I am White. Can I be a Rasta?
Posted: Tuesday, March 4, 2003

[I regularly get emails with questions about Whites and Rastafari so I am posting this response.]

Name and email address withheld

I am White. Can I be a Rasta?
___________________________________

Response: from Ayinde

You can be anything you want and you can call yourself anything.

Most people who call themselves Rasta say this from the position of having dreadlocks and liking Reggae music.

In my view few are real Rastas but many are hoping to become.

It is ignorance and laziness that causes many to hold on to the outward forms of Rasta and not do the groundwork.

The pursuit of Rastafari is a discipline that allows one to develop the ability to work within the laws of nature and to realize that this blissful state only exists in the essence of life.

Many believe that by simply growing a dreadlocks and saying Haile Selassie they are automatically transforms into something new. This may give them new friends but certainly does not transform them from their follies.

In some of my other articles I gave a historical overview of Rastafari and I suggest if you are genuinely interested, that you chat with an elder 'IanI' whose email address is on RASTA GUIDANCE and get some of the foundation overstanding.

The values and expressions within the evolution of the understanding of Rastafari are rooted in the experiences of African people/culture. (See: A SKETCH OF RASTAFARI HISTORY and you can also read: RASTAFARI IN TRANSITION by Ikael Tafari) It is best to study world history, including what you may not have been taught about African people and culture, in order to remove some of the layers of prejudices that blocks people from seeing simple truths.

The Poem, Slavery Brainwashing by EMPRESS SARAI, gives a good overstanding of how popular concepts about Rastafari developed.

Once you respect everyone's right to their views although you may disagree and you are courageous enough to share your own views, you should not have a problem.

Discuss it on : Rastafari Speaks Message Board

Regards. 

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