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mradam83
04 June 2012, 08:22 PM
Namaste.

Upon discovering this thread, I noticed all the usual Abrahamic disciplines - Judaism, Christianity, Islam and even other movements such as Baha'i and even Zororasterianism. However one I have noticed is absent is that of the Rastafari Movement.

I know most in the west don't know of the link between Judaism and Rastafari which I find is glaringly obvious when a glance is gave over the basics. However, there are more than a few links to Hinduism.

Here is a link to a Rastafari oriented site with their take on the links:-

http://forum.dancehallreggae.com/showthread.php/231731-Sadhu-mystical-influence-on-the-Rastafari-Movement

With this being a non-Hindu take, admittedly it's info may miss the mark OR be outright incorrect. However, I do find the info interesting to see how Sanatana Dharma has linked with Abrahamic religions in some firm and created a new and separate tradition in its own right.

I think this whole area could be explored easier and without as much bible or qu'ran thumping as tends to happen when Christianity or Islam gets involved. Is there anything to be garnered or learned from the links between Rastafari Movement and Hinduism?

Thank you all on advance.

P.S I'm not affiliated or a part of the Rastafari Movement in anybody way (or to any other Abrahamic religion) just in case anyone gets a bit worried.

mradam83
04 June 2012, 08:23 PM
Namaste.

Upon discovering this thread, I noticed all the usual Abrahamic disciplines - Judaism, Christianity, Islam and even other movements such as Baha'i and even Zororasterianism. However one I have noticed is absent is that of the Rastafari Movement.

I know most in the west don't know of the link between Judaism and Rastafari which I find is glaringly obvious when a glance is gave over the basics. However, there are more than a few links to Hinduism.

Here is a link to a Rastafari oriented site with their take on the links:-

http://forum.dancehallreggae.com/showthread.php/231731-Sadhu-mystical-influence-on-the-Rastafari-Movement

With this being a non-Hindu take, admittedly it's info may miss the mark OR be outright incorrect. However, I do find the info interesting to see how Sanatana Dharma has linked with Abrahamic religions in some firm and created a new and separate tradition in its own right.

I think this whole area could be explored easier and without as much bible or qu'ran thumping as tends to happen when Christianity or Islam gets involved. Is there anything to be garnered or learned from the links between Rastafari Movement and Hinduism?

Thank you all on advance.

P.S I'm not affiliated or a part of the Rastafari Movement in anybody way (or to any other Abrahamic religion) just in case anyone gets a bit worried.


My apologies for the spelling mistakes - I blame my bloody iPhone! Lol.

Shanti29
04 June 2012, 09:03 PM
Disgusting movement.

Shuddhasattva
04 June 2012, 10:40 PM
Namaste

I don't doubt that Hinduism influenced Rastafarism, but there's a lot of new-age junk passed off as Hinduism in that article.

mradam83
05 June 2012, 06:35 AM
Namaste

I don't doubt that Hinduism influenced Rastafarism, but there's a lot of new-age junk passed off as Hinduism in that article.

Namaste,

I thought that, the poster did make lots of strong claims about Hinduism, as is the case I think in the west all too often.

Shuddhasattva
05 June 2012, 06:38 AM
Namaste

One thing that did strike me was the claim that sadhus had journeyed with the other Indians to Jamaica. It seems to me nobody in their right mind would attempt to make a slave of a sadhu. Did the sadhus come to give support and succor to the other Hindus? Do we have any other sources to verify this claim?

mradam83
05 June 2012, 07:15 AM
Namaste

One thing that did strike me was the claim that sadhus had journeyed with the other Indians to Jamaica. It seems to me nobody in their right mind would attempt to make a slave of a sadhu. Did the sadhus come to give support and succor to the other Hindus? Do we have any other sources to verify this claim?

Namaste, Good question.

I've just had a look, I've found an honours thesis on the Internet that tries to go into detail of the various Hindus that were in Jamaica in the Mid 19th to early 20th century.

It seems to say that, rather than being flat out slaves, they were class as "indentured servants." here is the link:-

https://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/28443/Vincent_Bur?sequence=1

Its from page 8 onwards. Personally, I am wondering if what were described as priests were just very religious Hindu devotees but not actual priests or Sadhus as such.

I'n still looking so if I find anything more concrete, I'll post it of course.

Shuddhasattva
05 June 2012, 07:23 AM
Namaste

It seems somewhat plausible that there were sadhus because the Rasta dreadlock hairstyle is evidently in imitation of that adopted by most Sadhus.

mradam83
05 June 2012, 07:33 AM
Namaste

It seems somewhat plausible that there were sadhus because the Rasta dreadlock hairstyle is evidently in imitation of that adopted by most Sadhus.

Namaste,

Definitely, and I did read (albeit on Wikipedia, and the sources were not evident) that the British colonial government of India were very big on indentured servitude. It's not hard to imagine that Sadhus were included amongst that.

Shuddhasattva
05 June 2012, 08:15 AM
Namaste,

Definitely, and I did read (albeit on Wikipedia, and the sources were not evident) that the British colonial government of India were very big on indentured servitude. It's not hard to imagine that Sadhus were included amongst that.


Namaste

Consider the nature of indentured servitude and that of sadhus. It seems absurd to me that a sadhu would volunteer to be taken from the holy land, the places of pilgrimage, sources of teaching, etc. to be used as labor for worldly endeavors (which he has forsaken). Unwilling servitude, AKA slavery, seems possible, but would sadhus really work? I'd like to think otherwise.

Namaste

mradam83
05 June 2012, 08:20 AM
Namaste

Consider the nature of indentured servitude and that of sadhus. It seems absurd to me that a sadhu would volunteer to be taken from the holy land, the places of pilgrimage, sources of teaching, etc. to be used as labor for worldly endeavors (which he has forsaken). Unwilling servitude, AKA slavery, seems possible, but would sadhus really work? I'd like to think otherwise.

Namaste

Namaste,

That is a good point - the only thing I can think of, is my surmising before that it might not have been an actual Sadhu but just a very religious Hindu that others confused for a Sadhu.

It would be interesting if the supposed pictures of Sadhu's in India mentioned in the thesis could be located. If they could be, it would be interesting to see.