Dreadlocks , also known as dreads or locs , are a hairstyle made of rope-like strands of hair. Dreadlocks are created by either manually twisting the hair or by allowing it to mat naturally. Over time, the hair will form tight braids or ringlets.
202-576: The history of the name dreadlocks is unclear. Some authors trace the term to the Rastafarians , a group of whom apparently coined it in 1959 as a reference to their "dread", or fear, of God . In their 2014 book Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America , Ayana Byrd and Lori Tharps claimed that the name dredlocs originated in the time of the slave trade: when transported Africans disembarked from
404-552: A Cornell University professor who writes about the intersection of beauty and race, says for some reason, natural Black hair just frightens some White people." In September of 2016, a lawsuit was filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against the company Catastrophe Management Solutions located in Mobile, Alabama . The court case ended with the decision that it was not a discriminatory practice for
606-1148: A Rastacap to tuck their locs under the cap. The Bobo Ashanti ("Bobo" meaning "black" in Iyaric ; and "Ashanti" in reference to the Ashanti people of Ghana , whom the Bobos claim are their ancestors), were founded by Emmanuel Charles Edwards in 1959 during the period known as the "groundation", where many protests took place calling for the repatriation of African descendants and slaves to Kingston. A Boboshanti branch spread to Ghana because of repatriated Jamaicans and other Black Rastas moving to Ghana. Prior to Rastas living in Ghana, Ghanaians and West Africans previously had their own beliefs about locked hair. Dreadlocks in West Africa are believed to bestow children born with locked hair with spiritual power, and that Dada children, that is, those born with dreadlocks, were given to their parents by water deities . Rastas and Ghanaians have similar beliefs about
808-504: A covenant with him and thus have a special responsibility. Rastafari espouses the view that this, the true identity of black Africans, has been lost and needs to be reclaimed. There is no uniform Rasta view on race . Black supremacy was a theme early in the movement, with the belief in a distinctly black African race that was superior to other racial groups. This has opened the religion to accusations of racism . While some Rastas still hold such beliefs, black supremacy has waned in
1010-465: A literalist interpretation of its contents. Rastas regard the Bible as an authentic account of early black African history and of their place as God's favoured people. They believe the Bible to be key to understanding both the past and the present and for predicting the future, while also regarding it as a source book from which they can form and justify their beliefs and practices. Rastas commonly perceive
1212-506: A new social movement , and a cultural movement. Many Rastas or Rastafarians—as practitioners are known—nevertheless dislike the labelling of Rastafari as a "movement". In 1989, a British Industrial Tribunal concluded that, for the purposes of the Race Relations Act 1976 , Rastafarians could be considered an ethnic group because they have a long, shared heritage which distinguished them from other groups, their own cultural traditions,
1414-466: A protective hairstyle to maintain the health of their hair by wearing kinky hair in natural locs or faux locs. To protect their natural hair from the elements during the changing seasons , Black women wear certain hairstyles to protect and retain the moisture in their hair. Black women wear soft locs as a protective hairstyle because they enclose natural hair inside them, protecting their natural hair from environmental damage. This protective soft loc style
1616-648: A "radical, even revolutionary" stance on socio-political issues, particularly regarding race, with a "profoundly traditional" approach on other issues. Rastas typically look critically upon modern capitalism, instead favouring small-scale, pre-industrial and agricultural societies. Some Rastas have promoted activism for socio-political reform, while others believe in awaiting change that will be brought about through divine intervention. In Jamaica, Rastas typically do not vote, dismissing politics as "politricks", and rarely involve themselves in political parties or unions. The Rasta tendency to believe that socio-political change
1818-655: A 'sangoma' in accordance with his Xhosa culture . Another – Mr. Kamlana – said he was instructed to wear his dreadlocks by his ancestors and did so to overcome 'intwasa', a condition understood in African culture as an injunction from the ancestors to become a traditional healer, from which he had suffered since childhood." In Zimbabwe , there is a tradition of locking hair called mhotsi worn by spirit mediums called svikiro . The Rastafarian religion spread to Zimbabwe and influenced some women in Harare to wear locs because they believe in
2020-499: A Biblical prophecy. By the 1950s, Rastafari's countercultural stance had brought the movement into conflict with wider Jamaican society, including violent clashes with law enforcement. Early Rastafari often espoused black supremacy as a form of opposition to white supremacy, but this has gradually become less common since the 1970s. In the 1960s and 1970s, it gained increased respectability within Jamaica and greater visibility abroad through
2222-529: A Black girl was kicked out of school for wearing her hair in a natural dreadlock style . Hair and dreadlock discrimination is experienced by people of color all over the world who do not conform to Western standards of beauty. At Pretoria High School for Girls in Gauteng province in South Africa, Black girls are discriminated against for wearing African hairstyles and are forced to straighten their hair. In 2017,
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#17330939663452424-658: A Black high school wrestler in New Jersey was forced to cut his dreadlocks 90 seconds before his match, sparking a civil rights case that led to the passage of the CROWN Act in 2019. In professional American football , the number of players with dreadlocks has increased since Al Harris and Ricky Williams first wore the style during the 1990s. In 2012, about 180 National Football League players wore dreadlocks. A significant number of these players are defensive backs, who are less likely to be tackled than offensive players. According to
2626-553: A Buluwai man born in the 1960s in Kuranda, identified with Tosh's and Marley's spiritually conscious music, and inspired particularly by Peter Tosh's album Bush Doctor , in 1978 he founded a reggae band called Mantaka after the area alongside the Barron River where he grew up. He combined his people's cultural traditions with the reggae guitar he had played since he was young, and his band's music reflects Buluwai culture and history. Now
2828-539: A character and make them appear threatening or living a life of danger. In the movie The Curse of the Black Pearl , pirates were dressed in dreadlocks to signify their cursed lives. In the 1980s, artists and community organizers gathered together to celebrate freedom of expression through art called Burning Man at Baker Beach in San Francisco, California. Burning Man started as a bonfire summer solstice ritual. Over
3030-489: A common language, and a common religion. Rastafari has continuously changed and developed, with significant doctrinal variation existing among practitioners depending on the group to which they belong. It is not a unified movement, and there has never been a single leader followed by all Rastafari. It is thus difficult to make broad generalisations about the movement without obscuring the complexities within it. The scholar of religion Darren J. N. Middleton suggested that it
3232-476: A cultural sphere (instead of simply a geographic term) was formed by Alcuin of York during the Carolingian Renaissance of the 9th century, limited to the territories that practised Western Christianity at the time. "European" as a cultural term did not include many of the territories under the influence of Eastern Christianity until the early nineteenth century. A large section of Eastern Europe
3434-491: A dogma", according to the sociologist of religion Peter B. Clarke . Some Rastas consider themselves Christian, and the religion has been deeply influenced by both Christian and Jewish thought; the scholar Michael Barnett called Rastafari "an Afrocentralized blend of Christianity and Judaism". Like Christianity, Rastafari treats the Bible as a holy book occupying a central place in its belief system, with Rastas often adopting
3636-405: A form of personal introspection that allows the smokers to discover their inner divinity. Some Rastas believe that cannabis smoke serves as an incense that counteracts immoral practices in society. Rastas typically smoke cannabis in the form of a large, hand-rolled cigarette known as a spliff . This is often rolled together while a prayer is offered to Jah; the spliff is lit and smoked only when
3838-899: A geopolitical concept that became known as the Eastern Bloc . This consisted of: With the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, the political landscape of the Eastern Bloc , and indeed the world, changed. In the German reunification , the Federal Republic of Germany peacefully absorbed the German Democratic Republic in 1990. In 1991, COMECON , the Warsaw Pact , and the Soviet Union were dissolved. Many European nations that had been part of
4040-506: A gradualist manner, backed by the Soviets in many, but not all, cases. For a while, cooperative non-Communist parties were tolerated. The Communist governments nationalized private businesses, placing them under state ownership, and monitored the media and churches. When dividing up government offices with coalition partners, the Communists took control of the interior ministries, which controlled
4242-484: A hair moisturizer by mixing it with fats. Red ochre has a spiritual meaning of fertility, and in Maasai culture, the color red symbolizes bravery and is used in ceremonies and dreadlock hair traditions. Historians note that West and Central African people braid their hair to signify age, gender, rank, role in society, and ethnic affiliation. It is believed braided and locked hair provides spiritual protection, connects people to
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#17330939663454444-502: A leader of the Buluwai people and a cultural steward, Brim and his band send an "Aboriginal message" to the world. He and other Buluwai people wear dreadlocks as a native part of their culture and not as an influence from the Rastafari religion. Although Brim was inspired by reggae music, he is not a Rastafarian as he and his people have their own spirituality. Foreigners visiting Australia think
4646-474: A lesser degree, forms of Eastern Protestantism and Eastern Catholicism have also been influential in Eastern Europe. Countries where Eastern Protestantism or Eastern Catholicism hold historical significance include Belarus, Croatia , Greece, Hungary , Lithuania , Poland , Romania, Russia, Slovakia , Slovenia and Ukraine. The schism refers to the historical break of communion and theology between
4848-489: A man, that I am mortal, and that I will be replaced by the oncoming generation, and that they should never make a mistake in assuming or pretending that a human being is emanated from a deity." His grandson Ermias Sahle Selassie has said that there is "no doubt that Haile Selassie did not encourage the Rastafari movement". Critics of Rastafari have used this as evidence that Rasta theological beliefs are incorrect, although some Rastas take Selassie's denials as evidence that he
5050-544: A millennium of peace, justice, and happiness in which the righteous shall live in Africa. In the 1980s, many Rastas believed that the Day of Judgment would happen around the year 2000. A view then common in the Rasta community was that the world's white people would wipe themselves out through nuclear war , with black Africans then ruling the world, something that they argued was prophesied in
