The Process
All Rastafarian communities must undergo the community building process, which begins small, and then grows larger. The initial part of the community consists of extremely small Rastafarian centers, where Rastas go out of convenience, but not necessarily to congregate with other Rastafarians. The goal of these centers is to bring Zionist elements to their respective Exodus communities. Examples of such centers are smoking yards or weed gates, where Rastafarians go to smoke ganja, or marijuana, which they believe purifies the soul and brings one closer to the Almighty Jah. Another example of such centers are Rastafarian stores, such as supermarkets where Rastafarian goods may be purchased. These stores range from ital foods stores, to reggae record stores, to specialized medical stores.
The second level of community building occurs with the greater organization of Rastafarians truly into a community. This often coincides with the creation of large churches, which provides the Rastafarian with an organized and active community in which to carry out further Rasta evangelicalism. In Jamaican Rastafarian practices, organized congregations are frowned upon, and finding Jah is seen as a personal passageway, but churches are essential for Rasta worship in America. These churches offer an array of opportunities, including Sunday schools for the youth, “rastalogical” counseling, Ital cooking classes, sewing and knitting, craft building and language instruction courses. Additionally, churches provide public recognition of individual Rastafarians, as well as the movement overall. All for one and one for all.
Localized community building influenced America in the sense that they introduced the greater metropolitan area to the Rastafarian community. American non-Rastas were welcome at Rastafarian hang outs, such as dance halls or reggae record stores. By building a community, the individual Rastafarian attained a sense of belonging and fellowship. These small pocket societies contributed to the growing diversity of American society, and thus helped to further establish America for what it was known: a cultural melting pot.
Read more about this topic: Rastafari Movement In The United States, Rastafarian Community Building
Famous quotes containing the word process:
“Every modern male has, lying at the bottom of his psyche, a large, primitive being covered with hair down to his feet. Making contact with this Wild Man is the step the Eighties male or the Nineties male has yet to take. That bucketing-out process has yet to begin in our contemporary culture.”
—Robert Bly (b. 1926)
“Healthy parenting is nothing if not a process of empowerment. As we help to raise our children’s self-esteem, we also increase their personal power. When we encourage them to be confident, self-reliant, self-directed, and responsible individuals, we are giving them power.”
—Louise Hart (20th century)