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Who is Ras Tafari Haile Selassie I and who are the Rastafarians?Haile Selassie I was the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 through the mid- late seventies. His boyhood name was Tafari Makonnen, and when he was crowned King, or Ras, he was then known as Ras Tafari. People who believe that Haile Selassie I is divine or of divine nature are called Rastafarians . There are many different groups of Rastas as well as individual believers of the Faith all over the globe. They all believe very similar and also some very different things at the same time. There is no unified Rasta "church", one Rasta "leader", or one set of written or documented beliefs. So there is no set doctrine of what Rastas believe or what you must believe to be Rasta. One must begin their own journey and search for this Truth. Though the historically documented "first Rasta" is known to be Leonard P. Howell, he has not been a largely studied subject until more recently. He formed the first Rasta centered commune called "Pinnacle", where many of the original tenets of the Faith were formed, such as the Divinty of Haile Selassie, Herb Commune/Sacrament, Purity, etc. From the 1930s to the '50s, Howell led a community of otherwise poor downtrodden black people to a self sufficient and independent livelihood that they might not have known or acknowledged without the great teachings of "black solidarity" brought to them by "the Gong", Leonard Howell. Howell being a world traveler and friend to many, brought him into close contact with many people from all over, includingJamaican/East Indians. This unknown fact is a big reason for the large Indian influence some may find also among some practices of the Rastafari bredrin and sistren. Built on many acres of land, at it's height, the Pinnacle Community was known to consist of up to more than 4000 people. The Gong also compiled, wrote, and published a book entitled The Promised Key in the early 1930s which contains many early Rasta teachings. He published the book under the name G. G. Maragh to maintain his anonimity. And due to his revolutionary runnings, and after continuous harrasment, Babylon system eventually charged him and committed him to an asylum, tearing down and burning the community. Along with others like Robert Hinds, H. Archibald Dunkley, Joseph Hibbert , and a small group of other Garveyites, Black Ethiopians, and other visionaries, Howell and these Bredrin are the original founding Fathers of the Rastafarian Faith. Today there are some well organized groups and there are also many other smaller splinter groups or "camps". Some adherents follow one set doctrine of a certain "Mansion" or "House", while others formulate their belief system around a culmination of knowledge gathered through reasoning, grounding, reading, studying, and searching the different views of other Rastafari Elders, bredrin, sistren, and youth. Known as the Priestical House of Rastafari, one well organized group is the Ethiopian Africa Black International Congress/ Church of Salvation (or Bobo Dreads) which was built up by King or Prince Edward Emmanuel Charles Edward the 7th , who was also known as the Lord's Servant or Melchizedec. He was the first Rastafarian "leader" to hold an all island Rasta Convention/ Groundation in Kingston, Jamaica in March 1958. His camp was dejected from many locations throughout Kingston until they finally settled the Bobo Camp at Zion Hill "the City on a Hill" in Bull Bay. Boboshanti, or Edwardites hold that the Trinity consists of the manifestation of JAH as three in one or one in three, being Haile Selassie I, Marcus Garvey, and King Emmanuel - the King, Prophet, and Priest. The main tenet professed by the Bobo is the practice of the Sabbatical Order, or that of keeping the Sabbath on Saturday the seventh day of the week. Six days work, seventh day rest. International Freedom, Redemption, Repatriation, and establishing a Free Black Africa are part of the Bobo mission. Boboshanti Rasta's are generally peaceful, well organized, self sufficient, and can be easily identified by their priestly cultural African/ Rastafarian turbans. These turbans or crowns, are a form of anciency representing the royalty of I and I Rastafari people from ancient times until this time. The "Foundation" House of Rastafari is the Nyahbinghi Theocracy Government , with current headquarters in Scotts Pass, Jamaica, there are other offspring groups of this house like, RMA, the Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, the R.C.O., and many other smaller groups which have no centralized leader, but are and were guided by elders like Mortimmer Planno, Sam Brown , and others like Ras Boanerges, Ras Pidow, Ras Derminite, Congo Rocky, Jah Stone, Jah Bones, Ras Ivi, and many others. The Nyabinghi Order stresses the importance of the Nyabinghi Drums or the Trinity of Drums in praising the Most High JAH RASTAFARI and grounding I & I with the Heartbeat of Creation. One of the larger Houses of Rastafari is The Twelve Tribes of Israel founded in Jamaica in 1968 by Bro. Vernon Carrington , known as the Prophet Gad, Brother Gad, Gadman, or the Dr . The Twelve Tribes are well organized and have headquarters all over the world including New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Africa, Trinidad, New York and Los Angeles, among others, to only name a few. They are closely tied to the Royal family of Ethiopia in exile, and working toward Haile Selassie's grandson: Zere Yacob succeeding the Royal Throne of Ethiopia. The Prophet Gad taught and emphasized the belief in and Redemption of Jesus Christ (a controversy among some groups), as His Imperial Majesty was a devout Christian, and that everyone should read the Bible cover to cover one chapter a day from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 in order for the truth to be revealed to themselves through personal seeking. He also stressed the reading and importance of the Metaphysical Bible Dictionary for further understanding the Bible and its meanings. Along with these books he recommended all members read the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey and the Autobiography of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I also. The Ethiopian World Federation (EWF), who along with the Twelve Tribes have some settlers in Shashamane land Ethiopia, are also another group that was originally formed during the Ethio/Italo War years. There's some Rastas in offshoots of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Then there are also groups that people say use Rasta as a front like the Ethiopian Zion Coptics who follow "brother Louv Williams", They have bought up large properties in Jamaica and have a history of legal woes from exporting ganja. These are just a few of the many Rasta groups. There are many others and many without organization all over the world. They believe different things and they believe the same things. Some believe Selassie is God Almighty, some believe he is the 2nd coming of Christ, some believe he is Christ-like, Kin to Christ through his lineage. Some read the bible while some shun it. Some believe Haile Selassie was the last emperor, some believe whatever male son in the lineage holds the throne is Christ. Some are black militant and anti white, some like the Twelve Tribes have members of all nationalities known as coming through the line of Noah's three sons (Shem, Ham and Japeth). Some wear uncombed dreadlocks, some trim their hair or beard. Some smoke marijuana, some don't. Some are strict vegan, vegetarian and no salt(ital), there are few, but some eat meat, and all Rasta's shun the eating of pork. So you see, there are a huge variety of Rastas and what they believe. Most if not all believe it is important to repatriate to Mother Africa Ethiopia, original birthland of all Black Africans, Rastafarians, and also all of Humankind's Original Birthplace. All have some kind of reverence for Haile Selassie I, whether they sight H.I.M. as God and King, or not. And most if not all support a more organic, natural lifestyle. It has been said that if you want to know Rastafari you should read your bible a chapter a day cover to cover, as His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I was a devout Ethiopian Orthodox Christian. The autobiography of His Imperial Majesty is essential reading to know the MAN. Other excellent books are the Kebra Negast (the story of the line of Ethiopian Kings from Solomon to now), the Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey, the Lost Books of the Bible and the Forgotten Books of Eden, the Book of Enoch, the Promised Key (written by the First Rastafarian- Leonard Howell), and so many more crucial readings. Seek and you shall find! For some more information on Rastafari including up to date news and discussions please check out One Drop Books, Rastafari Times, and Rasta Ites |
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