Abstract
Signifying individuals as “Rastafari” or “Rasta” without further qualification lacks nuance and precision. The mental images conjured by Rastafari can be in sharp contradiction with the actual practices, beliefs, and behaviors of adherents. Some follow dietary restrictions, some keep knotted locks of hair, and some consume cannabis, while others refrain from these activities. Rastafari also possess differing opinions on repatriation and Haile Selassie’s divinity. The four-point typology articulated in this article (orthodox-isolated, orthodox-integrated, secular-spiritual, secular-cultural) responds to the need to establish a pertinent vocabulary through which the various phenomena associated with Rastafari expression can be more accurately deciphered while allowing each Rasta authenticity. My results stem from analysis of relevant scholarship in addition to open participant observations, informal focused group interviews, and in-depth interviews I have conducted with Rastafari in Jamaica (2011) and Montreal (2008–2009). This article provides a theoretical framework for further Rastafari studies.
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