Dear Editor,
Today Friday, November 2nd, 2018, marks the 88th anniversary of the coronation of His Imperial Majesty (HIM) Haile Selassie and Empress Menen. Rastafari in Guyana and around the world celebrate this day. Rastafari revere HIM Haile Selassie and his country of origin Ethiopia. The colours of the Ethiopian flag, red, green and gold have become synonymous with Rastafari and all things Rastafari. Many persons who don the colours (and it seems like it is almost everyone these days) do not even know that it is the colours of the Ethiopian flag. As Rastafaris around the world celebrate the Emperor and Empress coronation, it can be argued that Rastafari in Guyana have not risen to the mandate set forth by his HIM Haile Selassie.
HIM Haile Selassie placed enormous emphasis on education. This was actively demonstrated by the number of schools and universities that were constructed during his reign. Unlike other countries in the Caribbean that boast Rastafari lawyers, doctors, several professors in all disciplines at universities, teachers and educators, etc, Guyanese Rastafari predominate at the trades and skills level (and from a visibility view at the unemployed and informally employed in the marijuana trade). I am not sure of the reason for this but some of it can be attributed to both the formal and informal interactions of Rastafari with the school system and Rastafari’s own emphasis on education. Whilst children can now go to school with locks and head wraps there was a time when they couldn’t. The treatment of Rastafari children in the school system has not always been positive leading to some dropping out.
The absence of professional Rastafari women in Guyana is particularly glaring. HIM Haile Selassie demonstrated his commitment to gender equality by having the empress’s coronation on the same day as his, a first for Ethiopia in its more than 2000-year history after they switched to male emperors. Prior to this, Ethiopia boasted many female Queens and empresses who were renowned for their administrative and military acumen. In present day Ethiopia, the Prime Minster has been lauded globally for his many transformational policies especially his commitment to gender equality. Ethiopia boasts 50 percent women in its parliament and for the first time swore in its first female president in 2018. Rastafari in Guyana belong mainly to the two collectives of Twelve Tribes of Israel and the Theocracy Order of Nyabinghi. Neither of these two organizations boasts women in leadership positions or if they do they are secretaries or note-takers. This is against the trend of a high number of females in both the leadership and bodies of non-governmental and civil society organizations in Guyana. If one were to encounter these organizations, you will get the impression that Rastafari in Guyana is for men only.
So, as we Rastafari celebrate the coronation of HIM Haile Selassie globally and in Guyana today, Guyanese Rastafari will do well to put down their bibles and pick up a book on his HIM philosophy and teachings. Guyanese Rastafari can also learn from the present reformations in Ethiopia. These teachings provide instructions on how to further their social mobility in Guyanese society. And the retort that Rastafari are not interested in upward social mobility is pure escapism.
Yours faithfully,
(Name and address supplied)
