White Rastafarians?
By Nick Poole
When you think about the word “Rastafarian”, you probably imagine a Jamaican man with dark skin and dreadlocks… as a matter of fact, you probably think about Bob Marley. This wouldn’t be an inappropriate association, after-all, Bob Marley is probably the most internationally recognized practitioner of Rastafari. However, not all rastas these days are from Jamaica, and there is even a small but growing population of Caucasian practitioners. No, I’m not talking about teenaged skateboarders who smoke marijuana and listen to reggae music, I’m talking about real, deeply religious, white rastas. Now, depending on how much you know about Rastafari, you’re either wondering, “How does a White person join the Rasta faith?” or you’re wondering, “What’s the big deal?”. I think it may be wise to first address the latter.
Let’s start with a little history of the religion. Rastafari is a relatively new religion, which finds it’s beginnings in the early 1930s, surrounding the coronation of Haile Selassie I as the Emperor of Ethiopia. The word “Rastafari” actually comes from his pre-coronation name: Tafari Makonnen (“Ras” is an Ethiopian title, literally translated to “head”, but more precisely equated to “Duke”). Rastafari began when it was suggested that the coronation of Haile Selassie I as the Emperor of the only fully independent African State fulfilled Biblical prophecy. People of the Rastafari Faith believe that Haile Selassie I is God incarnate, and refer to him as HIM or His Imperial Majesty. The faith is deeply Afro centric, and maintains that Ethiopia is “Zion”. For a short period of time near it’s origin, the faith was not only afro centric, but Black supremacist. This notion of racism towards whites didn’t last very long, as Haile Selassie himself publicly condemned racism. Rastafari is also well known for the practice of smoking Ganja as the sacrament. Which drives many people to wonder, are white rastas real people of faith, or are they just in it for the marijuana?
Well, there’s no question that many people are attracted to the prospect of a religion where marijuana use is not only accepted but widely encouraged. However, A person can’t just dreadlock their hair, smoke ganja, and call themselves a Rasta. Rastafari is a real faith which is earning respect in the theological world as a religion that pulls a lot of weight. It was a beacon of Hope to the poor population of Jamaica in the 1930s and has continued to minister to the under-privileged today. It teaches solid values such as Positivity, Faith, Meditation, and “overstanding”, the Rasta word for understanding which was changed to have a more positive connotation. It warns against the potential danger of corrupt “Babylon” society, and has been instrumental in driving political change. It’s been just as influential in Jamaica as Christianity, and thanks to the Rasta influenced Reggae music of Bob Marley and other popular artists, it’s increasing in global influence.
Rastafari sounds like a fine faith, why is it so strange that a white person would want to be part of it? Bottom line is that it’s not. It may seem strange from the outside, seeing as the majority of Rastas are black. Many people would also argue that because it is an afro centric religion, white people have no place in it. Well, according to that logic, all Christians should be middle-eastern. The truth of the matter is that, in theory, even a White man could preach Afro centrism. While most white men weren’t physically “taken” from Africa, and forced into slavery, modern science fairly universally supports that all life started in Africa. Given the power of that statement, it isn’t hard to see how Africa found it’s place as the center of Rasta faith.
The question is though, In a faith which preaches the rejection of corrupt white culture, how are white patrons received? There seems to be conflict in the Rasta community. Many rastas are skeptical when they meet or hear of a white person who claims to be Rasta. They assume, naturally, that they came to Rasta through listening to reggae music, or worse, as a way of justifying their misuse of the sacrament. There also seems to be a fundamental distrust of white people, and historically for good reason. A true Rasta would say that all man is equal, and every body, white and black, came from Africa, so it is only natural that All people, regardless of race or color, turn to Rastafari for the “highest truth and overstanding”. However, the common sentiment among rastas is that whites cannot understand the “black struggle”, As they were never taken from their homeland and enslaved. But surely, anyone who really cares about the human race on the whole can appreciate the need to stop violent acts like this. After all, Rastafari itself teaches that all people are one with God, Or “Jah” as they say (Derived from jahweh of the old testament).
In modern Rastafari, especially more contemporary sects such as the Twelve Tribes, White rastas are welcomed. Anyone who believes that there needs to be a fundamental change in the way society treats the “down-pressed” and in the way man views and interacts with one another is encouraged to join the faith. Real rastas are peaceful people who overstand the need for equality in the world, and so they extend that principle even to the faith itself, All men are equal in Rastafari. Some Jamaican rastas are even excited to meet white rastas, as they bring a new point of view to the reasoning sessions, and also because they stand as a symbol of whites acknowledging the wrongs of their ancestors and rejecting “Babylon”.
