Product Description
Kelleyana Junique blows the smoke away from the questions many people have in their minds about Rastafarians (Rastas) and their life in Jamaica. What do they believe in? Who is Jah? Why do they revere Haile Selassie and Bob Marley? How do they live? How do they raise families? Do they work? Why are ganja and reggae/ragga music so important to the Rastas? All in all, it's a peaceful picture that is presented here, of a people who acknowledge the differences in humanity but do not presume to judge. The author doesn't shy away from tricky issues like skylarkers, gargamels and single-parent families; but the image of rural joy in the middle of 'Babylon' abides, in this informative and entertaining guide to a misunderstood faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Really?
I have simply this to say about this book: Go elsewhere. The mere fact that the title includes 'rastafarianism' should be a large red flag. There are no 'ism's in Rastafari. Go back type 'rastafari' in the search bar and buy the first book by Barry Chevannes.

Wesley

Good Read
Very good read for anyone who is curious about Rastafarian practices or planing to live that lifestyle

Even the title suggests Failure
The tile suggests "Rastafarianism Exlplained."Rastafarians do not accept "isms" as these are a creation of Babylon (The Western World) which catergorizes entities into some type of class.Just the title of this book would offend some Rastafarians.

This Book SUCKS
Horrible book, written at such an elementary level with useless information. It barely answers the questions that are mentioned on the back. Its just HORRIBLE!!!!!!!It doesn't even deserve a star

lies, lies, lies
i have a pretty good understanding of the rastafarian culture and beliefs, having spent time in jamaica before.This has to be the worst book written on rastafarianism, they go into no detail about the beliefs, and most of the chapters are misleading and untrue.I think that people should learn about this beautiful culture, and this is not the way to do it, try reading robert roskinds book- Rasta heart: the journey into one love, this book is great for the person seeking information abut rastafarianism.

ONE LOVE. ... Read more

Product Description
Going far beyond the standard imagery of Rasta—ganja, reggae, and dreadlocks—this cultural history offers an uncensored vision of a movement with complex roots and the exceptional journey of a man who taught an enslaved people how to be proud and impose their culture on the world. In the 1920s Leonard Percival Howell and the First Rastas had a revelation concerning the divinity of Haile Selassie, king of Ethiopia, that established the vision for the most popular mystical movement of the 20th century, Rastafarianism. Although jailed, ridiculed, and treated as insane, Howell, also known as the Gong, established a Rasta community of 4,500 members, the first agro-industrial enterprise devoted to producing marijuana. In the late 1950s the community was dispersed, disseminating Rasta teachings throughout the ghettos of the island. A young singer named Bob Marley adopted Howell's message, and through Marley's visions, reggae made its explosion in the music world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Some good information, hidden under rambling prose
While this book contains some good information about Rastafari and Leonard Howell, most of it is hidden under a mass of rambling nonsense, where the author writes about her personal experience in Jamaica as if it has anything to do with the life of Howell.It doesn't.And she gets many of her facts wrong, such as her claim that ganja was still legal in Jamaica in the mid-30s.

If you're interested in the life of Leonard P. Howell, read Dread History instead.If you're generally interested in Rastafari, check out Catch a Fire.

Good Intent, Needs Editing
I expected more from someone with Helen Lee's experience in Journalism.The book gives little actual information, and focuses instead on rambling conjecture.Though I respect the intent and agree with many of the sentiments, the structure of the book is poor and unfocused.I would recommend this book only as the most basic of introductions to rastafarianism; for anyone who knows even a little, I would suggest you look elsewhere to enhance your knowledge base.

HAILE BLESS!!!
This book was very informative and the research done was astounding!!! I would like to thank the author for her taking the time to research such a delicate and profound subject matter as most of Howell's origins are obscure. This book answered many questions for InI on this topic of InI "calling" to Rastafari. Blessed thanks!!!

