Rastafari Culture
The Extreme Ethiopian Rasta Vs. The Mellow Dallas Rasta
Many people throughout the world have a hard time understanding what it means to be a Rasta. For some their troubles in understanding Rasta's come because they look as Rastafari as only a religion. When one does this they run into many problems. This is because Rastafari is much more than a religion. It is a way of life, a social movement, as well as a mind set. Another reason why western people have a hard time understanding Rastafari is because the movement lacks the structure that the western world is use to.
A lot of people's understanding of Rasta's only goes as far as to think that Rasta's are people that live in Jamaica, smoke weed, and have Dreadlocks. These people do not begin to think what is behind the movement. The idea that Rastafari is strictly Jamaican is also very wrong. Since the origination of Rastafari, the Rasta movement has expanded far beyond the island of Jamaica. Rasta's now live all over the world. There are Rasta cultures in all parts of Europe, Asia, New Zealand, United States, and especially Africa. This paper seeks to explain Rastafari and to show it's expansion by exposing Rasta's culture from it's most holy form in Ethiopia to one of it's least holy in Dallas Texas.
The Development of Rastafari
The Rastafari movement stems from the teachings of the great Jamaican leader and motivator of masses, Maces Garvey. Garvey told the African people of the world to unite ...