Rastafari, sometimes called Rastafarianism, is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion. There is no central authority in control of the movement and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Rastafari, Rastafarians, or Rastas.
Two Rastafari street vendors in Zeerust, South Africa; they are wearing and selling items that display their commitment to the religion
The Liberty Bell Temple in Los Angeles
Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia between 1930 and 1974. He is of central importance to Rastas, many of whom regard him as the Second Coming of Jesus and thus God incarnate in human form.
A Rasta in Barbados, wearing a rastacap decorated in the Rastafari colours: green, gold, red and black
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi), it is the third largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about 145 km (90 mi) south of Cuba, 191 km (119 mi) west of Hispaniola, and 215 km (134 mi) south-east of the Cayman Islands.
Statue of Cristopher Columbus in St. Ann Parish
Henry Morgan was a Caribbean pirate, privateer, plantation owner and slaveholder; he had first come to the West Indies as an indentured servant, like most of the early English colonists.
Harbour Street, Kingston, c. 1820
Marcus Garvey, father of the Back to Africa Movement and Jamaica's first National Hero
