Rastafari and its Shamanist Origins.
THE ESOTERIC ORIGINS OF RASTAFARI:
Many claim that Rastafari was as a result of a “prophecy” by Marcus Moziah Garvey.
Marcus Garvey the Jamaican born 1930,s Black Nationalist and head of the U.N.I.A. was a vehement critic of Haile Selassie he maligned him for seeking British protection during the Italian aggression led by Benito Mussolini against Ethiopia in the nineteen thirties .
Garvey never recognized the Rastafari as a serious Black Nationalist organization.
Figure 1. Marcus Mosiah Garvey the Jamaican born leader of the U.N.I.A. the Universal Negroe Improvement Association.
Garvey organized Africans on the continent and around the globe, around his Black Nationalist philosophy it is from the school of thought developed by this man, that many of the modern African intellectuals and Pan- Africanists gained their core ideology.
Although many earlier Garveyites later became Rastafari this was a personal choice not something inspired by a cohesive philosophy.
Garvey proclaimed many times in speeches that a prince would come out of Africa Ethiopia would soon stretch out her hands unto God quoting from psalms.
Most soapbox orators of the time, of the Black Nationalist persuasion, often quoted biblical passages in an attempt, to stir the collective souls of their audiences.
The bible was held in high esteem, any one familiar with scripture was honored by poor blacks of the time.
Garvey was no exception he was shrewd, he knew how to, collectively mobilize people for mass action.
Garvey never prophesied of the coronation of Haile Selassie, a scriptural quote is not a prophesy.
The Rastafari took Garveys scriptural quotation of psalms 68: 31; “Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God,” as direct prophetic fulfillment in the crowning of Haile Selassie.
I will now deal with a very troubling development, in a certain type of literature that has been developed, but which will not remain unchallenged.
The type of literature Iam alluding to is that which has been created by white writers and journalists, pandering to what they consider to be their humanist side, what it truly is;
Arrogance, and an economic niche, that they have created for themselves, wherein they have been able to generate exorbitant amounts of funds pandering to the type of readership that they cater to.
Within this type of literature, there exists much hypocrisy, I will touch lightly on the subject, and it is with indignation that I write when I deal with their outright blatant attempt, to minimize, and diminish the accomplishments and contributions, that Marcus Garvey made to the Black man globally. I am aware of quite a few people, whose lives changed for the better after reading Garveys work; the statements made by this white journalist will not go unchallenged in this work.
Garvey was influenced by his own admittion by one Edward Wilmot Blyden.
A native of the B.V.I. a St Thomas resident who travelled to Africa as a missionary.
Many people will try to falsify history and reduce Garvey to a narrow paradigm as exclusive to Jamaica his significance transcends geographic boundaries, he was truly a world citizen, his teaching was universal the aspects of “Garveyism” that are separatist and racist his concept of race “purity” is rank racism and “nationalism” I reject outright and condemn that aspect of his teaching the other aspects of Garveyism that are conducive to my wholesome development I can consume the rest I discard as unacceptable for my “consumption”.
Garvey was a product of the type of thinking being developed amongst African descendants in the West at that time.
The global universe of education produced Garvey, Blyden, George Padmore and C.L.R. James and later Malcolm X and Martin Luther King J.R.
These men were not mere soapbox orators they literally shaped the world and influenced generations of the earth’s populace.
Although men like C.L.R. James were Marxist’s they still shaped much of what is termed “Black Literature” today this is the reason that I have openly stated apostolic people cannot honor anyone whether they be black or white simply on the basis of their status as a “pop icon” pop culture is not limited to music ‘popular culture” denotes all accepted art forms that have made a significant impact in what is considered an acceptable or professional standard.
There were many black Marxists and Communists some like Harry Belafonte are revered by many people who call themselves Christian how can you claim Christ and revere and honor someone who is diametrically opposed to all that you claim to stand for.
The mistake of black people identifying with anyone “popular” who looks like them is an example of a negative cultural characteristic that apostolic people must avoid.
I identify more with a Chinese or Japanese who is truly saved than with any black man or woman who is not, skin color is not the basis for my allegiance, another person’s allegiance to Jesus forms the basis of my allegiance to that person regardless of race, color, or creed.
Malcolm X’ impact transcends the so called African American Malcolm X is revered by many Muslim youth from Morocco and throughout much of Muslim Africa particularly in the Sudan and outside of the Muslim community in Africa he is honored by many on the continent and throughout the Western hemisphere .
