Legacy?

In ending our unit on the Rastafari, one question looms large in my mind; what is the legacy of the Rasta? After much thought, I feel like the answer is multifaceted. Of course the Rastas have left us with their symbols and music. Yet, beyond the reggae and dreadlock exterior of Rasta there lies the real legacy of the Rasta. That legacy is their legacy hope given to the poor and oppressed peoples of the world.

As Edmonds outlines in his book on Rastafari, the whole Rasta movement stemmed from a broken colonial system in Jamaica. The former slaves of the nation lived in destitute conditions, unable to break free from the chains of economic and social oppression. In this environment the Rasta came to exist as a force in opposition to the British system or Babylon to the Rasta. This opposition bred music and protest from the Rasta.

It is this spirit of protest that still resonates with the people of the world. Oppression and rebellion is ubiquitous around the globe, and for this reason the symbols of the Rasta are just as ubiquitous. Whether its the teenage American pot smoking rebel, or the downtrodden peoples of Africa, the Rasta philosophy provides an identity and hope. For this the Rasta must be admired, for where would the world be without "One Love" or Bob Marley's redemption songs?