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When I was in Ethiopia in 2005, I found my daughters some cute little knitted hats at one of the little shops I visited. The hats were knitted in the colors of Ethiopia. After I bought them, someone told me they were Rastafarian hats. That got me wondering who on earth the Rastafarians were. Basically all I knew was that they usually wore their hair in some really amazing-looking dreadlocks.
Research uncovered some interesting facts about this group. The Rastafarians are actually a religious group that worships Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as God incarnate. The name Rastafari comes from Ras (Prince) Tafari Makonnen, the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie I.
According to wikipedia, Haile Selassie was born July 23, 1892. He could trace his lineage back to Menelik I, who in the Ethiopian tradition was the offspring of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.
He reigned Ethiopia from November 2, 1930 – September 12, 1974. He was known as the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
The Rasta movement emerged in Jamaica among working-class and peasant black people in the early 1930’s. The people interpreted some verses in the Bible in such a way that made them believe that Selassie was God.
In the 60’s Haile Selassie visited Jamaica and granted them 500 hectares of land in Ethiopia on which to settle in a small southern Ethiopian town called Shashamene. Since the first 12 Jamaican settlers in 1963, the community has grown to over 200 families.
The Rastafari movement has now spread throughout much of the world, thanks mostly to the reggae music of Jamaican singer/songwriter Bob Marley. By 2000, there were more than one million Rastafari faithful worldwide. About five to ten percent of Jamaicans identify themselves as Rastafari.
Other Notable Ethiopians:
This post was very educational. Thanks so much!
Vali
I had the same surprise as I read more about Ethiopian culture and the link of Selassie to the Rastafari religion.
Very educational! Thank you!