabis was enacted, the production and sale of tobacco and liquor increased rapidly as vested interests worked overtime to gradually outlaw cannabis in America; nothing would now stand in the way of the tobacco and liquor sales.⁷³

Despite the fact that since 1937 cannabis has been gradually outlawed, the medicinal value of cannabis is now almost common knowledge. Obviously, from around 1937 the use of cannabis as a medicine has been restricted. Recently however, there has been a new upsurge of research and interest in the use of the herb.⁷⁴ Cannabis (hemp) is said to be useful in dealing with - asthma, glaucoma, tumours, nausea (e.g., aids cancer therapy, sea sickness), epilepsy, back pain and muscle spasms, migraine/headache/neuralgia, arthritis, herpes, cystic fibrosis and rheumatism, lung congestion (cleanser and expectorant), stress (by aiding sleep and relaxation), lack of appetite (appetite stimulant), and depression.⁷⁵

It is also touted as an antibiotic/ antibacterial, disinfectant, oxytocic, an aid to psychotherapy, as well as an agent to ease withdrawal from alcohol and opiates.⁷⁶ Some Rastafari would say: a great deal more could be said as regards the potential positive uses of cannabis, especially as a healing agent; however, enough has been said to show the other side of the story.⁷⁷

With the foregoing in mind, Rastafarians generally grow, and use cannabis in many ways. As indicated above, they use it as a religious ritual or sacrament, for healing, socializing, reasoning⁷⁸ and "grounation"; the word "(g)rounation" means the affirmation of life through the earth."⁷⁹

Their use of it as a religious ritual or sacrament has attracted much scholarly and legal discussion and debate as throughout history it has been so used by cultures throughout the world. In support of their general use of the plant they cite the above-mentioned Genesis 1:29, as well as Genesis 1:12, which reads: "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." They also cite Genesis 3:18-"thou shalt eat the herb of the field" and Exodus 10:12-which exhorts you to "eat the herb of the land" and Proverbs 15:17 where we are reminded that- "better is a dinner of herb where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith". Psalm 104:14 is often cited to show that God in His Wisdom created herb to serve Man. we read: "He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of Man."

As regards Rastafarians' use of the cannabis herb for healing, they cite Revelations 22:2- "the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." They also point to the medicinal history of the plant, coupled with up-to-date scientific research and findings as regards the healing properties and medicinal value of the plant.

In light of the foregoing, Rastafarians' see no need to defend their use of the herb socially and during grounation.⁸⁰ They posit that the effects of cannabis have been found over centuries to be mainly anti-crime unless some other drug is taken along with cannabis (usually alcohol, crack or cocaine).⁸¹ They also point to the fact that there is no recorded death in history caused by cannabis; this they point out cannot be said about alcohol, tobacco, L.S.D, heroin and the dreaded cocaine and crack, all of which have literally claimed millions of lives.

Some of the elders of Rastafari and other knowledgeable Caribbean people are even of the view that America's Drug - (War on Drugs) - policy in the Caribbean was intentionally organized to replace cannabis with cocaine and crack. Cocaine and crack are both deadly and seriously addictive; cannabis isn't. Cannabis for years has earned foreign exchange in the Caribbean and would be said by many to have assisted in giving insight and wisdom to the masses; cocaine on the other hand takes money from the Caribbean and destroys the minds and lives of our youth and corrupts whole societies by the 'blood money' it generates.⁸²

Despite the foregoing reasoning and the fact that some Rastafarians may be of the view that cannabis cannot be abused, it is submitted that like most things it can be;⁸³ especially by those who are undernourished and smoke all day long for years. And although for thousands of years cannabis has been used and does seem to cause users to introspect and gain a closer akinship to their God, the leaves, as distinct from the flowering tops or buds, contain a fair amount of tar, which obviously is not the best thing for the lungs.⁸⁴ The best thing for the lungs, and by extension the body, is Jah's clean fresh air, which has all the oxygen, cosmic energy and Christ spirit substance necessary for enduring survival, illumination and unity with God. Hence, the advice is: if you have not smoked cannabis, do not start; and if you do, you should think of stopping. Breathing exercise and meditation is a purer and more healthy way for introspection and communion with God. Incidentally, it should be pointed out that not all Rastafarians or Locksmen smoke or use cannabis, although I think it fair to say that the majority do.

Before dealing with the legacy of Rastafari to the Caribbean and by extension the world it should be noted that Rastafarians, in keeping with the spirit of love give great priority and respect to the family. They may not all get married in the orthodox Churches or under the law, although some do, but they are very family conscious and take pride in raising their children in the ways of Rastafari. Usually joined by common law marriage Rastafarians generally live prayerful, simple lives without great emphasis on material wealth.

