Final Project- Bobo Shanti Mon!!

Introduction

As a college student at a Liberal Arts school, I am fortunate enough to be in a place that is a melting pot of lifestyles, cultures, and ideas. For the common folk, when one would think of the Rastafari, chances are, Bob Marley, dreadlocks and marijuana would come to mind. Although this is quite reasonable, as the stereotype is somewhat deserved due to societies uneducated portrayal of Rasta, there are so many more fascinating aspects that the Rastafari movement has to offer.  

Within the Rastafari movement, there are three major branches. They are the Twelve Tribes of Isreal, the  Niyabinghi , and the Bobo Shanti. For my Final Project, I will examine the Bobo Shanti branch of the Rastafari movement.  Specifically, I will look at the symbols that exist within this branch, how they are perceived, and how they correlate with the life and beliefs of the Bobo Shanti.

The Bobo Shanti differ from the other branches because Religion is THE single most important aspect of their lives on a day to day basis, living in secluded community, they are able to live with extreme simplicity and purity which makes them a very special sect. While everyone has heard drudge reports on fundemantalist Christians, Muslims, and Jews, what I found fascinating is that the Bobo Shanti are the most fundemental/radical Rastafari group, however they exist harmoniously apart from society in a self sufficient manner.

As opposed to just looking at what the Bobo Shanti believe, I will jump further into the continuation of this question, as to how their beliefs are versed through a system of symbols, and how this system incorporates into their respective lifestyle.

Clifford Gertz defines religion as

"A system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive and long lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic"

Bobo Shanti Symbols

While we have talked about the symbols within the Rastafari Movement, specifically the Bobo Shanti, I will touch on some that were not address as well as go further into a few we have touched on and examine their effects on the life of the Bobo Shanti people.

Although a part of the Rastafari, the Bobo Shanti symbols differ starting with their dress. Making them unique, they wear robes that reach down to their feet, and turbans on their heads. As opposed to wearing a turban for fashion like Rasta men do who are a part of the other branches, members  of the Bobo Shanti wear the turban to supplement the dreadlocks which signifies their alignment with the Bobo Shanti sect. Also, notice the color of the turban is black. The the Bobo Shanti are the most radical sect of the Rastafari in their beliefs concerning black supremacy. While Black turbans are not entirely common, it is appropriate as the man in the picture is a high priest who has a large influence on his community and this re-iterates and further symbolizes black sovereignty and supremacy.

In addition, the Bobo Shanti women also where head dresses, once again not for style, but to simply pay respect to “Jah” . This also embodies the unique level of servitude that the Bobo Shanti possess and exemplify as it is not just a style as it may be in the other branches, but an action that speaks for the commitment and devotion of the Bobo Shanti.

A primary aspect of the Bobo Shanti society is the importance of community. The other branches of the Rastafari movement tend to be less organized and not as tight knit, however the Bobo Shanti exemplify their view on their value of community by their daily lifestyle. In this example, located atop a hill, the Bobo Shanti believe these grounds to be sacred, and only outsiders with special arrangements are allowed in the settlement.  Living amongst one another in hand build huts, and apart from the rest of society, Bobo Shanti are independent of Jamaican rule they are basically self-sufficient.  Supplementing this, they also live without running water and electricity, retainingthe basic Rastafarian symbol of simplicity.

Another aspect of Bobo Shanti life that has a huge influence on their daily life is the close accordance to “Old Testament Jewish Mosaic Law”[i]. As we watched in class, we saw how they had a specific schedule for prayer and fasting. Rising at specific hours of the day/night. By waking up at these times over the course of the day, the Bobo Shanti not only experience personal satisfaction and enhancement, but the overarching theme of simple discipline and commitment to oneself, the community, and Jah is demonstrated.