All in all, white Rastafarians are out there, and they’re no less devoted to Rasta than the first Rastas of Jamaica. So next time you ask a white man his religion, and he tells you he is Rasta, don’t laugh, It may not be a joke.
http://www.jamaica-travel-vacation.com/white-rastafarians.html
I do believe that Selassie I, Emperor of Ithiopia was installed as the King of Zion. Therefore HIM is the Son of Jah. HIM rules and reigns. Through meditation and prayer I have found the teachings of Rastafari to be the word of Jah. Therefore, I live I life according to the teachings of Selassie I, as well as the teachings of Jesus Christ. Jah lives in I, and I live to spread the word of His Majesty.
“Unity can be and has been attained among men of the most disparate origins, that differences of race, religion, culture, and tradition are no insurmountable obstacles to the coming together of peoples.”
All Rastaman, put these differences behind us and show the nations we are one and the same.
22 years of study of MY self AND THE MASTER OF MYSELF is where i have my authority to tell the truth, all you wanna be, wish you were interfering with the truth won’t be in Zion. That place you’ll see is Hell again the place that the non- Melaninated go.Rasta has sense enough to see, open your third eye and go to the place no one can go but you, use your blessing melanin, no cagot possesses that. Selassie is not for the cagots nor for love of something that has not, cannot have, is not equipped in a non- HUEMAN MELANINATED BODY THAT IS A CURSE AND AN ABOMINATION TO ITSELF AND THE PEOPLE THEY TRY TO IMITATE.No one that has, and continue to cause harm to the children of the creator mama children without cause, can be called brother or sister. What are you confused people talking about, can’t be truth, brainwashing re- enforced. Not all of us are brainwashed with that love and peace, not now anyway,we’ve never received any from whitey, the ones who have our spot and want to keep it when they see time is truly up for them,and all who follow them.Now this is what real Rasta can do this will really screw the DEVILS up. Cause we can go to a place they cannot go.WE as a people have works to do that don’t include Babylon. Ya’ll are still mixed up in foolishness.Always remember life is for the living,and we are alive,all philosophies went with them.Unity for the most despised that would be the colored people. Ever ask yourself why it hasn’t happened? Well i’ll tell you the truth since most of you haven’t figured it out.WE ARE THE MOORS. And no one else white or CAGOT can claim our birthright of a NATIONALITY, WE HAVE ONE, THAT IS GURANTEED TO US AT BIRTH.We have been tricked out of our heritage and some of us still holla about it doesn’t matter the color you are not, you still have the blessings of what ,or who? You are out of your creator mind.If any matty dread,totally out of character, chanting rasta or any that pertains to me i am now in the capacity to chop their MONKEY HEADS OFF IMPERSONATING, A HUEMAN. And please Selassie had no love for the white race.He was speaking to them, people.
Now this is what was said by Selassie in 1936 ya’ll let the matty dictictate what you heard! On the question of racial discrimination the Addis Ababa Conf. taught, to those who will learn,this further lesson: That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: that until there are no longer 1st-class and 2nd class citizens of any nation; That until the color( he did say color) of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes;That until the basic human rights are equally guranteed to all without regard to race; that until that day, the dream of lasting world peace & world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never obtained;And until the ignoble & unhappy regimes( that would be the white race contribution to our downfall) that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique & in South Africa in Subhuman bondage have been toppled & destroyed; Until bigotry & prejudice & malicious & inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding & tolerance & good-will; Until all AFRICANS stand & speak as FREE beings,equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; until that day, the continent will not know peace. WE AFRICANS WILL FIGHT, AND IF NECESSARY, AND KNOW THAT WE SHALL WIN,AS WE ARE CONFIDENT IN THE VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL.So read all of his speech and OVERSTAND OR INNER STAND. iT’S TIME FOR THAT WAR.WE AS colored, negroes, niggers, afro-americans, african-americans is a trick name for the CREATORS on earth. We are NOBLES something that filthy beast can never be,love is not in them and their HIS-STORY backs me up. So all that want that type of Brother it’s your fate. But As for me and mine we want no parts of them or their LIES! I haven’t seen this UNITY you speak of it’s not mentioned in the history books nor in H.I.M. SPEECH, he didn’t see it either, that’s why his family was killed or in exile. ALL of Us are MOORS Nobles, that own all the lands these MONKEYS have had the nerve to invade and are ruling,in this case any body else is their SLAVE and is Servants to them.He was killed and buried under the floor of the palace lavatory on Nov. 5th 2000 he was given a burial.WE MUST REUNITE OR DIE. Me say WAR then we live in peace with the real HUEMAN with a SOUL!!! Now INNERSTAND THAT CAGOTS!!! and trust me when i say everbody that’s colored ain’t, some are just as white and cursed as white folk are.
your wrong.
