The Rastafari movement has its roots in Jamaica, arising out of poor and socially disadvantaged communities in the 1930s. However, Rastafarians also identify strongly with Africa as their ancestral homeland and the wellspring of their spirituality and way of life. So while the Rasta culture was born in Jamaica, its origins and influences span both Jamaica and Africa.
The Birth of the Rasta Movement in Jamaica
The Rastafari movement emerged in the 1930s among poor, disenfranchised communities of Jamaica who faced social oppression under British colonial rule. At the time, many black Jamaicans found inspiration in the coronation of Ras Tafari Makonnen as Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia in 1930. Selassie’s coronation represented growing black empowerment and African independence from colonialism.
In the difficult social climate of 1930s Jamaica, the newly crowned African king and his Biblically attributed titles “King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah” took on mystical meaning. A prophecy in the book of Revelation declared that a conquering lion king would deliver the oppressed people. For people of African descent in Jamaica, Emperor Haile Selassie represented that prophesied leader who would deliver black people to freedom and prosperity.
Out of this setting, the Rastafari movement was born, led by charismatic figures like Leonard Howell, Joseph Hibbert, Archibald Dunkley and Robert Hinds. They preached about Emperor Haile Selassie, social justice, black empowerment, freedom from colonial oppression, and a return to Africa – the homeland where black people could build their own autonomous communities.
Core Beliefs and Practices of Early Rastas
Some of the core beliefs and practices that defined the early Rastafari in Jamaica included:
- Belief in Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia as the messiah, incarnation of God, and black liberator prophesied in the Bible
- Rejection of British colonial society and values of white supremacy
- Pride in Africa as the black homeland and Ethiopia in particular as a black kingdom
- “I-tal” food practices of natural, unprocessed vegan cuisine
- Wearing hair in dreadlocks
- Use of ritual practices like drumming circles, chanting and marijuana smoking to induce spiritual states
- Developing their own forms of music, language and culture
These foundational practices defined the growing Rastafari community in Jamaica and still shape Rasta culture today. While Rasta has evolved and diversified over many decades, its identity remains rooted in these practices born out of the Jamaican context of the 1930s.
The Influence of Africa on Rastafari Identity
While Rastafari culture originated among poor black Jamaicans, Africa has heavily shaped Rastafarian identity and beliefs from the beginning.
Ethiopian Royalty as Central Figures
The main Rastafari spiritual figures are Ethiopian royalty. Emperor Haile Selassie I and his dynasty, known as the Solomonic dynasty, hold deep religious meaning for Rastas. Emperor Selassie is revered as the messianic Second Coming. His dynasty is considered the royal line of King Solomon and Queen Sheba, bestowing divine attributes.
Back to Africa Movement
Many early Rastas aimed to leave colonial Jamaican society and return to Africa, their homeland. Pioneer Rastas like Leonard Howell, Joseph Hibbert, and Archibald Dunkley preached a “back to Africa” message. This helped spur a broader Back to Africa movement among Jamaicans who sought repatriation to the African motherland.
This Back to Africa ideology remains strong among Rastafarians today. While few ultimately returned to Africa, the homeland continues to hold deep spiritual and symbolic importance as a source of identity.
Use of Amharic Language and Symbols
Rastafarians brought some elements of Amharic – the Ethiopian language – into their culture.
The name ‘Rastafari’ itself derives from Haile Selassie’s pre-coronation name Ras (meaning ‘head’) Tafari. Rastas use ‘Jah’ or ‘Haille Selassie’ in speech, forms of address in Amharic for God and the emperor. Amharic phrases also found their way into the Rasta vocabulary.
The Rasta use of red, gold and green likewise mirrors the Ethiopian flag, representing the connection with African heritage.
Spirituality Linked to Africa
Rastafari spirituality emphasizes reconnecting with Africa’s natural ways. Early Rastas rejected Western society to live communally, grow their own food, and return to African traditions. Rasta’s “I-tal” food practices seek to recapture African diets before slavery.
This spirituality remains tied to the idea of Africa as a model. For Rastas, Ethiopia represents Eden, the promised land and Zion, where black people can fully express African culture free from Babylon’s constraints.
Migration and Global Spread of Rasta Culture
After its birth in Jamaica, Rastafari spread globally through migration, helping cement its Pan-African identity.
