Roots Archives Forum

This could be a hot potato i know but it is not meant in anyway to offend, first and foremost. I was out recently where there were a group of 'White Rasta's'. All Sporting locks and wearing in some way Red, gold and Green colours. Now i am a white Englishman who loves Reggae music so much but i know (in my opinion), i can never be a Rastaman. I have visited Jamaica and have made many friends through my travels and my job. And embracing different culture's has been one of the most enjoyable aspects. Unfortunately i cannot change history but i do not have to agree with it. Do people agree that to 'dress' as a Rastaman if you are of white (non-Afro Carribean) origin, it could be deemed offensive to our hero's or not? this is not to say you cannot enjoy aspects of any faith, but that one should stay true to one's self... Discuss

what do you mean with "offensive to our hero´s"?

Well, a lot of them have experienced extreme poverty and The true Rastaman wants to be returned to Ethiopia, the promised land. A white man born in London to a middle class family....could it be not a tiny bit,say...insensitive?

Personally I think everyone that is truely and honestly Rastafarian (whether he or she is black, brown, white, yellow, red or whatever colour) should be able to show their belief and dress like a rasta, grow dreadlocks, etcetera.
I think it really depends on your honesty.
I for one am "white" and I LOVE reggae music and I deeply respect Rastafarians & Rastafarianism but I am not a Rastafarian myself. So what I do is: I don't dress like a Rasta and I don't grow dreads, out of respect for those who are truely and wholeheartedly Rastafarian.
But I repeat: when someone of whatever background or race or colour etc. is honestly Rastafarian I don't see how it could be "offensive" to Afro-Caribbean Rastas.
Bless,
G. Lion

Rastafarianism is a religion that anyone can convert to just like becoming a Muslim or Catholic.

If someone who loves Reggae wants to wear a little Red Gold and Green or even "Lock up" I would'nt but that is up to them so long as they don't claim to be a Rasta.

If you really wanted to be a RASTA you would have to follow the teachings and become a member of an organisation such as 12 tribes of Israel.

so YOU could be a "WHITE" Rasta too KING if you felt the need to..it is not resticted to any single type of people ..to say that is a little insensitive too,but maybe you did not know better.

check out the 12 tribes web sites that represent the groups all over the world.
Like AUSTRALIA and New Zealand check
http://www.rastainoz.com/

Thankyou selecta bing and G Lion. It is a very solid points you make and i learn from that. You state exactly my point in that i too totally respect Rastafarianism and as such i pay my respects by not being such. Reggae music healed me so much in bad times for me and its importance in my life is immense. Thankyou for posting the link and seeing the positves in my post. I will check it out.

Much Respect to you Both

I dare not imagine a follower of "Rastafarianism". Rasta - thankfully - knows nothing about isms and schisms.

I would refer to His Imperial Majesty's words, when it comes to being a white (or black, or yellow, or...) rasta: "The colour of a man's skin is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes."

I can't understand, why some bredrin, who know H.I.M. as Jah, King of Kings, Lord of Lords don't pay heed to that lesson. Or as to why they can't accept that all man hail from one creation...

i don't see how you can "dress like a rasta" unless it's like a bobo with turbans and robes etc.

rasta just wear locks because the bible says not to mess with your hair,they don't approve of people breaking other biblical laws like "thou shall not kill" so not coming your hair is not offensive in anyways

dying your locks, or having dread and shaving your beard or getting piercings or something is a different story

"Rasta is not a bag of locks---A righteous man can have a baldhead top"...Charlie Chaplin

"You Don't Haffi Dread To Be Rasta"