Rastafarian and its History
The origins and beginning of the Rastafari movement began in Jamaica during the early 1930s. The movement took shape following a prophecy by Marcus Garvey a black political leader of the time. He was the leader of the organization known as the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Their mission was to unify all blacks with the land of their origins. Garvey was quoted as saying : Look to Africa where a black king shall be crowned, he shall be your Redeemer" This single statement made in the 1920s was attributed to becoming the foundation of the Rastafari movement. The prophecy was thought to come to fruition with the crowning of Emperor Haile Selassie 1 in Ethiopia in 1930. Rastafarians see this as the fulfillment of the prophecy and take the name form Haile Selassie's original name ( Tafari Makonnen ). Rastafarians believe he is the Black Messiah Jah Rastafari a figure of salvation who will redeem blacks from their white suppressors and reunite them with their native homeland.
Leonard P. Howell was thought to be responsible for establishing the first branch of Rastafari in Jamaica in 1935 His message was one of gaining superiority over whites as it was intended to be. This branch marked the first uniting of the Rastafarians and it paved the way for the continuing movement to bring hope and freedom for the black race. From its inception the Rastafarian movement was looked down on by the establishment in Jamaica. Jamaica was under British rule until the early 1960's many of the movements leaders and Rastafarians themselves were persecuted and jailed in an effort to eliminate the movement. Howell established his communes in remote areas to avoid persecution where the Rastafarians could develop the customs such as ganja use to help with their religious meditations. This is also were the now famous wearing of ones hair in dreadlocks made its first appearance. In 1954 the persecution came to a head when the police finally destroyed Howell's last commune forcing the movement into the slums of Kingston some what disorganizing the religion.
In 1966 Emperor Haile Selassie 1 visited Jamaica the country as a whole greeted him with vast enthusiasm helping further the Rastafarian movement. Without a doubt the development of reggae music gave the Rastafarian movement its greatest visibility. Bob Marley and his music inspired and brought the beliefs of the Rastafarian movement to an international stage far from the slums of Jamaica where it was first conceived. The wailers as they are know today was formed in 1966 and their influence is still felt today.
In 1974 A Marxist revolution deposed Emperor Haile Seassie 1 forcing his exile to England he died a year later under mysterious circumstances. His death was somewhat discouraging to the Rastafarians and confirmed thoughts of him being nothing more than a human representation of God.
Today Reggae music has helped keep the Rastafarian movement in the forefront of modern society. The use of the Rasta colors for those who know its meaning bring a very powerful voice to the belief of the Rastafarian movement of universal love and belief in ones self and value.
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