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Jamaican Culture

In: Other Topics

Submitted By TayylorGang
Words 1157
Pages 5
Taylor Thompson
Jamaican Culture
Sociology
October 26, 2011

Being that I am an African American and for my survey I interviewed mainly African Americans and Caucasians I chose to do a different culture. Since I have traveled to Jamaica for vacation and I know several Jamaicans I thought it would be a good idea to research their culture. There are many things in Jamaican culture such as religions, holidays, traditions customs and many other things. As far as religion most of the Caribbean including Jamaica most people are Rastafarians. Rastafarian is a mixture of Christianity and Black Messianic Judaism it has been called by many things like a cult or a sect. Rastafarians do not consider themselves to be a religion or social/political group and many despise any type of classification (Fekade Selassie 2003). A severe depression, racism and class discrimination during the year 1930 was a good opportunity for the rural and poor Jamaicans to embrace a new religion. The Rastafarian movement emerged when Marcus Garvey started the “Back to Africa” movement. Rastafarians have many beliefs but some of the main ones are that God is a spirit and he manifests in King H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I. They also believe that Jesus was a direct descendant of King David and was black, and that Jesus will return to the Zion which is Ethiopia. The key figures for the Rastafarians are Marcus Garvey and Emperor Haile Selassie. They recognize Marcus Garvey as a prophet who foretold the rise of Emperor Selassie. They believe that Emperor Selassie is the black Messiah. The Rastafarians use ganja also known as marijuana they call it “wisdom weed” they believe that it helps gain wisdom and helps get closer with their inner spiritual self. In Jamaica a big holiday that is celebrated is Christmas but how they celebrate it is different from in the United States. In Jamaica some

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