Rastafarian ways of thinking and livity
Rastafari is a lived religion and the fascination which its causing also to western
white left orientated people cannot only be explained by the exotic and the hypnotising music its more the attitudes of the
Rasta towards the „system“ and the consequent implementation of philosophic basic ideas into alternative life
forms.
On the question what Rasta-identity is Lloyd answered:
"...as I would say: Rastafari Identity is Rastafari, who feels it - knows it, who never know it
- a go feel it, seen"
Oneness
The whole way of life for rastas is orientated
by "oneness". Oneness is an expression of belonging together-feelings between Rastafarians but also an expression of universal
love, the feeling of god in everything and everybody. A lot of Rastas live together. Possess is unknown. In the ideal case
the land which is needed will just be taken.
According to Psalm 24:1: "The earth is
the Lords and all its fullness. The world and those who dwell therein.”
Suspicion, stealing, lying, greed, jealousy,
envy, hatred, betrayal are not right ways of living. In most aspects of life there is equality but not because there are laws
but by the awareness of the all the time presence of god. To put yourself over
another one would mean to despise god as god is in everybody.
Language
Oness can also be seen in the Rasta-dialect,
the so called „I n I“ Language: Instead of using “we” rastas use „I and I“ when they talk
about the community. Ras Historian interpretation is the following:
"“I“ in the normal English language is the first person,
you, he, she, it follow as second or third person. When I and I as Rasta look
at the numbers one comes first. Even 1 as number and I look similar. Therefore I and
I looked at each individual, who is a member of the Rastafarian community always as “I”. In a different way expressed;
everybody is always the first. Because it’s only the whole unity of all which builds the whole I and cause in this way
the perfect state."
According to Forsythe, sociologist und
Rastafarian, there is a difference between the "little I" and the "big I":
"The "little I" or me refers to the
lower self of the human beings; on his body, his identity that part of him which was born and will die. It's this "little
I“ who experiences desires, strives, misery and luck and who carries out actions and fears death. It’s the outside
dress of the "Big I", an instrument through which the "Big I" manifests on a material level”.
"The "Big I" is the eternal or true
self which was never born and will never die. Its gods divine spirit and holiness which is in everybody deep within."
The aim of Rasta members therefore is the
realization of the self and the blend of ”little I" und "Big I". That would be called then "I-nity" or Unity.
For Rastafarians the language is a holy
instrument and not only a simple way of communication. Language goes back to creation, written in the following statement
in the bible:
"On the begin there was the word and the word was with Jah
and Jah was the word”
(Joh.1,1)
In this the Rastafarian sees the proof
that words don’t have only sounds but also power. With the terms: „words, sounds and power“ the spirit,
the language and the heart correspond and get one which leads to the inspiration of thinking and feeling
"Through speaking Rasta renews the universe; striving for
sympathy, humility, love and harmony".
The best development for the language is
the "Reasoning", the discussion form of the Rastafarians. During the nightly smoking inspirations are told and will be discussed
detailed. This is a sacral act comparable to a prayer. The night is also a holy time because the day is ruled by Babylon.
The Reasoning is also of other meaning:
Rastafari is not only to be looked at as a movement without leader but its also living the protestant principle of preaching
to all believers.
Rasta-women
A Rasta-woman is called "sister" or "daughter".
It’s forbidden for women to wear trousers. In the fifth book of Moses 22,5 it’s written:
"A woman
shall not wear anything that pertains to a man, nor shall a man put on woman’s garment, for all who do so are an abomination
to the lord your god."
Homosexuality is strictly disapproved,
as its written in the bible:
The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans, 1. chapter:
"1,26 For this reason
God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 1,27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another. Men with
men committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due."
LEVITICUS, 18. chapter:
"18,22 You shall not lie by a man like by a woman.
It is an abomination."
and
same part, 20. chapter:
"20,13 If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed
an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them"
During the menstruation women are looked at as unclean and kept away from the community.
Also visible in the cursing patois expression “blood clot”.
Food habits
"In order for the head to think right the
body has to be healthy“ rastas say.
Rastafarians don’t drink any alcohol
and refuse „artificial“ food. Rastas don’t eat meat especially not bloody. Strict Rastas don’t even
eat fish, chicken nor eggs. They believe it will turn their stomach into a “cemetery”. “Agridishes" food
that grew in the earth and absolutely fresh natural food is „ital“. Ital is a mix of I and vital = life essential
and natural.
The food should be natural and fresh, without
salt or chemical substances to colour or to preserve. Tin food is anyway “buried food“.
The kitchen tools should be made out of
natural resources, too.
More about what can be eaten and what not you will find in Leviticus, chapter 11
and Deuteronomy 14,3 – 21a.
Rastafarians and the society
Rastas don’t do any salary work,
then "salary work is slavery". They prefer hand craft works, arts, poetry or music.
Within the
Rastafarian there are different groups: the Nyabinghi-order, the Twelve Tribes of Israel, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church,
Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, Bobo Ashanti and others, whose interpretation, about what Rastafari is, is different strict.
They are often persecuted by authorities
because of the use of ganja. The punishments are hard. For the Rastas the persecution is a massive oppression and harassment.
That they express also in their music.
Also with their appearance the Rastas are
sometimes not liked to be seen. They carry Dreadlocks and dress easy. This can cause fear for people who don’t know
anything about it. Often Rasta-children with dreadlocks are not even allowed to go to school.
Rastas don’t attend funerals because they dont’t believe in death.
“Death is like a chemical process: Nothing gets lost, it just changes its form.”
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks are a symbol of devotion. They
are the antennas to god. They are a symbol of dignity and honour and a biblical symbol of the lion mane. Also here the Rastafarian
follow the recommendation of the bible:
Leviticus 21,5: "They shall not make
baldness upon their head [...]".
