
Rastafari is not just a person, or a movement, or a spiritual order that emerged in the early 20th century; it is all these things. It theologically links the past to the future and serves as a focal point of where one stands in relation to JAH (The Creator).
- Rastafari transcends ideological barriers while it embodies African consciousness
- It provides marginalized communities with a forum for activism and resistance; in its being Rastafari is a collective
- The Rastafari “Ital livity” is an organic and sustainable lifestyle
The most appropriate characterization of Rastafari has been presented by Ras Chikuyu, “Rastafari is a Contemporary Theological Social Movement”.

26 comments
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October 14, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Mothercousin
Wah Gwan
“never give up the fight, ah say don’t give up the fight.”
greetings!!!!
March 10, 2008 at 11:24 pm
iron lion zion
forever loving jaH! blessed love to all mankind, jah jah will always protect us physically and spiritually!!!!!! jah rastafari…
September 4, 2008 at 3:12 pm
White Rastas, Taboo? «
[...] What is Rastafari [...]
October 18, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Imani
What is Rastafari? Rastafari is love ,longivty, prosperity and honour.It is also spirituality and Peace among love ones and piars.
October 31, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Empress Bella
RastafarI, not a religion, but way of life. Who follow the movement have seen the light, the truth n can therefore not turn back on rightous livity. As Rastafarian, must memba to keep clean livity; only the greens that grow upon the planet can InI feed on, that is the glorification which keep the flesh in health n the spirit fresh. As followers of the truth, InI only keep love inna the heart, cause no room for hate in the temple n spirit of blessed one. Extend greetings to all bredren n sistren in the name of holy emmanuelI, His Imperial Majesty Haile SelassieI, Jah RastafarI! Nough been said for now, more to come….until then I say ONE PERFECT LOVE
December 23, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Jeff
Yeah thank jah for ganja i luv it becuz it alleviates our mind of bad thoughts, makes our body, soul and da mind pure like intended.
January 27, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Josh
I never really saw anything out of life when I was young moving from place to place finding my home but I never could
I felt like I never belonged among the human race.
I was with some of my friends and they had marijuana
I decided to smoke it. Im very open minded and I didnt care if it was illegal I just do things. Like drinking but when I smoked that wonderful herb and I got my first high my mind became clear nothing was fuzzy there was no wondering what Im going to do for the rest of my life anymore I realized alchol was hurting those around me and making them feel bad so I stoped drinking I havent had or felt like I needed a drink for three years and I have actually made something out of my self
I feel as if I have been spoken to and shown the way to true bliss I wont buy or sell marijuana I only grow it and smoke it by myself
March 17, 2009 at 11:24 am
robby
robbyI DIS DE TRUTH JAHMEN
neva had i known de true luv til de moment i fed on the TRUE HOLY HERB- its free gift from the mosty high to HIS who luv n embress onness
July 22, 2009 at 3:54 am
John yelrom
I dont believe that Smoking herb will define any person for any reason whatsoever unless of couse you want to be defined by that. But the fact that Rastafarianism allows one to be a complete person as in Mind, Body, and Spirit, i beliieve that this will help I become a better person. Unlike Conformed Catholicism and Judaism who clearly see themselves being seperate from others and beliefs that limit the person that they might really want to be.
Conformity is Hell on earth, the greed and hate that is evident as well as the conspiracy to have a multi million dollar worship center (ex. First Baptist of Ft. Lauderdale) There is nothing to convince me otherwise. Live life as it was meant and have faith in something you can be apart of and value the life your given. And just chill with the Ganga its here to stay never to leave the very place it was created, the ground.
I hope others may see this view as acceptable. Or just another take from I perspective.
September 3, 2009 at 3:30 am
Ras Jiga
I man say Rastafar I is the truth,the way and the light,ita true christian way of living and worshiping Jah di most high and its a Revelation of what was hidden in the past.More respect fi o’lyah,kip de faya burning.
January 20, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Unika Hypolite
Give Thanks! the Fiah will Bun I-tinuoually
September 12, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Amin
what does “wah gwan” mean?
January 20, 2010 at 11:25 pm
Unika Hypolite
means “What’s going on”. that is Patois, an english dialect spoken in Jamaica and the Caribbean; not Rastafari Speak
June 10, 2010 at 10:15 pm
BlackQueen
bredren, what sect of rastafari are i from?
June 25, 2010 at 4:59 pm
Unika Hypolite
Nyabinghi. 1 Jah. 1 Aim. 1 Destiny
February 16, 2010 at 4:09 pm
CAVELL BALL
C i undastand wat the culture in which me born in. Just hate the state of mind me people in, 4 dem getting da wrong message 4rm TV, & all sorts of FUCKERY! DEM DONT NO DA TRUE WAY OF LIFE & IF DEM AH NEW THE TRUE WAY OF LIFE BECAUSE ITS NOT POPULAR BY DEM WHITE WORLD OPINION THEY STILL WONT WAKE UP…(BLESS)..
February 16, 2010 at 4:10 pm
CAVELL BALL
ALL PRAISE DUE!!!