[i] http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/rastafari/subdivisions/boboshanti.shtml

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Standing outside a structure he constructed himself and providing a glimpse of his crops, a Bobo Shanti man exemplifies the Rastafari symbols of interconnectedness with the earth, simplicity, and care for nature. Also, as we discussed in class, his colors are the same as Ethiopian colors, symbolizing his devotion and desire to eventually return to Zion. Because they are self sufficient, they must grow crops and help produce not just for themselves, but the community as a whole

Certain Bobo Shanti settlements in Jamaica operate without any regard for actual Jamaican law. However, this does not mean that they run rampant. Because of their strict beliefs, and their close abiding to the ten commandments, The Bobo Shanti are able to go about their way of life in an un-regulated fashion(by the Government) because they do not need outside influence to enforce laws and principles upon them when they already practice a peaceful and productive way of life themselves. Paying strict attention to the Ten Commandments, the Bobo Shanti distinguish themselves from the other branches as they consciously and rigorously abide by them. Because they are somewhat un-regulated, this discipline arguably is why the Bobo Shanti can operate effectively while staying separate from the rest of Jamaican society.

Perhaps the most well known and frowned upon symbol of the Rastafarian Movement in general is the use of Marijuana. While the Bobo Shanti do smoke “herb” they do so privately as they view it as a sacred right that should only be performed during special periods of worship. Viewed as a spiritual rite, to help ease the mind and aid in prayer and reasoning, the Bobo Shanti use of Marijuana is significantly more contained than the other sects of the Rastafari movement. Once again, the re-occurring theme of discipline and abiding closely to set personal and religious boundaries is shown. Here, a preist shows his appreciation for herb, however unlike mainstream Rasta’s, he will only consume in a private personal setting.

Music is another symbol that is of great importance to the Rastafari. Who am I to do a report on the Rastafar without mentioning the legend himself, Bob Marley. In "War" Bob incorperates a speach by Haillie Salassie into the song while addressing racism and violence effected the Blacks in the region at the time. With the verse,"That until the basic human rights, Are equally guaranteed to all,Without regard to race, Dis a war" Bob adresses the massive amount of discrimination going on at the team and eventually looks to the future with the hope of peace and equality. This also ties in with the Bobo Shanti as many Bobo believe they deserve legal reparations for discrimination and slavery. As the most radical sect of the Rastafari, they advocate black rights and power very strongly, showing their pride for their roots and also their rejection of predjucice from caucasian Babylon.

The Lion of Judah represents former Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie, who is believed by the Rastafari to be a god or "Jah" incarnate.

Conclusion

Although a part of the Rastafarian Movement, the Bobo Shanti are a unique sect. Their commitment to purity, connection to the earth, and basic living principles separate them from the rest of the Rasta. In relative terms, they could be called radical as they interpret the Old Testament and the Ten Commandments literally, carrying out these ideals on a daily basis by the lifestyle that they live. Also, their commitment to one another and sense of community is a tremendous symbol in characterizing the sect as they are self-sufficient and somewhat un-regulated. This speaks for how effectively the Bobo Shanti society operates, and makes the sect distinguishable from the rest of the Rastafarian Movement.When I think of the Bobo Shanti, simplicity and purity come to mind. Like all religions, there are seperate branches, each interpreting and carrying out religious order with their own variations. In my opinion, out of all the groups we have studied, the Bobo Shanti remain the closest connected to their beliefs, and by being so connected with earth, one another, and Jah, their lifestyle naturally takes after these principles.



This trimester in class, we have examined how each religions system of symbols and how they play out into respective beleifs and lifestyles. From this, not only have we learned a great deal about each religion, more importantly we dug deeper into developing a better understanding of each of them by asking how and why along with continually examining historical and personal contexts. Overall, this has been an eye opening class for me, not because we studied a bunch of crazy religions, but because we examined how beliefs were developed which ultimately led to much better discussion and understanding of the topics, as opposed to just stopping at what they are in an objective sense.

Book of Abraham Concerns

Question: For the week 10 blog post, read the Book of Abraham passed out in class (which you could also find online I'm sure). Then discuss how you might go about assessing a document like this. Are there any fine points in this text that lead you to think it is not from the supposed time of Abraham (2000BC?). In studying religion we have been surrounded by all kinds of claims about the world, and I am curious if there is any kind of critical approach that you can define through a discussion of this text.

