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Rastafari Speaks Archive 1

Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
In Response To: Re: Rasta and the Caribbean ()

gman said: "Guyana also has the biggest indigenous population in the english-speaking caribbean. That is another dynamic to the racial scenario. Whether it is a predominantly African gov't or a predominantly Indian gov't, the Amerindians tend to be the most ignored and marginalized group in Guyana."

This is also true in Trinidad as the political parties (mostly Indian and African based) do not feel they have much political mileage to get from the indigenous people who are small in numbers.

~~~

My first piece dealt with the idea of dreadlocks and marijuana, and I would add incense burning, being introduced to Trinidad and associated all together with spirituality.

Of course we know that slaves were deliberately denied the right to practice traditional African culture although they found clever ways to retain some aspects. There were Africans who came from the continent who developed much and inspired traditional values but they are not in the history books in school. One such person was Zabeth.

"Zabeth came from Africa, many years after the abolition of slavery, and first went to Grenada, and then to British Guiana. Afterwards she came to Trinidad and settled at Arouca. It must have been in this period that she met James McQueen. But she was never dependent upon him or anyone. She worked, saved her money, and bought the crown grant in Mazanilla. It was obviously her enthusiasm that encouraged McQueen to do the same.

Zabeth's home, deep in her Caigual cocoa plantation, became the focal point for villagers both within and outside of Caigual. She was friend, counselor, adviser, bush-medicine woman and sometimes even provider, for a great number of people. Also, she brought with her many of the strange and bright aspects of African customs and culture, rituals like shango and bele and this set the stage for many a lively evening at Caigual. Her son St. Rose might not have been as colourful as Zabeth, but he was a man of her stamp in that he was as resourceful and hard-working, the sort of person that pioneers are made of. He had 10 children, and it was these, together with the seven children of Zabeth, who transformed the remote settlement into a village."

--Towns and Villages of Trinidad and Tobago by Michael Anthony

There are many other stories like these, of hard work and cultural retention. I have not seen any mention of cannabis smoking as part of these traditions that were retained.

The British created the racial tension in Trinidad between 'East' Indians and Africans in the way they first introduced indentured Indians to this country as a type of scab labour when Africans were standing up for better wages, and were operating their own trade businesses etc.

But the fundamentalist Hindus were taught a version of their history and religion that glorified Aryans (Whites) and promoted Blacks as low caste people. These poor so-called cultural teachings are used for political motives. But there are still darker-skinned Indians who do not subscribe to the fundamentalist Hindu teachings, and their cultural practices are quite close to that of Africans.

If I were to explain the early Indian and African social ties in Trinidad, most Rastas/Africans and Indians would call that degrading their culture. No side would generally want to accept this because Rastas are considered the lowest Blacks in the Hindu idea of caste. We have the recent incident of the Rasta child who was denied a place in a school. The Mainstream Hindu leader strongly supported the school's position and made several racist, degrading comments about Rasta, making insinuations about poor hygiene and indiscipline. Many other citizens, both African and Indian, shared his views privately and publicly.

Most Trinidadians do not pay attention to history so they do not have a proper foundation for their resentments. They just go with the Political propaganda and feelings of distrust.

There is a growing Dalit movement in India that is writing much revisionist history from the perspectives of the dark-skinned Africoid Indians who suffered much discrimination at the hands of the Vedic Hindu caste system. They have been spreading the Pan-African ideas as part of the reclamation of this lost history.

Anyhow, I doubt I have heard anyone speaking of enlightened Trinidadians before, as I would have seriously challenged that. I feel for all the economic advantages we have in this region the people are way behind in terms of awareness of history and world politics. Most Africans in Trinidad came from other Caribbean islands and few ever examined the history prior to that.

Of course, most people adopted dreadlocks, marijuana and incense burning from the popular 1960 era via the Jamaican Rastafari Movement, but that was not the original trace of these things in Trinidad.

~~~~~~~

PS: I posted a few pictures in the Interactive forum on the About Rastafari board for those who are interested.

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Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
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Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
Re: Rasta and the Caribbean
"Any Time Now"- Sizzla Kalonji
Black Mother
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