Rastafarianism

Founding Date: 1930 Organization Structure: No official church buildings or leaders. Each individual group and person is autonomous. Unique Terms: Babylon is Jamaica or the establishment. I and I refers to God in all or the brotherhood of mankind Other Names: Ras Tafari and Rastas

History
Marcus Garve !as a black Jamaican !ho !as an articulate spokesperson for black pride. Garve encouraged black people to unite and to establish a nation of their o!n in "frica. #n 191$% Garve left Jamaica to carr his message to "merica. &pon leaving% he is reported b some people to have said% '(ook to "frica for the cro!ning of a black king% he shall be the redeemer.) #n 1930% a man named *as +afari !as cro!ned king of Ethiopia. ,e took the name ,aile -elassie% !hich means 'Might of the +rinit .) +he ne!s of a black "frican king traveled to Jamaica% !here some ministers began to preach that Garve .s prophes had come true. Neither Garve nor -elassie !ere involved in !hat became kno!n as the *astafarian movement. /hen a group of *astafarians !ent to Ethiopia to honor ,aile -elassie% an official of the palace told them to leave. +he official did not !ant to upset the king% !ho !as a devout 0hristian. +his strengthened the *astafarians. belief because the claimed their god is not supposed to kno! he is a god. ,aile -elassie visited Jamaica in 19$$% and !itnessed four da s of mass h steria and !orship.

Doctrine
*astafarians claim that !hite 0hristian preachers and missionaries perverted the -criptures to conceal the fact that "dam and Jesus !ere black. +he preach hatred of the !hite race and the superiorit of the black race. +he *astafarians believe the !ere e1iled from Ethiopia to Jamaica because the offended their god. +he consider Ethiopia to be heaven on earth.

Way of life and rituals

+heir rituals include the use of mari2uana and the chanting of revivalist h mns. +he *astafarians do not believe in cutting an thing on the bod . +his includes their hair% !hich the !ear in uncut manes of tangled curls called dreadlocks. *eggae singer 3ob Marle became the most famous *astafarian. ,e died at thirt 4si1 because he !ould not allo! his cancerous toe to be amputated.

Rastafari today
3 the end of the 50th centur % !omen had become more important in the functioning of the *astafari movement. #n the earl ears% menstruating !omen !ere often subordinated to their husbands and e1cluded from religious and social ceremonies. +o a large degree% !omen feel more freedom to e1press themselves no!6 thus the en2o much greater freedom of self4 e1pression% and contribute greatl to the religion.*astafari is not a highl organi7ed religion. #n fact% some *astas sa that it is not a 8religion8 at all% but a 8!a of (ife8. Most *astas do not identif !ith an sect or denomination% though there are three prominent mansions of *astafari9 the N ahbinghi% the 3obo "shanti and the +!elve +ribes of #srael. 3 claiming Jah as the returned Jesus% *astafari is a ne! religious movement that has arisen from 0hristianit % much as 0hristianit arose from Judaism.#n 199$% the *astafari movement !orld!ide !as given consultative status b the &nited Nations.

Michaela Martinov:

History of Dar eeling Tea and Dar eeling Himalayan Rail!ay

Dar eeling Tea
3efore the 3ritish arrived% the forests of the region% still preserved to a certain e1tent toda in forest reserves% !ere home to a handful of (epcha !oodsmen. #n 1;5;% a oung 0aptain (lo d% !orking for the 3ritish East #ndia 0ompan % !as making his !a to -ikkim through uncharted territor % to negotiate a land deal. ,e stumbled across an 8old Goorka station called <or2eling%8 !hich !as the name of a 3uddhist monaster that once stood on the site. 8<or2e8 the ecclesiastical scepter that represents the thunderbolt of -akra% god of rain and thunder and ver appropriate to the region6 and 84ling8 simpl means place. "s a militar man% 0aptain (lo d immediatel sa! the strategic implications of this commanding ridge so close to three borders. +o the !est is the -ingalila *ange that separates <ar2eeling from the =ingdom of Nepal. +o the north is -ikkim% !ith +ibet 2ust behind it. +o the east is the =ingdom of 3hutan% 2ust over the hill. >n his !a home from -ikkim the follo!ing ?ebruar % (lo d camped in <ar2eeling for si1 cold da s. +he large village had been deserted for t!elve ears% since the Gurkhas had retreated from decades of fighting in the area. -urrounded b dense forests of chestnut% maple% oak% and magnolia% the clearing ran to the end of the ridge% !hich fell steepl a!a into deep% sub4temperate% river valle s% including the +ista. #n this scenic location% !ith the !hite ,imala as as a backdrop% he sa! the possibilit of building a 8hill station%8 or sanitarium. -uch cool% fresh% clean air !ould offer a health break from the malarious dail struggle on the hot plains belo!. /hen the *a2a of -ikkim signed <ar2eeling over to the 3ritish government in 1;3@. ?ive ears later% the no! legendar <r.0ampbell !as made the first superintendent of the ne! <istrict of <ar2eeling. #n his o!n back garden at 5130 meters% 0ampbell e1perimented !ith crops. ,e planted tea seeds and seedlings from 0alcutta.s 3otanical Gardens% distributed b the Governor General of #ndia !ho !as e1ploring the possibilit of the introduction of tea culture into #ndia. -ome of this !as 0hina tea ACamellia sinensis var. sinensisB% imported from the 3ohea ,ills of 0hina after several dangerous adventures involving espionage and pirates. "nd some !as "ssam tea ACamellia sinensis var. assamicaB% developed b 0.". 3ruce% !ho spent ears combing the 2ungles of northeast #ndia for indigenous !ild plants to develop in the nurseries of 0alcutta and "ssam. ,e graduall traced tracts of !ild tea as far as the borders of 0hina. +here !as hot dispute as to !hich plant !as more economicall viable. #n e1perimental plantations in &pper "ssam% !here the "ssam +ea 0ompan !as formed% 0hinese gro!ers !ere teaching tea cultivation to native "ssamese !orkers. #n <ar2eeling% <r. 0ampbell.s plants of both 0hina and "ssam varieties displa ed health leaves% blossoms% and seeds. #t !as obvious that gro!ing conditions !ere ideal for tea% and <ar2eeling rapidl became a ma2or producer for the English market. +he apparent disadvantages of steep slopes and a short gro!ing season in fact produced teas that Cuickl acCuired a reputation for the highest Cualit . "nd itDs still the one of the most famous tea toda E

Dar eeling Himalayan Rail!ay

+he <ar2eeling ,imala an *ail!a is one of the most !ell kno!n hill rail!a s in the !orld. +he <ar2eeling ,imala an *ail!a A<,*B !as built in 1;;1 and is over a hundred ears old toda . #t connects the plains of /est 3engal at Ne! Jalpaiguri !ith the popular hill station of <ar2eeling and is about ;$ km long. +he elevation level is from about 100 m in -iliguri to about 5500 m in <ar2eeling. #t is still to this da po!ered b a steam engine. " modern diesel engine is used for <ar2eeling.s mail. >n the !a it passes the most breathtaking scener and climbs to a height of about 5 @@@ m at Ghum Athe highest station on #* F the 5nd highest station in the !orldB% !here on a clear da vie!s of Mt. =anchenchunga can be had. +he <,* is nicknamed the 8+o +rain8because itDs 2ust a $0 cm narro!4gauge rail!a . -ince 1999 the train has been a /orld ,eritage -ite as listed b &NE-0>.

Michaela Martinov: