Roots Archives Forum

I have book on flags that says the colours were in use in Ethiopia at least as far back as the 1890's.
It says the colours are symbolic in Coptic Christianity and represent the Holy Trinity and also the three virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity.

The Green, Gold, and Red represents, and has alwayz been the Flag of the HABESHA (Ethiopian) people and culture...There is alot of confusion as to whether the Green is on top or the red....Red on top does not represent Ethiopia...Red on top would stand for an Afrikan country such as Ghana..Green on top is solely ETHIOPIAN...Every Afrikan Nation that has the combo of the Ites, gold and Green is in direct honour of ETHIOPIA for being the only UNCOLONIZED Afrikan Nation...The Bobo Shanti Mansion of RASTAFARI, place the red on top and ALL other Mansions (NYABINGHI THEOCRACY REIGN , 12 Tribes of ISRAEL, Orthodox) place the Ifficial Green on top....Most people do as they feel when it comes to the color scheme, but ETHIOPIANS do not recognize the RED being on top...Thats like giving an American their flag with the stars and stripes out of order.... Lets Rally round JAH RAINBOW CIRCLE THRONE in this New Millenium....

Nice Reuben, I just learned some new facts today, I might stop by Trade Roots so you can teach me more culture!

"One of the more obvious symbols of the Rastafarians are the colors. These are red, black, and green. These colors were taken from the Garvey movement. The color red stands for the Church Triumphant which is the church of the Rastas. It also symbolises the blood that martyrs have shed in the history of the Rastas and the black struggle for liberation. The black represents the color of Africans. Green represents the beauty and vegetation of Ethiopia, the promised land. Yellow is also sometimes added to represent the wealth of their homeland."

http://www.swagga.com/rastasymbol.htm