Arts and Culture caught up with three members of the Rastafari community who have been involved with the practice for decades. These are Ras Gothusang ‘King Blak’ Caiphus, Ras Steven ‘Jahfyah’ Diseko and Ras Samoki I. Cunningham, a Jamaican native. Research shows that Rastafari started during the 1930 coronation of Haile Selassie 1 as King of Ethiopia. Rastafari regard him as their God.
“First of all there is nothing as Rastafarianism or Rastafarian, it is called Rastafari. As our father (Haile Selassie I) said it is a way of life, something that you live, it is inherited because of Haile Selassie I. When we call ourselves this, we see ourselves as the black children of Israel of Haile Selassie I. So it can be explained as a culture and a way of spirituality which is not a religion,” said Cunningham, who kept referring to the Bible throughout the interview. He said as Rastafari they live by the Nazareth law, which is an ancient Hebrew law. “We live by the Bible in a priestly and kingly way, therefore we have accepted ourselves in the natural way we were born. That is why we do not even cut our hair,” Cunningham explained as he said people in the ancient times including Jesus did not cut their hair as they had locks.
