Product Description
Rasta and Resistance is a study of the Rastafarianmovement in all it's manifestations, from its evolution in the hillsof Jamaica to its present manisfestations in the streets of Birminghamand Shashamane Settlement in Ethiopia.It traces the cultural,political and spiritual sources of this movement of resistance,hightlighting the quest for change among an oppressed people.Thisbook serves to break the intellectual traditions which placed thestamp of millenarianism on Rasta. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Rastafari as a Marxist/Political Movement
This book is as much about Marxist theory as it is about Rastafarianism, which isn't necessarily a bad thing unless you're not as interested in the former as in the latter.Rodney's objective is to couch the origins of theRastafarian movement in that of proletariat class struggle.However, heprovides little evidence to demonstrate a definitive link between the two. Rodney convincingly shows that Rasta developed as a means for thedescendants of African slaves to positively identify with Africa and herpeople, as opposed to the white king of England.Insofar as this movementdeveloped among blacks who constituted the mass of Jamaica's populace andwho were working-farming poor - than Rasta may be considered a proletarianmovement.However, Rodney provides no evidence that the early Rastaleaders consciously understood their struggle as a "class struggle" as thatphrase is understood in the Marxist lexicon. The evidence suggests onlythat they sought to empower the mass of "sufferers" by seeking topositively identify with Africa and the African King - Haile Selassie I. The discussion of Rastafarianism in a political, social, economic andcultural context is so pervasive as to make one forget that practitionersconsider Rastafari a religion.Indeed, Rodney provides no information onthe central tenants, philosophy or rites of Rastafari as a religion. Rodney seeks to dismiss those Rasta who believe in the divinity of Selassieas misguided victims of Coptic propaganda.This conclusion reinforcesRodney's objective to posit Rastafari as a viable political movement forchange and Rodney provides enough evidence to make this conclusioncredible.Moreover, showing the political aspects of Rastafari allowsthose who may not necessarily believe in the divinity of Selassie to becomeinvolved in the movement. Despite the Marxist overtones and lack ofreligious information, the book still deserves a good rating.Independentof the Marxist analysis the book provides great factual and historicalinformation about the resistance of Africans and their descendents againstslavery, colonialism and neocolonialism in the Caribbean and crediblydepicts Rasta as a form of resistance.Indeed, if you aren't seeking abetter understanding of Rastafari as a religion than this book is wellworth the money.In this vein of resistance Marcus Garvey is prominentlyfeatured.The book contains an excellent chapter on the role of reggaemusic in spreading the Rasta's culture of resistance and ends with athought-provoking discussion of repatriation, ultimately concluding thatAfricans and their descendants must struggle to change their conditionswherever they find themselves.

The Century's Most Provocative Historiographer!!!
I had the privilege of "awakening" under the masterful stewardship of Dr. Horace Campbell.He is no longer teaching in Tanzania, but spent many years cultivating and producing great thinkers in Zimbabwe,where I met him.Since then, he has continued his tenureship statesidereturning to Syracuse University in 1996.Exposing yourself to an essay,article or book by Dr. Campbell will provide interesting and compellingrealizations of African and Caribbean political histories.

A Very Good Book On The Black History Of The Carribean
History teaches a lot about the Black struggles here in the United States, but you hardly find any books about slavery and Black struggles in the Carribean and South America. Rasta and Resistance talks about thebeginnings of the slave trade, slavery in Brazil, the Haitian Revolutionand Toussaint L'Ouverture, Walter Rodney, Rastafarianism, ska and reggaemusic, and Black struggles in Great Britain. A great book for those wantingto learn more about the lost chapters of slavery and Black struggles. ... Read more

Product Description
This anthology explores Rastafari religion, culture, and politics in Jamaica and other parts of the African diaspora. An Afro-Caribbean religious and cultural movement that sprang from the streets of Kingston, Jamaica, in the 1930s, today Rastafari has close to one million adherents. The basic message of Rastafari—the dismantling of all oppressive institutions and the liberation of humankind—even has strong appeal to non-believers who are captivated by reggae music, the lyrics, and the "immortal spirit" of its enormously popular practitioner, Bob Marley.

