Jamaica is the birthplace of the Rastafarian movement. It is a religion strongly based on the Bible and is influenced by the country’s other religions and religious beliefs.
The Bible came to the Jamaican people in the 1790s through the hands of two black preachers: George Lisle and Moses Baker. They came to the island nation and built up followings in Kingston and western Jamaica, but by the 1920s, white Baptists missionaries had arrived.
Christianity’s arrival on the island was the first time enslaved African-Jamaicans, were given the chance to read. Schools were not open to them, so most African-Jamaicans were illiterate. The new missionaries became their teachers and the Bible became their Holy book, the place where they found the word of God. The Bible confirmed to them that they were children of God and that one day they would be with him. The Bible also taught them that they were not alone as oppressed people. They shared this experience with Jews; therefore, the story of the Jews had a great deal of relevance to their lives.
By the 1930s the Rastafarian movement was taking place in Jamaica. It began in inner cities and other parts of the island where people were poor and unemployment was high. The country was already known for its strong political leanings and resistance against England and the Rastafarian movement added to that political firepower. Rastas believed Jamaica was not British, but Ethiopian and therefore had no loyalty to the British crown.
The Church of England, on the island, eventually became The Church of Jamaica. Today, you will notice many churches in the countryside, as religion remains an important part of life. And though Christianity has a large following in Jamaica, Rastafari, centered on the belief that Haile Selassie is Jah, or God, is the country’s best-known religion. Because of famous Rastas like Bob Marley, these people have become a symbol of the country. Many Jamaican Rastas band together in communities and live outside of cities, preferring to live in the hills or countryside, as their religion emphasizes the importance of natural surroundings.
