Rastafarian Children of Solomon: The Legacy of the Kebra Nagast and the Path to Peace and Understanding

Description

Tracing their lineage back to King Solomon-the wisest man who ever lived- Rastafarians follow a spiritual tradition of peace and meditation that is more a way of life than an organised religion. During his 15 years living in Jamaica, Gerald Hausman developed deep friendships with Rastafarians and rootsmen, enabling him to experience firsthand the beliefs and traditions of these followers of the Kebra Nagast-the African gospel excised from the King James version of the Bible. He met bush doctors, Rasta preachers, members of the Marley family and respected elders who knew Marcus Garvey, prophet of the Rasta movement and vocal proponent of the Pan-African movement in America. He, also, met elders who were present when Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia and descendant of the House of David, came to Jamaica in the 1960s. Through interviews with fishermen, mystics and wise men, as well as direct encounters with spirits and the spiritual, the author reveals the deep wisdom that underlies the "old ways" of the Rastas. He connects their stories, lives and teachings with important biblical passages as well as reggae songs. He shares their views on the medicinal and meditative powers of cannabis-the sacred herb of Solomon-and explains that while Rastas believe it to be "the opener of the door," they maintain that peace and understanding must be found within. Illustrating the unwavering faith and hope of the Rastafari of Jamaica, Hausman shows them to be a people who, above all, emphasise equality, because the Holy Spirit within each of us makes us all one and the same. * Includes the author's interviews with bush doctors, healers and Rastafarians gathered during his 15 years of living in Jamaica * Reveals the old ways of the Rastafarians and how their beliefs form an unbroken lineage tracing back to King Solomon * Explains the connection of Rasta beliefs to important biblical passages

Gerald Hausman is a renowned storyteller and award-winning author of more than 70 books about Native America, animals, mythology and West Indian culture, including The Kebra Nagast, introduced by Ziggy Marley. He has presented stories throughout the United States and Europe as well as on NPR and the History Channel and for the Kennedy Center and the American Library Association. He lives in Bokeelia, Florida.

"Day by day, the elders who formed the foundation of Rasta in the 1920s and '30s are passing. Within these pages you will meet a man who knew Marcus Garvey and an elder who met Haile Selassie I when he came to Jamaica. You will also meet younger rootsmen whose faith is constant and true. This book goes straight to the heart with truths that are seldom written but often said in my home country." * Cedella Marley, author of the bestselling children's books One Love and Every Little Thing * "Folklorist Gerald Hausman takes us deep into the modern dreamtime of Jamaica's backwaters, enthralled by the company of living prophets and conmen, killers and saints, obeah workers and ethereal half-real creatures of the sea. They are all, as his eloquent mythlike prose reveals, the voices of the cherubim and seraphim of old." * Roger Steffens, founding editor of The Beat magazine and coauthor of The Reggae Scrapbook and One Lo * "Hausman skillfully connects the lives and beliefs of these peaceful and resourceful people-fishermen, wicker weavers, Rasta preachers, respected elders, and wise men and women-through heartfelt conversations that arise spontaneously while sitting under the shade of a pimento tree, in a dusty yard, or by firelight in the cool evening ocean breeze. Rastafarian spiritual wisdom, recounted here in authentic Jamaican patois, emphasizes equality: an unwavering faith and hope in the holy spirit that lives in each human being." * Publishers Weekly, February 2013 * "Highly recommended, especially for any reader looking to better understand the Rastafarian way of life through the words of the people who practice it." * Midwest Book Review, April 2013 *