Rastas Migrate to Ethiopia
In the 1960s and 70s, some Rastas managed to settle in Ethiopia – “the Promised Land” of their faith. This fulfilled early Rastas’ back to Africa vision. Rastas lived in communities like Shashamane, reconnecting with African practices and land.
However, Ethiopian society did not widely accept Rastas’ unusual ways. Nonetheless, migration to Ethiopia reinforced Rasta identity with African roots.
Spread to Britain
In the 1950s-60s, Jamaican Rastas also migrated to Britain in large numbers for work. They brought Rastafari culture with them to poor black communities in England’s cities. Rasta gained more followers among disaffected black British youth who sympathized with its messages of black empowerment, social justice and African heritage.
Adoption in the Caribbean and Worldwide
Rasta concepts of black pride, freedom from colonialism and African redemption also took hold across the Caribbean, including Dominica, Grenada and Trinidad. The movement spread globally with African diaspora populations in North America, New Zealand and beyond.
The wide international spread helped solidify Rastafari’s identity as a Pan-African or Afrocentric philosophy – despite its Jamaican roots.
The Role of Reggae Music
Another key force that helped transform Rastafari from a localized Jamaican movement into an international black identity was reggae music.
Early Reggae and Rasta Themes
Reggae music emerged from the Rastafari communities and religious rituals of Jamaica in the 1960s-70s. Pioneering musicians like Bob Marley brought Rasta theology and African protest themes to a global audience through catchy reggae beats. Lyrics promoted Rasta spiritual concepts, black empowerment, Ethiopian divinity, social justice and repatriation.
Global Popularity of Reggae
Reggae music grew immensely popular worldwide thanks to artists like Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear. Their Rasta-influenced songs resonated with oppressed black communities globally. Reggae brought Rasta symbols, like dreadlocks and Ethiopian colors, into worldwide consciousness.
As a result, reggae helped cement the Rasta movement as a recognized Afrocentric identity beyond Jamaica’s borders.
Africa as Enduring Influence and Identity
While starting in Jamaica, Rasta identity has been shaped from the outset by influences from the African homeland.
Rastas revered Ethiopian emperor Selassie and upheld “Back to Africa” beliefs from the start, establishing the importance of African heritage.
Reggae music with African redemption themes projected Rasta identity globally. Migration patterns spread Rasta culture internationally, reinforcing its Pan-African foundation.
So although emerging in Jamaica, Rastafari gained an enduring dual identity – equally Jamaican yet strongly African at its core.
Comparison of Rasta Identity in Jamaica vs. Internationally
| Rasta Identity in Jamaica | Rasta Identity Internationally |
|---|---|
| Born out of oppression of black Jamaicans under British colonial rule in 1930s | Spread through migration to UK, Africa, Caribbean, Americas from 1950s onward |
| Strong influence of Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie as divine savior figure | Global promotion of Selassie and African symbols via reggae music |
| Original core beliefs like Back to Africa formed in Jamaica context | Attraction beyond Jamaica as symbol of black empowerment and African identity |
| Early Rasta communities in rural Jamaica | Urban adoption in UK, US; less communal lifestyle |
| Focus on leaving Jamaica to settle in Africa | More symbolic affiliation with Africa rather than migration |
This table summarizes some key differences between how Rastafari identity formed in Jamaica compared to internationally:
- Rastafari developed in Jamaica out of a specific social context, while later spreading worldwide based more on its symbolic African identity.
- International Rastas embraced symbols like Selassie, dreadlocks and Ethiopian iconography without the same communal lifestyle or focus on repatriation.
- For foreign black communities, Rasta appealed more as an appealing Pan-African identity rather than a religious mandate to migrate to Africa like early Jamaican Rastas.
So while international Rastas identity remains rooted in Jamaican origins, there are some differences in how that identity manifests outside of Jamaica.
Conclusion
To summarize, while the Rastafari movement began in Jamaica in the 1930s, the culture has been heavily shaped and influenced by its African heritage and identity from the beginning. Core spiritual beliefs revolve around Ethiopia and Emperor Haile Selassie as divine figures. Early Rastas preached a message of returning to Africa, the promised land of black empowerment and community. Reggae music spread Rasta’s African protest themes and symbols worldwide. While specifics of the culture vary between Jamaica and the international Rasta community, the underlying African identity remains a constant.