Probing into Rastafari's still evolving belief system, political goals, and cultural expression, the contributors to this volume emphasize the importance of Africana history and the Caribbean context. "Long before the term 'Afrocentricity' came into popular use in the United States, Jamaican Rastafarians had embraced the concept as the most important recipe for naming their reality and reclaiming their black heritage in the African diaspora." (From the Introduction: The Rastafarian Phenomenon) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Rastamon Watch as Babylon Falls
The Rastafarian movement had largely been a Jamaican phenomenon from its inception in the 1930s until the 1960s, when immigrants from the Caribbean migrated internationally. This collection of essays attempts to define in populist manner Rastafari; its beginnings, successes, and failures; its belief system; and its religious, economic, cultural, psychological, and social connotations. With no formal structure, Rastafari is an evolving belief system based on the principles of Leonard Howell's The Promised Key. Its message of Afrocentricity is important, but the resistance and liberation psychology, along with reggae music, all give meaning to people's lives. The "Downpression" of Jamaican society reflects a "Babylonian" experience of the black's soulful desolation. From the life-affirming practices of Rastafari, selfhood and dignity is reclaimed. Bible study, fasting, and living with the earth were early components; later the African tradition of ganja smoking was used in rituals to commune on a higher plane. One way Rastafari !!!!

Authenticity
So far I've read only the first few chapters of this book, but from the introduction on I've been continually impressed with the authenticity of this book.I found Rastafari while soul searching and latched on to the Truths I heard.This book is alas only a book, but the information is delicious.As I grow as a human being I find there are few soul satisfying lives to be led in "Babylon" but with this book and my faith I'm finding my own way through these troubled times.Peace.

Great book of knowledge
the first time i recieved this book it took me about 2 weeks to read it all the way through and i would have to say this is a great book for people are seeking more knowledge about all aspects of what rastafarI is from its origan till its current standings it covers the tip of all subjects that flows on through rastafarian teachings and wisdom comming from someone who knew not much about rastafaI before reading this book i give it a 10 because it gives you info on lots of subjects discussed on rastafarI but leaves much for your mind to want to continue to search out more for yourself

A fantastic, factual account on rastafari.
I found this work to be one of the most complete on the study of the the Rastafarian movement.The information is well presented and is cohesive and highly informaive. This work is ideal for the new convert or anyone who wants a thorough examination of the faith. I highly recommend it.

The best of the best
A very large wealth of information on the rastafarian movement. A very scholarly anthology. Read it three times over and learn more each time! Will use for years. ... Read more

Product Description
Part of a series of books which look at religious belief through the eyes of a child, this book looks at the Rastafarian religion. Specially-taken photographs show the home-life, places of worship and many other aspects of each belief. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

One of the better early rasta texts
Leonard Howell is genrally acknowledged as the true father of what we now call Rastafarianism (Erroneously attributed to Marcus Garvey. contrary to popular belief, Robert Hill's Marcus Garvey papers note that Garvey himself despised Selassie and thought even less of the early rastas, but that's another story).

Most of the early rasta texts make for tedious reading for the non-faithful, with their overtly flowery rhetoric and tiresome pseudoscholarly and semibiblical rants to make them appear to be divinely inspired. This is a bit different. Edited down from the weighty and laborious "Royal Scroll of Black Supremacy," Howell breaks down the basic concepts of the need of Blacks to create their own culture and religion in distilled form and slogans to appeal to the masses.

While the actual contents may not be to everyone's liking or agreement, it is a quick and interesting read and essential to understanding the roots of the kind of thing Bob Marley and others were singing about.

Required RastafarI Reading
This early 1930s text is the first known which can be described as being directly RastafarI. However, the continuing line of texts leading up to this one is very long. Nevertheless, such a "foundation paper" of a eligion has to be rated with full stars. Non-RastafarI may not know what to do with it and/or even misinterpret it and give a different rating accordingly.

