Rasta Heart

Since his pasing in 1981, Bob Marley's music, like tribal drumming, has been sending out a message of love and freedom for all humanity. Twenty years later, Julia and Robert Roskind traveled to Jamaica to learn more about Rastafari-the people and philosophy that inspired his music. Their life-changing odyssey through the towns, villages and mountains of this beautiful island, revealed not only the Rasta way of life but an ancient mystery as well. "RASTA HEART" is truly a journey into One Love. "Riveting... An incredible adventure that reveals the true essence of Rasta!" Dr. Dennis Forsythe author of "Rastafarians:The Healing of the Nations."

“Of all the various acts of inequity throughout time, none was more severe than the submission forced upon the indigenous peoples of the earth by their earthly demi-god counterparts. Robbing these peoples of their God given cultural and traditional knowledge of survival, void of cultural references and alienated from their traditional survival techniques and skills, the indigenous peoples had no other choice than to accept the ways of the earthly demi-gods, which was modernity and that came with many social disadvantages, worst of all, they would become second and third class citizens in a racially divided and dystopic world. The standard procedure was the implementation of acts that were intended to impart the greatest degree of fear, the fear of death and the fear of dying; whatever methods the noble savages thought would break the barbarian savages into submission. All manner of unthinkable acts of atrocity were employed against the indigenous peoples, because the objectives of the earthly demi-gods had to be met, which was to expropriate the lands and natural resources from these savages, these ‘uncivilized’ people.” The work of Niggers Sing Redemption Songs: Reggae, The heart-beat of a people takes aim at reaffirming the psyche and glory of the Black self as of utter importance in our efforts to make our world a better place. The unconscionable disregard for the glory of the Black self and by refusing to use it, has successfully stripped away Black humanity from the Black indigenous peoples’ collective consciousness; overall leading to a ‘niggerization’ process done for the benefits of the barbaric and ignobly self-acclaimed earthly demi-gods. The Black peoples of the world must bring back the ‘Black’ love of self and all things Black, that is your redemption and then, real life will be given to you. Additionally, what was most evidently conspicuous and surprising was a revelation that had emerged from the research of this study. The study has discovered evidences, which would indicate that because of social biases, for example, racial prejudices, and out-right arrogance, coupled with miss-education and deprecated mindsets, the attitudes of many Jamaican historians, the down trodden sectors of the Jamaican society were undermined and were not given meaningful historical documentations. The academics did not document, accurately, the accounts of Afro-Jamaican culture, for instance, the Rastafarians input into the cultural history of Jamaica. Although many academics of the time were themselves Afro- Jamaican, non-sympathizers to the Rasta movement, and, in most cases, just a generation or two removed from slavery, they were non-commiserated towards their people’s history and struggles. So much so, that they did not consider the documentation of their Afro-Jamaican culture as a priority, and as such, a deficit in proper documentation of historical material exists today. This becomes quite evident in the footnotes, where due to the lack of material, there is a redundancy in reference materials Therefore, in order to add further depth to the stock of the genre of Black Liberation Literature, this work advances a redemptive process which is aimed, primarily, at every individual that has been niggerized by White supremacy and their racist systems. Therein, that each nigger would cultivate an awareness that would be congruent with his/her Black redemption, as is outlined in this literary work. Thus, that he/her would be empowered sufficiently, to rise above the White supremacist world that had ungratefully grafted him/ her and had restrained him/her to oppressive states of meaningless existences. Black people must rise above their common bound, the social degradation of niggerization, a social construct of the White racist demi-gods and to accept the fundamental merits and opportunities that a Black redemption would have provided, which is, the reconstructed Black self, with all its social advantages, because White America will not change and they will not change for the sake of niggers or will they accept niggers as Whites. Sorry, but no skin bleaching formula will change Blacks into White. The Black experience is not the undoing of the White racist demi-gods; instead, it is the doings of the reconstructed niggers towards the redemption, freedom, of Black individuals.

An exploration into why and how Jamaicans become Rastafari in spite of increasing incrimination of the religion So much has been written about the Rastafari, yet we know so little about why and how people join the Rastafari movement. Although popular understandings evoke images of dreadlocks, reggae, and marijuana, Rastafarians were persecuted in their country, becoming a people seeking social justice. Yet new adherents continued to convert to Rastafari despite facing adverse reactions from their fellow citizens and from their British rulers. Charles Price draws on in-depth interviews to reveal the personal experiences of those who adopted the religion in the 1950s to 1970s, one generation past the movement's emergence. By talking with these Rastafari elders, he seeks to understand why and how Jamaicans became Rastafari in spite of rampant discrimination, and what sustains them in their faith and identity. Utilizing new conceptual frameworks, Price explores the identity development of Rastafari, demonstrating how shifts in the movement’s identity—from social pariah to exemplar of Blackness—have led some of the elder Rastafari to adopt, embrace, and internalize Rastafari and blackness as central to their concept of self.

Vibes and Feelings: The Feelings is a collection of poems that explore everything between culture and politics, as well as love and pain. Paddy pours his innermost feelings into his work while dissecting American-Caribbean values.

Dread Jesus explores the black, dreadlocked Jesus in the teachings of Rastafari. Is Rastafari simply a bizarre Christian cult, destined to fade if the Emporer Haile Selassie never reappears? Or could it become a vibrant Two-Thirds World reform movement, recalling Christianity to its original non-oppressing gospel for all people? Rigorously researched, William David Spencer 's unique and compelling study - which includes exclusive inteviews with major Rastafarian thinkers and close analysis of the lyrics of many reggae songs - will prove genuinely accessible to anyone who wishes to learn more about Rastafari and its significance for global Christianity.

Learn the religious beliefs and practices of the Rastafarians. A great Rasta book for those who want to become a Rastafarian. Written by a Jamaican Rasta Woman, this book explains Rasta beliefs, how to convert to Rastafarianism, the true ways of dress as a Rastafarian, and the meaning of Rasta. Find out all about Rastafari culture, and what it means to follow Jah Rastafari, Emperor Haile Selassie I, according the the Rastamans way of life.

Traces the history of the Rastafarian movement, discussing the impact it has had on Jamaican society, its successful expansion to North America, the British Isles, and Africa, its role as a dominant cultural force in the world, and other related topics.

Drawing on literary, musical, and visual representations of and by Rastafari, Darren J. N. Middleton provides an introduction to Rasta through the arts, broadly conceived. The religious underpinnings of the Rasta movement are often overshadowed by Rasta’s association with reggae music, dub, and performance poetry. Rastafari and the Arts: An Introduction takes a fresh view of Rasta, considering the relationship between the artistic and religious dimensions of the movement in depth. Middleton’s analysis complements current introductions to Afro-Caribbean religions and offers an engaging example of the role of popular culture in illuminating the beliefs and practices of emerging religions. Recognizing that outsiders as well as insiders have shaped the Rasta movement since its modest beginnings in Jamaica, Middleton includes interviews with members of both groups, including: Ejay Khan, Barbara Makeda Blake Hannah, Geoffrey Philp, Asante Amen, Reggae Rajahs, Benjamin Zephaniah, Monica Haim, Blakk Rasta, Rocky Dawuni, and Marvin D. Sterling.