An Ethos of Blackness: Rastafari Cosmology, Culture, and Consciousness

Rastafari is a social and religious movement that originated among Afro-Jamaican communities in the 1930s, providing a normative conception of Blackness that resists Eurocentric and colonial ideas. Vivaldi Jean-Marie's book explores Rastafari's core beliefs and practices, tracing its origins in enslaved peoples strategies of resistance, Jamaican Revivalism, and Garveyism. It emphasizes the significance of practices such as avoiding technological exploitation and living in harmony with the natural order. Jean-Marie also considers Rastafari's theology, which reinterprets biblical scriptures and rejects Christianity's Eurocentrism and racism. However, he argues that Rastafari must confront its failure to include women and redress sexism to fulfill its promise of liberation for people of African descent.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 26 September 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Rastafari is a multifaceted social and religious movement that originated within Afro-Jamaican communities during the 1930s, and it has garnered a significant following in the Caribbean and across the globe. This comprehensive book serves as a groundbreaking exploration of Rastafari, highlighting its role in providing a normative conception of Blackness for individuals of African descent that challenges Eurocentric and colonial notions.

Vivaldi Jean-Marie delves into the core beliefs and practices of Rastafari, presenting them as a distinctive Black system of norms and values. He traces the origins of Rastafari to the strategies of resistance employed by enslaved people, the Jamaican Revivalism movement, and the ideologies of Marcus Garvey. Jean-Marie demonstrates how Rastafari incorporates ancestral religious traditions and emancipatory politics, forming a holistic and transformative worldview.

One of the central themes of An Ethos of Blackness is the significance of practices that promote harmony with the natural order. Jean-Marie emphasizes the need to avoid the technological exploitation of natural artifacts and to live in sync with the rhythms of the environment. He explores Rastafari's theology, examining its reinterpretation of biblical scriptures and its foundations in the rejection of Christianity's Eurocentrism and racism. However, Jean-Marie also raises concerns about Rastafari's failure to adequately address issues of gender inequality and promote the inclusion of women within its movement.

Through rigorous and sensitive reflections on Rastafari culture and cosmology, this book offers profound insights into the Black theological imagination. Jean-Marie challenges readers to consider the complexities and contradictions within Rastafari, while also highlighting its potential for promoting social justice, cultural empowerment, and personal liberation for people of African descent. Rastafari emerges as a movement that blends spirituality, politics, and social activism, offering a unique perspective on Blackness and the African diaspora.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 138 x 217 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231209779