Jamaica (Cultura Rastafari)

Isabel Cristina Rodrigues Ferreira

Universidade Federal de Lavras
GEL142 – Culturas Anglófonas e Globalização
• The origins of Rastafari begin
with King Solomon and the
Queen of Sheba. On her visit to
King Solomon in Jerusalem, she
was converted to Judaism.
Upon her return to Sheba, she
converted her kingdom to this
faith
• Thousands of years later, Paul
the Apostle converted many in
Ethiopia to Christianity,
beginning the Ethiopian
Orthodox church
• Another two thousand years, the
coronation of a black Ethiopian
King Haile Selassie I (who’s real
name is Ras Tafari Mekonnen)
begins the religion of Rastafari,
which teaches the same beliefs of
“intelligent design” creation that
one would find most reformed,
liberal Jews to believe. The
Rastafari faith was developed in
Jamaica in the 1930s by Marcus
Garvey. He wanted to improve
the status of black people.
• The Holy Piby is the main sacred text of the
Rastafari. It was collected from many sacred
Ethiopian texts written in Amharic and compiled by
Robert Athlyi Rogers. Rastafari also consider the
Torah and much of the Christian Bible to be sacred
and holy
• The lion is the symbol
of the Rastafari faith.
Haile Selasse is believed
to be the lion
mentioned in the bible
• Video
• The most well-known practice of the Rastafari is the
tradition of keeping one’s hair in dreadlocks.
• This practice amongst some modern-day Rastas has
become a way to mock the aversion of non-believers
and to rebel against the western views and ideals of
the black race
• “Ital” is the word for the diet that most Rastafari will follow,
it is almost exactly along the same guidelines as the dietary
laws of the Torah (clean and natural produce, such as fruit
and vegetables, and avoid meat, especially pork). As well as
a set of dietary laws, Rastas shun the use of tobacco and
alcohol.
• The most well-known practice of the Rastafari—is the
smoking of Marijuana (or Ganja). For the Rastafari, it’s a
spiritual act which opens minds to the truth. It is considered
to be a sacrament that affects both consciousness and
peace-of-mind, which brings the Rasta closer to JAH
• Bob Marley was a famous
reggae music artist who
was appreciated in Rasta
culture for telling about
Rastafarian beliefs in his
music.
• There are now
approximately 1 million
followers of this faith with
5,000 Rastafarians in
England and Wales.
• Video