Shockingly Informative
I absolutely love this book. Never really one for reading, this book has kind of enthused me to go back and actually READ some of the dozens of books I had purchased over the years but never really set down with.
As a descendant of Rastafarians (and a person whose family majority consists of Rastas, I found it very interesting, and answered some of the questions more distinctly than any of my family had in the past. Its mainly about Leonard Percival Howell, "The First Rasta", and talks mainly about his life and times, but the parts of this book that i find most interesting are the parts that deal with other figures in Rastafari culture i.e. Selassie and Marley.
As I said, I was never one for reading too much, so if this book got me re-interested in reading then there is definitely something to it. Written by the ex-wife of legend Alpha Blondy. If you're interested in the topic, not a bad place at all to start. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Religion, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 6881 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The second edition of this highly regarded encyclopedia, preserving the best of the first edition's cross-cultural approach, while emphasizing religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture, this new edition is the definitive work in the field for the 21st century. An international team of scholars and contributors have reviewed, revised and added to every word of the classic work, making it relevant to the questions and interests of all researchers. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2nd ed., brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2358 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the regions of the American continents in which two of the world's first civilizations developed: Mesoamerica (the name for the lands in which ancient civilizations arose in Central America and Mexico) and the Andes Mountains region of South America (in present-day Peru and parts of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Ecuador). In both regions, the history of civilization goes back thousands of years. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of Religion, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 6844 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The second edition of this highly regarded encyclopedia, preserving the best of the first edition's cross-cultural approach, while emphasizing religion's role within everyday life and as a unique experience from culture to culture, this new edition is the definitive work in the field for the 21st century. An international team of scholars and contributors have reviewed, revised and added to every word of the classic work, making it relevant to the questions and interests of all researchers. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2nd ed., brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 777 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the regions of the American continents in which two of the world's first civilizations developed: Mesoamerica (the name for the lands in which ancient civilizations arose in Central America and Mexico) and the Andes Mountains region of South America (in present-day Peru and parts of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Ecuador). In both regions, the history of civilization goes back thousands of years. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2550 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices provides information on current religious practices around the world with an emphasis on how religions impact the daily lives of their followers. Included are detailed entries on 13 major religions, such as Christianity and Islam, and entries on 28 religious subgroups, such as Shi'ites or Baptists.Provides Date of Origin, Dietary Practices, Number of Followers, Social Aspects, Controversial Issues, Major Theologians and Authors, Cultural Impact, Houses of Worship, Holy Places, What is Sacred, Rituals, Rites of Passage, Festivals and Holidays, Membership, Social Justice, Modes of Dress and Founder.Also includes significant religions in 193 countries that detail History, Political Impact, Other Religions, Religious Tolerance and more. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 2579 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices provides information on current religious practices around the world with an emphasis on how religions impact the daily lives of their followers. Included are detailed entries on 13 major religions, such as Christianity and Islam, and entries on 28 religious subgroups, such as Shi'ites or Baptists.Provides Date of Origin, Dietary Practices, Number of Followers, Social Aspects, Controversial Issues, Major Theologians and Authors, Cultural Impact, Houses of Worship, Holy Places, What is Sacred, Rituals, Rites of Passage, Festivals and Holidays, Membership, Social Justice, Modes of Dress and Founder.Also includes significant religions in 193 countries that detail History, Political Impact, Other Religions, Religious Tolerance and more. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2nd ed., brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1169 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the regions of the American continents in which two of the world's first civilizations developed: Mesoamerica (the name for the lands in which ancient civilizations arose in Central America and Mexico) and the Andes Mountains region of South America (in present-day Peru and parts of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Ecuador). In both regions, the history of civilization goes back thousands of years. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2nd ed., brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1665 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the regions of the American continents in which two of the world's first civilizations developed: Mesoamerica (the name for the lands in which ancient civilizations arose in Central America and Mexico) and the Andes Mountains region of South America (in present-day Peru and parts of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Ecuador). In both regions, the history of civilization goes back thousands of years. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History, 2nd ed., brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 723 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.The Early Civilizations in the Americas Reference Library provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the regions of the American continents in which two of the world's first civilizations developed: Mesoamerica (the name for the lands in which ancient civilizations arose in Central America and Mexico) and the Andes Mountains region of South America (in present-day Peru and parts of Bolivia, northern Argentina, and Ecuador). In both regions, the history of civilization goes back thousands of years. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from MACLAS Latin American Essays, published by Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies on March 1, 2001. The length of the article is 6171 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Words, sounds, and power in Jamaican Rastafari.
Author: Kasey Qynn Dolin
Publication: MACLAS Latin American Essays (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2001
Publisher: Middle Atlantic Council of Latin American Studies
Page: 55(14)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
The twentieth anniversary edition of the classic study of the culture, religion, history, ideology, and influence of the Rastafarians of Jamaica.


