1 - ‘I’d rather see a sermon than hear one...’: Africa/Heaven and Women of the Diaspora in Creating Global Futures and Transformation
Africa Development,
Vol. 41 No. 3 (2016): Africa Development
Abstract
This article focuses on the case of the Rastafari, a grassroots, male-dominated pan-African religio-political movement, which for almost a century has driven the Caribbean Diaspora to dialogue and action on issues of repair and redevelopment of the continent. Though often criticized as patriarchal, since the mid-1970s the Rastafari has increasingly seen women emerging, playing a leading role in globally coordinated initiatives. Indeed, it could be argued that relative to the wider society Rastafari has made more significant advances with regard to gender parity and the advancement of women, as this is facilitated by the ongoing dialogical and grounded processes of ‘reasoning’ that provide ventilation and strategic solutions for contending ideas. Women within the Movement are therefore ironically over-represented relative to their numbers in positions of international leadership and the general administration of the community. This phenomenon has grown especially over the past two generations, as the role of the Rastafari Empress, or the lioness as she is sometime referred to, has evolved to situate itself seated among the lions as a primary component within the ‘works’ of Rastafari. The article seeks to develop a historiography of the evolution of the Rastafari family and its construction of a global politics that offers the potential for black women’s empowerment ; a point recognized by womanist-oriented females who take on leadership within the Movement.
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- Ama, T., 2012, ‘Resistance without and within: Reasoning on gender relations in RastafarI’ tribute to Ras Junior Manning, in Barnett, M. (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, Syracuse University Press.
- Campbell, H., 2007, [1987]) Rastafari and Resistance: From Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney, Africa World Press Inc.
- Chevannes, B., 2006, Betwixt and Between, Ian Randle Publishers.
- Commonwealth Institute, 1986, Rastafari Focus ’86, Word, Sound Power.
- Harris, V., 1982, ‘Rastafari: Charmaine Montague Interview’ in FUSE November/December 1982, pp.186-189.
- Homiak, J., 1994, From Yard to Nation: Rastafari and the Politics of Eldership at Home and Abroad, in M. Kremser (ed.) Ay BoBo, Afro Karibische Religionen, Vienna: Universitats Verlag.
- Homiak, J., 1998, ‘Movements of Jah People: From Soundscape to mediascape’, in J.W. Pulís (ed.), Religion, Diaspora, and Cultural Identity: A Reader in the Anglophone Caribbean, Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach, pp. 90-96.
- Homiak, J., 1986, ‘A Review of Rastafari: Conversations Concerning Women’ in New York Reggae Times, Vol. 1, No. 6 March/April 1986.
- Hopkins, E., 1970, ‘The Nyahbinghi Cult of Southern Uganda’ in R.I. Rotberg (ed.) Protest & Power in Black Africa, Oxford University Press.
- Howell, L.P., 1935, The Promised Key, Kingston: Headstart Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd.
- Macleod, E., 2014, Visions of Zion: Ethiopians and Rastafari in the Search for the Promised Land, NYU Press.
- Montague, C., 1982, FUSE November/December.
- Montague, C., 1985, Voice of Thunder: Dialogue with Nyah Binghi Elders, Masani Productions.
- Nettleford, R., 2013, From the Cross to the throne in Niaah, J. & Macleod, E. (eds.) ‘Let us start with Africa’: Honouring Rastafari Scholarship; The Press, University of the West Indies, pp. 10-21.
- Niaah, J., 2012, ‘Rastafari Presence in Ethiopia: A Contemporary Perspective’, in M. Barnett (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, A Rastafari Reader, Syracuse Press, pp. 66-88.
- Planno, M., 1996, Earth Most Strangest Man: the Rastafarian, New York: Institute for the Study of Man.
- Planno, M., 2013, ‘Polite Violence’, in Niaah, J. & Macleod, E. (eds.) ‘Let us start with Africa’: Honouring Rastafari Scholarship; The Press, University of the West Indies, pp. 22-42.
- Pollard, V., 1994, Dread Talk: The Language of Rastafari (1st ed.), Kingston: Canoe Press - University of the West Indies.
- Rowe, M., 2012, ‘The Woman in RastafarI’ in Barnett, M. (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, Syracuse University Press, pp. 177-189.
- Tafari-Ama, I.M., 2012, ‘Resistance without and within: Reasoning on Gender Relations in RastafarI’ in Barnett, M. (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, Syracuse University Press, pp. 190-221.
- Yard Roots, 1981, ‘Interview: Rastawoman as Equal’ in Yard Roots April/May, pp. 5-7.
- Yawney, C.D., 1984, ‘Who Killed Bob Marley? Review of Bob Marley: Reggae King of the World’ by M.L. Whitney, in Canadian Forum, December 1984, Toronto: Williams-Wallace publishers, pp. 29-31.
- Yawney, C.D., 1995, ‘The globalization of Rastafari: methodological and conceptual issues’, paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Caribbean Studies (UK), London, 5-7 July.
