Rasta Wanna Be
Greetings in the name of the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, H.I.M King Selassie I, JAH RASTAFARI
It is all so common to see people of all walks of life wearing “Dread Locks”, Red Gold and Green, Smoking Ganja and wearing Bob Marley T-Shirts. This pop culture phenomenon in of itself serves to be a double edged sword. It lends it self to being evidence of the positive vibrations of the Rastafari Movement, yet at the same time serves as a direct force of disinformation of the Rastafari livity. More times than none, the type of person I have just described are whom InI call “Fashion Dreads” or Impostors. Further more it is easy to run into those who call themselves Rasta, but in all actuality they are Rastafari Sympathizers; infatuated with the culture and lifestyle of the Rastafari Breadreen and Sistreeen.
Recently a friend of mine, who I might add is a Gentile, asked me the following question and requested that I blog my thoughts on it.
“In regards to becoming a Rastafari, is it foolish or considered taboo for a white person to convert or join this way of life because of the Pan-Africanism and Afro-centric beliefs and world view.”
Within this question there are actually 3 elements to be discussed.
Please follow me as I address these three elements.
Conversion to Rastafari
King of Ieration
One does not convert to Rastafari, because Rastafari in its essence is a Livity (way of life) that one is called upon by the Most High to live.
The Irit (Spirit) of Rastafari is with InI from Ireation (Creation) however it often reveals itself stage by stage. Rastafari is a livity (way of life), and as in life, you learn as you live. As you grow, you learn the elements of Life, Love, Justice and the workings of the Iniverse (universe) and your eyes open a little bit wider. It is when one fully opens their eyes and submits to the will and teachings of the Head Creator as manifested in the image of Rastafari, does one become Rastafari in fullness.
To that end “many are called but only the few are chosen”, thus you do not chose to be Rastafari you are created Rastafari
The principals of Rastafari
The Last Supper
There are three main Mansions of Rastafari, the Theocratic Order of Nyabinghi, Boboshanti, and 12 Tribes of Israel. The dress, services, and interactions vary from Mansion to Mansion however all Rastafari maintain the following principals and manifest them in their lives. Any man or woman who claims to be Rastafari and do not submit to these “Kingcipals” are either wolves in sheep’s clothing, ignorant to the way of Rastafari, or are simply just sympathizers of the Movement. For these principals are the defining factors that separates a Ras from a Dread.
- Rastafari revere H.I.M. Emperor Haile Sellassie I of Ethiopia as King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Conquering Lion of Judah. The 225th descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the last to sit upon the Throne of David, God Head, and the Ancient of Days. The same Lion of Judah that the book of Revelations Ch. 5 spoke of. Thus we submit to his will and teachings.
- The Honourable Marcus Garvey is our Prophet and has his place in the hierarchy of Rastafari
- InI actively fight against oppression and downpression (hence the word Nyabinghi means “death to all black and white oppressors”)
- Ethiopia is the Holy Land and is an integral part of the Garden of Eden as recorded in the book of Genesis.
- “Africa for the Africans, at Home and Abroad”. Rastafari assert that all the African peoples brought to the western hemisphere through the advent of European slave trading, whose progeny still survives, have the inherent rights to demand their repatriation back to the African continent if so desired. Furthermore, all costs and reparations should be contributed by nations that participated in the nefarious practises of African slave trading
- Adhere to a Rastafari “Ital Livity”, a lifestyle that is organic and sustainable
- Reasoning and or being Reasonable.
All Rastafari brethren hold sacred these basic I-cepts of the culture, to which we offer Biblical and Historical reference; particularly the recorded history of Ethiopia.
White Rastas, Taboo?
- Rastafari En Colombia
Rastafari knows no boarders; it flows through race, gender, or geography because it is an Ineversal (universal) Irit (spirit). The mission of Rastafari is to create unity and universal harmony. In his 1963 Declaration to the League of Nations H.I.M King Selassie I said:
“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war and until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the colour of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained… now everywhere is war.”
In saying all this, Rastafari Idren do not look down upon their brothers and sisters who may be of a Caucasoid, Asian, South East Asian or any other genealogy. I would like to reverse the question now and ask are you willing to humble yourself to accept the principals of an Afro-centric world view. Would you be willing to submit to the teachings and will of a Black King and God. 
“until the colour of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes”
What is the significance of you asking wether we are willing to submit to the teachings of a “black” king or God, should you not just ask wether we are willing to submit to your God, by using the term Black King or God it makes me think that you are holding a colour as superior, until people stop using colour to differentiate things i think we’ll always get problems.