"Barrett offers the most comprehensive study to date of the Rastafarians."

—Bulletin of the Center for the Study of World Religions
"The most thorough, careful consideration of the Rasta phenomenon available to the general reader."


— The Boston Phoenix ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

I and I, yes I
was a gift for homie inside... "powers that be" would not accept. real bummer man!

very interesting
I found this book to be a very interesting and informative book about the history of the slaves in Jamaica and the lifestyles of Rastafarians on the island

A very good overview of Rastafarianism
A very good overview of Rastafarianism

Leonard E. Barrett, Sr., is graduate professor of religion at Temple University and the current printing of "The Rastafarians" is the twentieth anniversary edition of an important study of the society, culture, religion, history, ideology, and influence of the Rastafarians of Jamaica.

Professor Barrett has written a most comprehensive study of the Rastafarians, one perhaps deserving to be called a definitive study, spanning as it does the several decades of the movement's history. Professor Barrett is not a Rastaman, but is sympathetic to the movement and broadly if critically supportive of its aims.

I purchased this book for an introduction to to Rastafarianism, having been only very superficially acquainted with it.This is an ideal work for a reader to whom Rastafarianism is new as it provides a detailed yet brief history of Jamaica and the institution of slavery, the social cleavages that arose out of slavery, the lasting effects of colonialism and racial discrimination, and the history, doctrine, polity and ritual of the several Rastafarian groupings.

The book covers all the major doctrines of the religion, a history of it important personages, its social and political aims and contributions, and the various denominations within the tradition that have developed over the decades. I especially enjoyed the author's providing of some personal accounts of his interactions with Rastafarians in Jamaica.

Professor Barrett has made the Rastafarian religion and culture an object of fascination for me, and a subject of which I want to learn a great deal more.

I highly recommend this book.

Want to start learning about Rastafarians?
This book was an excellent reference for my begining research on Rasta's, especially how they came about.If you don't know much about this culture & people, this is a good base.

Rasta
I really enjoyed this book.What's so amazing about this book is that it is a history text AND totally readable. It goes into depth about various cultural aspects.When you finish reading you will feel you have a very good handle on Rastafarianism.
I have to admit the part about Haile Selassie being their prophet was a big reality check. Like a reality check into their religious world, which like all religions is delusional.I suppose, however, that everyone can take from it what they want. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

COMPLICATED BUT VERY THOROUGH
THIS BOOK IS A VERY DETAILED LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF RASTAFRIANISM. AT TIMES IT SEEMS TO DRAG ALOT ALMOST TOO MUCH WHICH TAKES MY ATTENTON AWAY FROM WHAT IM READING. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PATIENT WITH THIS BOOK IN ORDER TO READ IT. IT ALOST SEEMS MORE OF LIKE A TEXT BOOK ON RASTAFARI. I WOULD SUGGEST THE BOOK RASTA HEART BY ROBERT ROSKIND OVER THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS MORE READER FRIENDLY AND YOU DONT WANNA PUT THE BOOK DOWN. BUT OVERALL THIS BOOK HAS ALOT OF LUCRATIIVE INFORMATION THAT CAN CAPTIVATE THE WELL READ MIND JUST DONT TAKE TOO MUCH INFO IN BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET A HEADACHE.
ONE LOVE
JAH BLESS

origins and framework....but apparent lack of understanding.
Chevannaes provides a very in-depth look at the societal situations that gave rise to Rastafari. While discussing those situations, however, it seems to me that his mind did not come to the same conclusion as the Rastafarians. To write on Rastafari without understanding the mindstate leaves the reader with much to be desired.

