Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
06 June 2011
Rastafarianism
WHEN
Founded in Jamaica in 1930 by Marcus Garvey (left). In the early 1920’s, Garvey was
an influential black spokesman and founder of the “back-
FOLLOWERS
With its beginnings in the Jamaican slums, Rastafarianism has spread throughout the world and currently has an estimated membership of more than 700,000.
BELIEFS
Marcus Garvey proclaimed, “Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black King, he shall be the Redeemer.” Only a few years later, that prediction would be fulfilled in the person of Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie.
According to Rastafarian belief the only true God is the late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie (originally known as Ras Tafari), and Ethiopia is the true Zion.
Rastafarians say that white Christian preachers and missionaries have perverted the scriptures to conceal the fact that Adam and Jesus were black.
Their rituals include the use of marijuana and the chanting of revivalist hymns. Reggae music is the popular music of the movement. The Rastafarians, who stress black separatism, have exercised some political influence in Jamaica.
One of the key doctrines of Rastafarians is their expectation that they will one day return to Africa, from which their ancestors were taken as slaves.
Another belief is called “I and I” and it expresses the concept of Oneness. “I and I” means that God is within all of us and we’re one people in fact. “I and I” means that God is in all people.
FESTIVALS
On April 21, 1966, Emperor Haille Salassie visited Jamaica; that day is now celebrated as a special holy day among Rastafarians.
SIX PRINCIPLES
Leonard Howell, an early Rastafarian leader, gave the Rastafarians six principles.
“(1) hatred for the White race;
“(2) the complete superiority of the Black race;
“(3) revenge on Whites for their wickedness;
“(4) the negation, persecution, and humiliation of the government and legal bodies of Jamaica;
“(5) preparation to go back to Africa; and
“(6) acknowledging Emperor Haile Selassie as the Supreme Being and only ruler of Black people.”
Leonard Howell was arrested by the Jamaican government (at the time Jamaica was a British colony). Since then, Rastafarians have avoided having leaders so as not to offer authorities easy targets for persecution.
Sources used in this series
Religions in Canada, Directorate of Human Rights and Diversity, Government of Canada.
The Encyclopedia of World Religions, Robert S. Ellwood (ed.) Facts on File, 1998.
Religion for Dummies, Rabbi Marc Gellman and Monsignor Thomas Hartman, For Dummies Publishing, 2002.
Religious Tolerance, Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Religion, CBC Montreal
© Canada and the World, June 2011
All rights reserved
A physical feature that sets the Rastafarians apart from all other groups is the wearing of their hair in dreadlocks.