MARCUS GARVEY

When the black Jamaican Marcus Garvey on the begin of the 20th century preached nationalism, he caused a mass movement in North America. In Jamaica he was the developer of the “back-to-Africa” movement. He was preaching the equality of black and white and tried to lift up the broken self-confidence of the black people by telling them to turn back to their roots and to put down the western culture that was forced onto them. The real country is Zion, Zion in Africa, from where the white kidnapped the black.

Garveys aim was the return of all black to Ethiopia, the only never colonialised self-standing country in Africa. In his language a synonym for the hole of Africa.

"If the white man has the idea of a white God, let him worship his God as he desires. If the yellow man's God is of his race let him worship God as he sees fit. We, as Negroes, have found a new ideal. Whilst our God has no colour, yet it is human to see everything through one's own spectacles, and since white people have seen their God through white spectacles, we have only now started out (late though it be) to see our God through our own spectacles. The God Isaac and the God Jacob let Him exist for the race that believes in the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. We negroes believe in the God of Ethiopia, the everlasting God - God the Father, God the son and God the Holy Ghost, the one God of all ages. That is the God in whom we believe, but we shall worship Him through the spectacles of Ethiopia."

HAILE SELASSIE

In a triumphal ceremony in November 1930 the Ethiopian Ras Tafari Makonnen was crowned to be emperor of his country. He put down his civilian name Ras Tafari (Ras=prince) and called himself His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I (strength of the trinity).Haile Selassie is said to be the 225. descendant of the royal line of David. A heir of king Salomon and queen Sheba (Saba).

On October the 7th 1928 he was crowned to be king (Negus). On his way to the throne he executed several enemies. Only after the mysterious death of the empress Zawditu he was crowned to be emperor also called “king of kings” (Negusä nägäst). That was on November 2^nd 1930. His complete title was:

His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie, King of Kings, Lord of the Lords, Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah, Elect of God, Emperor of Ethiopia.

Jamaica

In Jamaica the  members of Garvey’s organisation were reading about this event and were consulting their bible for a sign: Could it be the black king of whom Garvey was speaking? Revelation 5:2,5

"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 one of the elders saith unto me, ‚Weep not: behold, the Lion of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven spirits of God send forth into all the earth".

For many black this was the day of fulfilment of Garvey’s prophecies. Haile Selassie was looked at as living god, who would provide the return to Africa and the reuniting for all black. On Jamaica a religious community was built whose members called themselves according to Haile Selassies civilian name “Rastafarians“.

Jah Lloyd explained the meaning of this name like this:

"[...], the word "Rastafari" is an ampharian word and therefore an original sound of creation. His interpretation is the following: “Jah” means Jehovah, “Ras” means head, and “tafari” means “to be feared” Together that means: “The head of the Almighty whom worthed to be feared”.

On the begin of the 30s the Jamaican newspaper „Daily Gleaner“ was writing about a „Nyabingi-order“ in Ethiopia and in Congo which was said to be leaded by Selassie himself and which swore a destroying war against the white race.  The Jamaican Rastafarians understood themselves also as Nyabingi-warriors in the army of god swore „death to all white and black  oppressors (downpressors)”.

The belief doctrines were valid until about 1953. They are statements of black that have been oppressed for a long time by Babylon and reached a higher level of inspiration and therefore are chosen.

The Rastafari-religion received a lot of support of the ghettos because it helped building up a new self-confidence for the black people, to develop pride and to emancipate themselves spiritually. Haile Selassi-pictures were honoured like relics. They were at the same time passport and visa for the soon coming journey to Ethiopia.  

Ethiopia

1936 – after the invasion of his country by the Italian racists lead by Mussolini – Haile Selassie had to go to exile; first to Jerusalem, then to England. In May 1940 Winston Churchill saved him out of his difficulties when Italy as an English enemy officially joined into the second world war. He was smuggled to Carthum by the British and he started to organise an army in the deserts of Sudan. On May the 5th  1941 he reached back on the throne in Addis Abbeba. His coronation and his victory over the white attackers let his reputation in the black world increase extremely.  