5252-434: A monopoly on managing and implementing a state's or federation's monetary policy. Besides monetary policy, some of them even perform the supervision of the financial intermediary system. In the case of a price stability function, the inflation rate, in the examined area, relatively quickly dropped to below 5% by 2000. In monetary policy the differences are based on the euro-zone: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia use
5454-476: A network to plan movement events and form strategies. The term "grounding" is used among Rastas to refer to the establishment of relationships between like-minded practitioners. Groundings often take place in a commune or yard, and are presided over by an elder. The elder is charged with keeping discipline and can ban individuals from attending. The number of participants can range from a handful to several hundred. Activities that take place at groundings include
5656-554: A notable fashion statement worldwide, and have been worn by prominent authors, actors, athletes, and rappers. Rastafari influenced its members worldwide to embrace dreadlocks. Black Rastas loc their hair to embrace their African heritage and accept African features as beautiful, such as dark skin tones, Afro-textured hair, and African facial features. Hip Hop and rap artists such as Lauryn Hill , Lil Wayne , T-Pain , Snoop Dog , J-Cole , Wiz Khalifa , Chief Keef , Lil Jon , and other artists wear dreadlocks, which further popularized
5858-503: A pair of fundamental moral principles known as the "two great commandments": love of God and love of neighbour. Many Rastas believe that to determine whether they should undertake a certain act or not, they should consult the presence of Jah within themselves. Rastafari emphasises the idea of "living naturally". As an extension of this view, Africa is considered the natural abode of black Africans—a continent where they can live according to African culture and tradition, and be themselves on
6060-563: A part of their culture. The policing of Black hairstyles also occurs in London, England . Black students in England are prohibited from wearing natural hairstyles such as dreadlocks, afros , braids, twists, and other African and Black hairstyles. Black students are suspended from school, are stereotyped, and receive negative treatment from teachers. In Midrand , north of Joburg in South Africa ,
6262-603: A photograph was taken of an Aboriginal Australian man with dreadlocks. In the 1970s, hippies from Australia's southern region moved to Kuranda , where they introduced the Rastafari movement as expressed in the reggae music of Peter Tosh and Bob Marley to the Buluwai people in the 1970s. Aboriginal Australians found parallels between the struggles of Black people in the Americas and their own racial struggles in Australia. Willie Brim,
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6464-581: A physical, emotional, and intellectual level. Practitioners believe that Westerners and Babylon have detached themselves from nature through technological development and thus have become debilitated, slothful, and decadent. Some Rastas also believe they should adhere to African laws rather than the laws of Babylon, potentially putting them at odds with the law of the countries in which they currently live. In emphasising this Afrocentric approach, Rastafari expresses overtones of black nationalism . The scholar Maureen Warner-Lewis observed that Rastafari combined
6666-616: A precise definition of the western geographic boundaries of Eastern Europe and the geographical midpoint of Europe somewhat difficult. After the East–West Schism of 1054, significant parts of Eastern Europe developed cultural unity and resistance to Catholic Western and Central Europe within the framework of the Eastern Orthodox Church , Church Slavonic language and the Cyrillic alphabet . The earliest concept of Europe as
6868-585: A radical group of younger Rastafari members. Eventually, other Rastafari groups started locking their hair. In the Rastafarian belief, people wear locs for a spiritual connection to the universe and the spirit of the earth. It is believed that by shaking their locs, they will bring down the destruction of Babylon . Babylon in the Rastafarian belief is systemic racism , colonialism, and any system of economic and social oppression of Black people. Locs are also worn to defy European standards of beauty and help to develop
7070-425: A reclamation of their African heritage. Accordingly it decenters Europe and whiteness and emphasises Africa and blackness, seeking to purge from its followers any belief in the inferiority of black people and the superiority of white people . Rastafari is therefore Afrocentric , equating blackness with the African continent, and endorsing Pan-Africanism. Practitioners of Rastafari identify themselves with
7272-455: A relatively high standard of living . This period is also called the east-central European golden age of around 1600. At the beginning of the 17th century, numeracy levels in eastern Europe were relatively low, although regional differences existed. During the 18th century, the regions began to catch up with western Europe, but did not develop as rapidly. Areas with stronger female autonomy developed more quickly in terms of numeracy. Serfdom
7474-515: A religion, meeting many of the proposed definitions for what constitutes a religion, and is legally recognised as such in various countries. Some scholars of religion have labelled it an Abrahamic religion , while other scholars have also classified it as a new religious movement , a sect , a cult , and a revitalisation movement . Having arisen in Jamaica, it has been described as an Afro-Jamaican religion, and more broadly an Afro-Caribbean religion. Although Rastafari focuses on Africa as
7676-415: A religion, instead referring to it as a "way of life", a " philosophy ", or a " spirituality ". Emphasising its political stance, particularly in support of African nationalism and pan-Africanism , some academics have characterised Rastafari as a political movement, a "politico-religious" movement, or a protest movement. It has alternatively been labelled a social movement , or more specifically as
7878-403: A river, and their hair is grown back "tamed" and have a hairstyle that conforms to societal standards. The child continues to be recognized as mysterious and special. It is believed that the hair of Dada children was braided in heaven before they were born and will bring good fortune and wealth to their parents. When the child is older, the hair is cut during a special ritual. In Yoruba mythology ,
8080-464: A sense of Black pride and acceptance of African features as beautiful. In another branch of Rastafari called Boboshanti Order of Rastafari , dreadlocks are worn to display a black person's identity and social protest against racism. The Bobo Ashanti are one of the strictest Mansions of Rastafari . They cover their locs with bright turbans and wear long robes and can usually be distinguished from other Rastafari members because of this. Other Rastas wear
8282-482: A separate chapter deals with public finances. Generally, they soon encountered the following problems: high inflation, high unemployment, low economic growth, and high government debt. By 2000 these economies were stabilized, and between 2004 and 2013 all of them joined the European Union. Most of the constitutions define directly or indirectly the economic system of the countries parallel to the democratic transition of
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8484-611: A source of identity, it is a product of creolisation processes in the Americas, described by the Hispanic studies scholars Margarite Fernández Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert as "a Creole religion, rooted in African, European, and Indian practices and beliefs". The scholar Ennis B. Edmonds also suggested that Rastafari was "emerging" as a world religion , not because of the number of its adherents, but because of its global spread. Many Rastas nevertheless reject descriptions of Rastafari as
8686-584: A spiritual force. A third response within the Rastafari community was that Selassie's death was inconsequential as he had only been a "personification" of Jah rather than Jah himself. During his life, Selassie described himself as a devout Christian. In a 1967 interview, Selassie was asked about the Rasta belief that he was the Second Coming of Jesus, to which he responded: "I have heard of this idea. I also met certain Rastafarians. I told them clearly that I am
8888-700: A staff. Prophets lock their hair in accordance with the Nazarene vow in the Christian bible. This is not to be confused with the Rastafari religion that was started in the 1930s. The Aladura church was founded in 1925 and syncretizes indigenous Yoruba beliefs about dreadlocks with Christianity. Moses Orimolade Tunolase was the founder of the first African Pentecostal movement started in 1925 in Nigeria. Tunolase wore dreadlocks and members of his church wear dreadlocks in his honor and for spiritual protection. The Yoruba word Dada
9090-637: A state of mind. Rastas believe that Africa, as the Promised Land , will allow them to escape the domination and degradation they experience in Babylon. During the first three decades of the Rastafari movement, it placed strong emphasis on the need for the African diaspora to be repatriated to Africa. To this end, various Rastas lobbied the Jamaican government and United Nations to oversee this resettlement process. Other Rastas organised their own transportation to
9292-598: A symbol of African beauty. The beauty industry in Ghana believe locs are a traditional African hair practice and market hair care products to promote natural African hairstyles such as afros and locs. The previous generations of Black artists have inspired younger contemporary Black actresses to loc their hair, such as Chloe Bailey , Halle Bailey , and R&B and Pop music singer Willow Smith . More Black actors in Hollywood are choosing to loc their hair to embrace their Black heritage. Although more Black women in Hollywood and
9494-448: A symbol of their positive affirmation of Africa as a source of spiritual and cultural heritage. While he was emperor, many Jamaican Rastas professed the belief that Haile Selassie would never die. The 1974 overthrow of Haile Selassie by the military Derg and his subsequent death in 1975 resulted in a crisis of faith for many practitioners. Some left the movement altogether. Others remained, and developed new strategies for dealing with
9696-564: A tea, as a spice in cooking, and as an ingredient in medicine. Not all Rastas use cannabis; many abstainers explain that they have already achieved a higher level of consciousness and thus do not require it. In Rastafari, cannabis is considered a sacrament . Rastas argue that the use of ganja is promoted in the Bible, specifically in Genesis , Psalms , and Revelation. They regard it as having healing properties, eulogise it for inducing feelings of "peace and love", and claim that it cultivates
9898-423: A wide area, including from different countries. They establish and maintain a sense of solidarity among the Rasta community and cultivate a feeling of collective belonging. Unlike in many other religions, rites of passage play no role in Rastafari; on death, various Rastas have been given Christian funerals by their relatives, as there are no established Rasta funeral rites. The principal ritual of Rastafari
10100-534: Is Beautiful movement, and the natural hair movement inspired many Black Americans to wear their hair natural in afros , braids , and locked hairstyles. The Black is Beautiful cultural movement spread to Black communities in Britain . In the 1960s and 1970s, Black people in Britain were aware of the civil rights movement and other cultural movements in Black America and the social and political changes occurring at
