The Untold Truth Of Rastafari

The religion of Rastafari, or Rastafarianism, is one of the newer mainstream organized religions; it was started in the 1930s in the Caribbean country of Jamaica (via Britannica). Followers of the religion call themselves Rastas and are often recognizable by their distinctive dreadlock hairstyle. As Rastas started to emigrate away from their home country, many of them took their religious traditions with them, spreading their beliefs to their new communities far outside of Jamaica (per History).

Rastafarianism rose to mainstream prominence through reggae music, and most famously from Jamaican artist Bob Marley and his band the Wailers. It is a mostly decentralized religion, without a main church, and most Rastas worship independently and in their own ways. They generally believe that people who were forcibly removed from Africa during the slave trade are "exiles in Babylon [the New World]" outside of Africa, and they "await their deliverance from captivity and their return to Zion [Africa]" (per Britannica). In 2012, it was estimated there were 1 million Rastas worldwide. Their beliefs and heritage are often marginalized and appropriated for commercial uses, especially with respect to cannabis, but Rastafarianism has rich cultural traditions that are highly important to Rastas. This is the untold truth of Rastafari.

Though Rastafarianism is based on the idea of a new African messiah in the form of Haile Selassie and not Jesus Christ, the scriptural basis for the religion is actually the Judeo-Christian Old and New Testaments. There are scriptures in the Book of Revelation from the New Testament that use the terms "Lion of the tribe of Judah" and "King of Kings, Lord of Lords," both of which Emperor Haile Selassie took as part of his name upon his coronation (per Leonard E. Barrett in "The Rastafarians: Sounds of Cultural Dissonance"). This had special significance for Rastas, who believed that the new African king was fulfilling biblical prophecies through his lineage and coronation.

In addition, Rastas also point to the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament, which they believe prophesied that a black Ethiopian king will have a long and fortuitous reign. However, Rastas are not fond of the King James Bible, or many Christian versions of the Bible, which were originally used to convert their enslaved ancestors to Christianity. They believe that the King James Bible is a corrupted version of the word of God that was used to control African people through mental and physical slavery (per Britannica). They read selective parts of the Bible, emphasizing their forced "exile in Babylon," or Western society. For many Rastas, returning to their ancestral lands in Zion (Africa) is the goal of their movement.

For Rastas, the dreadlock hairstyle is more than just an aesthetic choice; it has deep cultural and spiritual significance within the Rastafari religion. According to oral Rastafari tradition, the modern trend of dreadlocks is inspired by the looks of African tribesmen and Hindu holy men (per Ennis Barrington Edmonds in "Rastafari"). It also has biblical connotations, as Rastas cite the books of Numbers and Judges as their justifications for long hair and unshaven beards.

The dreadlock hairstyle is also seen as a form of rebellion against European and Babylonian cultures. Edmonds writes that Rastas eschew the finely articulated beauty standards of Europe, and purposefully contrast them with their "nappy" and knotted dreadlocks. They emphasize the naturalness of their hair over the use of artificial chemicals and processes. Rastas see other Black people who use hot combs and try to straighten their hair as "the approximation of whiteness," and find it contradictory to the teachings of Jah.

Dreadlocks are also symbolic of a lion's mane, and the lion is indeed a motif in Rastafari that, according to Edmonds, is "intended to expunge the stereotypically weak, fickle personality that oppressive systems in the Americas have foisted upon Blacks." The lion motif also connects followers with the Rasta King, whose title has "Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah" in it, and who used the lion as a symbol in several other respects.

One of the most tragic events in Rastafari history is the 1963 Coral Gardens incident. The incident stemmed from a dispute a year earlier between a Rasta named Rudolph Franklin and a Jamaican police officer who had shot him five times and left him for dead (via the Jamaica Gleaner). Afterward, Franklin was given a six-month prison sentence for possession of cannabis, which, coupled with frequent run-ins with the law upon his release, infuriated him.

