Rastafarians celebrate Emperor Haile Selassie I because they believe he is the living God, or Jah, who appeared in human form to bring salvation to people of African descent. His coronation in 1930 was seen as the fulfillment of a prophecy that a Black king would be crowned in Africa, signaling the beginning of deliverance from oppression.
Read More“Bob Marley: One Love,” a new movie that chronicles on the life of legendary reggae singer and songwriter — from his rise to fame in the mid-1970s up until his death in 1981 — has put a spotlight on what it means to be Rastafarian. Widely considered an iconic figure in the history of music, he is revered as the pioneer of reggae and a symbol of peace.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Many Christians believe that Jesus Christ was both human and divine, and will return to the Earth to reign over a righteous kingdom of his chosen people. Similarly, Rastafarians are of the view that Emperor Selassie is God, or Jah, who manifested in human form, and that they are God’s chosen people. They borrow generously from the King James Bible, braiding their theology around Black and African identity and culture.
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