10302-529: Is created by "wrapping hair around the natural hair or crocheting pre-made soft locs into cornrows." In the diaspora, Black men and women wear different styles of dreadlocks. Each style requires a different method of care. Freeform locs are formed organically by not combing the hair or manipulating the hair. There are also goddess locs, faux locs, sister locs, twisted locs, Rasta locs, crinkle locs, invisible locs, and other loc styles. Some Indigenous Australians of North West and North Central Australia, as well as
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#173309396634510504-427: Is expected of them whenever in public. According to traditional Rasta discourse, this dress code is necessary to prevent the sexual objectification of women by men in Babylon. Rasta men do not usually have such a dress code. Some Rasta women have challenged gender norms by wearing their hair uncovered in public and donning trousers. Although men and women took part alongside each other in early Rasta rituals, from
10706-415: Is formed by countries with dominant Orthodox churches, like Belarus , Bulgaria , Cyprus , Georgia , Greece , Moldova , Montenegro , North Macedonia , Romania , Russia , Serbia , and Ukraine , for instance, as well as Armenia , which is predominantly Armenian Apostolic . The Eastern Orthodox Church has played a prominent role in the history and culture of Eastern and Southeastern Europe . To
10908-481: Is given to children in Nigeria born with dreadlocks. Some Yoruba people believe children born with dreadlocks have innate spiritual powers, and cutting their hair might cause serious illness. Only the child's mother can touch their hair. "Dada children are believed to be young gods, they are often offered at spiritual altars for chief priests to decide their fate. Some children end up becoming spiritual healers and serve at
11110-700: Is inevitable opens the religion up to the criticism from the political left that it discourages attempts to alter the status quo. Other Rastas do engage in political activism; the Ghanaian Rasta singer-songwriter Rocky Dawuni for instance was involved in campaigns promoting democratic elections, while in Grenada , many Rastas joined the People's Revolutionary Government formed in 1979. Rasta discourse has traditionally presented women as morally weak, susceptible to deception by evil , and impure while menstruating , citing
11312-657: Is marked by the Ural Mountains , whilst its western boundary is defined in various ways. Most definitions include the countries of Belarus , Russia , Ukraine , Moldova , and Romania while less restrictive definitions may also include some or all of the Balkans , the Baltic states , the Caucasus , and the Visegrád group . The region represents a significant part of European culture ;
11514-527: Is nearly 44%, but the deviation is great because the lowest figure is close to 10% but the highest is 97%. The trend shows that the sovereign debt ratio to GDP in most countries has been rising. Only three countries are affected by high government debt: Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia (over 70% of the GDP), while Slovakia and Poland fulfill the Maastricht requirement but only 10% below the threshold. The contribution to cover
11716-480: Is no need for a priest to act as mediator between the worshipper and Jah. It nevertheless has "elders", an honorific title bestowed upon those with a good reputation among the community. Although respected figures, they do not necessarily have administrative functions or responsibilities. When they do oversee ritual meetings, they are often responsible for helping to interpret current events in terms of Biblical scripture. Elders often communicate with each other through
11918-563: Is not a strict determinant for Eastern Europe, where from Croatia to Poland and everywhere in between, the Latin alphabet is used. Greece's status as the cradle of Western civilization and an integral part of the Western world in the political, cultural and economic spheres has led to it being nearly always classified as belonging not to Eastern, but Southern or Western Europe. During the late-sixteenth and early-seventeenth centuries, Eastern Europe enjoyed
12120-668: Is now Poland, for about a thousand years, some people wore a matted hairstyle similar to that of some Iranic Scythians . Zygmunt Gloger in his Encyklopedia staropolska mentions that the Polish plait ( plica polonica ) hairstyle was worn by some people in the Pinsk region and the Masovia region at the beginning of the 19th century. The Polish plait can vary between one large plait and multiple plaits that resemble dreadlocks. Polish plaits according to historical records were often infested with lice . It
12322-558: Is overwhelmingly Orthodox, but is very rarely included in "Eastern Europe", for a variety of reasons, the most prominent being that Greece's history, for the most part, was more influenced by Mediterranean cultures and dynamics. The fall of the Iron Curtain brought the end of the Cold War east–west division in Europe, but this geopolitical concept is sometimes still used for quick reference by
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#173309396634512524-743: Is regarded variously as the Second Coming of Jesus , Jah incarnate , or a human prophet. Rastafari is Afrocentric and focuses attention on the African diaspora , which it believes is oppressed within Western society, or "Babylon". Many Rastas call for this diaspora's resettlement in Africa, a continent they consider the Promised Land , or "Zion". Rastas refer to their practices as " livity ", which includes adhering to Ital dietary requirements, wearing their hair in dreadlocks , and following patriarchal gender roles. Communal meetings are known as "groundations", and are typified by music, chanting, discussions, and
12726-603: Is said to have long locked hair. Mami Wata's spiritual powers of fertility and healing come from her dreadlocks. West African spiritual priests called Dada wear dreadlocks to venerate Mami Wata in her honor as spiritual consecrations. Some Ethiopian Christian monks and Bahatowie priests of the Ethiopian Coptic Church lock their hair for religious purposes. In Yorubaland , Aladura church prophets called woolii mat their hair into locs and wear long blue, red, white, or purple garments with caps and carry iron rods used as
12928-441: Is that those who are righteous may undergo reincarnation . Rastas have traditionally avoided death and funerals, meaning that many were given Christian funerals by their relatives. This attitude to death is less common among more recent or moderate strands of Rastafari, with many considering death a natural part of life. Unlike other African diaspora religions , Rastas typically avoid ancestor veneration . Most Rastas share
13130-420: Is the norm, although many Rastas are legally married. Rasta men refer to their female partners as "queens", , "empresses", or "lionesses", while the males in these relationships are known as "kingmen". Rastafari places great importance on family life and the raising of children, with reproduction being encouraged. Traditionally, the religion emphasised the place of men in child-rearing, associating this with
13332-458: Is the smoking of ganja, also known as marijuana or cannabis. Among the names that Rastas give to the plant are callie , Iley , "the herb", "the holy herb", "the grass", and "the weed". Cannabis is usually smoked during groundings, although some practitioners also smoke it informally in other contexts. Some Rastas smoke cannabis very frequently, something other practitioners regard as excessive. Many practitioners alternatively consume cannabis in
13534-416: Is unknown why the early Rastas adopted this form of Haile Selassie's name as the basis of the term for their religion. As well as being the religion's name, "Rastafari" is also used for the religion's practitioners themselves. Many commentators—including some academic sources and some practitioners —refer to the movement as "Rastafarianism". However, the term is disparaged by many Rastafari, who believe that
13736-569: The Kebra Nagast , a 14th-century Ethiopian text, as a source through which to interpret the Bible. Rastas are monotheists , worshipping a singular God whom they call Jah . The term "Jah" is a shortened version of " Jehovah ", the name of God in English translations of the Old Testament . Rastas believe in the immanence of Jah, who is inherent within each individual. This belief is reflected in
13938-708: The Achaemenid Persian , Parthian , and Sassanid Persian Empires. Parts of the Balkans and some more northern areas were ruled by the Achaemenid Persians as well, including Thrace , Paeonia , Macedon , and most of the Black Sea coastal regions of Romania , Ukraine , and Russia . Owing to the rivalry between the Parthian Empire and Rome , and later between Byzantium and the Sassanid Persians ,
14140-525: The African diaspora , people loc their hair to have a connection to the spirit world and receive messages from spirits. It is believed locs of hair are antennas making the wearer receptive to spiritual messages. Other reasons people loc their hair are for fashion and to maintain the health of natural hair, also called kinky hair . In the 1960s and 1970s in the United States , the Black Power movement , Black
14342-486: The Book of Daniel . Rasta views on death vary. Traditionally, many Rastas believed in the possibility of eternal life. In the 1980s, scholar of religion Leonard E. Barrett observed Jamaican Rastas who believed that practitioners who died had not been faithful to Jah. He suggested that this attitude stemmed from the large numbers of young people in the movement, who had thus seen very few Rastas die. Another common Rasta view
14544-739: The Book of Leviticus and the writings of Paul the Apostle . By contrast, Rastafari often espouses the belief that black men in the African diaspora have been emasculated by Babylon and that their manhood must therefore be restored. As a result, Rastafari often affirms patriarchal principles, including the idea that women should submit to male leadership. External observers—including scholars such as Cashmore and Edmonds —have claimed that Rastafari accords women an inferior position to men. Cashmore suggests Rastafari women accept this subordinate position and regard it as their duty to obey their men. The academic Maureen Rowe suggested that women were willing to join
14746-612: The Caucasus Mountains are the geographical land border of the eastern edge of Europe. E.g. Kazakhstan , which is mainly located in Central Asia with the most western parts of it located west of the Ural River , also shares a part of Eastern Europe. In the west, however, the historical and cultural boundaries of "Eastern Europe" are subject to some overlap and, most importantly, have undergone historical fluctuations, which makes
14948-592: The Central and Eastern European member states, including the Baltic states , that accessed in 2004 and after: in 2004 the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, and the Slovak Republic; in 2007 Bulgaria, Romania; and in 2013 Croatia. The economic changes were in harmony with the constitutional reforms: constitutional provisions on public finances can be identified and, in some countries,
15150-658: The Durán Codex , the Codex Tudela and the Codex Mendoza ) as wearing their hair untouched, allowing it to grow long and matted. Bernal Diaz del Castillo records: There were priests with long robes of black cloth... The hair of these priests was very long and so matted that it could not be separated or disentangled, and most of them had their ears scarified, and their hair was clotted with blood. The earliest known possible depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1600–1500 BCE in
15352-595: The Eastern Bloc under the influence of the Soviet Union . The term is sometimes considered to be pejorative, through stereotypes about Eastern Europe being inferior (poorer, less developed) to Western Europe ; the term Central and Eastern Europe is sometimes used for a more neutral grouping. Several definitions of Eastern Europe exist in the early 21st century, but they often lack precision and may be anachronistic. These definitions are debated across cultures and among experts, even political scientists , as
