Appendix:Glossary of Rastafari terms

This is a glossary of terminology originating from, and pertaining to, Rastafarianism.

Contents:	A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

B

Babylon

an oppressive government or system; the police

beardman, beard-man

a male Rastafari who keeps a beard and long hair

baldhead

one who is not Rastafari; one who works for Babylon

Bobo Ashanti, Bobo dread

traditionalist Rastafarian group. Often wear their dreadlocks in a turban

bredrin

male comrade

bungo man

Rastafarian term of address

C

chalice, wisdom chalice

cannabis pipe for ritual and spiritual use

churchical

Rastafarian culture that emphasizes traditional theocracy

clean-faced man, clean face man

an unbearded Rastafari with short hair

collie, cullie weed

highest grade of cannabis

Coronation Day

November 2 - holy day commemorating Halie Selassie's coronation

D

dreadlocks, dreads

devotional hairstyle of matted locks, symbolic of the Lion of Judah. One with dreadlocks may be called a dread as a term of endearment

downstroy, downpress, downpressor, downpression

Destroy, oppress, oppressor, oppression. As the op- in these words rhymes with up-, it is changed to down- for emphasis

F

Falasha

Ethiopian Black Jew, believed to be descended from the lost tribes of Israel and to be ancestors of some Rastafari

G

ganja, herb, wisdom weed

cannabis, smoked sacramentally

grounation

meeting for the discussion of religious, social, and political topics

Grounation Day

April 21 - holy day commemorating Halie Selassie's 1966 visit to Jamaica

I

i-

prefix pertaining to Rastafarian concepts

I and I, I n I

Rastafarian first person pronoun

Idren

ones spiritual brothers and sisters

Iman

first person pronoun

Inity

unity

ital, I-tal, Ital

healthy, organic, unsalted, or vegetarian

Ites Gold and Green

from Heights, Gold, and Green (red, yellow and green) the colors associated with Ethiopia and the Rastafari movement

itinually

continually

iration, irator

creation, creator

irie

alright, cool

Iyaric

dialect of English used by Rastafari

J

Jah

God, from Jehovah

Jah love

used to acknowledge God's love

Jah Rastafari

Haile Selassie

K

King Alpha

Haile Selassie. See also: Queen Omega

King Rasta

Haile Selassie

L

Lion of Judah

Haile Selassie and his royal standard

livication

dedication

livity

harmony in a natural world and living faith

M

Mansions of Rastafari

various groups of the Rastafari movement

N

natty, knotty

the (dreadlocked) hair of a Rastafari; endearing term for Rastafari with dreads

Nyabinghi

• (historical) A militant sect of the Rastafarianism
• African deity and ceremony associated with her
• Musical style association with her

Niyaman

a follower of Nyabinghi

P

Pinnacle

first Rastafarian community (1940-1958), in St Catherine parish

Q

Queen Omega

Menen Asfaw, Empress of Ethiopia and wife of Haile Selassie (King Alpha). Venerated by members of the Rastafari movement.

R

rastacap

a round knit or crocheted cap, usually in pan-African colors, worn by Rastafaris

Rastafari, Rastafarian, Rastaman, Rasta, Ras

a follower of Rastafarianism. From Amharic ራስ ተፈሪ (ras täfäri), a title of Haile Selassie, from ራስ (ras, “chief, head”) + ተፈሪ (täfäri, “revered”)

roots

derived from the experience of the common people

roots people

individuals who preserve African ways of life

roots reggae

genre of reggae music with Rastafarian themes

S

sensi

type of cannabis

Shashamane

Rastafarian town in Ethiopia

shitstem

(derogatory) oppressive sociopolitical system

sistren

female comrade

sufferation

suffering

W

wombman

woman

Z

Zion

Ethiopia, the Rastafarian holy land and Promised Land

External links

• Wikipedia:Iyaric
• Niceup Rasta/Patois Dictionary and Phrases/Proverbs
• Frederic Gomes Cassidy (2002) Dictionary of Jamaican English‎^[1]
• Ras Dennis Jabari (2006) texts Jabari : Authentic Jamaican dictionary of the Jamic language ; featuring Jamaican Patwa and Rasta Iyaric pronunciations and definitions‎^[2]