As revenge, Franklin decided to blow up a gas station in Coral Gardens, the Ken Douglas Shell service station. Franklin and his accomplices all died in the explosion, along with three civilians and two police officers. Two more accomplices were later tried and hanged for their roles.

As tragic as the explosion was, the aftermath was just as shocking. The Jamaican government reportedly rounded up more than 150 Rastas and arrested them. The vast majority had no knowledge of or involvement with Franklin and his plan, but they were subjected to horrible violence and torture at the hands of police officers. In the documentary "Bad Friday," survivors recalled their harsh methods. One Rastafarian was tied up with a rope around his body and dragged into custody, and another was threatened with arson and violently beaten. It was not until 2017 that the Jamaican government officially apologized and set up a $10 million fund for the families of survivors (via the Jamaica Gleaner).

One of the most recognizable and often publicized aspects of Rastafari is the frequent use of and reverence for ganja (cannabis). However, while the mainstream image might be about intoxication, the smoking of ganja is a deeply spiritual endeavor for Rastafarians. Herbs are important to Rastas, and they view ganja as the "supreme herb" (per Ennis Barrington Edmonds in "Rastafari"). They use it in many forms: as a drink, as a seasoning, and for smoking. They refuse to use manufactured and commercial drugs, like cocaine, alcohol, or heroin, and view ganja as being divinely ordained for use. They look to the biblical books of Genesis and Revelation for scriptural justification of ganja, and they see it as comparable to the Christian tradition of communion. 

Rastas also use ganja because it "promotes social healing by producing a sense of peace and harmony among people," and aids in both psychological and physical healing. It is used recreationally, and their smoking rituals have both African and Asian influences. The most popular form of use is smoking from an "oversized conical ganja cigar ... known as a spliff." However, they also often use a "chalice," or water pipe. Due to the patriarchal nature of Rastafari, women are sometimes excluded from smoking with the chalice, and this is typically the case among older and more traditional Rastas.

It is a bit surprising to learn that Rastas have a relatively well-defined food code, considering the open-ended and individualistic nature of the religion. However, most Rastas adhere to what is known as an "ital" diet, which is a primarily vegetarian and natural diet — with the exception of fish (via Leonard E. Barrett in "The Rastafarians"). They refuse to eat other meat, especially pork, believing that it harms the body by leaving parasitic worms behind.

Yet, while the Rastas do allow themselves to eat fish, they are particular about which kinds. One of the most important ital rules is that all fish have to be smaller than a foot long if they are to be eaten. The reasoning for this is that big fish are considered predators and therefore represent oppression. Rastas identify with the oppressed rather than the oppressors, spiritually, and that translates into their ital diet.

Per National Geographic, ital cooking typically does not use dairy products like butter, or salt, and organic food is of huge importance. The ital diet has even spread outside of Jamaica and Rastafarianism, and now restaurants in huge markets like New York and London have ital-themed menus.

By the 1970s, political realities had changed significantly in Ethiopia since Emperor Haile Selassie's coronation in 1930. The country was drawn into the ever-globalizing Cold War, and the monarchy and ruling classes had started to lose popular support among the people and army (per Leonard E. Barrett in "The Rastafarians"). Then, on November 12, 1974, a militant Marxist coup erupted, and Selassie was placed under arrest and deposed. Rastas in Jamaica were in shock and disbelief at their monarch being arrested and taken from the throne.

Fatefully, on August 28, 1975, after nearly a year of being under arrest, the King of the Rastafari died at 83 years old. Some elders thought the Ethiopian Crown Prince Asfa Wossen would potentially take the throne and continue the Rasta monarchy as a Haile Selassie II, but that failed to materialize during the overthrow.

Surprisingly, most Rastas were relatively unaffected by Selassie's death. For them, death is reserved for only the Babylonians, and there were no large funerals or solemnities. The movement was not set back upon his death and in fact flourished in the years following.