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Ethiopian perspective on Rastafarians |
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Ethiopia (also known Historically as Abyssinia)
is located in northeast Africa. |
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Ethiopians trace their history into the Biblical
era. |
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Ge’ez is the original language echoed in Amharic
and Tigregna |
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1960 – Draught resulting in Famine |
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1974 Revolution |
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1977 – 80 Red Terror |
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1975 – War with Eritrea, Tigray and Somalia |
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Remnants of Ethiopia’s Rich History are found
mostly in the regions of Tigray, Gonder, Lasta and Wello |
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The oldest city in Ethiopia founded 300-100 B.C |
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The city was destroyed by the Islamic invasion
in Fifth century |
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Christianity was introduced around A.D. 325 |
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Ethiopian Orthodoxy embraces the Monophysite
doctrine,and differs from other Orthodox Christianity |
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Hebraic influences are evident in linguistic,
religious ritual and customs |
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Islam makes up the largest religious group. |
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Ethiopic Bible |
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Kebre Negest – Story of Queen of Sheba and King
Solomon |
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Book of Enoch |
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Book of Pearl |
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Zena Aylmud (History of the Jews |
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Lamentations of St. May |
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“The liturgical chant accompanied by the sound
of cestrum and the rhythmical beat of the drums and prayer sticks all have
a keen similarity to worship in the
Old Testaments” (Edward Ullendorff ) |
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Paganism is widely practiced in Ethiopia |
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Belief in the spirits includes the Adbar
(ancestral spirit) the Zar (a malevolent entity) and the buda (the evil
eye) |
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The four major Ethnic groups are: Amhara, Tigray
and Oromo |
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Majority of Ethiopians are Oromo however power
has always been maintained by the Amhara. |
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There are over 70 spoken languages in Ethiopia. |
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Named for the Young Ras Teferi – |
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Ethiopia is the Holy Land (new Zion) |
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Emperor Haile-Sellassie I is considered the
redeemer |
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The Kebre-Negest is the Black man’s Bible |
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A devote Christian the Emperor did not agree
with the claim that he is ‘Jah’ (God) |
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He invited Rastafarians to repatriate to
Ethiopia |
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He sent Clergy to Jamaica to convert rastas into
Christians |
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Jamaican born political activist and charismatic
speaker. |
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His aim was to mobilize African Americans to
advocate against Colonialism and racism in Africa and throughout the
Western World |
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He is credited for the slogans “Back to Africa
our homeland” . |
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He saw Ethiopia as the model for future Africa,
and Haile-Sellassie a model for the black man. |
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“Back to our homeland” |
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“Look to Africa for the crowning of a Black
King…” |
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“Greetings form Ethiopians in the Western
World…” |
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Three leaders in union with the the ten
commandments in the background |
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Ethiopian Iconography (St George) with a
Rastafari message |
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Ganja (the holy herb) the Ethiopian colors |
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Even after the Emperor’s death in 1975 the
Rastafarian faith is still strong. |
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Rastafari and their link with Ethiopia can be
described as a process of cultural
/spiritual borrowing. |
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In light of this strong link what are their
relationship? |
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Archbishop Yesehaq 1989 The Ethiopians |
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Bastide, Roger African Civilization in the New
World |
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Bourdieu, Pierre 1998 Practical Reason |
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Chevannes,Barry 1994 Rastafari:Roots and
Ideology |
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Haile-Sellassie I. My life and Ethiopia’s
Progress |
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Notes