15554-703: The European Parliament noted that Armenia and Georgia may enter the EU in the future. Georgia and Armenia are seeking EU membership, with Georgia also seeking NATO membership alongside. There are two de facto republics with limited recognition in the South Caucasus region that exist under the presence of Russian military. Both states participate in the Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations : Former republics with limited recognition: Some European republics of
15756-785: The Lion of Judah , and were inspired by the Nazarites of the Bible. Jamaicans locked their hair after seeing images of Ethiopians with locs fighting Italian soldiers during the Second Italo-Ethiopian War . The afro is the preferred hairstyle worn by Ethiopians . During the Italian invasion, Ethiopians vowed not to cut their hair using the Biblical example of Samson, who got his strength from his seven locks of hair, until emperor Ras Tafari Makonnen ( Haile Selassie ) and Ethiopia were liberated and Selassie
15958-671: The Minoan Civilization , centered in Crete (now part of Greece ). Frescoes discovered on the Aegean island of Thera (modern Santorini , Greece) portray individuals with long braided hair or long dreadlocks. Another source describes the hair of the boys in the Akrotiri Boxer Fresco as long tresses, not dreadlocks. Tresses of hair are defined by Collins Dictionary as braided hair, braided plaits, or long loose curls of hair. In what
16160-668: The Mouride Brotherhood , popularized the style by adding a mystic touch to it. This sect of Islam in Senegal, where Muslims wear ndjan (dreadlocks), aimed to Africanize Islam. Dreadlocks to this group of Islamic followers symbolize their religious orientation. Jamaican Rastas also reside in Senegal and have settled in areas near Baye Fall communities. Baye Fall and Jamaican Rastas have similar cultural beliefs regarding dreadlocks. Both groups wear knitted caps to cover their locs and wear locs for religious and spiritual purposes. Male members of
16362-704: The Nordic-Baltic Eight regional cooperation forum whereas Central European countries formed their own alliance called the Visegrád Group . The Northern Future Forum , the Nordic Investment Bank , the Nordic Battlegroup , the Nordic-Baltic Eight and the New Hanseatic League are other examples of Northern European cooperation that includes the three countries collectively referred to as
16564-1009: The Orisha Yemoja gave birth to a Dada who is a deified king in Yoruba. However, dreadlocks are viewed in a negative light in Nigeria due to their stereotypical association with gangs and criminal activity; men with dreadlocks face profiling from Nigerian police. In Ghana , among the Ashanti people , Okomfo priests are identified by their dreadlocks. They are not allowed to cut their hair and must allow it to mat and lock naturally. Locs are symbols of higher power reserved for priests. Other spiritual people in Southern Africa who wear dreadlocks are Sangomas . Sangomas wear red and white beaded dreadlocks to connect to ancestral spirits. Two African men were interviewed, explaining why they chose to wear dreadlocks. "One – Mr. Ngqula – said he wore his dreadlocks to obey his ancestors' call, given through dreams, to become
16766-526: The United States Army lifted the ban on dreadlocks. In the army, Black women can now wear braids and locs under the condition that they are groomed, clean, and meet the length requirements. From slavery into the present day, the policing of Black women's hair continues to be controlled by some institutions and people. Even when Black women wear locs and they are clean and well-kept, some people do not consider locs to be feminine and professional because of
16968-411: The global Black culture . Dreadlocks unite Black people in the diaspora because wearing locs has the same meaning in areas of the world where there are Black people: opposing Eurocentric standards of beauty and sharing a Black and African diaspora identity. For many Black women in the diaspora, locs are a fashion statement to express individuality and the beauty and versatility of Black hair. Locs are also
17170-563: The natural kinky texture of Black hair. Four African countries approved the wearing of dreadlocks in their courts: Kenya , Malawi , South Africa , and Zimbabwe . However, hairism continues despite the approval. Although locked hairstyles are a traditional practice on the African continent , some Africans disapprove of the hairstyle because of cultural taboos or pressure from Europeans in African schools and local African governments to conform to Eurocentric standards of beauty. Black men who wear locs are racially profiled and watched more by
17372-699: The smoking of cannabis , the latter regarded as a sacrament with beneficial properties. Rastafari originated among impoverished and socially disenfranchised Afro-Jamaican communities in 1930s Jamaica. Its Afrocentric ideology was largely a reaction against Jamaica's then-dominant British colonial culture . It was influenced by both Ethiopianism and the Back-to-Africa movement promoted by black nationalist figures such as Marcus Garvey . The religion developed after several Protestant Christian clergymen, most notably Leonard Howell , proclaimed that Haile Selassie's crowning as Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930 fulfilled
17574-495: The "book within" which allows them to commune with God. Because of what they regard as the corruption of the Bible, Rastas also turn to other sources that they believe shed light on African history, including Leonard Howell 's 1935 work The Promised Key , Robert Athlyi Rogers ' 1924 book Holy Piby , and Fitz Balintine Pettersburg 's 1920s work, the Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy . Many Rastas also treat
17776-406: The 1920s, but all of them (except Czechoslovakia and Finland) gave up democracy during the depression years of the 1930s, in favor of autocratic, strong-man or single-party states. The new states were unable to form stable military alliances, and one by one were too weak to stand up against Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union, which took them over between 1938 and 1945. Russia ended its participation in
17978-528: The 1950s. Dreadlocks to the Mau Mau freedom fighters were a symbol of anti-colonialism, and this symbolism of dreadlocks was an inspiration for Rastas to loc their hair in opposition to racism and promote an African identity. The branch of Rastafari that was inspired to loc their hair after the Mau Mau freedom fighters was the Nyabinghi Order , previously called Young Black Faith . Young Black Faith were considered
18180-408: The 1990s: free-market economy (sometimes complemented with the socially [and ecologically] oriented sector), economic development, or only economic rights are included as a ground for the economy. In the case of fiscal policy, the legislative, the executive and other state organs (Budget Council, Economic and Social Council) define and manage the budgeting. The average government debt in the countries
18382-713: The 5th century, marking the start of the Early Middle Ages . By contrast, the Eastern Roman Empire—the Byzantine Empire —had a survival strategy that kept it alive for another 1,000 years. The rise of the Frankish Empire in the west, and in particular the Great Schism that formally divided Eastern and Western Christianity in 1054, heightened the cultural and religious distinctiveness between Eastern and Western Europe. Much of Eastern Europe
18584-451: The African continent. Critics of the movement have argued that the migration of the entire African diaspora to Africa is implausible, particularly as no African country would welcome this. By the movement's fourth decade, the desire for physical repatriation to Africa had declined among Rastas, a change influenced by observation of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia . Rather, many Rastas saw
18786-501: The African diaspora. Rastas believe Biblical scripture explains the Atlantic slave trade, and that the enslavement, exile, and exploitation of black Africans was punishment for failing to live up to their status as Jah's chosen people. Many Rastas, adopting a Pan-Africanist ethos, have criticised the division of Africa into nation-states, regarding this as a Babylonian development, and are often hostile to capitalist resource extraction from
18988-795: The American Boxing ring announcer of Italian American heritage, sports prominent dreadlocks. On 3 July 2019, California became the first US state to prohibit discrimination over natural hair. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the CROWN Act into law, banning employers and schools from discriminating against hairstyles such as dreadlocks, braids, afros, and twists . Likewise, later in 2019, Assembly Bill 07797 became law in New York state; it "prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles". Scholars call discrimination based on hair "hairism". Despite
19190-713: The Baltic states. The South Caucasus nations of Armenia , Azerbaijan , and Georgia are included in definitions or histories of Eastern Europe. They are located in the transition zone of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. They participate in the European Union 's Eastern Partnership program, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly , and are members of the Council of Europe , which specifies that all three have political and cultural connections to Europe. In January 2002,
19392-536: The Baye Fall religion wear locs to detach from mainstream Western ideals. In the 1970s, Americans and Britons attended reggae concerts and were exposed to various aspects of Jamaican culture, including dreadlocks. Hippies related to the Rastafarian idea of rejecting capitalism and colonialism , symbolized by the name " Babylon ". Rastafarians rejected Babylon in multiple ways, including by wearing their hair naturally in locs to defy Western standards of beauty. The 1960s
19594-501: The Bible . Cashmore reported that Rastas typically saw the growing acceptance of birth control and homosexuality in the 1970s and 1980s as evidence of the degeneration of Babylon and proof of its approaching demise. LGBTQ+ Rastas may conceal their sexual orientation because of these attitudes. Rastas refer to their cultural and religious practices as "livity". Rastafari does not place emphasis on hierarchical structures. It has no professional priesthood, with Rastas believing that there
19796-418: The Bible, where it refers to an idealised Jerusalem . Rastas use "Zion" either for Ethiopia specifically or for Africa more broadly. Many Rastas use the term "Ethiopia" as a synonym for Africa, following its usage in English translations of the Bible. Rastas in Ghana, for instance, describe themselves as already living within "Ethiopia". Other Rastas apply the term "Zion" to Jamaica or they use it to describe
19998-558: The Buluwai people wearing dreadlocks were influenced by the Rastafarian movement, but the Buluwai say their ancestors wore dreadlocks before the movement began. Some Indigenous Australians wear an Australian Aboriginal flag (a symbol of unity and Indigenous identity in Australia) tied around their head to hold their dreadlocks. Within Tibetan Buddhism and other more esoteric forms of Buddhism, locks have occasionally been substituted for
20200-545: The CROWN Act. July 3 is recognized as National CROWN Day, also called Black Hair Independence Day. The Perception Institute conducted a "Good Hair Study" using images of Black women wearing natural styles in locs, afros, twists, and other Black hairstyles. The Perception Institute is "a consortium of researchers, advocates and strategists" that uses psychological and emotional test studies to make participants aware of their racial biases. A Black-owned hair supply company, Shea Moisture , partnered with Perception Institute to conduct
