Rastafari - From Babylon to Africa Book (by Volker Barsch)

With a fascinated eye, Volker Barsch describes the history and values of the Rasta movement, thus providing background knowledge about the continuing reggae boom.

Rastafari means more than reggae music and the red, yellow, and green colors of Jamaica. Rastafari is a religious, but also - like HipHop - a social movement. A way of life that determines the entire daily lives of its followers worldwide.

This is about the return to the inner homeland of Africa, about a unique, "black language" as an antithesis to "white Babylon."

The book describes this search for identity and mythical roots, without losing sight of the problems of a possibly resulting essentialist worldview and outdated gender stereotypes.

Presented by: Riddim

The Press

"... excellent compendium on Rasta culture." (Adam Olschewski in Neue Züricher Zeitung)

"Barsch writes very sensitively and passionately about a young religion that is constantly evolving and that even has an impact on the current music of Gentleman, Seed, and Jan Delay." (Axel Deseke in Rock News)

"In this easy-to-understand introduction, Barsch dispels prejudices and provides the reader with a new image of the Rastafari movement." (PM)

"A must-read for serious reggae fans." (Robert Kneschke on www.bloom.de)

Table of Contents

Part 1: The Rastafari Movement in Jamaica
• The History of the Rastafari Movement in Jamaica since 1930
• Organization of the Movement
• The Rastafari Movement as a New Religious Movement

Part 2: Construction of Identity in the African Diaspora

Part 3: The Rastafari Discourse as a Deconstruction of the Eurocentric-Racist Discourse
• The Eurocentric-Racist Discourse
• Afrocentric Discourses that Influenced the Rastafari Movement
• The Rastafari Discourse

Part 4: Symbols and Rituals
• Haile Selassie
• Repatriation
• Nyabinghi
• Music
• Dreadlocks
• Livity
• Language
• Rasta Women
• Fire Symbolism
• Black Supremacy

Part 5: The Rastafari Movement in Africa
• Rastas in Ethiopia
• Rastas in Ghana
• Rastas in Senegal
• Rastas in Gambia

• Trodin' on
• Appendix