Ibrahim explains history of Jamaican Rastafarians in Ethiopia

Former Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie ("Negus Negusti", the "king of kings") gave land in the village Shashomane to Jamaican Rastafarians in the 1950s. Rastafarians believed that Selassie was a prophet from God. This Jamaican enclave lives on in rural Ethiopia. The Run Across Ethiopia spoke with second-generation Jamaican Ibrahim about this history.

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News & Politics

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• Run Across Ethiopia
• Shashomane
• Rastafarian

[RediatGstunner]

rastafari come from the word ''ras tefery'' which is the amharic name for haile selasie!!!!!

[1GodOnlyOne]

I read that the word Rastafari means "Power of the Trinity," or "Head of the Trinity."

Does this imply that Rastafarians are also Trinitarians?

[SimpleK1987]

@YONNICUTE ...continuing...So the claims are that just like the Ethiopians were descendants from the 12 Tribes of Israel starting from King Solomon's Son Menelik 1, so were the slaves of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The question must be asked: why did they changed our names & religion and barred us from practicing our culture in the 1st half of slavery. Witchcraft predominantly found in Haiti & New Orleans were kept for it was from the last set of slaves that came. Do research what is say plz!

[SimpleK1987]

@YONNICUTE so do a little research on what i said. Don't take the white man's interpretation of slavery. Our names, religion, culture & history was taken away from us for a reason. Remember we were forced to accept Christianity & the Bible as a means of justifying or comforting our ancestors suffering & pain. But remember b4 Christianity was introduced to our ancestors they already sang songs depicting stories from the Bible. Some say because they actual were the descendants from the 12 Tribes..

[SimpleK1987]

@YONNICUTE ..my comment which i posted just before this one is really directed at u. West African chiefs never sold their own kind until the late half of slavery. They traded slaves for wine & other stuff that the Europeans had to offer them. So the 1st set of slaves to the Caribbean & North America came from East Africa that is why there Religion, culture, names, etc were not preserved. It is only until the last set of slaves came to the Caribbean that they kept their practice (Voodoo or Obeah)

[SimpleK1987]

@SimpleK1987 I have to disagree with what u say. I'll use Trinidad Carnival for e.g. Pagan practices or Voodoo such as in Haiti came from the last set of slaves who were really from West Africa. Before that the slaves were brought from East of Africa from small tribes. The West African Chiefs never sold there own king until the last half of slavery. My proof was that Carnival characters such as the Moco Jumbie or d Jab Jab was introduced when the last set of slaves came to the Caribbean.

[YONNICUTE]

@SimpleK1987.......i hope i answered ur question...but if u wanna learn more about RASTAFARIAN........u shld read di book called THE RASTAFARIANS by LEONARD E. BARRETTT.....its great book!!!!! idk much bout TRINIDAD but i love ur music and diff. dances............

[YONNICUTE]

@SimpleK1987.....hay wass!!!!! actaully during slavery time most of di slaves where taken from WEST AFRICA, like ghana, ivory coast, senegal etc........dose slaves where taking by di European!!!!!! and di ARAB(middle east) people took their slaves from east africa!!!! so all black or african Caribbean people are descendants of WEST AFRICA..........di reason rastas call ETHIOPIA home is because of HIS MAJESTY HAILE SELASSIE I........and also when rastas say ETHIOPIA they also mean AFRICA!!!

[yoniii]

@SimpleK1987 As far as I know, there weren't any slaves taken from Ethiopia. They see Africa in general as their home. Emperor Selassie offered these land in Ethiopia to all children of the slave trade, not only rastas.

[SimpleK1987]

Short but interesting. I have a question. How do Jamaicans know they came out of Ethiopia? How did they arrive in Jamaica? Are all black or African Caribbean people descendants of Ethiopians? I am from Trinidad and just need these questions to be answered. Awaiting your response!!!