Response: Out of all the texts we have read in Religious studies, this is by far the most abstract and odd one of them all. After reading this, personally I thought this text completely discredited Mormonism. The textual context that is behind the religion is somewhat obscure and extremely questionable, not to mention the base of the translation is questionable in itself. From an outsider’s perspective, it seems as if the Mormons try to find any connection they can to exemplify that the origin is actually what they say it is. Supplementing this, Joseph Smiths interpretation of the Egyptian drawings is different than what the real drawings actually mean. In my opinion, I could have looked at these drawings, made a connection to what I wanted to project, and from that created my own story containing desired facts and messages that I wanted to get across.

In many instances, it is uncanny how modern it sounds, “And where these two facts exist, there shall be another fact above them, that is, there shall be another planet whose reckoning of time shall be longer still”. While, stars and planets had been discovered in 2000 B.C, something just doesn’t sound right about the way it is used.  In another instance Abraham supposedly has a conversation with the lord,” And he said unto me: My son, my son (and his hand was stretched out), behold I will show you all these. And he put his hand upon mine eyes, and I saw those things which his hands had made, which were many; and they multiplied before mine eyes, and I could not see the end thereof”. Knowing Joseph Smith and his supposed connection to the lord, this sounds like another instance where he is trying to make it seem like he has real connections and conversations to further supplement what he wants to get across. Taking a step back, Joseph Smith lived in the 19^th century not 2000 B.C.  That speaks for itself. One more disturbing instance I found was when Abraham says how old he is. “So I, Abraham, departed as the Lord had said unto me, and Lot with me; and I, Abraham, was sixty and two years old when I departed out of Haran”. Chances are, in 2000 B.C, people probably didn’t know how old they were to the exact year. This is another odd instance where the text sounds way to modern to come have come from that time period. To conclude, I did come in with a pre conceived bias as I was looking specifically for instances to point out that the writings didn’t seem as old as they are. However, even if this had not been the case, I still believe it would have been noticeable because of Joseph Smith’s history and actions over the course of his life.

Changed Opinion

I entered into the Mormonism unit with a screwed opinion on the religion, as my only experiences with the Mormon faith have been reading Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer, and being asked for donations in the Salt Lake City Airport. For those of you who have not read the Krakauer book, I highly recommend you check it out, it is very interesting.

Anyways,  from a first time readers perspective, The Book of Mormon may seem like a grueling test to read and not fall asleep, while still trying to understand how the stories translate into an actual legitimate religion. The accounts feature trials in tribulations that are definitely applicable to our lives, and the lives of our ancestors as  I mentioned in my previous blog relating the Gadianton robbers to the Native Americans. However, before Friday, I still failed to really draw what I felt was due from the Book of Mormon, after finishing reading it, I still came off with a bit of a blank, “so what?” thought process.

In class, we watched a moving video about a Jamaican man who through the Book of Mormon became inspired and eventually changed his entire life. After watching, I felt inspired even though it was only a few minutes long. The way he describes his experience with the Book of Mormon, helping him to see god in a new way and recognize his presence, honestly made me want to re-read the Book of Mormon with that idea  in mind.  This may sound wishy washy, but I was actually inspired by his clear and positive message.  

Using the text to not necessarily formulate an opinion but to help provide a new way of noticing gods presence and the effects of his realm of influence was something I had not thought of before watching the video. This sounds absolutely crazy, but I am actually going to re read the book over winter break and see if my opinion changes on the way I perceive this religion, as well as noticing gods prescience and influence in daily life. 

Don’t worry- I’m not converting to Mormonism ,  I just feel as if I owe it some more time and effort to develop and adequate understanding of the religion.

Here is a link to an article on the Jon Krakauer book, Under the Banner of Heaven

Note- somewhat graphic and disturbing, but definitely worth a read

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/03/books/thou-shalt-kill.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

The Struggle: Gadianton Robbers-Native Americans

As an overriding theme we have examined in class is that stories(religious texts) of hardship struggle and death can be related to real life stories and happenings of the same subject matter. The Book of Mormon is no exception.

The experiences of those in the Third Nephi and those who lived in America in the 18^th and 19^th centuries could definitely be related as there are quite a few similarities. Specifically, I came to the conclusion that the threat and problem of the”Gadianton robbers” was quite similar to that of the Native Americans in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

 During this time period, the Native Americans were being pushed off their native lands, challenged for hunting grounds, and heavily discriminated against. As a result, they took to violence as a response to these conditions and exerted a tremendous amount of terror and hardship on the settlers. Similarly in the Nephi account, the Lamphites and Nephites, “were compelled, for the safety of their lives and their women and their children, to take up arms against those Gadianton robbers, yea, and also to maintain their rights, and the privileges of their church and of their worship, and their freedom and their liberty”.

