In an exclusive interview, members of the Rastafarian culture said their families have even turned their backs against them for conforming to a religion that accepts Haile Selassie I, the former emperor of Ethiopia, as Jah (the Rastafarian name for God incarnate).
Elkino Dames, educational officer of the Rasta Association of Students (RAS) at The College of the Bahamas told The Guardian, “Compared to other religious groups we feel we’re facing the largest discrimination in the country.”
Mr Dames added that Rastafarians are even being discriminated against on the job as well as by the police.
“They try to stop us from getting jobs and just different schemes and mechanism they use to keep us down but then we stay strong,” said Mr Dames. “Let me give you an illustration,” he continued. “The criminal target for officers at the Police Tatoo celebration is a man with locks on his head, so that’s a clear description about how they feel about the Rastafari.”
According to the RAS member, the prejudice against their beliefs is based on society’s inability to accept religions outside of Christianity.
“I’d say the most prominent challenge for me and people is a lack of tolerance in The Bahamas,” said Mr Dames. “The community that dwells in The Bahamas has not learned to be tolerant amongst everyone.
“The general consensus of this nation is that they are a Christian nation, so anything outside of that they basically discriminate and try to bring down,” he continued.
“If not through a frontal tactics then through a subliminal one.”
Still, the country’s Rasta community scored a major win last October when COB allowed Rastafarian students to set up a cultural club at the government-run institution.
RAS was involved in an 11-month battle with the college before their stand-off came to an end.
Meanwhile, the Rastafari movement has spread throughout much of the world, largely through immigration and interest generated through Nyahbinghi and reggae music οΎ— most notably, that of Bob Marley. By 2000, there were more than one million Rastafarians world-wide.
By: JASMIN BONIMY, The Nassau Guardian
