... Studies gain ground at UWI

Involvement in a ground-breaking study of and reporting on Rastafari is one thing; designing and offering courses on Rastafari to students is another.

On the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus' website, 'The Culture of Rastafari' is listed at Level II (second year), and 'Rastafari in the Global Context' at Level III, both offered through the Institute of Caribbean Studies.

Dr Jalani Niaah says, "In 2000, we designed a course called The Culture of Rastafari, a multi-disciplinary course that introduced students to the history, politics, searching of Rastafari, gave them a trip to a Nyahbinghi."

It gave the students a first-hand experience of a Jamaican religion and way of knowing an alternative to what they were predominantly exposed to.

But although there is an interest in teaching students the alternative techniques and methods that Rastafari offers, it is not an attempt at indoctrination. Niaah says: "We are not trying to make people Rasta, but we are trying to show methodologies that are available through Rastafari."

'Rastafari in the Global Context' was added subsequently, speaking to the international reach of the religion in the UK and US, as well as indigenous Rastafari communities in places like Chile and South Africa.

In some places, Rastafari has sprung up independently, as opposed to being transplanted by Rastafarians from other countries.

At Level II, 'Introduction to Caribbean Folk Philosophy' gives students a view of original ways of knowing coming out of the Caribbean and draws on the non-scribal tradition, including proverbs.

A research course has been offered only twice and there are thoughts of redesigning the 'Modern Ethiopianism' course, which has not been put on the table.

Niaah points out that the courses are well subscribed, even though some other students are not able to see through the titles and see the courses as philosophy and anthropological methodology. "But we have had some breakthroughs," he says.

And Niaah says the country is well-suited to the studies, as "Jamaica gives us a body of available reference on a range of issues."

- M.C.