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This sets up a stark contrast between the way Jamaica outwardly brands itself as a Rastafari haven and the realities for its Rastafari citizens, as Ms. In fact, consuming ganja (a Hindi word for cannabis) for spiritual purposes as part of Rastafari traditions was illegal in Jamaica until 2015. Prendergast said the Jamaican government would take Rastafari children away from their parents, force them to eat meat against ‘ital,’ their diet, and make them attend schools to strip away their culture. There’s a space for the philosophies of Rastafari to take the main stage.” But now it’s so popular and, sad to say, in many ways a fad to identify systemic oppression. “Even our own Black people have looked down and laughed at us when we talk about the impact of slavery and colonialism until today, thinking we’re over the top. “There’s an energy, I think, that is being restored,” said Ms. Prendergast visited during the production process. Rastafari has roots at the Pinnacle settlement in Jamaica, a place Ms.
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Prendergast said many Rastafari ideals are relevant today. In the context of the Black Lives Matter movement and growing cries against anti-Black racism, Ms. “From the genesis of the movement, equal rights and justice for all has been the call to action, has been the cry of Rastafari,” she said.
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Rastafari advocates for changing current systems of power and exploring ways of life that do not depend on colonial structures. “As creatives, we have the space and the responsibility and the response-ability to say something.” It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, there are so many divisions and so many different experiences that negate your existence,” she said.
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“The experience of being a Black person in the 21st century is heavy. Witnessing that disparity sparked a fire within her to speak out, just as her grandfather did when he was around her age. Prendergast criticized the hypocrisy of Jamaica for simultaneously suppressing Rastafari and using its visual symbols as a way to market the country. She soon discovered Israel’s strong Rastafari presence and her time in India revealed how Rastafari was rooted in Indian culture, especially in its foods and its people’s spiritual connection with the land. (Touring with the band) was my first real introduction into Rastafari but the documentary gave me a much clearer insight into the roots and evolution of the movement,” said Ms. “I had amazing experiences, seeing how reggae moves people of different nations and colours. She grew up touring with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers her mother, Sharon Marley, was a member of the group. Prendergast had a lot to learn about Rastafari despite growing up with the culture and being a granddaughter of Bob Marley, one of the most visible figures of Rastafari. As a young person coming into my own, it definitely helped to give me a global perspective of Rastafari but also the needs of humanity and the role I could play,” she said. The Toronto resident visited eight countries for the film to explore the connections between Rastafari and global cultures she recently completed a film production degree at Ryerson University. Prendergast is a public speaker who took up activism as she travelled the world and learned more about its many peoples. Scarlett.Īs she gathered more clips, the project gained momentum and she soon found the right protagonist for the film: Donisha Prendergast. “I couldn’t have crossed the finish line without her,” said Ms. Scarlett helped write the Manitoulin film school’s original business proposal and continues to teach a class there alongside her production partner for the documentary, Marilyn Gray of Rockville. Her parents offered some money as a stop-gap and she secured a loan from an industry friend and colleague-Shirley Cheechoo, founder of M’Chigeeng’s Weengushk Film Institute. Scarlett’s plans to film at a three-month-long Smithsonian exhibit about Rastafari. Scarlett because it spoke to the resiliency of the oppressed cultures of Africa and the diaspora.Ī lack of funding threatened Ms. Patricia Scarlett, executive producer of ‘RasTa: A Soul’s Journey,’ said she first witnessed the depth of the culture when she moved from Canada to attend school in her birthplace of Jamaica. Its symbols have spread worldwide but beyond the reggae and drum music, the dreadlocks, the red, green and gold colours and the ganja-most of which simply mean ‘Jamaica’ to observers-Rastafari offers an invitation to explore what an equitable, post-colonial society could be.