The female members of Rastafari are generally referred to as "daughters" or "sisters". This is in keeping with the feeling of affection, respect and protectiveness felt by the male members towards their female counterparts. The sisters of Rastafari are supposed to present themselves as "positive female role models to the community."⁸⁵

The sisters are usually involved in bearing and rearing the children of the family. And although they are experts at preparing ital food and looking after the family, it is not uncommon for the brothers to do those chores while the sisters spend some value time with the children or in other pursuits, such as developing their own talents and abilities. Nowadays Rastafarian sisters also pursue a variety of careers. With the new world-wide movement towards natural foods and ways of living, some Rastafarians, male and female, are in the forefront in developing business enterprises in their respective countries to provide local, herbal teas, remedies, tasty alternative foods, cereals and nutritious snacks.⁸⁶

The Rastafarian family tends to conform to Deuteronomy 22:5 as regards their mode of dress. We read: "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are an abomination unto the Lord Thy God." Sisters usually wear their dresses from mid calf to the ankles; and form-fitting apparel is not condoned. The sisters and daughters of Rastafari tend to move with a certain serenity and dignity.⁸⁷

As naturalist, the brothers of Rastafari discourage the sisters of the movement from using birth control devices. In the words of Ras Hu-I: "A woman start to hate the seed of a man by killing them.........woman becomes the sexpool of corruption and man become the sexamaniac. That's what a society of intellectuals produces. Them na can't produce more than corruption."⁸⁸ Obviously, Rastafari is strongly against abortion and if a daughter gets pregnant outside of a legal marriage or common law marriage, the Rasta community usually tries to assist the sister to prevent her "dependence upon Babylon........in time of need."⁸⁹ The Rastafarian lifestyle can be said to reflect a strong moral emphasis and communal spirit.

From the hearts, souls and minds of Rastafarians have flowed the fresh, pure lyrics and music of Rastafari. Their word-sound (lyrics) and music (instrumentation and harmony) have conscioutized the people of Jamaica, the Caribbean and the World. Their God-centered way of thinking: their love for Jah, humanity and Mother Earth is clearly reflected in their songs; so too, is their love for truth, as regards history, religion, social norms and politics. Their social and political commentary in song, coupled with prophecy and guidance for living, have greatly influenced the cultural development of Caribbean people over the past twenty to thirty years.⁹⁰

Caribbean people love their Reggae music; not that they do not love their Calypso, Soka, Cadence, Zouk, Bouyon or whatever other music that is played and enjoyed in the Caribbean, but they love their Reggae music with a passion.⁹¹ Some would say it represents the modern-day, musical heart-beat of the Caribbean; the sound of the rhythmic march forward of Caribbean people.

Jamaican Reggae has swept the Caribbean and the world with its simplicity, purity of lyrics and magical sound.⁹² Reggae music can boast of hundreds of top-class, world-renowned artists. The following names represent but a few outstanding "singers of songs and players of Instruments": Robert Nestor (Bob) Marley O.M., Peter Tosh, Bunny Livingstone Wailer (all members of the original Bob Marley and the Wailers), Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, John Holt, Ziggy Marley, Joe Higgs, Pablo Moses, Max Romeo, Freddie Mcgregor, Gregory Isaacs, Ken Booth, Eric Donaldson, Maxi Priest, Nasio Fountaine, Lucky Dube, Big Youth, U-Roy, I-Roy, Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths, Judy Mowatt, Sandra Jones, Carlene Davis, J.C. Lodge, and groups such as, Black Uhuru, Frederick "Toots" Hibbert and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Culture, Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus, The Mighty Diamonds, The Third World Band, Steel Pulse and Aswad to name just a few that come to mind. Obviously, Reggae music has evolved over the years in Jamaica, the Caribbean, Africa and other parts of the world and has not been an overnight phenomena.⁹³

Moving on from the musical contribution of the Rastafarian "Psalmists", it would be folly to think that their artistic and cultural talent ends there. In Jamaica, the rest of the Caribbean and the world, Rastafarians have made outstanding contributions in art, literature, and sports. Some of the best artists, painters and sculptors are Rastafarians; their art is filled with religious inspiration, vibrancy and beauty.⁹⁴

In keeping with their religious, God-centered way of thinking, their natural way of living has influenced the Caribbean masses to have a greater self-respect and godliness even in their material poverty. Their closeness to nature and simplicity of life coupled with their exhortation "to eat natural, get off the chemical" has been translated into island-wide Governmental campaigns and slogans of "buy local" and "eat what you grow".⁹⁵ Regional governmental meetings have been held to discuss and develop these ideas in real terms. We need to eat what we grow and obviously, the other side of the coin is, we need to grow what we eat.