20402-510: The Caribbean and Rastafarian practices and were inspired by Caribbean culture , leading some of them to adopt Black hair culture, music, and religion. However, the strongest influence of Rastafari religion is among Europe's Black population . When reggae music , which espoused Rastafarian ideals, gained popularity and mainstream acceptance in the 1970s, thanks to Bob Marley 's music and cultural influence, dreadlocks (often called "dreads") became
20604-503: The Cold War Era. The following countries are labelled Southeast European by some commentators, though others still consider them to be Eastern European. Partially recognized states : Despite being frequently classified as a Central Asian country, about 4% of Kazakhstan 's territory, situated west of the Ural River , geographically lies in Eastern Europe, thus technically making it a transcontinental country . Ancient kingdoms of
20806-573: The Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Catholic) churches. Later developments meant that the divide was no longer solely between Catholic and Orthodox churches. From the 16th century, both Western and Eastern forms of Protestantism began to emerge in Europe. Additionally, Eastern Catholic Churches began to spread in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries, following the establishment of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in 1596. However,
21008-723: The First World War in March 1918 and lost territory, as the Baltic countries and Poland became independent. The region was the main battlefield in the Second World War (1939–45), with German and Soviet armies sweeping back and forth, with millions of Jews and others killed by the Nazis in the Generalplan Ost , and millions of others killed by disease, starvation, and military action, or executed after being deemed as politically dangerous. During
21210-620: The First World War was the breakup of the Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires, as well as partial losses to the German Empire. A surge of ethnic nationalism created a series of new states in Eastern Europe, validated by the Versailles Treaty of 1919 . Poland was reconstituted after the partitions of the 1790s had divided it between Germany, Austria, and Russia. New countries included Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine (which
21412-610: The Gold Coast region of Eastern Australia, have historically worn their hair in a locked style, sometimes also having long beards that are fully or partially locked. Traditionally, some wear the dreadlocks loose, while others wrap the dreadlocks around their heads or bind them at the back of the head. In North Central Australia, the tradition is for the dreadlocks to be greased with fat and coated with red ochre, which assists in their formation. In 1931 in Warburton Range , Western Australia,
21614-634: The NFL's rulebook, a player's hair is considered part of their "uniform", meaning the locks are fair game when attempting to bring them down. In the NBA , there has been controversy over Brooklyn Nets guard Jeremy Lin , an Asian-American who garnered mild controversy over his choice of dreadlocks. Former NBA player Kenyon Martin accused Lin of appropriating African-American culture in a since-deleted social media post, after which Lin pointed out that Martin has multiple Chinese characters tattooed on his body. David Diamante ,
21816-639: The Parthians would invade the region several times, although it was never able to hold the area, unlike the Sassanids who controlled most of the Caucasus during their entire rule. The earliest known distinctions between east and west in Europe originate in the history of the Roman Republic . As the Roman domain expanded, a cultural and linguistic division appeared. The mainly Greek-speaking eastern provinces had formed
22018-515: The Rastafari's pro-Black teachings and rejection of colonialism. Maasai warriors in Kenya are known for their long, thin, red dreadlocks, dyed with red root extracts or red ochre (red earth clay). The Himba women in Namibia are also known for their red-colored dreadlocks. Himba women use red earth clay mixed with butterfat and roll their hair with the mixture. They use natural moisturizers to maintain
22220-602: The Sahara Desert. It has been commonly thought that other cultures influenced the dreadlock tradition in Africa. The Kikuyu and Somali wear braided and locked hairstyles. Warriors among the Fulani , Wolof , and Serer in Mauritania , and Mandinka in Mali were known for centuries to have worn cornrows when young and dreadlocks when old. In West Africa , the water spirit Mami Wata
22422-597: The Soviet Union declared or regained their independence ( Belarus , Moldova , Ukraine , as well as the Baltic States of Latvia , Lithuania , and Estonia ). Czechoslovakia peacefully separated into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993. Many countries of this region joined the European Union , namely Bulgaria , the Czech Republic , Croatia , Estonia, Hungary , Latvia, Lithuania, Poland , Romania , Slovakia and Slovenia . The term "EU11 countries" refer to
22624-567: The Soviet army. It included the German Democratic Republic (also known as East Germany), formed by the Soviet occupation zone of Germany. All the countries in Eastern Europe adopted communist modes of control by 1948. These countries were officially independent of the Soviet Union, but the practical extent of this independence was quite limited. Yugoslavia and Albania had Communist control that
22826-548: The abolition of serfdom in Russia in 1861. Emancipation meant that the ex-serfs paid for their freedom with annual cash payments to their former masters for decades. The system varied widely country by country, and was not as standardized as in Western Europe. Historians, until the 20th century, focused on master-serf economic and labor relations, portraying the serfs as slave-like, passive, and isolated. 20th century scholars downplayed
23028-581: The ancient Israelites —God's chosen people in the Old Testament—and believe that black Africans broadly or Rastas more specifically are either the descendants or the reincarnations of this ancient people. This is similar to beliefs in Judaism , although many Rastas believe that contemporary Jews ' status as the descendants of the ancient Israelites is a false claim . Rastas typically believe that black Africans are God's chosen people, meaning that they made
23230-464: The aphorism, often cited by Rastas, that "God is man and man is God", and Rastas speak of "knowing" Jah, rather than simply "believing" in him. In seeking to narrow the distance between humanity and divinity, Rastafari embraces mysticism . This idea of connecting to a singular divine force within differs from the forms of spirit possession found in other African diaspora religions, such as Kumina and Convince , where external spirits are invited into
23432-526: The appropriation of dreadlocks was taken out of its original historical and cultural context of resisting oppression, having a Black identity, Black unity, a symbol of Black liberation and African beauty, and its spiritual meaning in other cultures to one of entertainment, a commodity, and a "fashion gadget." In response to the backlash from the Black community about concerns of cultural appropriation from fashion creators putting fake dreadlocks on fashion models, in 2016
23634-626: The beauty and music industries are wearing locs, there has never been a Black Miss America winner with locs because there is pushback in the fashion industry towards Black women's natural hair. For example, model Adesuwa Aighewi locked her hair and was told she might not receive any casting calls because of her dreadlocks. Some Black women in modeling agencies are forced to straighten their hair. However, more Black women are resisting and choosing to wear Black hairstyles such as afros and dreadlocks in fashion shows and beauty pageants. For example, in 2007 Miss Universe Jamaica and Rastafarian, Zahra Redwood ,
23836-664: The black African diaspora are exiles living in " Babylon ", a term which it applies to Western society . For Rastas, European colonialism and global capitalism are regarded as manifestations of Babylon, while police and soldiers are viewed as its agents. The term "Babylon" is adopted because of its Biblical associations. In the Old Testament, Babylon is the Mesopotamian city where the Israelites were held captive , exiled from their homeland, between 597 and 586 BCE; Rastas compare
24038-428: The body. Jesus is an important figure in Rastafari. However, practitioners reject the traditional Christian view of Jesus, and particularly the depiction of him as a white European . They believe Jesus was a black African, and that the white Jesus was a false god. Many Rastas regard Christianity as the creation of the white man; they treat it with suspicion out of the view that the oppressors (white Europeans) and
24240-733: The candidate countries Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia as Central and Eastern European . UNESCO , EuroVoc , National Geographic Society , Committee for International Cooperation in National Research in Demography , and the STW Thesaurus for Economics place the Baltic states in Northern Europe , whereas the CIA World Factbook places the region in Eastern Europe with a strong assimilation to Northern Europe . They are members of
24442-452: The ceremonial protocol. Archeologists found a statue of a male deity, Shiva , with dreadlocks in Stung Treng province in Cambodia . In a sect of tantric Buddhism, some initiates wear dreadlocks. The sect of tantric Buddhism in which initiates wear dreadlocks is called weikza and Passayana or Vajrayana Buddhism . This sect of Buddhism is practiced in Burma. The initiates spend years in the forest with this practice, and when they return to
24644-690: The clothing styles worn by hippies in the 1960s and 1970s were copied from African-American culture . The word hippie comes from the African-American slang word hip . African-American dress and hairstyles such as braids (often decorated with beads), dreadlocks, and language were copied by hippies and developed into a new countercultural movement used by hippies. In Europe in the 1970s, hundreds of Jamaicans and other Caribbean people immigrated to metropolitan centers of London, Birmingham , Paris, and Amsterdam. Communities of Jamaicans , Caribbeans , and Rastas emerged in these areas. Thus Europeans in these metropolitan cities were introduced to Black cultures from
24846-487: The common currency. The economies of this decade – similar to the previous one – show a moderate inflation. As a new phenomenon, a slight negative inflation (deflation) appeared in this decade in several countries (Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia), which demonstrates sensitivity regarding international developments. The majority of the constitutions determine the national currency, legal tender or monetary unit. The local currency exchange rate to
25048-555: The company to refuse to hire an African American because they wore dreadlocks. In some Texas public schools, dreadlocks are prohibited, especially for male students, because long braided hair is considered unmasculine according to Western standards of masculinity which define masculinity as "short, tidy hair." Black and Native American boys are stereotyped and receive negative treatment and negative labeling for wearing dreadlocks, cornrows, and long braids. Non-white students are prohibited from practicing their traditional hairstyles that are
25250-419: The competition with natural locs. Hollywood cinema often uses the dreadlock hairstyle as a prop in movies for villains and pirates. According to author Steinhoff, this appropriates dreadlocks and removes them from their original meaning of Black heritage to one of dread and otherness. In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean , the pirate Jack Sparrow wears dreadlocks. Dreadlocks are used in Hollywood to mystify
