TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2: Get into the groove and feel the rhythm today as Rastafarians honor their messiah—and noted Reggae influence—Haile Selassie I. It was 80 years ago today that Emperor Haile Selassie’s coronation was held in Ethiopia, and Rastafarians haven’t stopped celebrating. (Get the Rasta perspective at Rasta-ites.com.)
Most Rastas believe that Selassie was Jesus incarnate, but some believe he was only a divinely anointed king. Still, any Rasta—and anyone who appreciates Reggae music—can join in the festivities today. This year, the 80th anniversary of the coronation was cause for a special tribute at the recent Reggae Culture Salute in New York. (Even Junior Wedderburn, mast drummer for Broadway’s “The Lion King,” will be present at this event, giving an educational performance of Reggae’s traditional nyahbinghi drumming. Read the full article in the New York Daily News.)
Rasta beliefs have evolved through the years, and a religion that was once strongly anti-White has become a religion focused on the divinity of mankind and Earthly salvation. Still, a central element remains: Haile Selassie. (Wikipedia has details.)