Over the last thirty years there has generally been a trend throughout most of the Caribbean islands to move away from the land. Rastafari's philosophy and natural "back to the land" lifestyle tended to counteract this. Some attributed this trend 'to move away from the land' to more job and training opportunities coupled with what some saw as the 'stigma attached to working the land': like you had not progressed from slavery, so to speak. Others saw this trend as a mere sign of 'development'. Whatever was the major reason for this trend, Rastafari helped to counteract it and de-stigmatized the land; there is certainly a new respect and understanding of the need to plant and grow something and to identify with and relate to the land. This contribution should not be underestimated because a complete movement away from the land could have spelt disaster to many agro-based economies of the Caribbean.

Although a great deal more could be said about the positive contributions of Rastafari, suffice it to say that Rastafari has given the masses of the Caribbean and by extension all Africans in diaspora (wherever they are in the world), an incisive look into Black History, a greater self-dignity and confidence, as well as, a healthy respect for a simple, natural, God-fearing life-style, Caribbean style.

Some will say that the above is a glorified view of Rastafari; but the truth is, what has been written is the essence of Rastafari; it is the heart and soul of Rastafari: the spiritual essence, which should be known. On the crude, material level there are many people with locks or 'rough tops' that may not adhere to the essence of Rastafari; it takes great self-discipline to do so. Many are now involved in the cocaine trade destroying their own people. Some have made a name for themselves in America as modern-day gangsters and hitmen. This is unfortunate, but true. But it must also be realized that many men, well-dressed in 'jacket and tie', who do not have locks, perpetuate the some nefarious crimes. All are products of the same society.

Relating his mind to certain criminal activity in America, a Jamaican Rastafarian in New York, who is quoted by Professor Leonard E. Barrett in his book "The Rastafarians" - posits that some of those bad elements who pass off as Rastafarians are merely "sent to the United States in 'mothball' by party officials to hide away until the time when election should come." "Political refugees" he calls them. As Professor Barrett rightly points out "(i)n every religion there are many counterfeits."⁹⁶ And in the words of the said Rastafarian: "(a) true Rastafarian does not condone violence, robbery, murder, rape, stealing, and things like that."

Although a whole book could be dedicated to the study of Rastafari, I think it best to end off with ten Biblical directives that Rastafarians tend to identify with, if not adhere to:⁹⁷

1. He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall surely be put to death.⁹⁸

2. And He that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.⁹⁹

3. If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, ........... he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the Judges determine.¹⁰⁰

4. And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.¹⁰¹

5. And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beast of the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.¹⁰²

6. And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.¹⁰³

7. Whatsoever that goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth on all fours, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.¹⁰⁴

8. For I am your Lord your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.¹⁰⁵

9. Ye shall not eat anything with blood; neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.¹⁰⁶

10. You shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.¹⁰⁷

In closing, it is interesting to note that the author was present at a lecture and film presentation in the basement of the Seminary at Mount Saint Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago by the Jesuit priest Joseph Owens, the author of the book: "Dread-The Rastafarians of Jamaica." At that candid, intriguing lecture he said inter alia that in all his travels throughout the world, Rastafarians represent the group of people whose lifestyle is most similar to that of the Ancient Nazarene, Jesus the Christ/Yashua and his followers. With that having been said I commend the above to all who genuinely wish to understand Rastafari better.¹⁰⁸

• The Commonwealth Caribbean is comprised of English-speaking Caribbean countries that were former British possessions, such as Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas, Belize, the Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados, which are presently independent countries. The term Commonwealth Caribbean also includes Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, which are not independent countries. These countries have over the years established by Treaty the Caribbean Community with a Caribbean Community Secretariat. There is also an Agreement, which was attached as an annex to the Treaty, that established the Caribbean Common Market. The Treaty and Agreement have both been amended by a series of Protocols. The acronym for the Caribbean Community and Common Market is CARICOM. Recently, a CARICOM 'brainchild' called the Association of Caribbean States was formed, which includes countries, such as Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia. Although the Commonwealth Caribbean is comprised of English-speaking countries, many languages are spoken in the Caribbean, such as Spanish in Cuba, French in Guadeloupe and Martinique, and Dutch in St. Maarten (St. Martin) and Curacao. Kweyol is also spoken in some countries such as St. Lucia and the nature island of the Caribbean: the Commonwealth of Dominica. Kweyol is a French-based language with African syntax.