I am a white human i wont say rasta as i have only just started my trod to oneness but aslong as there are racist preachers like yourself on the planet we will never live as one, as history as taught us the white anscestors do not want to live equally with blacks but now it has switched as you do not want to live with whites, and fair enough rightfully so. But now are you not as bad as the racist white anscestors if not worse due to you having a good world understanding and more intelligence than what the whites had in slavery time. I am against Babylonian system and all it stand for they do nothing put preach corruption but then i shouldnt be put into the same empty pot as them?…
i hope one day your mind is changed as it sadens me to see us fighting between ourselves.
Your speech is closer to the so-called aryan dictator of the second world war than the one of Selassie I.
Let me tell you this. Skin tone is of no significance, there is no white, no black, no yellow. These are colours applied to wall paintings no to human beings…
As a matter of fact, an African who would live long time in North Europe would see his skin becomes lighter after a certain time, the same applies to the European who would live in Africa for long time.
This thing is called adaptation! For the Most High knows everything about His creations, and knows what humans would need in order to adapt to a new environment.
By the way Moors are not a race, just a term applied to people living in a certain place at some time, like Romans, Persians, Ottomans….
Fight your own frustration and seek the truth ….
Man is flesh and spirit , the flesh dies but the Spirit lives , and the Spirit has no colour.
See if you don’t get fooled by false propaganda my brother.
Peace.
What is special about loving one’s family and friends? Even the hypocrites do this. But when we love our enemies, when we treat those who despise us with kindness, and when we barak(“bless”) those who curse us, then we show ourselves as children of light, sons and daughters of the Most High Yahuwah. “For He causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust”.
Despite this though, the colour of the skin matters a lot, mostly with regard to understanding the prophetic things Almighty Yah has foretold regarding these days in which we live.
“The Scriptures are an African literature inspired by YAH, written by Africans primarily for Africans with a secondary extension to the whole world .(The middle east is a European (mis[chivious])conception.) For this reason the European could not practice its prescriptions properly and “churchianity” christianity which is a bastardized mongrel of a religion, bears no resemblance to the Halach (Way of life) taught by the patriarchs, the prophets and Yahushua. For the biblical culture was totally alien to the pagans of ancient Greece and Rome, so their decendants(including all their converts black or white) lack real understanding of the teachings. Even now the true black Hebrew Israelites remain Yah’s planted tree, the mouthpiece through which all gentiles must come to deliverance from babylon.
Shalom
peace be unto everyman and wombman on the face of this earth, may the blessings of the most high be felt in all dimentions, Rastafari
WARR, it is spoken about and many people try to prepare for it, but do U realy overstand the concept of war? ini do not only believe but ini know that this war has already begun, and has been happening way before me and you gained breath in the physicall upon this earth, this war has not only physically destroyed lives, but has literally rip us away from our mother Afrika, but now this war has now been generated spiritually, and it is a battle which many people nar even consida, because there too busy creating false judgments in the pysicall due to insecurities and all kinds of other tings dat ini nar deal wit,
you say you have not seen ‘this UNITY’ ini speak of due to ‘it not being mentioned in no His-Story books or in his imperial majestys speech’,…. ini have seen the blessings that are brought forth from selassie I’s words and wisdom, and ini know of the perfect I-nity ini speak of, what does the fellow I see unity as? ini only know one unity, and it is a onenes of the people so what u deal wit?
you CLAIM selassie I had no love for the whites ? if this be the truth, you have found a flaw in the most high’s judgements and livity, meanin he would not be perfect? ini know that my king is the king of all kings, and is perfect, so ini know selassie would never not have love for a human regardless of colour, or race, or origin. if selassie felt this way, he would never would of worded the speech in such a splended way he did,
when selassie cometh, he revealeth, zeen? the truth is no longer hidden, it there to be seen in the physicall mental and spiritual by all, but manny people nar want to see datt, and that is both black and whitee beings, not just white.
now, if His Imperial Majesty cometh, and he still sit upon the throne, spoke the same words, and displayed the exact same livity within, but his skin was ‘white’… would that mean his words are not as powerfull and not have the same impact on the I? NOOOO, he would still be just as righteous and divine cos the complexion of his heart, his inna, his SPIRTUAL would still have shined thru..
and i no what some idrens would think, ‘but this is not the case, cos selassie I is not white, he is a black man!’ AND YESS MY BEAUTIFULL PEOPLE this is true, ini know this because ini has vision zeen, BUT, the fathers skin complexion was not dark black, he cometh in a golden tone in all his glory… but wait, if what you say is true melody matt, then selassie must not have had as much ‘melanin’ as you do or other brothers have? does this make him less significant to you because of this? of course not, he is still the king and will forever remain King of kings whom sits at the heighest heights wit empress menon I,
what the i is getting at here is that this whole white people nar have melanin so they are going to hell or whatever you are trying to preach melody matt, is a lie, and the ironic thing about it is, the VERY SAME people you attempt to demorilze and bring a fya upon by taking away their worth on this earth thru your wording (white people/ or whatever you view them as) are the EXACT SAME people that you get your views of ‘melanin’ about.
it is a word used to describe a certain biological function, but this identification ‘melanin’, is a european explination for what they think activates the nurons in your body to make you black. but when the biollogical structure is broken down, melanin has no place? what is atributed to ‘melanin’ is actualy carbon, and carbon is found and it determins the life in everything, white people, black people, plants, everything…. so you need to stop with that idren cos they are european statements, so how can you bun the white man day but then still wont to use his information? isnt that described as ‘hypocritical’?
are you familiar with one brother called DR. Sebi? a REAL herbalist whom will take any illness away because he abides by jahlaw that we should only eat alchalines (the foods that jah created in the begining) and not the acids (all foods created or tampered with by man). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nALR2wyLMjw
DR SEBI- ‘melanin is a beliefe, NOT a relity’
that is what he stated and he will break this concept down to you truley brother
there are many many many reasons as too why your statements made towards white people are so wrong, but everyone is entitlled to their opinion, because its YOUR oppinion, not mine, and ini know that ini live righteously and my ‘opinion’ is seen as rightfull in the creators eyes cos of the blessings spiritualy he sends the I thru the meditation ini has done upon this topic
feel free to reply aswell melody matt because i feel your love for the people, but pride can blind anyone, even the strongest of us, dont let you fya you bring forth burn your self iya
glory be in the divinity of the creator and ruler of all man and wombman
rastafarI
ises
Brother have you been smokin on that lambs bread? I an I studied H.I.M. back in 1985, went to the hills of Jamaica,and still come out with the same philosophy. No Man alone is the creator, that would be like putting Selassie in the same context as JESUS the fake white son of an invisible creator,my creator was a COLORED female as is everyone’s else is on this earth.Selassie was flesh and blood. Ras Tafari was indeed a man of color as was his family members, and he knew who his enemies were. But stiffnecked fools won’t let master go, this journey is not meant for everybody. Truth is the order of the day not sentiment. None but ourselves can free our minds. The trick with these fairytales is a lie. Lots of people don’t want to be what they are,the creator in each one of us is ready for us to SEE. Wake Up MOORS. We are guranteed the victory. All of these lands belong to the MOORS, MU,MAURI,MUURS,MOORES,doesn’t matter how you spell it it’s still the people called Niggers, Negroes,Colored, Black, Afro-American,African-American, West Indies etc. These are adjectives they describe a people with color,not you. YOU ARE NOT A COLOR,BUT THE CREATOR!!! Then Moroons meaning runaway slave, get it Moor, jumped ship thanks to good ole NON- COLORED PEOPLE sailing the ship from African to the Slave TRADING BLOCKS. WALL STREET IN NEW YORK CITY. But we choose to be called an adjective and a country rather than recognize we have been played right out of our land. Now let’s not forget that white is the total absence of color, and black is all the colors primary you get black not white. Now if you want to get techinical about white isn’t it lacking something in it’s makeup,has to be cause it’s showing on the outside that something’s missing? I know that we all are our own creator thus I&I,not destroyer of the world we inherited before our people came down with the disease of leprosy. This earth our MOTHER is in the process of purging herself of this virus let loose on her children,as we go into the fourth dimension. A change is in the future right now as we speak, AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO, BUT GET OUT OF THE WAY..This one will be for the Negative, cause the positive vibration is changing, to the feminine vib., all that is not tuned in with that will experience some changes in pineal gland which is the Master Gland, the creator in you.THE THIRD EYE,the real eye not of materialistic but of seeing without seeing. Mine is working correctly I SEE YOU… Trust me when it all goes down not one cagot will be on any of our sides. Just like now before the visible war, cause we’ve been at war with them Silent, with only them knowing it was going on against every MAN,WOMAN,AND CHILD SINCE THEY EXPELLED THE MOORS OUT OF SPAIN.And in America in 1930 we got tricked out of our land. Moors can never be non-Huemans only an imitation of us. Those Devils have since then sought to destroy the moors all over the world in an effort to keep them divided, and ignorant of who they are. I know who I am, only i can declare who i am, I can’t tell you who you are either,so who is it that keeps telling us who we are, and we are not related, that PERSON is a LIER. I come to this conclusion not because of sentiment but knowledge that as it was in the beginning so shall it be in the end. Or should I say new cycle. Hope you Cagots aren’t afraid of death. I don’t preach I teach thank you ROK, you sound confused, very. Knowledge is Power…Study Yourself moor. You are missing a lot of parts in the beginning, middle and the end. Seeen? Me say war. So get on your game CREATORS it’s about to go down!!