Only 19 text pages long, this book includes (additional) 15 pictures and additional 29 introduction text pages. The latter includes a well-selected passage of H.I.M. Haile Selassie-I; a prayer; information on Marcus Garvey and Leonard Percial Howell. A lot of references to other early Rasta and pre-Rasta texts; early responses to The Promised Key; some rudimentary information on RastafarI and the context in which this text had been written.

The Promised Key itself covers the coronation of Haile Selassie-I, "King of Kings"; biting remarks towards the then contemporary Vatican; Empress Menen; Ethiopia's Kingdom; spiritual notes on e.g. healing, fasting, way of government and some behavioral advice.

Note to non-RastafarI: The remarks towards the pope have to be seen in the context of the times. Colonialism was still in full swing, slavery still remembered. The historical Vatican had participated in and in a way even initiated both. The contemporary popes were Pius XI and Pius XII, who fell short of expected reactions towards fascism, in fact even blessing the bombs Mussolini dropped on Ethiopians during the occupation. One of their successors, Pope John Paul II, apologised for them. In this light, The Promised Key emancipated from white supremacy thinking and religious downpression (oppression). RastafarI is completely, radically pacifist and uses the tongue as the sword instead, not really getting concerned with political correctnes (which didn't exist in the 1930s anyway).

Howell aka G.G. Maragh made rejecting statements towards a mixing of black and white. This will have to be seen not literally, but metaphorically: In this context white representing the belief system of separation, black representing the knowledge of unity.

Note to RastafarI: The Promised Key makes rejecting remarks towards Moses, Abraham and descendants as being white. This was in the context of countering the white divisionist interpretation of the Western Bible version and back then lived Western Christianity of white supremacy. By doing that, Howell favoured a focus on Ethiopia and Haile Selassie-I instead. More recent knowledge suggests that Moses, Abraham and his descendents were indeed black skinned, connected to the ancient black Egyptians in way of belonging to the larger "ethnic" group of the Akan, back then populating vast areas in North Africa and southern Asia. (With the descendents of Abraham turning much lighter in skin color by prolonged Diasporan mixing processes.) With that in mind (and other knowledge not mentioned here) the respective passage in The Promised Key may today be interpreted accordingly in a not quite that literal way.

One of the original documents of Rastafarianism
This short pamphlet contains the entire text of 'The Promised Key', a proto-Rastafarian document from the mid-1930s. This document is primarily of historical interest.

The text itself is a much edited-down redaction of another, earlier, proto-Rastafarian text, 'The Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy.' Along with the latter and 'The Holy Piby', this is one of the three root texts of Rastafarianism.

Also included is an essay by a Rastafarian scholar which explains the historical context of this rare document (which is twice as long as the actual text of 'The Promised Key').

This pamphlet is a must-have if you are studying the roots of Rastafarianism or Jamaican religious history in an academic context. It will not be of interest to general readers or those looking for information on contemporary Rastafarian philosophy; there are many other books which are much more relevant. ... Read more

Product Description
By investigating how stories about zombies and voodoo dolls began, this book dispels the myth popularised by film and literature that voodoo is the secret practice of mysterious, sinister island magic, and reveals that it is a legitimate religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

So-So
A simple overview of Voudou for the curious. There is one notable exception. Within the first few pages, Ms. Turlington (or Mr. as Shannon is both a man and woman's name) shows a picture of a practitioner at home with his three tiered altar all decorated up and reading his Bible. Then on the next page, the author mentions that anyone can set up a Voodoo Altar (which is true) however it is best to have an initiated Houngan or Manbo set it up for you or at the least have one of them bless it for you. That is very worthwhile advice!

I also noticed that the author is either an author or co-author of at least a dozen books on various subjects. Most of which are computer related. Makes me wonder if s/he is just another hack writer eke-ing out a living......???

do you voodoo
this book is brill. it goes into the religion and the does and donts itwas the best book i read on voodoo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

No More Missionaries!
In the beginning I considered three stars and that the primary target readership would be non-RastafarI, to get merely informed, with however many shortcomings of this 1999 book. In that light, the book would have been rated more highly for RastafarI, as I-and-I would have seen through some non-overstandings of the book and actually gotten informed to a higher degree. As the book contragresses it becomes clear that the primary targets are Rastas I-n-Iselves after all - to get proselytized into churches. The book turns into a worse piece of anti-Rasta propaganda by the chapter and personally, I care for it as much as the lowest rating. However, having endured The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors recently, I should reserve that category for the indeed even much worse books with absolutely no shred of value whatsoever.

