Life, Liberty, and DANCE baby!!!

In religious studies we have begun to discuss and thus learn about the Rastafarian culture. Through analyzing two different sources, “Rastafari: From Outcast to Culture Bearers” written by Ennis Barrington Edmonds and a brief documentary titled “Orden Boboshanti- Creecias Rastas”. Both of these sources help shed light on the Rastafarian way of life and culture. These sources show us how group organization and routines lead to a feeling of legitimization within the culture. Like we discussed in class the logic behind the religious culture of the Rastafari stem from

1)      Ideas- Where oppression and social stratification allow for a disruption in society

2)      Charismatic leader- A leader or prophet who can persuade a division within society to believe and stand under one understanding and way of life

This leads to institutionalization or routinization where, eventually the charisma of the leader becomes imbedded within the fabric of that new society.   Thus the culture becomes tradition and society deems it rational and begins to follow its structure and authority. The Rastafarian religion failed to become established, however the ideals of it were so imbedded in society that many people believed Rastafari created a promise land, Ethiopia, and deemed Jamaica as Babylon.

                In both of the above mentioned sources we can see a clear system of symbols that,  in many respects, creates order within the society. In the documentary the Rastafari society that livesin that remote village call themselves the Boboshanti. A key symbol that they participate in is within the use of their reggae. The Boboshanti prey five times daily. In each prayer they use reggae and dance to demonstrate their efforts in the fight for a better society. Reggae becomes this routine that they can unite themselves under and helps  to  illustrate their struggles and how to  overcome them. In the monograph mentioned above it states that reggae is a medium of sorts in which society may be restored and regain self awareness it is also a way in which people learn what they believe to be the truth within society. We can clearly see that the Boboshanti wish to do this through reggae in seconds 49 and minute 2:32 within the documentary.