The significance of these people and their life’s work was mentioned in order to illustrate how these persons influenced and shaped the thinking of Caribbean people.
In her book The First Rasta Helen Lee claims, that Marcus Garvey was agitating for integration, how a supposedly informed individual could make such a claim, can mean only one thing, Lee who is obviously enamored with Howell; was pandering to certain sentiments and sensibilities of the type of readership that she caters to.
Lee also made the ridiculous claim that Garvey never returned to Jamaica she correctly stated that Garvey died in England in 1940.
After his release from prison on trumped up charges Marcus Garvey was deported to Jamaica in 1928, where he resumed his activities on behalf of Africans everywhere.
He was politically active in Jamaica where he ran for a seat on the city council while he was in prison, he won by an overwhelming margin.
Lee’ attempt at diminishing the impact and influence of Marcus Garvey on the development of African civilization in the Diaspora is exposed in this work for what it is, a specious attempt at misinformation the historical records clearly show that Garvey was deported back to Jamaica he later left for England where he died in 1940 by creating the false notion that Garvey never returned to Jamaica but was somehow sent to England is a deliberate and malicious attempt by this white journalist claiming to identify so greatly with the Rastafari that even within the obvious suicidal behavior of Athlyi( “Roger Athlyi”writer of the Holy Piby i.e. the Rastafari bible). Lee attempted to make Athlyi some sort of hero. Athlyi killed himself plain and simple no amount of misplaced pandering to misdirected sensibilities can change this.
The likes of Athlyi was not and have never been a great influence on black people globally Athlyi’ marginal influence is limited to the few followers he had in his heyday, likewise Leonard Howell. Marcus Mosiah Garvey on the other hand influenced black intellectuals globally and he still does so today from politicians and preachers to university students to street hustlers Garveyism has had an enduring impact on the world that no humanbeing can diminish nor deny.
The ideology that Garvey espoused, led to many African leaders, such as Kwame Nkrumah, and Jomo Kenyatta just to mention two very famous leaders, who openly called themselves Pan-Africanists after the ideology developed by Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The ideology called Garveyism, developed by Garvey led to these men formulating the methods, and means that they would later utilize to bring about the independence of their respective countries. That they failed to follow in the Pan-African tradition after having achieved independence is no reflection on Garvey.
Many claim that Rastafari was as a result of a “prophecy” by Marcus Moziah Garvey.
Marcus Garvey the Jamaican born 1930,s Black Nationalist and head of the U.N.I.A. was a vehement critic of Haile Selassie he maligned him for seeking British protection during the Italian aggression led by Benito Mussolini against Ethiopia in the nineteen thirties .
Garvey never recognized the Rastafari as a serious Black Nationalist organization.
Figure 1. Marcus Mosiah Garvey the Jamaican born leader of the U.N.I.A. the Universal Negroe Improvement Association.
Garvey organized Africans on the continent and around the globe, around his Black Nationalist philosophy it is from the school of thought developed by this man, that many of the modern African intellectuals and Pan- Africanists gained their core ideology.
Although many earlier Garveyites later became Rastafari this was a personal choice not something inspired by a cohesive philosophy.
Garvey proclaimed many times in speeches that a prince would come out of Africa Ethiopia would soon stretch out her hands unto God quoting from psalms.
Most soapbox orators of the time, of the Black Nationalist persuasion, often quoted biblical passages in an attempt, to stir the collective souls of their audiences.
The bible was held in high esteem, any one familiar with scripture was honored by poor blacks of the time.
Garvey was no exception he was shrewd, he knew how to, collectively mobilize people for mass action.
Garvey never prophesied of the coronation of Haile Selassie, a scriptural quote is not a prophesy.
The Rastafari took Garveys scriptural quotation of psalms 68: 31; “Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God,” as direct prophetic fulfillment in the crowning of Haile Selassie.
I will now deal with a very troubling development, in a certain type of literature that has been developed, but which will not remain unchallenged.
The type of literature Iam alluding to is that which has been created by white writers and journalists, pandering to what they consider to be their humanist side, what it truly is;
Arrogance, and an economic niche, that they have created for themselves, wherein they have been able to generate exorbitant amounts of funds pandering to the type of readership that they cater to.