"Dread Jesus" does start somewhat promising for a non-authentic book, e.g. Rastas having corrected the first one to three chapters. Exactly: not the rest and that for a reason. The author avoids some of the usual mistakes and makes clear that Rastas may be of all skin colors, do not engage in dogmas and doctrines, but are everprogressing via reasonings and interviews some from outside Jamaica. Occasionally he's only descriptive, correcting some wrong assumptions afterwards.

There are some factual errors. Many influences converged to the Rasta use of the term "Jah". It is NOT a mistaken abbreviation for "Jahwe", even though the relationship is obvious. Many Rastas are currently not aware of it either: The ancient African, Judaism-preceding terminology refers to Jah, the female version of Jahwe. For details read The Africans Who Wrote the Bible. The latter is also one of the many books providing REAL knowledge that I-Yasus/Jesus was Black, as "Dread Jesus" provides only pseudo-knowledge to discredit the claim of knowledge. I may add, the skin color is irrelevant other than in correcting colonial propaganda. Important is the overstanding that Iverybody is Black. Many suffer from collective amnesia and that's making them White. No wonder "Dread Jesus" still speculates wether "Adam and Eve" where Black. The CONCEPT is White, the first humans of course were Black, if those are really referred to.

And now for the anti-Rasta propaganda hurled at Rastas. RastafarI would be derived from anything: Hinduism, Masonic Orders, German Rosicrucianism, Mormons, you name it, even a freaking UFO-sect link is averred. It is true that various branches of religion find their way to RastafarI and/or are partly compatible. Yet mostly not in the way and to the degree as described. Interesting is what the author omits: basically any African roots. He also forgets to mention that all of the supposed and real religious sources provided originate in Ancient Egyptian religion, which in turn is derived from Ethiopia.

The unsuspecting reader will get their prejudices confirmed. Any Rasta sightings would be drug induced nonsense (even providing a Bible quote supposedly against ganja, omitting the one in favor), Rasta theology equalling heretic paganism and that Rastas can't even speak and think cohesively. The author contrasts his formal thesaurus-ridden writings with the EXACT reproduction of his taped interviews with Rastas. For those who don't know: No interview with stars or politicians you read in a magazine are the literal words. (In contrast: Speeches are usually read fluently.) Many half-sentences etc. are transformed into a readable condition. Not here! In addition, the author fails to explain Patois and doesn't even mention Iyaric (few examples of you are reading in this review). The latter makes the grammar APPEAR to be a mess, e.g. when exchanging grammatical "they" with political "them". Fascinating to follow the continuum of the quotes' presented coherency according to how much the author agrees. Which he does most with the converts to a church. These are then paternalizingly described as the most astute or articulate Rastas. The others have to get "gently explained" to or given a "wise program of kind, caring, sympathetic instruction".

Dear William David Spencer, it isn't a matter wether you have integrated fancy words like "effervescing" in your active vocabulary, but wether your words mirror your mind. He is aware of that and uses selected standard Iyaric vocabulary like "overstand" and "downpress". Yet, he writes that two major streams "have come down" from RastafarI, which has moved "out of Christianity" etc. Almost funny is the very title of his book. Referring to I-Yasus with dreadlocks, he's actually headlining a catchy "Fear Jesus!". Or to be more precise: If you DREAD something which is going to happen or which may happen, you feel very unhappy and worried about it because you know or think that it will be very unpleasant. That's what the British-Jamaican slave buyers thought when catching a glimpse of the torture ships' cargo getting unloaded, resulting in the terms "dreadlocks". This author is still in dread today, dreading RastafarI philosophy, dreading "Jesus". Otherwise he wouldn't blind the Gnostic teachings of Christianity he is grossly misrepresenting. He would attempt to overstand I-Yasus' teachings better, the way many Rastas do. He wouldn't neglect the other standard Iyaric spelling of "RastafarI" with a capital I and Haile Selassie-I hyphenated to be pronounced not like a Roman numeral. For there's spirituality in the wording, like in "I-and-I".

