Entry Question
How can we relate the song “Marcus Garvey” by Burning Spear to Safiya Sinclair’s memoir?
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair
Safiya Sinclair weaves complex interconnected themes, including nature, colonial exploitation, anticolonial resistance, and the interplay of patriarchy and liberation within the Reggae cultural movement. Her memoir invites readers to grapple with contradictions and consider the realities of life within a Rastafarian family in postcolonial Jamaica.
Historical Context
Rastafarianism, originating in Jamaica in the 1930s, is a spiritual and cultural movement deeply rooted in anticolonial resistance and the reclamation of Afro-descendant identity, history, and knowledge. It arose from the socio-political struggles of Black Jamaicans under British colonial rule and is influenced by Marcus Garvey’s teachings, particularly his prophecy of an African king who would liberate Black people from oppression. The coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia in 1930 was seen by early Rastafarians as the fulfillment of Garvey’s vision, establishing Ethiopia as a sacred homeland and Selassie as a divine figure.
Rastafarians faced significant persecution in Jamaica and across the Caribbean during the mid-20th century. Authorities often criminalized their practices, viewing their critiques of colonialism and Christianity as subversive. The movement’s association with the working class and marginalized communities further fueled stigmatization.
Spiritual Framework
Rastafarianism’s spiritual framework blends Christian teachings, particularly Old Testament themes, with African cultural and ecological consciousness. This fusion reflects a rejection of “Babylon,” a term used to denote the colonial and capitalist systems that perpetuate oppression and materialism. Rastafarians advocate for a return to a more natural way of life, emphasizing self-sufficiency, communal living, and a deep respect for the earth. Ritual practices often include the use of ganja (marijuana) as a sacrament, vegetarian or ‘ital’ dietary principles, and the centrality of reggae music as a vehicle for spiritual and political expression.
Gender Notions
The movement also encompasses patriarchal structures that position women in subordinate roles, expecting them to serve men and uphold traditional gender norms. Women are encouraged to avoid the perceived corrupting influences of “Babylon” modernization, such as Western-style dress and lifestyles. This gender dynamic has been criticized, even among some within the movement.
Legacy
Rastafarianism has endured and evolved, becoming a global symbol of resistance, spiritual liberation, and Afro-diasporic pride. Its influence is particularly notable in music through the works of artists like Bob Marley, who popularized Rastafarian ideals and brought attention to its call for justice, unity, and freedom.
Presentation(s):
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In-Class Written Reflection
Option One
Elaborate on this quote, focusing on how the tourist industry displaced local communities, closing access to the coastline and sea livelihoods.
“Every year, Black Jamaicans owned less and less of the coastline that bejewelled our island to the outside world, all our beauty bought up by rich hoteliers, or sold off to foreigners by the descendants of white enslavers who earned their fortunes on our backs, and who still own enough of Jamaica today to continue to turn a profit.”
Option Two
Discuss the decline and commodification of the reggae movement and how that might have ignited Sinclair’s father’s resentment over “Babylon.”
“By 1989, when we lived at White House, reggae’s promise of cultural revolution and freedom for Black people had waned. Bob Marley had been dead almost a decade, Selassie dead for almost 15 years, and the Rastafari movement had gone back to the fringes of society, with most reggae musicians relegated to performing cabaret shows at the new palatial resorts devouring our northern coastline. Reggae’s original mission of anticolonial rebellion and spreading the message of Rastafari had been defanged.”
Option Three
Analyze the following quote considering, Sinclair’s examination of Rastafarianism patriarchal dogma.
“Years later, while cloistered in the countryside and aching for my birthplace by the sea, I would come to understand. There was more than one way to be lost, more than one way to be saved. While my mother had saved me from the waves and gave me breath, my father tried to save me only by suffocation – with ever-increasing strictures, with incense-smoke. With fire. Both had wanted better for me, but only one of them would protect me in the end.”
Conclusion
In this excerpt from the memoir How to Say Babylon, poet Safiya Sinclair reflects on her upbringing in a coastal Jamaican town, where her deep connection to the ocean and nature shaped her early perceptions of the world. She conveys the profound influence of her environment while also critiquing the forces that disrupt and exploit it.
Sinclair delves into the impact of Jamaica’s tourism industry, framing it as a neocolonial enterprise that has systematically stripped Jamaicans of their land, cultural autonomy, and access to the ocean. She argues that the commodification of Jamaica’s natural beauty for foreign consumption perpetuates colonial hierarchies, disenfranchising local communities and eroding their relationship with the land and sea.
The memoir also introduces the concept of Babylon, a central tenet in Rastafarian ideology, which Sinclair defines from an anticolonial perspective. For Rastafarians, Babylon represents the oppressive structures of Western colonialism, slavery, capitalism, and systemic injustice that seek to control and dehumanize. Sinclair skillfully examines this worldview while offering nuanced insights into how it informed her upbringing.
At the same time, Sinclair critically engages with the gender politics within Rastafarianism. She exposes how patriarchal norms are embedded in the movement, highlighting the expectations placed on Rasta women to remain silent, submissive, and obedient to men. This examination reveals the intersection of anticolonial resistance and gendered oppression, complicating the narrative of Rastafarianism as solely a liberatory philosophy.
Central to Sinclair’s narrative is the figure of her father, whose dogmatic interpretation of Rastafarianism casts a shadow over her family life. She portrays him as both a passionate believer in Rastafarian ideals and an authoritarian patriarch whose rigid worldview imposed an oppressive lifestyle on the women in the household. Sinclair explores how his strict adherence to the Rastafarian doctrine not only isolated their family from secular Jamaican society but also stifled her sense of freedom and individuality, leaving a lasting impact on her identity and worldview.
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