WASHINGTON (AFP) — An unprecedented year-long exhibition at the prestigious Smithsonian Institute aims to demystify the mystique of Rastafarism exploring the roots of what has become a global emerging religion.
“Rastafarism has never been in any major museum,” said Jake Homiak, curator of the exhibition “Discovering Rastafari” which runs until November 2008 at the institute’s National Museum of Natural History.
The movement traces its origins to the 1930s and the teachings of the Jamaican black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey, viewed as a Rasta prophet who advocated that the African diaspora should reclaim Africa from the colonizers.
The movement came to believe that former Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie, as the only monarch of a truly independent African nation, was god and that Ethiopia is the Biblical promised land.
Rastafarism, with its resistance to colonialism and racism, is at once a philosophy, a religion and a way of life, which grew in international popularity largely thanks to the music of Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley.
It is “an emergent global religion spread by the diaspora,” said Homiak, adding “it’s all over the world now.”
The Simthsonian asked 17 Rastafarian elders to act as advisors to the small exhibition which draws on the museum’s archives as well as items the leaders donated to the institute.
It includes artifacts, ritual objects, clothing and drums as well as rare photos and newspapers from the early days of the movement, recounting the coronation of Haile Selassie as well as his visit to Jamaica in 1966.
Other exhibits include original shares sold by Garvey for his “Black Star Line” a shipping company conceived as part of his back-to-Africa project but which went bankrupt shortly after being launched.
“We are excited to bring aspects of this fascinating yet often misunderstood cultural movement to the public,” said the Natural History museum’s acting director Paul Risser.
The exhibition however remains discreet on the Rastafarian use of cannabis, merely stating that “ganja is used for reasoning.”
The name Rastafarian came from the word “Ras” for chief and “Tafari,” the first name of the Haile Selassie before he was crowned king.
Today Rastafarism is practiced not just in Jamaica, but also in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Japan, Homiak added.
3 thoughts on “Rasta roots explored in rare U.S. exhibition”
Ye HaileSelassien nefse yemarew!
Haile selasie is a great father not only for ethiopians but also for world. He was the spritual father of the world. So that we all the world people have to believe ras teferie didn’t died he is still alive.
As an ethiopian Orthodox tewahedo christian born in the west who’s parents came to england in the 1950s from jamaica i have grown up close with the rastafarian concept. Emperor Haile Sellassie I is not specifcally the lion of Judah (LOJ)the title Lion of Judah only belongs to the eternal son of God,(Egziabher-Lig)who is known as Jesus Christ.Although emperor Haile Sellassie has done many great things for Africa and the Ethiopian people, time is at hand and we should try and foucus on what we know as divine truth in order to save our souls from eternal damnation.Many of my Rastafarian brothers continue to propergate this erroneous idea about the divinity of the Late Emperor and many Native Born Ethiopians are also ctching the bug and deluding themselves concearning this matter. Finally the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley was baptised In the Ethiopian Orthodox church during the last year of his life and given the name Berhane Sellassie. we all need to educate ourselves and not listen to wild hersay in order to fomulate an opinion on such a delicate matter.may the Blessing of the Father the peace of the Son and the Grace of the Holy Spirit be with us at all times. Amen
(3 in 1 & 1 in 3) there is no other.