A spirituality, the author is combating with all his might. His book largely is concerned with the questions to Rastas: Is Haile Selassie-I Jesus? Is H.I.M. God? Is Jesus God? Can God be a human? Reducing the concepts to worst possible, anti-mystic overstandings. Not sighting the universal mystic knowledge that EVERYTHING is Jah/God. That includes Haile Selassie-I, I-Yasus, William David Spencer, I ("me"), the I ("you" the reader), and the chair the I is sitting on. The questions of above are to be answered in accordance to the awareness of the respective humans referred to and those asked and to the function/destiny the former are meant to fullfill. With that in mind it becomes perfectly clear why Haile Selassie-I made it to be known - like I-Yasus did - that salvation is not to be expected to come from any one separated savior/God, but via a part of the savior/God making I-n-I overstand that the I-n-I (they, the saviors) are I-n-I ("us") as well. Therefore the salvation lies in "ourselves", once all the artificial separations have been eliminated in the mind's constructs. The author neglects to mention the sign of Divinity's descent into the world Haile Selassie-I is usually displaying with his hands on photographs and curiously doesn't wonder about the SELF-GIVEN nature of the name "Might of the Holy Trinity", even though talking about it in general a lot. And whoever claimed, Haile Selassie-I sent the Ethiopian Tewahedo Church to Jamaica to teach RastafarI? Ever thought about a vice versa teaching? H.I.M. "mysteriously" reformed every level of society in Ethiopia, why should he leave out the Church? I am almost sure, the author is happy to hear that today the very necessary purpose of Haile Selassie-I's supposed fall from power and execution has been sighted. There isn't the saying "Jah works in mysterious ways" for nothing. If it wouldn't seem mysterious at the time it happens, it wouldn't have been necessary to happen. It is supposed to be overstood later. Which has become possible for I-n-I limited humans some 30 years later.

Ironically, the author provides a lot of quotes from Haile Selassie-I, I-Yasus and RastafarI, but doesn't overstand them, otherwise he wouldn't attempt to use them as counter arguments. It isn't RastafarI who are ignorant to Haile Selassie-I as he claims, but he himself.

For a universal mystic overstanding read The Mystical Journey from Jesus to Christ and From Science to God: A Physicist's Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness. Then you will learn that it doesn't matter, which branch of religion opens the door to Jah/God/the universe/etc., be it Gnostic or Sufi teachings, Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, Maat, science,...or RastafarI. My upwise for the author is: Do not waste your mind with the colonial missionary stunt. Would you overstand the mysticism of your branch of religion, you wouldn't blind yourself to the egoistic (= unholy) idea of having to forcefeed your branch's myths and rituals into others' throats. For it becomes obvious that the author is also afraid that if the churches won't proselytize RastafarI, Muslims would win the race. It is insulting to get degraded to subjects to get fought over for assimilation. The author wants to proselytize RastafarI under the umbrella of the Council of Nicaea. What he's omitting is that this council also was the measure against any Gnostic variations (i.e. against the universal knowledge of Oneness), in fact, against anything else than the absolute dogmas of the ultra-hierarchical church. Following that council, severe persecutions of any individually varying overstanding were blank chequed for centuries. The superficial concessions made to Rastas here are to be seen in the shadow of the integration of any branch of religion into Church Christianity in order to control everything and to neutralize any potential philosophical threat. At least, the (other) church pastor author of From Garvey to Marley: Rastafari Theology (History of African-American Religions) respected RastafarI and didn't attempt to proselytize. "Dread Jesus" is even referencing The Ethiopian Tewahedo Church: An Integrally African Church and Rastafari: For the Healing of the Nation in a continuously misleading way.

One last word: I am not impressed with any reggae star whatsoever "converting" into any church.I simply couldn't care less.