- Yawney, C.D., 1995, ‘Tell Out King Rasta Doctrine Around the Whole World: Rastafari in Global Perspective’ in Ruprecht, A. & Taiana, C. (eds.). The reordering of culture: Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada in the hood, Canada: Carleton University Press, pp. 57-74.
- Yawney, C.D., 1998, ‘Only visitors here: representing Rastafari into the 21st century’, in J.W. Pulís (ed.), Religion, Diaspora, and Cultural Identity: A Reader in the Anglophone Caribbean, Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach.
- Yawney, C.D., 2001, ‘Exodus: Rastafari, Repatriation, and the African Renaissance’, African Century Publications Series No. 4. Pretoria.
References
Ama, T., 2012, ‘Resistance without and within: Reasoning on gender relations in RastafarI’ tribute to Ras Junior Manning, in Barnett, M. (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, Syracuse University Press.
Campbell, H., 2007, [1987]) Rastafari and Resistance: From Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney, Africa World Press Inc.
Chevannes, B., 2006, Betwixt and Between, Ian Randle Publishers.
Commonwealth Institute, 1986, Rastafari Focus ’86, Word, Sound Power.
Harris, V., 1982, ‘Rastafari: Charmaine Montague Interview’ in FUSE November/December 1982, pp.186-189.
Homiak, J., 1994, From Yard to Nation: Rastafari and the Politics of Eldership at Home and Abroad, in M. Kremser (ed.) Ay BoBo, Afro Karibische Religionen, Vienna: Universitats Verlag.
Homiak, J., 1998, ‘Movements of Jah People: From Soundscape to mediascape’, in J.W. Pulís (ed.), Religion, Diaspora, and Cultural Identity: A Reader in the Anglophone Caribbean, Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach, pp. 90-96.
Homiak, J., 1986, ‘A Review of Rastafari: Conversations Concerning Women’ in New York Reggae Times, Vol. 1, No. 6 March/April 1986.
Hopkins, E., 1970, ‘The Nyahbinghi Cult of Southern Uganda’ in R.I. Rotberg (ed.) Protest & Power in Black Africa, Oxford University Press.
Howell, L.P., 1935, The Promised Key, Kingston: Headstart Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd.
Macleod, E., 2014, Visions of Zion: Ethiopians and Rastafari in the Search for the Promised Land, NYU Press.
Montague, C., 1982, FUSE November/December.
Montague, C., 1985, Voice of Thunder: Dialogue with Nyah Binghi Elders, Masani Productions.
Nettleford, R., 2013, From the Cross to the throne in Niaah, J. & Macleod, E. (eds.) ‘Let us start with Africa’: Honouring Rastafari Scholarship; The Press, University of the West Indies, pp. 10-21.
Niaah, J., 2012, ‘Rastafari Presence in Ethiopia: A Contemporary Perspective’, in M. Barnett (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, A Rastafari Reader, Syracuse Press, pp. 66-88.
Planno, M., 1996, Earth Most Strangest Man: the Rastafarian, New York: Institute for the Study of Man.
Planno, M., 2013, ‘Polite Violence’, in Niaah, J. & Macleod, E. (eds.) ‘Let us start with Africa’: Honouring Rastafari Scholarship; The Press, University of the West Indies, pp. 22-42.
Pollard, V., 1994, Dread Talk: The Language of Rastafari (1st ed.), Kingston: Canoe Press - University of the West Indies.
Rowe, M., 2012, ‘The Woman in RastafarI’ in Barnett, M. (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, Syracuse University Press, pp. 177-189.
Tafari-Ama, I.M., 2012, ‘Resistance without and within: Reasoning on Gender Relations in RastafarI’ in Barnett, M. (ed.) Rastafari in the New Millennium, Syracuse University Press, pp. 190-221.
Yard Roots, 1981, ‘Interview: Rastawoman as Equal’ in Yard Roots April/May, pp. 5-7.
Yawney, C.D., 1984, ‘Who Killed Bob Marley? Review of Bob Marley: Reggae King of the World’ by M.L. Whitney, in Canadian Forum, December 1984, Toronto: Williams-Wallace publishers, pp. 29-31.
Yawney, C.D., 1995, ‘The globalization of Rastafari: methodological and conceptual issues’, paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Caribbean Studies (UK), London, 5-7 July.
Yawney, C.D., 1995, ‘Tell Out King Rasta Doctrine Around the Whole World: Rastafari in Global Perspective’ in Ruprecht, A. & Taiana, C. (eds.). The reordering of culture: Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada in the hood, Canada: Carleton University Press, pp. 57-74.
Yawney, C.D., 1998, ‘Only visitors here: representing Rastafari into the 21st century’, in J.W. Pulís (ed.), Religion, Diaspora, and Cultural Identity: A Reader in the Anglophone Caribbean, Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach.
Yawney, C.D., 2001, ‘Exodus: Rastafari, Repatriation, and the African Renaissance’, African Century Publications Series No. 4. Pretoria.