This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series about Rastafarians in South Africa.
This post excerpts of two online articles about Rastafarians in South Africa.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/10/videos-of-rastas-skanking-in-ladysmith.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II presents some YouTube videos from 2021 of South African Rastas skanking (dancing). That post also presents selected comments from those video's discussion threads. Some of those comments refer to the spiritual purposes of Rastas' skanking in contrast to skanking that is done for entertainment purposes only.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, spiritual, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Prior to October 8, 2022 this series was presented in one post.
In addition to these posts, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/information-videos-comments-about.html for additional information and comments about "skanking". That post also showcases other videos of skanking.
****
EXCERPTS FROM TWO ONLINE ARTICLES ABOUT RASTAFARIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA
Excerpt #1:
From http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1011-76012014000200011
"J. Study Relig. vol.27 n.2 Pretoria 2014
The Rastafarian movement in South Africa: A religion or way of life?
[by] Midas H. Chawane
University of Johannesburg, Department of Historical Studies...
ABSTRACT
Rastafarians object to the classification of their movement as a religion. Their objection is based on the belief that the movement is more of a way of life than a religion. This is in spite of the fact that the movement is grounded on religious principles which makes non-Rastafarians to view it as a religion. In order to understand the nature of the movement, it is important to define the concept religion in general and as understood by Rastafarians themselves. By looking at some religious movements, and how the Rastafarian movement is both similar and different to them, this paper argues that it is its religious character that makes the movement sustainable. Thus, this article looks at the principles underlying other religious movements such as Judaism, Christianity, African Traditional Religion, Black/African, and Liberation Theologies against those of the Rastafarian movement.
1. Introduction
When Rastafari first emerged in Jamaica in the 1930's, it started as a dynamic religious movement which through time transformed itself into a movement that challenges prevailing social, economic and political orders. In spite of the fact that overtime it developed into a way of life for its followers, it retained its original character - that of a religious movement challenging and at times complementing other mainstream religions. This paper argues that although Rastafarianism is seen as a way of life by its adherents (i.e. determining their social, political and economic lives) its persistence is largely due to its religious nature. The social, political and economic lives of Rastafarians in South Africa (like anywhere where the movement exists) are mainly linked to their religious beliefs. This article also looks at the different facets of the movement and argues that despite its many facets, it is its religious nature that sustains its existence.
The main purpose of this paper is to establish how the movement is both different from and similar to other religious movements. This is done by looking at the circumstances under which the movement came into being in Jamaica and South Africa; its nature and belief systems; the extent to which the movement shares some fundamental principles with other religions; and major differences and similarities with other religious movements. In order to achieve these aims, it is important to define the concept religion, examine the nature and origin of the Rastafarian movement in general and in South Africa in particular.
[...]
4. Rastafari in South Africa
Rastafari was first introduced formally in South Africa on 28 December 1997 when Rastafarians from most South African provinces attended a gathering in Grasmere, south of Johannesburg. However, the ideological foundation was laid long before its formal inception. Its origin in South Africa can be linked to two important movements, namely Ethiopianism and Garveyism (Chawane 2014:93-114). These two movements were responsible for laying the foundation for Rastafarian religious nature. Ethiopianism is the notion that the modern state of Ethiopia fulfils biblical prophecy of the rise of a dominant nation as represented primarily in Psalm 68:31, interpreted to be a reference to Africa. This idea places Ethiopia either as symbolic or actual homeland and, therefore, functions both as a source of identity and a destination for repatriation for Africans living outside of Africa. Garvey (or Garveyism) lays out an argument for the creation of a Black homeland, Ethiopia, Africa, Zion or heaven (Chawane 2014: 93-114).
Garveyism is the philosophy of Marcus Garvey, a descendant from the fiercely proud Maroons, who was born in 1887 in the town of St. Ann, Jamaica. At the age of fourteen he discovered that there were differences between human races, and he eventually became very conscious of his Jamaican roots which could be traced to Africa. For Rastafarians, Garvey was seen as the 'Black Moses' who was to emancipate blacks from 'Babylon' (oppression) to Zion (heaven). The word 'Babylon' is derived from the activities of the infamous king of the biblical 'Babylon' who, according to Rastafarians, inspired the Persian, Greek, Roman, British and American oppressive regimes (Chawane 2014: 93-114). Notions of 'Babylon' are used in dialectical opposition to notions of ' Zion' (Africa, Ethiopia or heaven), considered the authentic and holy motherland, referred to as the 'Garden of Eden', and the 'cradle of all mankind'. 'Zion' is perceived as the place, where all gather who haven't accepted the wrong teachings of 'Babylon'. It's the point of intersection where Judaism and Christianity meet. 'Zion', according to Rastafarians, is God's kingdom on earth (Chawane 2014: 93-114).
Consequently, Garvey is regarded as the prophet of the movement. Rastafarians are therefore inheritors of the thought world and cosmology of Marcus Garvey. Garvey can be regarded as an immediate contributor to an Afro-centric reading of the Bible that Rastafarians inherited. Garvey builds upon these ideas, and presents for Rastafarians a model of an African centred approach to biblical interpretation that starts with critical reflection upon the social and political conditions of persons of African descent (Chawane 2014: 93-114) . His Afrocentric interpretation of the Bible, his Ethiopianist vision and philosophy of blackness influenced Rastafarians (Davidson 2008: 46-60). The notions of Ethiopianism, Zionism, exile and return or repatriation to Africa as it appear in Rastafarian contexts; specific portions and concepts of the Bible is rhetorically inspired by Marcus Garvey's thought. The usage of the word Babylon reflects the Rastafarian development of Garvey's Afro-centric Bible readings and the advancement of a Black Zionism (Davidson 2008: 46-60). Garveyism laid the religious foundation on which Rastafarians were to build their world view because of its link with Zionism."...
****
Excerpt #2:
From https://theculturetrip.com/africa/south-africa/articles/welcome-to-knysna-south-africas-largest-rastafarian-community/ "Welcome to Knysna, South Africa's Largest Rastafarian Community"
By Carina Claassens, UPDATED: 14 JUNE 2017
"In the heart of the Garden Route, just outside of Knysna, you’ll find a bustling and sustainable Rastafarian community. Members are committed to conserving the surrounding area and living an overall better way of life, while staying true to their Rastafarian ideals.
History of Judah Square
Judah Square was established in 1993 in Knysna’s Khayalethu Township and is the largest working Rastafarian community in South Africa.
After being granted title deeds to the land, the community established Judah Square into a formal settlement which houses a variety of different organisations, within the Rastafarian belief system.
After the initial establishment of Judah Square, the Rastafari formed House of Judah (HOJ), a co-op that’s involved with different community projects as well as the Knysna Municipality, SANParks, Cape Nature and more.
[...]
Celebrating Earth Day
Earth Day is one of the most celebrated events at Judah Square and is open to anyone who wants to attend, whether Rastafari or not. The celebration entails seven days of worship and a further three days of music, food and culture. The event is open to the public and is a fantastic way to experience the Rasta way of life firsthand."...
****
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment