Rastafari

An Afro-Caribbean faith reading the Bible through liberation, Africa, and Zion.

1930s CE → · Jamaica & diaspora · African & Diaspora

Rastafari emerged in 1930s Jamaica, hailing the crowning of Ethiopia's Haile Selassie I as a fulfillment of prophecy and a sign of Black dignity and redemption. Drawing on the Bible, Ethiopianism, and Marcus Garvey's message, it recasts Africa as Zion and the oppressive world-system as "Babylon," and expresses itself through reasoning, chant, the ital diet, and dreadlocks. Reggae carried its vision worldwide.

Key figures

• Haile Selassie I
• Marcus Garvey (prophet-figure)

Texts

• The Bible (read afresh)

Beliefs

• Haile Selassie as divine/messianic
• Africa (Zion) as spiritual home
• Babylon as the corrupt oppressive order
• Divinity within each person

Rituals

• Reasoning sessions
• Nyabinghi drumming and chant
• Ital diet; the dreadlock covenant

Grew from

• Protestantism
• Judaism

Connections in the atlas

• The Holy Piby
• Leonard Howell
• The messiah or saviour
• Christianity
• The Kebra Nagast (Glory of the Kings)
• Haile Selassie
• Marcus Garvey