He carried out reforms in Ethiopia and he wanted to change Ethiopia into a modern country. 1955 he enacted a new constitution which assured his people a general voting right and equality in front of the law with a little but important exception:

"Strength of his imperial blood as well as the ointments that HIM received, the person of the emperor is holy. His dignity is untouchable and his power is undisputed."

Jamaica

1958 an other Rasta-leader invited about 300 brothers to a big "Nyabingi”. 21 days they spent by smoking ganja, drumming and dancing and making love. A militant fraction of the big brotherhood tried to occupy the Victoria-park trying to conquer the city from there in the name of Selassie.

1959 an other Rasta-preacher sold again vessel tickets for the return to Africa for a date he announced: October the 5^th 1959.  Unfortunately there was no vessel that day. He was arrested and left back his brothers, which sold all their goods, homeless in the ghettos of Kingston.

The first man to realize the Africa mission was Manley, the leader of the Jamaican Labour Party - then he knew it would end in a disaster. They said Haile Selassie was willing to welcome only high-qualified immigrants, but these knew they would have a better life in Jamaica than in Ethiopia. They said he wouldn’t have welcomed the ganja–smoking, no-tax-paying Rastas.

Ethiopia

1960 there was a palace revolution in Ethiopia which was supported by Haile Selassies son, crown prince Asfa Wossen. Just returned from an official visit to Brazil the emperor let the revolution be fought down. Explained aim of the revolution was to build a new regime which should have guaranteed a quicker social and economical development.

Jamaica

In April 1966 Norman Manley invited then  - as consolation - Haile Selassie to Jamaica. More than a hundredtousand people were waiting at the airport. It was raining heavy. That moment when the door of the plane opened and the emperor stepped outside the clouds opened and let the sun shine on him. The rastas burst with excitement over this “heavenly sign” and couldn’t be held back. They pulled down the barrier and ran cheering on the runway.

During his visit in Jamaica Selassie didn’t mention anything about the Rastafari-culture nor about his divines. But  it was said between rastas that he gave the Rasta-elders a secret document saying to liberate Jamaica first from the neo-colonialism before they could immigrate to Africa: "liberation before emigration".

With that a wound point of the rastas was removed,  which was caused by the up to then not fulfilled prophecy of the salvation of the black folk through the return to Africa. It was put up to unknown date…

Ethiopia

After the palace revolution Selassie started to inform his folk about his political aims  over radio announcements, but many thought it was too late and he was doing too less. A little group of intellectual elite of Ethiopia caused riots in the 70s when the so called horn of Africa developed into a strategically important and politically unsavest region in the world. The USA sent military help to strengthen the Ethiopian army. The Sowjetunion armed their eternal enemy Somalia and supported the revolutionary liberation fight in the region of Eritrea.

On August 27th 1975 Haile Selassie “died”.

"You nuh cyan bury Jah" the rastas said, "You can’t bury god“.

Therefore even after Hailes Selassies so called death Ethiopia is still the promised land and "Jah Rastafari" lives, then god will never die.

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:

Music

Besides the smoking of the ganja the music is the most important form of meditation. Rasta is the religion und Reggae their mass.

Originally the music of the Rastafarian was made only by drums and vocal sounds. Its roots lays in “Burru”, a music form of Jamaica. It’s been said that the music goes back to Nigerian and Ghanaian traditions. Burru was one of the only African music styles that the slave masters allowed. The drums were played on the fields to increase the working speed. The rhythm of Burru was first not accepted by the rastas but pushed through slowly.

