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The Rastafarian movement was new religious movement that was influenced by African Traditional religion and from Judaism and Christianity. They take some beliefs from both religions

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They believe that Haile Selassie I, the emperor of Ethiopia, was a living god who was believed to be the next messiah because of a prophecy spoken by Marcus Garvey.  They also believed that Jesus was black (Rastafarian Beliefs). Selassie was supposed to lead the African people to freedom of the whites

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They believe that black people are superior than whites and that black people are the descendant of Ancient Israel's who have been exiled to Jamaica by the whites. Another beliefs of the rastafarians include that Jamaica is hell while Ethiopia is heaven and some time in the future, black will rule the world (Religion: Rastafari).

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They believe in one god like Judaism. However, that god is slightly different that one found in Christianity and Judaism. They believe that god reveals himself to his devout followers and that god is found within everyone. These beliefs come from the African traditional religion. The see heaven as a earthly idea because they consider Ethiopia heaven while Jews and Christians believe heaven is supernatural idea (Rastafarian Beliefs). They also believe in reincarnation and that life is eternal.

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Rastafarianism was founded in Jamaica in the 1920s and 30s in response to the oppression of minorities by the Jamaican police.

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The religion owes its roots largely to a man named Marcus Garvey, whose prophecy encouraged Jamaicans to "look to Africa for the crowning of a black king".

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Years later in 1930, King Ras Tafari was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia. Many believed that his coronation fulfilled Garvey's prophecy— this marked the earliest beginnings of Rastafarianism.

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Many of the earliest Rastafarian leaders—including Leonard Howell (below)—supported Selassie and saw him as the true black messiah. Howell and several other figures in the Rastafarian movement were later arrested for remaining loyal to Selassie over King George V of Great Britain.

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The 1940s marked a trying time for the early Rastafarians. While civilian relations with the police declined, many followers split into their own Rastafarian groups, each preaching their own unique beliefs.

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Rastafarianism continued on its "downwards spiral" until the late 1960s, when Selassie finally visited Jamaica in 1966. He later opened the Ethiopian town of Shashamane to Rastas on pilgrimage.

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In the mid 1970s, Rastas in Jamaica finally began their own outreach around the Caribbean. This included the first Rastafarian missionary movement in 1975. The religion did succeed in gaining a small following in neighboring islands such as Barbados.

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The message spread by 70s reggae artists such as Bob Marley and Burning Spear also gained traction around the world; they placed Rastafarianism on the map and generated massive appeal for the movement.

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Since peaking in the 70s and 80s, Rastafarianism has continued to grow at an estimated 1,000,000 followers (Rastas) today.

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Reggae is still thriving under the "leadership" of modern Jamaican artists and pioneers. Since the late 20th century expansion of Rastafarianism, reggae has been adapted to many international cultures outside of Jamaica and Ethiopia. Many roots reggae artists, including Damian Marley—Bob Marley's youngest son—continue to reach the top charts today.

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The Rastafarian have a sacred scripture called the Holy Piby and its referred to as the “The Blackman’s Bible”. The Holy Piby is a proto-rastafarian text that was written by Robert Athlyi Rogers. It consists of 4 main books: Athlyi, Aggregation, The Facts of the Apostles, Precaution (Rastafarian Texts). The main beliefs that were expressed was that the ethiopian people were chosen by god, and that black people were descendants of Ancient Israel (Important Book in Rastafarian Theology).

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One of the most intriguing developments in Rastafarianism is the incorporation of Rasta thought into language. Many Rastas have their own take on words in the modern English; some examples of these included the use of "livicated" instead of "dedicated", "igo" rather than "mango", and "Babylon" when referring to the police.

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Interestingly, as Rastafarianism is a very loosely-organized movement, there aren't many specific sites designated for pilgrimage. The few that do fall into this category, however, are Shashamane in Ethiopia and Jamaica, the nation in which Rastafarianism was born and thrived.

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Another text that is highly revered is Kebra Nagast. It is a 14th century Ethiopian epic that follows the solomonic line of kings in Ethiopia. It discussed a Ethiopian king called King Menelik who is revered as one of the greatest kings of Ethiopia. It explain how Ethiopia went from African Traditional Religion to Christianity. It is also beleives that they hid the ark of the covenant in Ethiopia (A Brief History of the Kebra Nagast).

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Today, a majority of Rastas remain concentrated in Jamaica (and Ethiopia, to some extent). The remainder of the Rasta population is scattered throughout the globe in very small concentrations. These Rasta groups, wherever they may be, are collectively known as the "Mansions of Rastafari" (pictured below is the Ethiopian flag—Rastas often wear red yellow and green to celebrate Selassie).

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The rastafarian have couple a symbols representing their movement. They are the Ethiopian flag, the Star of David, and the Lion of Judah. The ethiopian flag was chosen because the rastafarian believe that ethiopia is considered heaven to them. The Star of David and the Lion of Judah are reference to how they believe that they are descendants ancient Israel (Rastafarian Symbols).

Below is the lion of Judah depicted
in Ethiopian colors

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Like any religion, Rastafarianism has its own practices to go along with their beliefs.

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They don’t drink alcohol or eat meat. They avoid artificial food and follow a diet named ital. Ital is a diet that consist of only natural food. It doesn’t contain pork or shellfish because they was biblical command. Coffee and milk are rejected because they are deemed unnatural. As well. They avoid alcohol because they believe it will make you stupid and play into the white leaders. Also it is fermented with chemicals.

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You will usually see Rastafarian wear dreadlocks.  This has many symbolic layers behind it. Firstly, it was a biblical command not to cut your hair. Next, it looks like a lion mane. This represents strength, Ethiopia, and the Lion of Judah. Lastly, it looks and feels natural and simple which represents Africa.

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Rastafarian are extremely famous for their use of Cannabis of Marijuana. The Rastafarians call it ganja, the holy herb, iley, or callie. They believe that god has given this herb to man. Cannabis is used in 2 main rituals: nyabingi and reasoning.  It is additionally used in medicinal purpose to treat colds.

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Reasoning is a ritual that involves cannabis and discussion
(Rastafarian Practices). It begins when one person light the “chalice” or ganja pipe and smokes it. While he or she is lighting it, they say a prayer to god or Halie Selassie.   The others will bow towards him. He then passes on pipe until everyone in the room has smoked. Then they engage in discussion about ethical, social and religious issues.

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Nyabinghi is a nighttime dancing and drumming ritual that attracts many rastafarians.  They usually perform ritualistic dances and sing into early morning. In the day, they perform the ritual of reason while the relax and recuperate from the night’s ritual (Rastafari Ceremonies,Rasta Festivals).  It is usually held on special occasions or holidays and may last couple of days.

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Some of the most important holidays include Groundation day and Ethiopian Christmas.  Groundation day which occurs on April 21st marks the day on which Haile Selassie visited Jamaica in 1966. There is usually a nyabinghi session to celebrate this holiday. Ethiopian Christmas is celebrated on January 7th and there is always a big feast which is typically followed by a nyabinghi dance with a lot of music

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The celebrate 2 birthday, one of Haile Selassie (July 23) and the other one of Marcus Garvey (August 17). Both are honoured by a nyabinghi session. Another important holiday is the crowning of Haile Selassie. It occurs on November 2 and a priest usually reads passages of the bible and initiates in songs to remember Haile Selassie (Religion: Rastafari).