I don’t think a god should be talked about in terms of a colour at all, and i don’t beleive that god is a person like you or I, do you? surely a God must be much more than a human being, and take some other form. Thats just my own beleif but the colour thing needs to br dropped and looked upon as Selassie said in his speech, only then will the war stop.
Love the website by the way, very nice….+the TV
I am not rasta, but I completely understand the frustration you must have with dreads. I know this white boy who has dreads and smokes the herb and says he likes reggae, but is quick to profess his atheist beliefs. makes me pretty sick.
but i would like to ask you a question, regardless if the spirit of God did or did not come to the earth manifest as H.I.M Haile Selassie I, why do you say “Black King and God”….do you then confine the supreme omnipotence of the LORD to material descriptions?
bless
No, I do not intend to communicate a confinement of the supreme divine to only a mortal being; as i know that the head creator is all form, all encompassing, and all powerful.
My point was to simply articulate the fact the the said one chose to manifest himself in thus form. Reason being is that until know people resembling that form have been viewed upon as the least of our brothers. The fact that the said one chose that form as paramount because it is a complete departure from the messages communicated and perpetuated by early Christian Jesuits and European Imperialist (and even Mormons until the mid 20th century). these are messages that consciously and subconsciously impact the minds of the masses.
Ras Unika Tianyvu Hypolite
Where did you get that Columbian picture?
Greetings, in the name of the most high, Jah Rastafari…
I&I have found this text around the web and I&I so intrestead in what u talking about and what u saying… I&I live in Argentina where the pop culture and rasta fashion is increased day by day, in TV, in magazines, in newspapers, on the web, is really sad to see so many peoples that don’t overstand the real meaning of being a Rasta , of teaching the true and seeking happiness, love and culture, they just forgett all that and just have a livity of fashion and dresses, they call themselves Rastas, they sing on stage, they talk on tv, and I&I see so much lies , so much hypocresy, day by day I&I is so sad, but so sad, that I&I feel sometimes with hate to thoose people…
Im a whiteman, son of Italian father, and son of a Spanish mother, I use dreadlocks since 2 years ago, but i feel the true and the true livity since i was a child all my family members professes Jehova faith, I&I never follow a religion, I&I is just a man who seeks for true and a right road for human kind, that’s why I&I will translate your words to show to my people what the real meaning and true about this topic, thank you for your words
PD: The columbian picture comes from black-king.net from the visit of the Boboshantis saints to Latin America, they visit Columbia,Ecuator and Peru.
I myself am a white Rastafari and to the people that have questions about the it was worded “Black King or God” does not mean black but more as meaning African since all man originates from Africa and that is where H.I.M. JAH RASTAFARI ruled. InI live in America where Bob Marley and Rasta is all just a fashion trend. It does get annoying sometimes because everyone that listens to Bob Marley thinks they know what a Rastafari is but thats not the case. InI try to educate the people around me about I livity but just because they listen to Bob Marley and smoke the herb they think they know everything. I as a white man, but also a Rasta, do believe in a African man is God on earth. Anyone who wants to talk further email me at zepplin5656@hotmail.com
more than likely Jesus was black. i actually got kicked out of my catholic school because i was arguing with my religion teacher that he was in fact black, and not any other genealogy, and it makes sense too. i would be more than willing to submit to a black king and god, who am i to disagree.. if hes god, then hes god. makes no difference the colour of his skin anyways, btw, im white, if i wanted to grow some dreads, would i be able to? i dont have curly hair by any means. wavy though. but not curly.. Nice website by the way, very insightful
hi my name is mamdouj i want to learn more about rastafarianism since i myself am a muslim, but wish to convert into rastafarianism, please let me know how to do so, i will follow what king of kings lord of lords, jah tells me to follow, just as i did with the prophets in my religion
thank you
hola
There is Rasta and there is rascal just as there are sheep and wolves in sheep’s clothing. Only the true sheep will hear the shepherd because the frequency is too high for fools to overstand. A dog whistle operates in the same way…beyond the range of man (and therefore non-existent) but clearly audible to canines. Rastafari is an inborn conception that is a function of the heart that goes on within oneself, without oneself. Just like a heartbeat and equally as essential. Looking up to JAH that dwells within makes it impossible to look down on anyone, so no need to fear the truth that humanity starts in Afrika when humility is the key in self recognition and exploration. Like the blowing wind, who feels it, knows it as acutely as one knows hunger. There’s no need to ask another person if your belly is full when the answer is obvious to unu self. The arrogant ignorance of cultural imperialism and schisms create god complexes that distort the vision of men. Man, as created, has no problem recognizing his human family and respecting them wherever they inhabit the planet. Selah.