25452-477: The concept of Eastern Catholicism itself predates this. Since the Great Schism of 1054, Europe has been divided between Catholic (and later additionally Protestant ) churches in the West, and the Eastern Orthodox Christian (often incorrectly labelled "Greek Orthodox") churches in the east. Due to this religious cleavage, Eastern Orthodox countries are often associated with Eastern Europe. A cleavage of this sort is, however, often problematic; for example, Greece
25654-401: The continent. Rastas seek to delegitimise and destroy Babylon, something often conveyed in the Rasta aphorism "Chant down Babylon". Rastas often expect the white-dominated society to dismiss their beliefs as false, and when this happens they see it as confirmation of the correctness of their faith. Rastas view Zion as an ideal to which they aspire. As with "Babylon", this term comes from
25856-460: The correctness of their beliefs. Rastafari meetings are opened and closed with prayers. These involve supplication of Jah, the supplication for the hungry, sick, and infants, and calls for the destruction of the Rastas' enemies, and then close with statements of adoration. Princes shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hand unto God. Oh thou God of Ethiopia, thou God of divine majesty, thy spirit come within our hearts to dwell in
26058-493: The day on which Haile Selassie visited Jamaica (21 April), Selassie's birthday (23 July), Ethiopian New Year (11 September), and Selassie's coronation day (2 November). Some Rastas also organise Nyabinghi Issemblies to mark Jamaica's Emancipation Day (1 August) and Marcus Garvey 's birthday (17 August). Nyabinghi Issemblies typically take place in rural areas, being situated in the open air or in temporary structures—known as "temples" or "tabernacles"—specifically constructed for
26260-690: The diaspora. For example, Black American literary author Toni Morrison wore locs, and Alice Walker wears locs to reconnect with their African heritage. Natural Black hairstyles worn by Black women are seen as not feminine and unprofessional in some American businesses. Wearing locs in the diaspora signifies a person's racial identity and defiance of European standards of beauty, such as straight blond hair. Locs encourage Black people to embrace other aspects of their culture that are tied to Black hair, such as wearing African ornaments like cowrie shells, beads , and African headwraps that are sometimes worn with locs. Some Black Canadian women wear locs to connect to
26462-442: The end of the practice. The goddess Angala Parameshvari in Indian mythology is said to have cataik-kari matted hair (dreadlocks). Women healers in India are identified by their locs of hair and are respected in spiritual rituals because they are believed to be connected to goddesses. A woman who has a jata is believed to derive her spiritual powers or shakti from her dreadlocks. Rastafari movement dreadlocks are symbolic of
26664-433: The evils and emphasize the complexities. Before 1870, the industrialization that had started to develop in Northwestern and Central Europe and the United States did not extend in any significant way to the rest of the world. Even in Eastern Europe, industrialization lagged far behind. Russia , for example, remained largely rural and agricultural, and its autocratic rulers kept the peasants in serfdom. A major result of
26866-432: The exile of the Israelites in Mesopotamia to the exile of the African diaspora outside Africa. Rastas perceive the exile of the black African diaspora in Babylon as an experience of great suffering, with the term "suffering" having a significant place in Rasta discourse. Rastas view Babylon as being responsible for both the Atlantic slave trade , which removed enslaved Africans from their continent, and ongoing poverty in
27068-450: The fall of the Berlin Wall, continued to feel a moral duty to support states that have not been "liberated from the tyranny of capitalism". This shared duty collapsed when most of the former Soviet satellites abandoned socialism and adopted capitalism. EuroVoc , a multilingual thesaurus maintained by the Publications Office of the European Union , classifies Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, plus
27270-406: The fallacies in any arguments presented. Those assembled inform each other about the revelations that they have received through meditation and dream. Each contributor is supposed to push the boundaries of understanding until the entire group has gained greater insight into the topic under discussion. In meeting together with like-minded individuals, reasoning helps Rastas to reassure one another of
27472-723: The final book of the Bible, the Book of Revelation , as the most important part, because they see its contents as having particular significance for the world's present situation. Contrary to scholarly understandings of how the Bible was compiled, Rastas commonly believe it was originally written on stone in the Ethiopian language of Amharic . They also believe that the Bible's true meaning has been warped, both through mistranslation into other languages and by deliberate manipulation by those seeking to deny black Africans their history. They also regard it as cryptographic, meaning that it has many hidden meanings. They believe that its true teachings can be revealed through intuition and meditation on
27674-479: The final stages of World War II the future of Eastern Europe was decided by the overwhelming power of the Soviet Red Army, as it swept the Germans aside. It did not reach Yugoslavia and Albania, however. Finland was free but forced to be neutral in the upcoming Cold War. Throughout Eastern Europe, German-speaking populations were expelled to the reduced borders of Germany in one of the largest ethnic cleansing operations in history. Regions where Germans had formed
27876-473: The finances for common needs is declared, the principle of just tax burden-sharing is supplemented sometimes with special aspects. Tax revenues expose typically 15–19 % of the GDP, and rates above 20% only rarely can be found. The state audit of the government budget and expenditures is an essential control element in public finances and an important part of the concept of checks and balances. The central banks are independent state institutions, which possess
28078-834: The former Soviet Union are considered a part of Eastern Europe: Unrecognized states : The term "Central Europe" is often used by historians to designate states formerly belonging to the Holy Roman Empire , the Habsburg Empire , and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . In some media, "Central Europe" can thus partially overlap with "Eastern Europe" of the Cold War Era. The following countries are labelled Central European by some commentators, though others still consider them to be Eastern European. Some countries in Southeast Europe can be considered part of Eastern Europe. Some of them can sometimes, albeit rarely, be characterized as belonging to Southern Europe , and some may also be included in Central Europe . In some media, "Southeast Europe" can thus partially overlap with "Eastern Europe" of
28280-464: The geopolitical impact of the "iron curtain": From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lie all the capitals of the ancient states of Central and Eastern Europe: Warsaw , Berlin , Prague , Vienna , Budapest , Belgrade , Bucharest , and Sofia . Eastern Europe after 1945 usually meant all the European countries liberated from Nazi Germany and then occupied by
28482-657: The hair is believed to bring misfortune onto the woman, because having dreadlocks is considered to be a gift from the goddess Yellamma (also known as Renuka). Some of the women have long and heavy dreadlocks that put a lot of weight on their necks, causing pain and limited mobility. Some in local government and police in the Maharashtra region demand the women cut their hair, because the religious practice of Yellamma forbids women from washing and cutting their dreadlocks, causing health issues. These locks of hair dedicated to Yellamma are called jade , believed to be evidence of divine presence. However, in Southern India, people advocate for
28684-576: The hairstyle in the 1990s, early 2000s, and present day. Dreadlocks are a part of hip-hop fashion and reflect Black cultural music of liberation and identity. Many rappers and Afrobeat artists in Uganda wear locs, such as Navio , Delivad Julio, Fik Fameica , Vyper Ranking, Byaxy, Liam Voice, and other artists. From reggae music to hip hop, rap, and Afrobeat, Black artists in the African diaspora wear locs to display their Black identity and culture. Youth in Kenya who are fans of rap and hip hop music, and Kenyan rappers and musicians, wear locs to connect to
28886-465: The health of their hair. Hamar women in Ethiopia wear red-colored locs made using red earth clay. In Angola , Mwila women create thick dreadlocks covered in herbs, crushed tree bark, dried cow dung, butter, and oil. The thick dreadlocks are dyed using oncula, an ochre of red crushed rock. In Southern , Eastern , and Northern Africa, Africans use red ochre as sunscreen and cover their dreadlocks and braids with ochre to hold their hair in styles and as
29088-413: The highly urbanized Hellenistic civilization . In contrast, the western territories largely adopted the Latin language . This cultural and linguistic division was eventually reinforced by the later political east–west division of the Roman Empire . The division between these two spheres deepened during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages due to a number of events. The Western Roman Empire collapsed in
29290-430: The history of the Mau Mau freedom fighters who wore locs as symbols of anti-colonialism, and to Bob Marley, who was a Rasta. Hip hop and reggae fashion spread to Ghana and fused with traditional Ghanaian culture. Ghanaian musicians wear dreadlocks incorporating reggae symbols and hip hop clothes mixed with traditional Ghanaian textiles, such as wearing Ghanaian headwraps to hold their locs. Ghanaian women wear locs as
29492-431: The idea of returning to Africa in a metaphorical sense, entailing the restoration of their pride and self-confidence as people of black African descent. The term "liberation before repatriation" began to be used within the movement. Some Rastas seek to transform Western society so that they may more comfortably live within it rather than seeking to move to Africa. There are nevertheless many Rastas who continue to emphasise
29694-456: The idea that Selassie was the Second Coming, arguing that this event has yet to occur. From this perspective, Selassie is perceived as a messenger or emissary of God rather than a manifestation of God himself. Rastas holding to this view sometimes regard the deification of Haile Selassie as naïve or ignorant, in some cases thinking it as dangerous to worship a human being as God. There are various Rastas who went from believing that Haile Selassie
29896-443: The increased role played by the rulers of Bohemia and Poland . The conquest of the Byzantine Empire , center of the Eastern Orthodox Church , by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century, and the gradual fragmentation of the Holy Roman Empire (which had replaced the Frankish empire) led to a change of the importance of Catholic / Protestant vs. Eastern Orthodox concept in Europe. Armour points out that Cyrillic -alphabet use
30098-507: The late 1940s and 1950s the Rasta community increasingly encouraged gender segregation for ceremonies. This was based on the belief that women's menstruation made them impure and that their presence at the ceremonies would distract male participants. As it existed in Jamaica, Rastafari did not promote monogamy. Though it is not especially common, Rasta men are permitted to engage in polygamy , while women are expected to reserve their sexual activity for one male partner. Common-law marriage
30300-407: The local majority, creating upheaval regarding demands of self-determination. Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania likewise were independent. Many of the countries were still largely rural, with little industry and only a few urban centres. Nationalism was the dominant force but most of the countries had ethnic or religious minorities who felt threatened by majority elements. Nearly all became democratic in