To his credit though, Chavannaes never really attempts such an interpretation. He is a social antropologist, and writes this book in an occupationally fitting academic manner.

To better understand Rastafari as a mentality...listen to Bob Marley. To better understand Rastafari as you would an American history course....read this book. Both forms of learning are legitimate, and i think my overall disappointment in this book came from me expecting the former while receiving the latter. It's a good history book....but thats just not what i was looking for.

Read this and understand...
Back in college, I decided that I was going to major in Ethnomusicology, concentrating specifically on Caribbean Rhythm and Culture.While trodding this enlightening path (I grew up in a small, white-bread town on the Connecticut shoreline), I came across this piece of literature.Naturally, I originally checked it out for a research project concerning Rastafari.A few years (and nearly a dozen check-outs) later I have decided that it is time for me to purchase this book.I have read it cover to cover multiple times and never fail to pick up something completely new and exciting in each chapter.It needs to have a home in my permanent collection.The strength of thought and culture displayed within this book, coupled with the sounds of groups like The Abyssinians, Steel Pulse, Gondwana (the one from Chile not Austrailia), and the honorable Bob Marley and the Wailers, have done a great deal to change my life.I HIGHLY reccomend this book for pleasure / research / a deeper look into the world of Rastafari.I have read multiple books either written or edited by Barry Chevannes and this may be the best.It strikes a memorable chord in that it balances readability with a wealth of information.Also, every chapter is nearly a new book in that this volume covers a breadth of Rastafarian topics, from music to I-story to culture to politricks.I hope I enjoys this as much as I do.

Interesting and informative!
I first got interested in Rastafarianism by way of William Gibson, who had several characters who were Dreadlocks. My ignorance of what that was all about was, well, somewhat shocking for me at the time. So, I started poking around. Quite a few years ago, I found Rastafari: Roots and Ideology by Barry Chevannes. It followed me around, unread, in a box for several years. Well, I finally read it this past week. What a shame I waited so long!
This was a very good book about the history and origins of a relatively new religion. Among other things, it was fascinating to track the birth of a new faith from its very start through the modern day. As a sociological look at a small, but growing, religious or spiritual movement, this is a great book. It is, however, a rather schollarly look at this movement and, as such, is somewhat dry at times. Still, it presents not only a well-rounded look at the religion, but also the socio-economic forces that shaped it. One of the main "pillars of faith", for instance, is the concept of "repatriation" to Ethiopia. This would never have come about if not for the practice of black slavery in the New World.
I'll not attempt to describe the intricacies of Rastafarianism in a short message, but, if you're interested in knowing more, this book is a great place to start.

Excellent, Targeted Study-- not a beginner's book
Chevannes is a well-known contemporary scholar of Rastafari culture. In this book, he presents several different papers and studies he has done, in the form of chapters. What must be noted is that this is not a general book for people who are just getting interested in Rastafari--but rather an advanced text for people already familiar with the basics of this religio-cultural movement---like its myths, symbols, rituals, and so on.

Having said that, the book covers the history and development of Rastafari, from its roots in Myal religion and West African traditions to its development from Revivalism, another religious movement preceding Rastafari. Chevannes also covers Marcus Garvey, early Ethiopianism, and idealizations of "Africa" that inform Rasta ideology. Religious usage of Ganjaand Dreadlocks is also covered, providing a helpful correct to racist right-wing myths about the Rasta.

An especially important chapter called "Word, Sound and Power" details the use of Rasta language. In-depth coverage ofconcepts such as "Babylon," "I-and-I," as well as the tendency of Rasta's to literalize word parts around the meaning of words is helpful.

This chapter will also help explain why Rastas shy away from vocalizing oppresion language in there own usage---while making it explicit in the language of those from Babylon.. Thus, "oppressor" becomes "downpressor"--conjuring up pictures of active political suppression. Certainly few understand better than the Rasta the power of language to control and direct thought and action.

In addition to this volume, check out the work of Leonard Barrett, and the book "Chanting Down Babylon:The Rastafari Reader" for more, informative, insightful information about this minority religio-cultural movement. ... Read more