Appendix:Glossary of Rastafari terms

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

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
 * : 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
 * : 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
 * : 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 :

K

 * King Alpha : . See also: Queen Omega
 * King Rasta :

L

 * Lion of Judah : and his royal standard
 * livication : dedication
 * livity : harmony in a natural world and living faith

M

 * : 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

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

Q

 * Queen Omega :, 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, a title of , from +
 * 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