30502-570: The local police. They also took control of the mass media, especially radio, as well as the education system. They confiscated and redistributed farmland, and seized control of or replaced the organizations of civil society, such as church groups, sports, youth groups, trade unions, farmers' organizations, and civic organizations. In some countries, they engaged in large-scale ethnic cleansing, moving ethnic groups such as Germans, Poles, Ukrainians and Hungarians far away from where they previously lived, often with high loss of life, to relocate them within
30704-533: The local population majority were re-settled with Polish- or Czech-speakers. The region fell to Soviet control and Communist governments were imposed. Yugoslavia, Albania (and later Romania) had their own Communist regimes independent of Moscow. The Eastern Bloc at the onset of the Cold War in 1947 was far behind the Western European countries in economic rebuilding and economic progress. Winston Churchill, in his well-known "Sinews of Peace" address of 5 March 1946, at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri , stressed
30906-458: The main socio-cultural characteristics of Eastern Europe have historically been defined by the traditions of the East Slavs and Greeks , as well as by the influence of Eastern Christianity as it developed through the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman Empire . Another definition was created by the Cold War , as Europe was ideologically divided by the Iron Curtain , with "Eastern Europe" being synonymous with communist states constituting
31108-489: The media. Another definition was used during the 40 years of Cold War between 1947 and 1989, and was more or less synonymous with the terms Eastern Bloc and Warsaw Pact . A similar definition names the formerly communist European states outside the Soviet Union as Eastern Europe. Historians and social scientists generally view such definitions as outdated or relegated. Many former Communist states in this region, although their formal alliances were severed by
31310-444: The modeling agency Assembly New York hired Black men with natural dreadlocks to model the hairstyle in a fashion show at New York Fashion Week . Locks (like braids and plaits) have been worn for various reasons in many cultures and ethnic groups around the world throughout history. Their use has also been raised in debates about cultural appropriation . The practice of wearing braids and dreadlocks in Africa dates back to 3,000 BC in
31512-422: The more traditional shaved head. The most recognizable of these groups are known as the Ngagpas of Tibet . For Buddhists of these particular sects and degrees of initiation, their locked hair is not only a symbol of their vows but an embodiment of the particular powers they are sworn to carry. Hevajra Tantra 1.4.15 states that the practitioner of particular ceremonies "should arrange his piled up hair" as part of
31714-525: The most prominent of which are the Nyahbinghi , Bobo Ashanti , and the Twelve Tribes of Israel , each offering a different interpretation of Rastafari belief. There are an estimated 700,000 to one million Rastafari across the world. The largest population is in Jamaica, although small communities can be found in most of the world's major population centres. Most Rastafari are of black African descent, and some groups accept only black members, but non-black groups have also emerged. Rastafari has been described as
31916-416: The movement and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Rastafari, Rastafarians, or Rastas. Rastafari beliefs are based on an interpretation of the Bible . Central to the religion is a monotheistic belief in a single God, referred to as Jah , who partially resides within each individual . Rastas accord key importance to Haile Selassie , Emperor of Ethiopia between 1930 and 1974, who
32118-419: The movement since at least the 1970s, and non-black Rastas are now widely accepted. Some Rastas citing a 1963 speech by Haile Selassie in support of racial acceptance. Some sects maintains that white Europeans can never be legitimate Rastas but others believe an "African" identity is not inherently linked to black skin but whether an individual displays an African "attitude" or "spirit". Rastafari teaches that
32320-639: The name is jaṭā ; in Wolof , it is ndiagne and ndjan ; in Akan , it is mpesempese . in Yoruba , it is dada ; in Igbo , it is ezenwa and elena ; in Hamer , it is goscha ; in Shona , it is mhotsi ; in Nyaneka , it is nontombi . According to Sherrow in Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History , dreadlocks date back to ancient times in various cultures. In ancient Egypt , Egyptians wore locked hairstyles and wigs appeared on bas-reliefs , statuary and other artifacts. Mummified remains of Egyptians with locked wigs have also been recovered from archaeological sites. According to Maria Delongoria, braided hair
32522-411: The need for physical resettlement of the African diaspora in Africa. Rastafari is a millenarian movement, espousing the idea that the present age will come to an apocalyptic end. Many practitioners believe that on this Day of Judgment , Babylon will be overthrown, with Rastas being the chosen few who survive the upheaval. With Babylon destroyed, Rastas believe that humanity will enter a "new age",
32724-401: The new post-war borders of their respective countries. Under Stalin's direct instructions, these nations rejected grants from the American Marshall Plan . Instead, they joined the Molotov Plan , which later evolved into the Comecon (Council for Mutual Economic Assistance) . When NATO was created in 1949, most countries of Eastern Europe became members of the opposing Warsaw Pact , forming
32926-461: The news. Some Rastas believed that Selassie did not really die and that claims to the contrary were Western misinformation. To bolster their argument, they pointed to the fact that no corpse had been produced; in reality, Haile Selassie's body had been buried beneath his palace, remaining undiscovered there until 1992. Another perspective within Rastafari acknowledged that Haile Selassie's body had perished, but claimed that his inner essence survived as
33128-457: The nineteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation. By viewing Haile Selassie as Jesus, these Rastas also regard him as the messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, the manifestation of God in human form, and "the living God". Some perceive him as part of a Trinity , alongside God as Creator and the Holy Spirit , the latter referred to as "the Breath within the temple". Rastas who view Haile Selassie as Jesus argue that both were descendants from
33330-507: The oppressed (black Africans) cannot share the same God. Some Rastas take the view that the God worshipped by most white Christians is actually the Devil , and a recurring claim among Rastas is that the Pope is Satan or the Antichrist . Rastas therefore often view Christian preachers as deceivers and regard Christianity as being guilty of furthering the oppression of the African diaspora , frequently referring to it as having perpetrated "mental enslavement". From its origins, Rastafari
33532-529: The parts of righteousness. That the hungry be fed, the sick nourished, the aged protected, and the infant cared for. Teach us love and loyalty as it is in Zion. The largest groundings were known as "groundations" or "grounations" in the 1950s, although they were subsequently re-termed "Nyabinghi Issemblies". The term " Nyabinghi " is adopted from the name of a mythical African queen. Nyabinghi Issemblies are often held on dates associated with Ethiopia and Haile Selassie. These include Ethiopian Christmas (7 January),
33734-538: The passage of the CROWN Act, hairism continues, with some Black people being fired from work or not hired because of their dreadlocks. According to the CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study, sixty-six percent of Black women change their hairstyle for job interviews, and twenty-five percent of Black women said they were denied a job because of their hairstyle. The CROWN Act was passed to challenge the idea that Black people must emulate other hairstyles to be accepted in public and educational spaces. As of 2023, 24 states have passed
33936-514: The playing of drums, chanting, the singing of hymns, and the recitation of poetry. Cannabis , known as ganja, is often smoked. Most groundings contain only men, although some Rasta women have established their own all-female grounding circles. One of the central activities at groundings is " reasoning ". This is a discussion among assembled Rastas about the religion's principles and their relevance to current events. These discussions are supposed to be non-combative, although attendees can point out
34138-428: The police and are believed to be "thugs" or involved in gangs and violent crimes than Black men who do not wear dreadlocks. Rastafarians This is an accepted version of this page Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is classified as both a new religious movement and a social movement by scholars of religion . There is no central authority in control of
34340-404: The popularity of Rastafari-inspired reggae musicians, most notably Bob Marley . Enthusiasm for Rastafari declined in the 1980s, following the deaths of Haile Selassie and Marley, but the movement survived and has a presence in many parts of the world. The Rastafari movement is decentralised and organised on a largely sectarian basis. There are several denominations, or " Mansions of Rastafari ",
34542-408: The potent power of his mind that enables him to catch and bind the unruly and wild river goddess Ganga ." In a village in Pune , Savitha Uttam Thorat, some women hesitate to cut their long dreadlocks because it is believed it will cause misfortune or bring down divine wrath. Dreadlocks practiced by the women in this region of India are believed to be possessed by the goddess Yellamma . Cutting off
34744-491: The prayer is completed. At other times, cannabis is smoked in a water pipe referred to as a chalice : styles include kutchies , chillums , and steamers. The pipe is passed in a counter-clockwise direction around the assembled circle of Rastas. Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the European continent . As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary
34946-425: The purpose. Any elder seeking to sponsor a Nyabinghi Issembly must have approval from other elders and requires the adequate resources to organise such an event. The assembly usually lasts between three and seven days. During the daytime, attendees engage in food preparation, ganja smoking, and reasoning, while at night they focus on drumming and dancing around bonfires. Nyabinghi Issemblies often attract Rastas from
35148-580: The recovery of African manhood. Women would often work, sometimes while the man raised the children at home. Rastafari regards procreation as the purpose of sex, and thus oral and anal sex are usually forbidden. Both contraception and abortion are usually censured, and a common claim in Rasta discourse is that these were inventions of Babylon to decrease the black African birth-rate. Rastas typically express hostile attitudes to homosexuality, regarding homosexuals as evil and unnatural; this attitude derives from references to same-sex sexual activity in
35350-443: The region included Orontid Armenia , Caucasian Albania , Colchis and Iberia (not to be confused with the Iberian Peninsula in Western Europe ), of which the former two were the predecessor states of Armenia and Azerbaijan respectively, while the latter two were the predecessor states of modern-day Georgia . These peripheral kingdoms were, either from the start or later on, incorporated into various Iranian empires, including
