| Both
within and outside the movement of
Rastafari, there is debate about just about
any subject you can think of. Reasoning is a
training of the mind, and when you are
convinced of what you know then there is no
reason not to enter into a debate.
Provided, of course, that the debate or
reasoning is thoughtful.
Now there is also a lot of debate about
the movement too. In that debate, there is
often a lot of foolishness and
disinformation from especially so-called
established religions and propaganda
machines.
In this video from the early 1990's, we
can actually see a debate between a Rasta
and someone who has criticism against
Rastafari. And there are a number of guests
with interesting things to say about the
topic. Obviously the topic is heavyweight
and so the debate is, too.
The program opens with a criticaster of
Rastafari saying that although the movement
of Rastafari is opposed to materialism, the
Ethiopian Emperor was not. And that is an
understatement, as the video continues with
a "visual illustration" of his
point.
At this moment, we are only two minutes
into the video.
The criticaster turns out to be the host
of the show. Interesting. the name of the
show becomes clear at this point. He turns
to a young Rasta in the audience who apparently
lost a job (or couldn't get one) because of
his identity as a Rasta.
Then he introduces an "evolved
Rastafarian", a dramatist and writer
called Shango Baku. He was a member of a
group of UK based Rastas who went to
Ethiopia to celebrate Haile Selassie's centennial
and the show host asks Shango some very
provocative questions.
For starters.
The interview turns into a debate where
both participants ask and are asked
questions. About Shango's belief that the
Ethiopian Emperor is God, and whether he
died or not.
Then we are introduced to some
interesting guests: a cousin of the
Ethiopian Emperor, for example. Or his
biographer, who has some interesting things
to say as well. A representative of the
Ethiopian Church joins the debate as well,
to go deeper into the idea that His Imperial
Majesty is God or not.
The topic of repatriation is covered,
too.
It turns out, that to ask "when are
you going?" doesn't really provide the
non-answer the show host was apparently
looking for. But when he looked in the
audience, he also saw a white youth with
dreadlocks and so he had the caricature he
was hoping to get.
Shashamane land is also spoken about, albeit
towards the end of the program. That's just
before the show host exposes the fact that
he does know about Rastafarians who do not
believe that the Ethiopian Emperor is God
and tries to use that fact to make a separation
between Rastafarians who do believe that.
A very interesting video, literally and
truly from the very first minute to
the-one-before-the-last.
|
