Misconceptions of Rastafarianism
Sam Cook
12/1/2012
Rhetoric of Reggae
Tuna (Professor Snider)
Common Misconceptions of the Rastafarian People
When an average person hears the word Rastafarianism, several things come to mind. Some examples would be the stereotypical images of dreadlocks (long braids or natural locks of hair), the smoking of ganja (marijuana), the busy streets of Trenchtown, and the reggae rhythms of the one and only Bob Marley. Unfortunately, those things are not necessarily the makings of what truly embodies the Rastafari culture.
With the growing international popularity of reggae in the 1970’s, the Rastafarian movement gained headway in Jamaica. Yet this came as both a blessing and curse for the Rastafarian, because it created divisions within the movement and gave birth to a number of “pseudo Rastafarian” groups embracing only the superficial symbolism. (King) Jamaica’s Prime Minister at the time, Michael Manley, helped weave the Rastafarian imagery and common themes right into the heart of Jamaican political rhetoric. After seeing a lot of exposure and feedback, reggae and Rastafarianism became Jamaica’s claim to fame. Moral of the story is that music can do a lot for social movements. However, sometimes there are boundaries that people need to follow or else movements such as Rastafarianism are subject to criticism and the creation of misconception.
Following the talk I had with friends about Rastafarianism, and asking random people about what they believe it means to be a Rasta, I put together a small list of common misconceptions people had believed. The first misconception is that all Rastafarians smoke weed. That’s not the case by any means. There are plenty of Rasta’s who do not partake in smoking weed, but do understand its significance to the Rastafarian culture. As a Rastafarian, you are not forced to smoke weed however, many Rasta’s faithfully see ganja as a sacrament that helps in the discovery of the “I in I”, which is the true form of Jah.
12/1/2012
Rhetoric of Reggae
Tuna (Professor Snider)
Common Misconceptions of the Rastafarian People
When an average person hears the word Rastafarianism, several things come to mind. Some examples would be the stereotypical images of dreadlocks (long braids or natural locks of hair), the smoking of ganja (marijuana), the busy streets of Trenchtown, and the reggae rhythms of the one and only Bob Marley. Unfortunately, those things are not necessarily the makings of what truly embodies the Rastafari culture.
With the growing international popularity of reggae in the 1970’s, the Rastafarian movement gained headway in Jamaica. Yet this came as both a blessing and curse for the Rastafarian, because it created divisions within the movement and gave birth to a number of “pseudo Rastafarian” groups embracing only the superficial symbolism. (King) Jamaica’s Prime Minister at the time, Michael Manley, helped weave the Rastafarian imagery and common themes right into the heart of Jamaican political rhetoric. After seeing a lot of exposure and feedback, reggae and Rastafarianism became Jamaica’s claim to fame. Moral of the story is that music can do a lot for social movements. However, sometimes there are boundaries that people need to follow or else movements such as Rastafarianism are subject to criticism and the creation of misconception.
Following the talk I had with friends about Rastafarianism, and asking random people about what they believe it means to be a Rasta, I put together a small list of common misconceptions people had believed. The first misconception is that all Rastafarians smoke weed. That’s not the case by any means. There are plenty of Rasta’s who do not partake in smoking weed, but do understand its significance to the Rastafarian culture. As a Rastafarian, you are not forced to smoke weed however, many Rasta’s faithfully see ganja as a sacrament that helps in the discovery of the “I in I”, which is the true form of Jah.
Cited: Bisnauth , Dale . History of Religions in The Caribbean. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, Inc., 1996. 195-199. Print. King, Stephen Alan. "Redemption Song" In Babylon: The Evolution of Reggae and the Rastafarian Movement. Ann Arbor, MI: UMI Company , 1997. Print. Brodber , Clyde Everton. A Rastafarian Journey. London, England : Janus Publishing Company , 2003 . Print. Hausman, Gerald, and Ziggy Marley. The Kebra Nagast. New York, NY: St. Martin 's Press , 1997. Print. Emery, Marc. "Cannabis Culture ." Cannabis Culture . (August 2008): n. page. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. . Tyehimba Salandy, Ras . "The Re-evolution of Rastafari." Rasta Speaks . 20 2003: n. page. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. . Duncan , Karen. "Rasta Culture … Legacy of The Lion in Zion." NYU. 5 2001: n. page. Web. 1 Dec. 2012. Padgett, Tim . "The Most Homophobic Place on Earth? ." TIME Magazine. 12 2006: n. page. Web. 1 Dec. 2012.