35552-400: The region". A related United Nations paper adds that "every assessment of spatial identities is essentially a social and cultural construct ". While the eastern geographical boundaries of Europe are well defined, the boundary between Eastern and Western Europe is not geographical but historical, religious and cultural, and is harder to designate. The Ural Mountains , Ural River , and
35754-549: The religion despite its restrictions because they valued the life of structure and discipline it provided. Attitudes to women within Rastafari have changed since the 1970s, however, with a growing " womanist " movement, and increasing numbers of women in leadership positions at local and international levels. Rasta women usually wear clothing that covers their head and hides their body contours. Trousers are usually avoided, with long skirts preferred. Women are expected to cover their head while praying, and in some Rasta groups this
35956-441: The royal line of the Biblical king David , while Rastas also emphasise the fact that the Makonnen dynasty, of which Haile Selassie was a member, claimed descent from the Biblical figures Solomon and the Queen of Sheba . Other Rastas see Selassie as embodying Jesus' teachings and essence but reject the idea that he was the literal reincarnation of Jesus. Members of the Twelve Tribes of Israel denomination, for instance, reject
36158-477: The shrine for the rest of their lives." If their hair is cut, it must be cut by a chief priest and placed in a pot of water with herbs, and the mixture is used to heal the child if they get sick. Among the Igbo , Dada children are said to be reincarnated Jujuists of great spiritual power because of their dreadlocks. Children born with dreadlocks are viewed as special. However, adults with dreadlocks are viewed negatively. Yoruba Dada children's dreadlocks are shaved at
36360-433: The slave ships after spending months confined in unhygienic conditions, whites would report that their undressed and matted kinky hair was "dreadful". According to them, it is due to these circumstances that many people wearing the style today drop the a in dreadlock to avoid negative implications. The word dreadlocks refers to matted locks of hair. Several different languages have names for these locks. In Sanskrit ,
36562-501: The spirit of the earth, bestows spiritual power, and enables people to communicate with the gods and spirits. In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Atlantic slave trade saw Black Africans forcibly transported from Sub-Saharan Africa to North America and, upon their arrival in the New World , their heads would be shaved in an effort to erase their culture. Enslaved Africans spent months in slave ships and their hair matted into dreadlocks that European slave traders called "dreadful." In
36764-399: The spiritual significance of dreadlocks, such as not touching a person's or child's locs, maintaining clean locs, locs spiritual connections to spirits, and locs bestowing spiritual powers to the wearer. Dreadlocks have become a popular hairstyle among professional athletes. However, some athletes are discriminated against and were forced to cut their dreadlocks. For example, in December 2018,
36966-437: The status of a catechism or creed . Rastas place great emphasis on the idea that personal experience and intuitive understanding should be used to determine the truth or validity of a particular belief or practice. No Rasta, therefore, has the authority to declare which beliefs and practices are orthodox and which are heterodox . The conviction that Rastafari has no dogma "is so strong that it has itself become something of
37168-434: The study. The tests were done to reduce hair- and racially-based discrimination in education, civil justice, and law enforcement places. The study used an implicit-association test on 4,000 participants of all racial backgrounds and showed most of the participants had negative views about natural Black hairstyles. The study also showed Millennials were the most accepting of kinky hair texture on Black people. " Noliwe Rooks ,
37370-448: The temples, they should not shave their heads to reintegrate. The practice of wearing a jaṭā (dreadlocks) is observed in modern-day Hinduism, most notably by sadhus who worship Shiva . The Kapalikas , first commonly referenced in the 6th century CE , were known to wear the jaṭā as a form of deity imitation of the deva Bhairava - Shiva . Shiva is often depicted with dreadlocks. According to Ralph Trueb, "Shiva's dreadlocks represent
37572-405: The term has a wide range of geopolitical , geographical, cultural, and socioeconomic connotations. It has also been described as a "fuzzy" term, as the idea itself of Eastern Europe is in constant redefinition. The solidification of the idea of an "Eastern Europe" dates back chiefly to the (French) Enlightenment . There are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of
37774-451: The time. The Black is Beautiful movement and Rastafari culture in Europe influenced Afro-Britons to wear their hair in natural loc styles and afros as a way to fight against racism, Western standards of beauty, and to develop unity among Black people of diverse backgrounds. From the twentieth century to the present day, dreadlocks have been symbols of Black liberation and are worn by revolutionaries, activists, womanists , and radical artists in
37976-449: The use of -ism implies religious doctrine and institutional organisation, things they wish to avoid. Rastas refer to the totality of their religion's ideas and beliefs as "Rastalogy". Edmonds described Rastafari as having "a fairly cohesive worldview"; however, the scholar Ernest Cashmore thought that its beliefs were "fluid and open to interpretation". Within the movement, attempts to summarise Rastafari belief have never been accorded
38178-442: The years, participation in this event grew into the thousands. The location of Burning Man moved from Baker Beach to Black Rock Desert, Nevada . Most of the attendants at Burning Man are White. Anthropologists and historians who studied Burning Man argue that White people at Burning Man appropriate Black and Native American culture in dress and hairstyles, such as Native American headdresses and dreadlocks. Some authors argue that
38380-482: Was soon absorbed by the Soviet Union), Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia. Austria and Hungary had much-reduced boundaries. The new states included sizeable ethnic minorities, which were to be protected according to the League of Nations minority protection regime. Throughout Eastern Europe, ethnic Germans constituted by far the largest single ethnic minority. In some areas, as in the Sudetenland , regions of Poland , and in parts of Slovenia , German speakers constituted
38582-480: Was a prevalent status of agricultural workers until the 19th century. It resembled slavery in terms of lack of freedom, with the distinction that the landowners could not buy and sell serfs separately from the specific plots of land that they were permanently attached to. The system emerged in the 14th and 15th century, the same time it was declining in Western Europe. The climax came in the 17th and 18th century. The early 19th century saw its decline, marked especially by
38784-407: Was appropriate to speak of "a plethora of Rasta spiritualities " rather than a single phenomenon. The term "Rastafari" derives from "Ras Tafari Makonnen", the pre-regnal title of Haile Selassie , the former Ethiopian emperor who occupies a central role in Rasta belief. The term " Ras " means a duke or prince in the Ethiopian Semitic languages ; "Tafari Makonnen" was Selassie's personal name. It
38986-418: Was believed that not washing and combing the hair would protect a person from diseases. This folk belief was sometimes common in Eastern Europe . In Senegal , the Baye Fall, followers of the Mouride movement, a Sufi movement of Islam founded in 1887 CE by Shaykh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke , are famous for growing dreadlocks and wearing multi-colored gowns. Cheikh Ibra Fall , founder of the Baye Fall school of
39188-457: Was both God incarnate and the Second Coming of Jesus to seeing him as something distinct. On being crowned, Haile Selassie was given the title of " King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah". Rastas use this title for Haile Selassie alongside others, such as "Almighty God", "Judge and Avenger", "King Alpha and Queen Omega", "Returned Messiah", "Elect of God", and "Elect of Himself". Rastas also view Haile Selassie as
39390-404: Was indeed the incarnation of God, based on their reading of the Gospel of Luke . According to Clarke, Rastafari is "concerned above all else with black consciousness, with rediscovering the identity, personal and racial, of black people". The movement began among Afro-Jamaicans who wanted to reject the British colonial culture that dominated Jamaica and replace it with a new identity based on
39592-480: Was independent of the Kremlin. The communists had a natural reservoir of popularity in that they had destroyed the Nazi invaders. Their goal was to guarantee long-term working-class solidarity. The Soviet secret police, the NKVD , working in collaboration with local communists, created secret police forces using leadership trained in Moscow. This new secret police arrived to arrest political enemies according to prepared lists. The national Communists then took power in
39794-462: Was intrinsically linked with Haile Selassie, the Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He remains the central figure in Rastafari ideology, and although all Rastas hold him in esteem, precise interpretations of his identity differ. Understandings of how Haile Selassie relates to Jesus vary among Rastas. Many, although not all, believe that the Ethiopian monarch was the Second Coming of Jesus, legitimising this by reference to their interpretation of
39996-438: Was invaded and occupied by the Mongols . During the Ostsiedlung , towns founded under Magdeburg rights became centers of economic development and scattered German settlements were founded in parts of Eastern Europe. Introduction of German town law is often seen as a second great step after introduction of Christianity at the turn of the first and second millennia. The ensuing modernization of society and economy allowed
40198-402: Was returned from exile. Scholars also state another indirect Ethiopian influence for Rastas locking their hair are the Bahatowie priests in Ethiopia and their tradition of wearing dreadlocks for religious reasons since the 5th century AD. Another African influence for Rastas wearing locs was seeing photos of Mau Mau freedom fighters with locs in Kenya fighting against the British authorities in
40400-420: Was the first Black woman to break the barrier on a world pageant stage when she wore locs, paving the way and influencing other Black women to wear locs in beauty pageants. In 2015, Miss Jamaica World Sanneta Myrie was the first contestant to wear locs to the Miss World Pageant . In 2018, Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers of Britain was crowned Miss Universe wearing her locs and became the first Black British woman to win
40602-523: Was the height of the civil rights movement in the U.S., and some White Americans joined Black people in the fight against inequality and segregation and were inspired by Black culture. As a result, some White people joined the Rastafarian movement. Dreadlocks were not a common hairstyle in the United States, but by the 1970s, some White Americans were inspired by reggae music, the Rastafarian movement, and African-American hair culture and started wearing dreadlocks. According to authors Bronner and Dell Clark,
40804-432: Was worn by people in the Sahara desert since 3000 BCE. Dreadlocks were also worn by followers of Abrahamic religions . For example, Ethiopian Coptic Bahatowie priests adopted dreadlocks as a hairstyle before the fifth century CE (400 or 500 CE). Locking hair was practiced by some ethnic groups in East , Central , West , and Southern Africa. Pre-Columbian Aztec priests were described in Aztec codices (including
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