Within this type of literature, there exists much hypocrisy, I will touch lightly on the subject, and it is with indignation that I write when I deal with their outright blatant attempt, to minimize, and diminish the accomplishments and contributions, that Marcus Garvey made to the Black man globally. I am aware of quite a few people, whose lives changed for the better after reading Garveys work; the statements made by this white journalist will not go unchallenged in this work.
 |
| Edward Wilmot Blyden |
A native of the B.V.I. a St Thomas resident who travelled to Africa as a missionary.
Many people will try to falsify history and reduce Garvey to a narrow paradigm as exclusive to Jamaica his significance transcends geographic boundaries, he was truly a world citizen, his teaching was universal the aspects of “Garveyism” that are separatist and racist his concept of race “purity” is rank racism and “nationalism” I reject outright and condemn that aspect of his teaching the other aspects of Garveyism that are conducive to my wholesome development I can consume the rest I discard as unacceptable for my “consumption”.
Garvey was a product of the type of thinking being developed amongst African descendants in the West at that time.
The global universe of education produced Garvey, Blyden, George Padmore and C.L.R. James and later Malcolm X and Martin Luther King J.R.
These men were not mere soapbox orators they literally shaped the world and influenced generations of the earth’s populace.
Although men like C.L.R. James were Marxist’s they still shaped much of what is termed “Black Literature” today this is the reason that I have openly stated apostolic people cannot honor anyone whether they be black or white simply on the basis of their status as a “pop icon” pop culture is not limited to music ‘popular culture” denotes all accepted art forms that have made a significant impact in what is considered an acceptable or professional standard.
There were many black Marxists and Communists some like Harry Belafonte are revered by many people who call themselves Christian how can you claim Christ and revere and honor someone who is diametrically opposed to all that you claim to stand for.
The mistake of black people identifying with anyone “popular” who looks like them is an example of a negative cultural characteristic that apostolic people must avoid.
I identify more with a Chinese or Japanese who is truly saved than with any black man or woman who is not, skin color is not the basis for my allegiance, another person’s allegiance to Jesus forms the basis of my allegiance to that person regardless of race, color, or creed.
Malcolm X’ impact transcends the so called African American Malcolm X is revered by many Muslim youth from Morocco and throughout much of Muslim Africa particularly in the Sudan and outside of the Muslim community in Africa he is honored by many on the continent and throughout the Western hemisphere .
The significance of these people and their life’s work was mentioned in order to illustrate how these persons influenced and shaped the thinking of Caribbean people.
In her book The First Rasta Helen Lee claims, that Marcus Garvey was agitating for integration, how a supposedly informed individual could make such a claim, can mean only one thing, Lee who is obviously enamored with Howell; was pandering to certain sentiments and sensibilities of the type of readership that she caters to.
Lee also made the ridiculous claim that Garvey never returned to Jamaica she correctly stated that Garvey died in England in 1940.
After his release from prison on trumped up charges Marcus Garvey was deported to Jamaica in 1928, where he resumed his activities on behalf of Africans everywhere.
He was politically active in Jamaica where he ran for a seat on the city council while he was in prison, he won by an overwhelming margin.
Lee’ attempt at diminishing the impact and influence of Marcus Garvey on the development of African civilization in the Diaspora is exposed in this work for what it is, a specious attempt at misinformation the historical records clearly show that Garvey was deported back to Jamaica he later left for England where he died in 1940 by creating the false notion that Garvey never returned to Jamaica but was somehow sent to England is a deliberate and malicious attempt by this white journalist claiming to identify so greatly with the Rastafari that even within the obvious suicidal behavior of Athlyi( “Roger Athlyi”writer of the Holy Piby i.e. the Rastafari bible). Lee attempted to make Athlyi some sort of hero. Athlyi killed himself plain and simple no amount of misplaced pandering to misdirected sensibilities can change this.
The likes of Athlyi was not and have never been a great influence on black people globally Athlyi’ marginal influence is limited to the few followers he had in his heyday, likewise Leonard Howell. Marcus Mosiah Garvey on the other hand influenced black intellectuals globally and he still does so today from politicians and preachers to university students to street hustlers Garveyism has had an enduring impact on the world that no humanbeing can diminish nor deny.
The ideology that Garvey espoused, led to many African leaders, such as Kwame Nkrumah, and Jomo Kenyatta just to mention two very famous leaders, who openly called themselves Pan-Africanists after the ideology developed by Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The ideology called Garveyism, developed by Garvey led to these men formulating the methods, and means that they would later utilize to bring about the independence of their respective countries. That they failed to follow in the Pan-African tradition after having achieved independence is no reflection on Garvey.
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