Rastafari goes mainstream

In September 1974, Soviet-backed troops in Ethiopia carried out a coup that overthrew the government of that East African country and captured Emperor Haile Selassie I, who had reigned since 1930.

Members of Jamaica’s vast Rastafari (Rasta) community, many of whom regarded Selassie I as God, followed developments closely. The Emperor made an ecstatic state visit to Jamaica in April 1966.

“I was listening to the radio, JBC ((Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation), RJR (Radio Jamaica) or read Collector. We get regular messages because Babylon is telling the Rastamans that God killed them. They wanted to discourage the Rastamans,” recalled Sangie Davis, a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

The once-maligned Rastafarian movement, which respected sociologists say originated in west Kingston in the 1930s, broke into the mainstream 50 years ago, with many young, middle-class people embracing its Afrocentric message, especially the Twelve Tribes of Israel, which was founded in Trench Town in 1968.

Its ranks included Jerry Small, son of former Supreme Court judge Ronald Small; Ivan Coore, son of Finance Minister David Coore; Peter Phillips (a future government minister and leader of the opposition); Olympian Rupert Hoilette; footballer Alan “Skill” Cole; and reggae star Bob Marley.

The Nyahbinghi, led by Mortimo Planno, and the Bobo Shanti, founded by Charles “Prince Emmanuel” Edwards, were the other major Rasta houses. Although they differed from the Twelve Tribes in doctrine, all held Selassie I in high regard and believed strongly in repatriation to Africa.

Michael Manley used the growing acceptance of Rastafari in his appeal to Jamaican youth. He was the leader of the opposition in 1970 when he visited Ethiopia. A consummate showman, Manley showed off an ivory stick that he claimed Selassie I had given him during his 1971 election campaign for prime minister.

Despite its rise in popularity among young people and academics, discrimination against Rastafarians was still widespread in Jamaica 50 years ago. Police made numerous arrests, some members of the faith had their hair cut, and their children were barred from attending some schools.

Music played an important role in increasing the popularity of Rastafarians in 1974. Marley Natural dreadlock The album was released in October by Island Records and received critical acclaim in Jamaica and abroad.

Time to rockanother solid album by Burning Spear, was released on Studio One, while tracks like “Johnny Clarke” No one will escape judgment were the anthems of the ghetto.

These sounds resonated with the residents of a Rastafarian commune called Dread Heights, located in the August Town community of St Andrew. One of its residents was Peter Phillips, who graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1970.

In April 1966, he was at his alma mater, Jamaica College, when Selassie I visited the school. In a 2022 interview, Jamaica Observer Phillips said this was a watershed moment for the Rasta movement in Jamaica.

“One of the things that the visit did was it made us want to learn more. And after learning more, we made contact with Rastafarians in Jamaica, and then there was a broader set of arguments when we went to university, where we were exposed to African history and encounters with Rastafarians in places like August Town,” Phillips explained.

Within a year of the Ethiopian coup, reports emerged of Selassie I being killed by Ethiopian rebels. Many Rastafarians laughed off the rumors of the emperor’s death, and Marley led the fight against the rebel single Jah live.

Fifty years later, Rastafari are part of the Jamaican mainstream. They appear in adverts promoting the tourism sector; once ridiculed, their Italian (unsalted) cuisine is accepted worldwide; and Marley, who died in 1981 at the age of 36, has one of the best-selling catalogues in popular music.

Sangie Davis, co-author of Marley’s book Wake up and live and he wrote Girly Girly by Sophia George, an elder of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.