Greetings in the name of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haille Selassie I, WHO LIVETH, AND REIGNETH ITTINUALLY, iver faithful, iver sure, JAH RASTAFARI. I n I refuse to see the colour of a person.s skin, I am a white Rasta woman, and I suffer everday from isolation of babylon for the way that I look, as I stand strong in Jah wisdom, and fight for justice for ALL of my bredren, sistren, one love, one people, under Jah, living together. Stop this bigotted bullshit all you who are racist, there are downpressors in every race of people, only those who keep Jah in their heart, are truly free, don.t divide by your rotton words, we Jah Idren know who are the wicked men, and some of you who say you are Rasta are not fit to kiss his feet, go and take the chalice of love and rethink on your hatred, and become blessed warriors of Jah who loves us all.
go in peace and overstanding
Empress Dee you forget the afrikan race as a whole faced many problems caucasians have NEVER & would NEVER face. More deep than 400 years of PHYSICAL slavery, but mental as well. If you come to the south (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi etc) you can see the racism that exists today OPENLY. From the mayors & his friends who purposely cut back funding to the urban/black side of town and steal tax credit money for the white side of town and his friends, but gets on TV saying he cares about the black community but then fires everyone black on the board so he can do his money scheme. These are things we face today whites would NEVER understand especially in america where its RUN by whites with their interest. Do you know what a picnic is? Its when whites would pic-a-nigger and hang them in the park publically in the USA happening within the last 50 or so years. As burning spear says “DO YOU REMEMBER THE DAYS OF SLAVERY?” When I was at the bob marley celebration in miami the other day it was funny to see the white girls hold their white guys tight when songs like this and others came. They didn’t know what to do. They weren’t in slavery and their great grandparents more than likely owned some. Whites can not associate or begin to INNERSTAND and never OVERSTAND what happened then. Taking your mother and selling her to another master after raping her and her children before beating you senseless in front of them to instill whose the real “master” and make the black woman loose faith in her man. Whites never experienced this in their time or none of their family. So songs like this (which roots and many reggae songs deal with) isn’t something whites can associate with like rock music. Then when slavery wasn’t enough after they still do things like assassinate MLK, kil saddam when he was turning afrika’s currency into GOLD which the USA couldn’t afford for oil (USA has no gold. fiat fake debt money is all). Like the other day when the black Florida teen was killed by a white neighborhood watchman in a car. The teen was on foot with skittles from the corner store but he died because the watchman was “scared”. I want you to meditate and think of these things .Then think how a mind that was exposed to all of these things and STILL daily face these things, not being able to go in any restauraunt without being put out for being a melanated being and not LACKING melanin. Having to drink and use separate but NOT equal. The schools had the worse hand-me-down beat up books from white schools. Think of all these next time you think. How could an afrikan mind be with all these struggle? With all these wrong doing? Even the indians got ahead with their casino deals, the asians have chinatown, but afrikans? What do they have?
Just something to think about when you think “Stop this bigotted bullshit all you who are racist”.
Jah Bless you Empress Dee, this is sister vee from south africa, i and i also b a white rasta and the i feel your pains each day, but Jah love us all equal mi sister, give thanks for your irie spirit! Blessed Love
Now am I to overstand that the invaders have picked up the religion of the aboriginals?
The colonists now wish to assimilate into Ras? Him who nah wan go home, Who nah wan be me? But wan praise me Jah? I N I tink u tinkin clearly now! If ye feelin dis way!!- give up ya homeland and leave all benefit of a states. Otherwise stop attempting to assimilate into this a natural mans way a life. Look yee all around the world at the attempt of the white man to assimilate into Jah light and corrupt it as he has all way a life of da Natural man!!! Selah!!
Peace be upon the melanated aboriginal humans of Tera.