In the late 50s Count Ossies Camp was the centre of the musical development. A lot of musicians that were going to be important in the development of Ska and Reggae met by Ossie to hold Jam sessions: Don Drummond, Rico Rodriguez, Roland Alphonso, Tommy McCook, Cedric Brooks and many more. Influence on the Rasta-music had Jazz as well as Mento and rhythm and blues. In the 60s the musical river divided. On one hand side the influence of the rastas on the Jamaican charts increased. On the other hand side an orthodox school

Nyabinghi-drumming was found in strict separation to the commercial Babylonian world which emphasized the sacral character of the music. Nyabinghi contains African-rooted elements as well as complex rhythms and offbeat-structures and a “heartbeat” bass.  

"Nyabinghi means war, but the weapon it uses is love, because only love can conquer evil. But if love can't conquer the evil in a person, then the final judgment will be dreadful, which could be no other, than death to black and white downpressors".
(Ras Colwin in a Reasoning (comp. ebd., S. 28))

„The war about how I will manage the next day. “

Today Reggae and Rasta are mostly used as synonym or at are at least mentioned in the same breath. But the members of the Nyabinghi-order is fighting against that.

"Reggae is some sort of a mix-up, mix-up business. Only Nyabinghi music is divine and pure Rastafari music."
Winston in a reasoning

Their musical expression the members of the Nyabinghi-order sees  as the real Rasta-music: only Nyabinghi chantings are serving the worshipping of Jah and are able through the strength of word, sounds and power – without the artificial electrical energy of amplifiers – to chant down Babylon.

In opposition to the Nyabinghi-order there are also Rastafari-orders that don’t think so strict. The order of "Twelve Tribes of Israel" for example uses Reggae as means of transport for their religious contents. Reggae is their cultural form of expression.

Winston Rodney (Burning Spear) called Nyabinghi in an interview his source of inspiration:

"The feelings of Nyabingi are coming through the music and the music is coming through the feelings of the Nyabinghi. One Order."

And Freddie McGregor said in an interview:

"Whether the music and texts of a Bob Marley nor any other Reggae-star (as long as they sing about Rastafari-contents) can be understood without Nyabinghi – the roots of their expression and their vibration

But Nyabinghi is just one form of expression of the Rasta-music. The Jamaican music scientist Pamela O´Gorman already wrote  1972:

"Through the whole history of Ska, rock steady and reggae runs a thread of the voice of the Rastafarians. Sometimes stronger sometimes less. It brings new language into the texts, a liturgical character in the melody and a Rasta-rhythm superimposes the pop-rhythm.”

While political parties like the social democratic PNP had election slogans like "Power for the people" Reggae reflected the self-confidence and the experience of the majority who had for the first time real representatives of their culture that could be chosen free and express the true “Power for the people”. That’s the main cultural revolution behind the “phenomenon” of Reggae. When the young Jamaicans of today speak of classical music then they don’t mean Bach or Beethoven, they are talking of Bob Marley, Burning Spear and Mutabaruka.

The music stays so far an autonomous medium of communication as long as the performers are not striving for international fame. Because if questions of the perfect sales business are of more significance than the contents Reggae will also get a victim of Babylonian control and turns into a commercial “style and fashion” music.

The members of the Nyabinghi-Order reject the reggae with the argument of corruption. Saying that Reggae is no Rasta-music because its performers sell gods word against money and nobody can serve two masters – Jah Rastafari and the Dollar.

For many rastas getting involved into the reggae-business is at the end the most sincere „organisation“ of surviving in Babylon. To chant down the strived system  and at the same time getting paid for it corresponds – according to Larry in a reasoning – completely with the intentions of some rastas.

Different than the rasta-philsophy Reggae developed in the urban ghetto districts. The music was at first an instrument of the young oppressed urban sufferers. Only with the increasing influence of Rastafari into the medium Reggae – midst of the 70s -  it received a global orientation that made Trenchtown  and  Soweto to a synonym for the same wrong. On the begin Reggae was the expression form of black Jamaican to find a way to cultural identity and self-confidence.

Bob Marley

Bob Marley was born on February 6th 1945. His young mother was Cedella Marley. His white father, Captain Norval Sinclair Marley disappeared one day after the wedding with Cedella. Bob Marley partly grew up in the hills of St. Ann, where he lived with his mother by his grandfather who was a famous Myalman, and partly he grew up in the yards of Kingston.