Anti-Rasta christian propoganda
I thought this would be a study in the overstanding of Selassie as Christ returned in His Kingly character. (The Messiah was prohesied as both a sacrificial lamb and and a righteous king, Iasu was the sacrificial lamb and Selassie the conquering lion).

Instead I was subjected to an underhanded subversion of Rasta theology. The book appears at first to be sympathetic to Rastafari but seeks in a round-about way to discredit InI. Check "Rastafarian Mysticism: An Introduction to the Mysteries of Nyahbinghi" for a more Rasta presentaion of Rasta theology.

DUBROOM.com Review
This is the book that I have been waiting for, for a very a long time, so I can't really express my hapiness with it's existance.
It is a must read for every Jesus Dread and others interested in the relationship between Rastafari and Christianity.

The writer explores "Rastafarian Christology", by analysing many reggae songs, interviewing many known and lesser known Rastafarians, and studying the history of Rastafari.

He finds out, that there are two main streams witin Rastafari, one is inspired by Hindu and esotherical teachings, while the other group is heading towards Christianity more and more, even to such an extend that brother William describes the possibility of a "Selassian Church", as a denomination next to Lutheran and the like.

Well documented and thoroughly investigated, this book is blessed to be a good source for forming your own opinnion.

I would reccommend it especially for those Christians that always were told, that all Rastafarians believe in Selassie as God, as it explains the various interpretations about Yesus Kristos that exist within the movement.

Dread Jesus also contains a testimoney from sistren Judy Mowatt, former member of Bob Marley & the Wailer's backing trio "the I-Threes". You can read how she described the process in her life that made her come to the conclusion that Selassie is not Yesus Kristos, and some struggles and blessings that she has experienced during these times.

This is one of the first Christian publications on Rastafari that does not contain the biast prejudice that you find so rampant in the Christian World. It's not yet another cheap description of a movement supposedly existing of weird herb smokers with long uncombed hair.

Haile Selassie's Christianity is described and studied. His relationship with the evangelical world, where well known Christian Evangelist Billy Graham invited His Majesty to open a congress in Berlin in 1966, an invitation accepted by Haile Selassie.

You can read portions of the speech that HIM held in front of 1000's of evangelical Christians, a speech not often quoted.

Good for reading, good for studying, good for meditation, good for having as resource, I want to big up this book for it can be a blessing for all Jesus Dreads worldwide.
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Product Description
Tells how the spiritual descendents of African medicine men and sorcerers "lay tricks" and explains the hold these practices have had on their believers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Semi-complete Summary of American Voodoo and Hoodoo
Mr. Haskins does a great job of summarizing in brief the basic history of Vodou and it's journey from West African tribal society to the New World through the transportation of slaves.He also gives some contemporary accounts of voodoo and hoodoo as practiced in the USA and how it compares (more likely contrasts) with it's West African roots.It is incomplete in that he does not go into any great detail concerning the religious aspects of Vodou still practiced in the USA and concerns the bulk of the book with modern Hoodoo practices and conjures.Yet it is an informative and enjoyable read overall and I recommend it as long as the reader combines the information contained herein with more gleaned from other sources in order to better round out their understanding of this complex and vibrant tradition. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume brings together contributions from well known Rastafari practitioners and social scientists as a counter to the unilateral politics of outside definition, identification, and misrepresentation. They discuss Rastafari as an experiential philosophy; its history and contemporary global cultural dimensions and its contribution to issues such as decolonizatio, reparations and repatriation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Interesting Anthology
The project is an international venture with contributors from the Caribbean, Europe, North America and, appropriately, as far away as Africa. Prominent contributors include UWI professors Barry Chevannes and Rupert Lewis, as well as two of the most important writers from within the movement: Empress Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah and dub poet, Mutaburaka. The book is edited by an Austrian, Werner Zips, a professor of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna. Professor Zips is also a film director and author of not a few articles and monographs on Rastafari and other two-thirds world cultural phenomena.