Also see numbers 6,5: “All the days of his vow of his separation no razor shall go on his head, until the days are fulfilled for which he
separated himself to the Lord, he shall be holy. Then he shall the locks of the hair of his head grow.”
And judges, 13,5: “()…and no razor shall come upon his head for the child shall be a Nazirite to
God from womb..()”
Dreadlocks are strength; see also the story
of Samson and Delilah in the bible.
The longer the locks of a Rastafarian are,
the longer he follows the Rasta-belief of the holy way of life according to the traditions. A Rasta without dreads is a "Baldhead"
– he cannot be taken serious.
Rastas, who had to go for an interview
by the police, got their locks cut there as an act of public discrimination and social control over the movement. Rastas are
very upset about this cruelty, because the dreadlocks are very important for the spirituality. They believe with the dreadlocks
they can think more clearly and recognize danger around them. They believe that they can receive inspiration of Jah with these
antennas. Most of the time when a Rasta is leaving his house he puts on his hat the so called „tam“. These hats
have mostly a red, golden and green colour.
"Red for the blood-shedding of the Suffarahs since the days of slavery! Gold, for the wealth, that has be stolen from the Suffarahs since Salomon’s
temple was built! Green, for the blessed land in Africa, which is expecting the black mans return to home."
Ganja
Ganja or Marihuana, also called "herb"
is Jerusalem’s bread, king’s bread, bread of the
lamb, herb of wisdom, herb Salomon’s.
Ganja, Cannabis sativa, is the holy herb
of the Rastafarians, of which has been spoken in several places in the bible:
"And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields
seeds according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that
it was good.“ (1.Book Moses 1:12)
Ganja plays a major part in the religious
meditation because it leads to deep and clear inspiration about life. It builds up a connection to the soul.
"The ritual of passing the pipe (chalice) is part of Jahs
worshipping; it’s understood as a calling to the universal strength of the Almighty. The smoking of the herb symbolizes
unity, I-nity between those that gather before Jah. It unites those present with the fullness of the divine strength and builds
up a vibrating exchange of meditation between all who share the sacrament.”
(Itations of Jamaica acc. to Loth, 1991)
Sociologist und Rastafarian Dennis Forsythe:
"For the brothers ganja is the mystical body and the blood
of „Jesus“ – the burning sacrifice for god, made out of fire – which let the individual see and recognize
god or the „god-in-human beings“ , the „living-god”. They derive their moral right of usage of the
herbs of their personal experience with the plant and also of the book of Genesis, which allows the usage of all plants that
bring seeds."
Ganja is said to be food for the brain
and an „all-cure-medicine“. It helps by asthma, flue, sick stomach, fever, rheum, eye sickness, thrombosis and
many many more. None of the Rastas look at it as destructive.
Ganja can be smoked, be drunken as tea,
be used in food or be used external. It’s used also to make robes, cosmetic articles and even clothes. Its use produces
psycho-spiritual effects and gets a social-religious function. It’s said to cause visions and deepens all feelings,
to make creative and to bring peace to the soul.
In the 60s the export of ganja to the USA was multi-million-dollar-business every year.
It was well organised and in the hands of little farmers and rastas. Unfortunately the production, the usage and the selling
of ganja are forbidden. But its production is still an important branch of the agriculture.
Reggae-singer Ras Midas about ganja:
"I want to say something about the herb
and about what the herb got to do with our culture and our music. The right name for the herb is Cannabis. It’s the
only living herb in creation that men can drink as tea as well as smoke it. It brings you meditation about Jah. When I and
I make I and I music, then I and I use the herb, the herb leads me to the meditation of Jah. Then Jah will feed me with the
words, with the lyrics, the text and the melody, so that I am able to bring it out into reality. That’s why Babylon is fighting against the herb.
The herb and the music are according
to the concept of Rastafari the healing of the nations. Everywhere where the herb reaches, everywhere where Reggae is listened,
Rastafari will be. Because you have to communicate with the herb to know who Rastafari is. You have to communicate with the
herb to understand the music and its concept.”
Ganja is the strongest common experience
of Rastafari. The central ritual activity of the rastas is the "reasoning" over a glooming pipe. It’s passed from hand
to hand around the altar table as ritual symbol of earth, air, water and fire.
Ras Norma:
"Babylon knows the wisdom you get from smoking ganja and they need to
keep you down from your meditation. They keep fighting against I herb you overstand? Because it's I herb, it's one special
herb to segregate and is herb, no man can make it, it comes from earth, it's a herb of truth and wisdom. I think if ganja
was legalized there would be positively less problems with cocaine and crack. When people would smoke herb, it would
be a meditation, humbleness put them to i-tate, you overstand? But when you drink rum, it's a different scene and you look
over, you going to see who is causing the problem. It's the crack, the heroin, cocaine, morphine, alcohol and cigarettes.
Herb put you upon humbleness, cause it's a healing herb. In Guyana
you can go to jail for three years just for one spliff. Lots of Rastas are prosecuted for herb. Not for killing or thieving
from no one, just for smoking the herb. But man need to be free from mental slavery. They kill brother Marley, Peter Tosh,
Marcus Garvey for speaking the truth, cause word Bob Marley was putting out fire upon Babylon.
If Bob Marley was on the face of the earth in this time, everyone would be Rasta, because he speaks the truth and he sign
it in his music and truth stands forever. But they can never stop I because if they put I in jail for three years, I when
I come out I still have to smoke I herb, because I herb is I divine meditation, I free to do what I need to do. Jah Rastafari,
Selassie I be praised."