March 25, 2010 at 8:49 pm
God's Servant
Knowing that material and spiritual progress are essential to man, we must ceaselessly work for the equal attainment of both. Only then shall we be able to acquire the absolute inner-calm, so necessary to our well-being. Whenever conflict arises between material and spiritual values, the conscience plays an important role and anyone who suffers from a guilty conscience is never really free from this problem until he makes peace with himself and his conscience. Discipline of the mind is a basic ingredient of genuine morality and therefore of spiritual strength. Spiritual power is the eternal guide, in this life and the life after, for man ranks supreme among all creatures. -Led forward by spiritual power, man can reach the summit destined for him by the Great Creator. Since nobody can interfere in the realm of God we should tolerate and live side by side with those with other faiths. In the mystic traditions of the different religions we have a remarkable unity of spirit. Whatever religion they may profess, they are spiritual kinsmen. While the different religions in their historic forms bind us to limited groups and militate against the development of loyalty to the world community, the mystics have already stood for the fellowship of humanity… in harmony with the spirit of the mystics of ages gone by. No one should question the faith of others, for no human being can judge the ways of God.
H.I.M Emperor Haile Selassie I- The Truth & The Light
June 10, 2010 at 10:42 pm
BlackQueen
Greetings, unto the most high halie selassie d 1st… jah rastafari…
idren, rasta is a way of life –no religion. RastafarI is in ones heart and i heart must be pure.
d ganja is used fi spiritual purposes —resoning with sisren and bredren… and smoked behind closed doors. Ganja— not to smoked or abuse —or fi a high. Many abuse d ganja fi such purposes… d herb is fi d healing of d nation. –Don’t abuse mon.
Natty dread: when idren wear d dread pon dem heads…. its a spiritual connection… d head of a lion… liberal purpose and has a strong symbolic meaning. Away w’d the chemicals, d cutting of the hair… let d hair grow naturally… “DEM NATTY DREAD”
No look of babylon (western society).
D Temple: idren, our bodies are d temple and i must not allow anything to enter in ini body. Eat only ITAL food: foods dat out natural and pure. No rasta idren eat pork, shell fish of any kind. No salt — cocount oil is mostly used as fi oil. Eat plenty fruits and vegetables (green) fi d healthy fi d body and pure.
No alcohol — fi dem toxic to d temple.
No rasta, drink anything dat alter our mind, soul and spirit.
If, one must drink.. fi health purposes —such as red wine. Occasionally.
ABSTAINE from alcohol of any kind!!!
Livity in RastafarI: Love, live in peace and happiness. No idren can HATE his or her idren. Overstand i roots and culture… iducate iself.
NEVER FI GET DAT IFRICA IS THE MOTHERLAND —Ethiopia (Zion).
Jah Love
Liberation Colors: Gree, Gold and Red — sometimes black is added.
Overstand, what d colors represent… when one ask den you are prepared to respond. Don’t just represent colors— and you have no idea of its meaning or representation.
African Liberation Colors: Red, Black and Green
Live, Love Rasta…
Blessings.
June 23, 2010 at 3:02 am
ryan
What does InI mean?
August 9, 2011 at 11:55 am
rasamir
I n I means I refer to “Me” convert to I as ones self rather than me. so, I n I means, I n Jah (King Haile Selassie I) the knows to the Ras, as reincarnation of Jesus. Correct I if I wrong.
One JAH!
Salam,
Ras Amir
October 26, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Ax
Rastafari is not about smoking a herb…
you shouldn’t represent the colors because you love smoking..
I see all these reactions about ganja.. people only see that side of the religion and sometimes even call theirself a rastafari but they don’t know shit.
they don’t have any idea of what is most important.
rastafari is a way of life, a verry strict way of life.
if you say you are a rastafari, think again if you are offering all the things you are sedused to do, that they can’t surrendering for Jah living in a way of peace, love,… growing your locks for only one reason and never ever cut them. there are so many things people don’t know. living as a rastafari is not easy and it’s not always a fun thing! ganja is just ONE of the things they do! Stop praising rasta’s for smoking because for them, smoking is a way of meditation, not a way of having fun and stuf …
January 13, 2011 at 4:46 pm
buddhananda
I read your post and I found it interesting. I am a new wordpress blogger and I am going from blog to blog looking for new ideas, inspiration or worldwide web contacts.
If you want you can have a look at the posts I made at buddhameditation.wordpress.com. The main idea is the following : I want to find the philosophical and theoretical roots of our modern days problems. For this I try to use some tools that I borrow mainly in the hinduist, buddhist, meditation, reiki and philosophical fields. The blog is only at its beginning but maybe it will interest you to exchange ideas.Of course if you want to write your opinions, remarks or interesting facts about the posts, you are very welcome.
Good luck
Buddhananda
August 5, 2011 at 2:27 am
cupid
jah blessings flow to all guidance and full protection…cupid
August 9, 2011 at 11:49 am
rasamir
Allah! Jah! Haile Selassie I!
Salam from Malaysia!
keep Ital livity!
Salam,
Ras Amir
February 13, 2012 at 6:38 am
Louie
Rastafari is a way of life, ini say stay true to yourself and the people around you. Do jah work spread a positive message and live in a irie way dont give up on mother earth, rise above the downpressors, push away babylon and the negative they represent. I dont smoke the ganja anymore but mi love for jah rastafari is very strong, and jah love is strong for jah people.1 LOVE WORLD & JAH BLESS!