Rastafari Blessings

I am surprised that I did not see this posting, Empress Afrique. I am also shocked that your man has beaten you. Not that I am trying to bury my head in the sand, it is just that in the Zimbabwean Rastafarian community, domestic violence is a definite no-no. It is the sort of thing that can cause a man to lose his standing. The one dread who admitted to me that he had slapped his queen a few times did not with averted eyes.

You may not believe it, but even in the mainstream African communities, wife-battering will invoke the outrage of society. If he tried that in Zimbabwe, he could a get a taste of mob-justice ( like passers-by hearing the commotion will actually come on your property and deal with him). So even if I wanted to- and I assure you I don't- I could never hit my woman.

I think that as a community this problem of wife battery should be addressed as well. It presents a horrible contradiction- in my movement, the Rastafarian male is responsible for his woman's safety and security. Now if he is the one to threaten and harm her, where does this leave her? Without the security of our Queens, we are lost. These are not just glib utterances, this is something I really feel strongly about.

Perhaps we should open up another topic and confront this one.