Eight years ago members of the Rastafari community, some leading church men as well as a few writers who belonged to neither group collaborated in producing what is still considered by some to be the most important anthology on the movement. This latest work, edited by professor Zips,is quite similar to its late 20th century counterpart. In fact the two works are so much alike that is difficult to resist the urge to compare them. Both volumes are international collaborations and both bring together the creative energies of scholars and lay people alike. A refreshing feature of this latest volume is the contribution of popular dub-poet, Mutaburaka, formerly Allan Hope. Here we see that Muta is not only comfortable in writing poetry, but, as is expected, he is right at home in prose as well. Hannah's thought-provoking essay is entitled: `The Meaning of Rastafari for World Critique: Rasta within a Universal Context'. The essay tells the story of her journey from a TV news reporter working in London in the 60s to her conversion to the faith. In her own words: Rastafari became `a potent mix, easily and eagerly absorbed by me--constantly on the search for the true meaning of life . . . . I was constantly jeered at with slurs about Black inferiority. From being unable to answer questions such as: "If Black people are so great, how come they have never painted a Mona Lisa?", I learned about the great Black civilizations of Egypt, Zimbabwe . . . Timbuctoo . . . Zululand and of course Ethiopia. With Rastafari, I was reborn into a new way of looking at life.' Of interest here is that she was introduced to the faith by watching the Jamaican classic, The Harder They Come, starring Jimmy Cliff. Muta's article is also heavily experiential and quite revealing. For him `Rastafari is the evolution of the mind, of the consciousness in Haile Selassie, in Haile Selassie. . . . Because I transcend, I is not what you think I suppose to be. I am what I am. I have to just take I how I is.' In my opinion, both essays written from within the womb of Rastafari, simultaneously unveil the heartthrob of the movement as well as exemplify the radical changes taking place within. The Afro-centric focus and the centrality of Haile Selassie are difficult to miss.

But there are still some nagging questions that Muta, Barbara and the other contributors have left unanswered; one such is this: If both Selassie and Garvey were themselves professing Christians, why it is that Rastafari has become a new world religion? A question like this needs urgent attention. People like the late Robert Nesta Marley, just before he died, and former I-Three member, Judy Mowatt, have given their own verdict in favour of the Christ that died and was vivified. Others like Cedella Booker and Rita Marley have gone in the opposite direction.














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Product Description
A remarkable book that discusses Menelik's heritage, Yassu and Tafari, animals and people, the generation gap and the coup. The revolution is focused on in three different spectrums: the young generation, the crescendo, and the finale. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

fight for freedom
Dear Reader from the UK (previous review) please note that this book is about Jamaica, Jamaican Maroons and their history, which of course touches the topic of Haiti, but Haiti is NOT the main focus of this book and your review shows, that you mean a different book altogether.

The perfect introduction to Haitian history and culture
Haiti is a country that provokes strong responses and Libete is theperfect introduction to the wide variety of voices that have commented onthe country and its history. Inevitably, there is much tragedy to relateboth in the brutal history of slavery and in the later oppression andexploitation of the Haitian peasantry by the wealthy elite and theconsistent interference from successive U.S. governments, which sadlycontinues to this day.Each chapter focuses on a particular topic, drawingon around 20 different commentators, both foreign and Haitian. Many ofthese are contemporary reports, relating true life stories from the citystreets and country villages, showing a life that many people living inaffluent Western culture simply have no concept of at all. Yet the story ofHaiti is also one of struggle and courage in the face of adversity andthese voices are clearly heard as well in Libete. Many good people workingin small ways to the best of their ability to improve life for the poor,who form such an overwhelming majority. Another message that comes throughthe book is that it is this majority who constitute the soul of Haiti,which is so vibrantly expressed in Haitian culture. In the section onliterature, it is significant that Haitian authors, largely drawn from theelite class, either celebrate peasant culture or despise it - it is clearlytoo strong to simply ignore. Vodou is also an integral part of this cultureand the extracts included reflect the diversity of attitudes towards thismuch maligned spiritual tradition. One of my favourite sections is theselection of proverbs, amongst which is "Money goes where money is" whichseems to sum up current economic theory very neatly. Buy this book and findout how the majority live! ... Read more