As things escalated, a war started between the two groups. Similar to how the settlers pushed the native Americans from their land and into more remote areas , the Lamphites and Nephites did the same,” the people of Nephi did gain some advantage of the robbers, insomuch that they did drive them back out of their lands into the mountains and into their secret places”. Because of the increasing amount of people, and the increased need for food, the American settlers settlers basically wiped out the food source in the homelands of the native Americans.  The Nephites did the same,” But behold, there were no wild beasts nor game in those lands which had been deserted by the Nephites, and there was no game for the robbers save it were in the wilderness”.

Eventually, just as the settlers did, the Nephites defeat the Gadianton robbers. Praising the lord for his support in their struggle ,” May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in holiness of heart, that they may cause to be felled to the earth all who shall seek to slay them because of power and secret combinations, even as this man hath been felled to the earth”. To conclude, although there are quite a few viable ways to link the Book of Nephi and the lives of the American settlers, I found that the concepts of their struggle with the Gadianton Robbers really stood out and reminded me of the settlers’ early struggles with the Native Americans.

Model Practices

As an avid reader of the ever-entertaining and informative Huffington Post, I came across a great article about the Baha’i that does their faith much due-diligence.

 While examining the people around him, all of the Baha’i faith the writer remarks,” The Russian, Mexican, African, Arab, Israeli, American, European and Australian all found a commonality in their diversity: a belief that we are all bound together by our oneness. This ideal, I thought, would certainly be one way to start doing away with prejudice among nations”. If I were to introduce the Baha’i faith in one quote to someone who had no idea what it was about/how it is practiced, this quote would be quite effective in setting the scaffolding for the basic principles of the Baha’i faith. With the communal belief in desired unity among humans, regardless of class, ethnicity, race or any other boundaries that cause, the base for the Baha’i faith is born.

 Without diving deeper into specific beliefs, the basic principles follow that of a respectful and unified operating system.  Serving humanity on a daily basis the Baha’i are committed to "working hard but giving back harder” and that, “faith tells us that trustworthiness is the foundation of all human virtues”. In my opinion, the Baha’i who act upon their basic principles of desired unity and honest commitment to service are model world citizens. Although I am not personally a Baha’i, I was very impressed with the simple, subtle, yet strong principles which the believers act upon on a daily basis. The commitment within these not only strengthen those who practice the Baha’i faith, but the world and people around them.

 Link to article- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-sobhani/bahai-21st-century-faith_b_1065829.html

Baha'i

Baha’i / Karen Armstrong

The Karen Armstrong video provided some very simplistic and valid points in regards to humans showing compassion to one another. The different perspectives shape the video quite effectively and I really connected with her message.

 I hate to sound too generic here, but with the world the way it is today, tolerance and unity are two essential pieces to productive and civil relationships in the world arena.  Taking a step back, compassion is something we could all use more in our daily lives, no matter what the circumstances.

 The Baha’i ideal of unity definitely can be closely related to the message in the video. In my opinion, the Baha’i faith is quite reflective of Karen Armstrong’s vision of compassion that was projected in the video.  Unity and humanity are two key aspects of the Baha’i teachings. Building off this, things that restrict these aspects such as prejudice and inhumane actions are thought of as a roadblock to unity and acting humanely. As a result, compassion is arguably one of the driving forces behind the Baha’i teaching, as it must be practiced in order for unity and humanistic conditions to exist.  On a person to person level, the emphasis “equality” of human beings regardless of ones beliefs and social standing is also key to achieving unity. Applying this to daily life, these points are essential in acting with compassion on a daily basis, and with the different stories shared over the course of the video, this was exemplified. Looking past ethnicity, skin color, social status, and religious beliefs the Baha’i stance on human co-existence and relationship is quite encouraging, encompassing this with the video, the two were alike and reading between the lines two similar messages could be read