Delighted by the American R&B music that he heard in Kingston, he started to write songs himself. He was dreaming of getting a star, now that this was a realistic dream thanks to the radio and the record industry. Before only Cricket, football and crime were a possibility to achieve wealth and fame – and the last of them most likely seemed to lead to success

Bob Marley remembered that when he was a child he was scared of the Rastas. Ghetto children looked at them as blackheart-men. But to you use the Rasta language was extremely stylish.

Actually it was Rita Marley who introduced Bob to the philosophy of Rastafari. She saw Haile Selassie when he visited Jamaica and was very impressed by him. Bob Marley met Mortimo Planno, a Rasta, who was a member of the  Divine Theocratic Temple of Rastafari in Kingston. He taught him about the way of thinking and the lifestyle of the Rastas and together with him Bob joined a groundation-party which has been held since Selassies visit on April 21^st. And it was Planno who told him: „A song is a sign.”

When Bob Marley was a boy he had a dream, a mystical experience, in which Haile Selassie, how he interpreted now, gave him a ring. This ring he really received later from Haile Selassies son Asfa Wossen. A black stone with the image of the lion of Judah. It’s the ring Bob Marley wears on some pictures.

On the begin of the 70s the Wailers were more than a hit factory. They were responsible for the first signs of a fundamental change in the attitude of the Jamaicans towards their music. For them the Rasta-Reggae interpreted the morally badness of the racial oppression on the whole planet, explained it and forced it into borders. They wanted to let the entire world know that Reggae was the start of the apocalypse.

Bob Marley joined the  Twelve Tribes of Israel as can be seen on the back of his record cover „Rastaman vibration”.

"He spread the idea of Rastafari and the revolutionary strength of the Reggae in the world. Everywhere in the third world Bob Marley was seen as a modern “Myalman” who had the will and the power to cast away the bad.”

wrote Timothy White in his Bob Marley biography.

Zion

Zion is the place, where all gather who haven’t accepted the wrong teachings of Babylon. It’s the point of intersection where Judaism and Christianity meet. Zion is god s kingdom on earth.

Babylon

"Babylon. The corrupt establishment of the western society. The west and the western civilisation, built on capitalism, presumed having the rule over human beings. The word is also used for „police“ because they protect the malicious system. Sometimes its also used in the context of the former colonial power, the centre of darkness and ruin.”
(from Itation of Jamaica)

In the prophecy of the old testament Babylon means the historian Babel. "Babylon Dread", the dreadful Babylon according to Revelation 17,5 or the “Roman system” is the terrible world in which Rastafarians have to live, the exile from where they want to turn back home to the promised land. The chosen will live on Mount Zion.

Rastas will not take any weapons in their hands and also don’t have to nasty up their hands with Babylons blood. Babylon will destroy it-self. Jah T. used the argument in a reasoning, that countries like USA in greed for profit  - "They worship the dollar as their God" – sell weapons to their enemies what will have to lead to the fulfilment of the biblical prophecy "The wicked shall fall through their own sword".

Bongo Hu-I said that first everybody has to recognize what Babylon is: A ruling system that builds up on a cooperation of religion, politics and trade. Who decides for Rastas way of life has to fight down Babylon in himself first through a single-minded retreat of religion, politics and trade. Everybody is now free of corruption and is able to reach further levels of Rasta livity through righteous living and deepen meditation.

The song "Rivers of Babylon", known to many as a „happy reggae sound", has been taken, almost word-for-word, out of Psalm 137 in the bible. It is a key song of the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica.

By the rivers of Babylon,

there we sat down, yea, we wept

when we remembered Zion.

We hung our harps

upon the willows in the midst of it.

For there those who carried us away captive

asked us a song

and those who plundered us requested mirth,

saying “sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How shall we sing the Lords song

in a foreign land?