MARCUS ``MOSIAH`` GARVEY
MARCUS ``MOSIAH`` GARVEY
"A race without authority and power is a race without respect."
MARCUS GARVEY’S AFFECT ON RASTAFARIANISM
Even though, Garvey could not find as much support in Jamaica as he expected, he
was inspiration to many Rastafarians. Garvey was a major part of the rise of
Rastafarianism and many Rasta’s look at Garvey as a prophet. In 1916, when
Garvey was leaving Jamaica to go to the United States in his farewell address he
told many Garveyites, "Look to Africa for the crowning of a black king, he shall
be the Redeemer." (Barrett, 67) When Garvey left for the United States many of
his followers still gathered together, but had no leader to follow. In 1930,
Haile
Selassie was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia, prior to his crowning many
Garveyites forgot the message Garvey told them when he left, but when Selassie
was crowned it was remembered by many Rasta’s. The Rastafarians named Hallie
Selassie their king with the inspiration of Garvey, reinforced by passages from
the Bible. (Barrett, 67, 80-81)
Many Garveyites in Jamaica were the originators of the Rastafarian movement,
Leonard P. Howell is known as the man that started the first branch of the
Rastafarian movement and he was a Garveyite, as well. In the 1950’s there were
ships transporting some Rasta’s back to Africa. This became part of the
philosophy of Rastafarianism; "the doctrine of the God of Ethiopia and the
inevitable ‘return’ to Africa was sustained by a steadily growing movement of
people." For some Rasta’s, Africa is their desired destination, but others
feel it is where their spiritual roots lie and it brings consciousness and hope.
Garvey felt his movement was successful even if it was only in a spiritual
sense, as long as people were encouraged by the ideas.
The Rastafarian movement has taken the idea of Ethiopianism and incorporated
these beliefs and ideas into their everyday life styles. The Rasta’s accepted
the idea of Ethiopia as being their savor with the influence of Marcus Garvey.
His inspiring words has created an image of God to the Rasta’s:
If the white man has the idea of a white God, let him worship his God as he
desires. If the yellow man’s God is of his race let him worship his God as he
sees fit. We, as Negroes, have found a new ideal. Whilst our God has no colour,
yet it is human to see everything through one’s own spectacles, and since the
white people have seen their God through white spectacles, we have only now
started out (late though it be) to see our God through our own spectacles. The
God of Issac and the God of Jacob let him exist for the race that believe in the
God of Issac and the God of Jacob. We Negroes believe in the God of Ethiopia,
the everlasting God- God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, the one God of all ages.
That is the God in whom we believe, but we shall worship him though the
spectacles of Ethiopia.
These words gave the Rastafarian’s hope and motivation to find their God in
Ethiopia and have pride in their race. It encouraged the people to believe that
they can be their own leaders without the white majority telling them who to
worship and follow. This idea was one of the principle philosophies of
Garveyism.
The Rastafarian religion allows its followers to choose their own paths to live
their lives by. It does not have one strict set of commandments, but rather
Rasta’s create their own ideals to follow. In the 1960’s, Rastafarian’s sent ten
recommendations to the government in Jamaica and Garvey stimulated the first
recommendation. It stated,
the government of Jamaica should send a mission to African countries to arrange
for immigration of Jamaicans. Representatives of Ras Tafari brethren should be
included in the mission. (Barrett, 100)
The government never established this mission, but some Rastafarian leaders went
to Africa to get a sense of its culture. These recommendations helped the
Rasta’s create their own set of commandments and most people feel this voyage to
Africa is very important. It is significant because it gives the people hope
that one day they will find Zion. This term Zion is used to represent the
Rasta’s homeland and promise-land. (Barrett, 118)
Garvey taught the people also that "the white person is inferior to the black
person." (Barrett, 113) This idea of black supremacy was expressed in many of
Garvey’s writings and speeches. In the African Fundamental, Garvey begins by
stating,:
``The time has come for the Negro to forget and cast behind his hero worship and
adoration of other races, and to start out immediately, to create and emulate
heroes of his own. ``
For many black people the idea of black dominance is very hard to imagine
because they have been oppressed for so many years. This concept is very
important for many Rasta’s because it gives them a feeling of empowerment and
dignity. This idea of white people being inferior can sound harsh to white
people, but for a group of people that have been exploited for so long it is a
way to give them the power to stand up to their oppressors.
Garvey felt that black people always had to be aware of white injustice. Garvey
expressed these feelings in a poem entitled "Tragedy of White Injustice." The
message Garvey was sending was for black people to have faith in their race and
not trust white people. An excerpt from the poem is:
``Always be on your guard against him with whatsoever he does or says. Never
take chances with him. His school books in the elementary schools, in the high
schools, in the colleges and universities are all fixed up to suit his own
purposes, to put him on top of other people. Don’t trust him. Beware! Beware!``
For Rastafarian’s, along with many other black people, the white man is looked
at as the oppressor. Due to this historical trend it is hard for Rasta’s to
befriend white people, but in today’s society Rasta’s are more accepting towards
white people on an individual basis. In some situations, white people would have
to express to the Rasta that they are not prejudice or racist towards the black
race, before they will feel comfortable establishing a friendship. (Barrett,
115)
The colors of the Rastafarian movement are red, black, and green, each of these
colors have there own unique meaning to Rastafarians. These colors also
represented Marcus Garvey’s movement. The red represents the Church Triumphant,
this is the church of the Rasta’s; it also is a symbol for the blood of all
persecuted black people. Jamaica’s population is ninety-eight percent African
descent, this is why black is a very significant color to all Rasta’s. It
represents the color of the skin of Africans. The color green represents the
beauty and vegetation in Ethiopia. The color yellow or gold is also significant
in the lives of many Rastafarians, it represents the wealth of their homeland.
Rasta’s characterize their movement and identify with these colors, some
combined red, black, and green and others associate with red, yellow or gold,
and green. Marcus Garvey influenced Ghana, Mozambique, Kenya, and the ANC of
South Africa to use these colors as their official colors. This made
Rastafarians feel they were more connected to their brothers and sisters in
Africa, because these colors represent their unique identity.
Marcus Garvey’s influence on the Rastafarian movement is portrayed in so many
ways. Even though he himself was not a Rasta, he was born in Jamaica and showed
Rasta’s they can succeed in uprising against their oppressors without any
initial wealth or prestige. Garvey brought economic and cultural self-reliance
into many people’s lives. He started a movement that ended up being the largest
black movement in history. As well, he gave Rastafarians the stimulation to
create their movement and identify with their race.