Pan Africanism And Rastafarianism

The Rastafari movement is a positive movement that promotes peace amongst all, self-respect, self -awareness, and respect for others.

Christianity and Rastafarianism are both rooted in Judaism and draw from the Hebrew sacred scriptures. Rastafarianism evolved as a reaction to the Christianity that was imposed upon African-American slaves and their descendents. There are several other aspects in which these two religions are similar, the purpose of this paper is to explore some of those similarities.

When there is a significant shift in culture and society, members of any community are influenced in their identity. This can be observed in the rise of Black Nationalism, a political and social movement prominent in the 1960s-70s. (Levine, 1996). The movement traces back to Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association of the 1920s that focused on infusing a sense of community within the African-Americans. Many supporters of Black Nationalism were youths of the community who sought to maintain and promote their separate identity as a people of black ancestry as well as generating a sense of pride among the black community (Altman, 1997). As this movement spread, the identity of the African-American community developed and consolidated as they began to develop their style of fashion, music and embrace activities such as rap culture and basketball respectively. Their development since the 1960s highlights

My assignment is to write about the various religions that are situated in Africa and religions African-Americans preach. There are many different religions in Africa because there are various regions and countries in Africa. Also Africa and its inhabitants have been around for many, many years. One reason that there are so many different religions.

Rastafari is an African religion that is still relatively new. The religion was developed in the 1930s in Jamaica after Haile Selassie was named the King of Ethiopia. The followers of this religion believe that Selassie is God and that he will return all of the black people displaced from slavery and colonization to Africa. Bob Marley’s music and success helped spread the religion. The Rastafarians believe that black people are the chosen people of God. Some of the religious practices in the religion include smoking and inhaling marijuana. The purpose of the marijuana is to increase a person’s spiritual state of mind and awareness. Most Rastafarians have long

Looking back at the history of the culture that has risen from the ashes; one may be quite surprised just how far the African American culture has come. The progression of the African American culture is indeed one to be proud of. From cotton fields to Harlem, “The New Negro Movement”, sparked a sense of cultural self-determination, with a yearning to strive for economic, political equality, and civic participation. This was a movement that sparked a wide range of advancements in the African American culture. Leaving footprints of great individuals as well as set a path way for future generations to follow; setting a trend for Black greatness.

The Rasta movement began in the 1920’s with the followers of Marcus Garvey, who promoted black pride within Jamaica, and the “back to Africa” movement. Most Rastas do not consider their belief system a religion. They consider Rasta to be a way of life, and therefore refrain from using terms such as “Rastafarianism.” Rastas typically reject ism’s of any kind in fact, viewing them as a product of the “babylon system.” Much of Rasta doctrine comes from the Old Testimate, and there are many similarities between Rasta and Judaism. This can be seen with the use of the words like babylon, used by Rastas to describe African oppressors, and the use of the Star of David as a Rasta symbol. Though Garvey was not a Rasta himself, he is viewed as a prophet within the Rasta movement and is famous for his prophecy of a black king in Africa; "Look to Africa, for there a black king shall be

Pan-Africanism signifies the difficulties of black social, intellectual, and political notions over a two hundred year span. What establishes Pan-Africanism, on the basic level, is the unity of Africans worldwide. Pan-Africanists believe that the African people in its entirety, which includes the Diaspora and the African continent, does not just share common beginnings but also a common destiny. (Asante, 1976, p. 97) This ideology of an intertwined past and future of all the African people has however took many forms, as different thinkers feel that there are different methods in achieving African unity. Three great thinkers, W.E.B. Dubois, Marcus Garvey, and Malcolm X, were all leaders of their own Pan-African movement which each contained their own element in achieving Pan-Africanism. DuBois took a more academic stance which included the utilization of the elites, whereas Garvey and Malcolm X were more so grassroots organizers as they believed in the bottom-up decision making rather than top-down.

Rebel, singer, composer, musician, and activist Peter Tosh left his impact on Jamaican musical scene, both as a solo artist and as the founding member of the infamous Wailers. His former Wailer band member, Bob Marley, is widely regarded as the face of reggae and the greatest advocate of the Rastafarian culture. Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer were definitely equals with Bob Marley in the band, even though Marley’s name, later became synonymous with the Wailers. Tosh heavily contributed to many of the band's hits, including "400 Years," "Get Up, Stand Up," "No Sympathy," and "Stop That Train. " It would be Tosh, a fluent guitarist, who would teach Marley how to play his very first guitar.

The paper discusses how Marley’s music changed society by mainstreaming the ideas of black resistance, social justice, racial equality, and anti-colonialism to the baby-boom generation and generations endlessly onward. The paper will outline the historical background of reggae as well as the social cause to which it became attached by the work of Marley. The paper submits that reggae, ultimately, became the chief means of expressing the angst and dislocation felt by many within the African Diaspora. Finally, the paper will offer a critical analysis of one of Marley’s works, “I Shot the Sheriff”, and will explain why this signature work is a classic instance of reggae speaking out against injustice and the prevailing power structure.

"The reservoir of music he has left behind is like an encyclopedia," says Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes (Bob Marley’s backup singers). "When you need to refer to a certain situation or crisis, their will always be a Bob Marley song that will relate to it. Bob was a musical prophet.” (bobmarley.com). To most people in this world Bob Marley was just a singer from the tiny island of Jamaica, but to any person who has felt the true soul of his music they know that he was no musician, but a spiritual messenger through music. Bob Marley created many fans through his music but may have sparked a few

            Pan Africanism represents the aggregation of the historical, cultural, spiritual, artistic, scientific and philosophical legacies of Africans from past times to the present. Pan Africanism as an ethical system, traces its origins from ancient times, and promotes values that are the product of the African civilization and struggles against slavery, racism, colonialism, and neo-colonialism.

Rastafari is, before it is anything else, a way of life. It offers approaches and answers to real problems black people face in daily living; it promotes spiritual resilience in the face of oppressive poverty and underdevelopment. It produces art, music and cultural forms, which can be universally recognized and appreciated. More important, Rastafari provides a positive self-image, an alternative to people who need and cannot find or accept one elsewhere. Even with its black foundation and orientation, Rastafarianism is open to anyone, of any race, who chooses to discover and is able to accept it.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr was a Jamaican political leader who accomplished many things within his lifetime. He was a well-known publisher, entrepreneur, journalist, Black Nationalist, as well as Pan-Africanist. Pan Africanism is the idea that all African American people possess a common cultural legacy extending from Africa. In saying this, all African Americans should work together in maintaining the culture and removing expatriate power.

Like in the earlier years, it can be seen in this story that Christianity was the most dominant and highly accepted religion in Jamaica. Having contrasting beliefs and practices, individuals would be shunned and ostracized. The author illustrates this idea by showing how Darren’s passionate beliefs in Rastafarianism had resulted in him being kicked out of his house. He was told to “never to come back until he had given up that Rasta foolishness.” Today, the Caribbean has become religiously diverse with a tolerance for different