Assessing The Role Of Rastafarians In Contemporary Ethio-Jamaican Relations

The thesis gives details about how culture, Rastafarianism, plays a great role for public diplomacy instrument to improve intercultural communication and cooperation between the peoples of Ethiopia and Jamaica. Actors in world politics have been actively seeking to include culture as an element in the strategy and conduct of foreign policy. Culture has been a means through which they were able to generate attractiveness, catch others’interest and occupy the mind space of actors abroad.The concepts of public and cultural diplomacy are intertwined with the concept of branding or to put it simply brand management. Art and culture are in the forefront ingredients of country image building. The thesis discuss with a case study, Rastafarians role for Ethiopia and Jamaica.In international politics shared culture played an incredible role for becoming a great power and boosting country’s development.the more similar culture we have, the more easy and get interested to make bilateral relations. Recently culture becomes a primary and crucial ingredient for transmitting country’s political ideology and exploring the world too.Rastafarianism is an interesting culture shared by Jamaica and Ethiopia and about to conquer all over the world these days. Those two countries began to connect due to their shared culture established since many years back. Despite their geographical location seems pretty far, but their historic similarity which makes to establish the movement, again made them to keep connected as their path is already cemented by the shared culture of Rastafarians.The Rastafarian movement emerged being a voice for unprivileged, poor and against of colonial powers. The movement specially began by the thought of the then Jamaican black leader, activist, Marcus Garvey, who traveled to many parts of the world to know how the black peoples are harassed and tortured by colonial societies. He established an organization which helped blacks to back to Africa and he was always advocates the beautifulness of African people. He believes as African peoples are strong, brilliant but they need a black leader who can save them from colonial atrocious system. He was looking for an emperor and by the time he prophesied the coming of Emperor Haile Selaasie of Ethiopia to power to save the blacks and to help them for repatriation. Soon latter the emperor got power and the Rastafarian movement officially established by getting their name from the Ethiopian emperor. He was the only emperor of the time who ruled an independent country. During his time the emperor moves the country forward in economic development, peace and unity building. He was also the reason for the establishment of Organization of Africa Unity, now African Union, and took an incredible part for the independence of African countries. He still named as ’father of Africa’ by considering his effort in making Africa the most proud nation than before and in making them to wipe out the oppressive colonial powers.In their early age, they were harassed and arrested by the British colonial powers but latter they got accepted by majority of Jamaican people. Rastafarians played a crucial role for Jamaican independence. During the elections of1972-1980Rastafarians became more popular than before, since the leaders were using their cultural practices for their election process and to get more supporters. But there is no any individual as best as Bob Marley who proudly invented Rastafarians to the remaining world. His songs are still powerful and still heard and mix by world famous artists. He is considered as Rastafarian ambassador and officially named as a national hero for Ethiopians. Rastafarian cultures are becoming popular, fashionable and peace lover. Among the many cultures, wearing dreadlocks and smoking ganja are the most prominent ones in which the world have ever known. Reggae music also took its part in keeping the Rastafarian ideology, culture and telling what was happening from their side to the young Rasta generation. Reggae symbolized as a hymen for Rastafarian followers and funs.Emperor Haile Selassie visited their homeland, Jamaica, and welcomed by thousands of followers who have heard their messiah, son of David, is coming. That was a significant, important, memorable and incredible date which started to bring the two countries together. The emperor promised to gave them a land in Ethiopia, Shashemene, and the repatriation to Promised Land started since then.After those repatriates began to live in Ethiopia, they are helping the country for enduring economic development and cultural diversity; plenty of businesses are undertaken by Jamaican Rastafarians and many nongovernmental organizations are still working in seeing them back to Promised Land.The Jamaican government had an embassy in Ethiopia till1992but latter due to economic problems they shifted it to honorary consulate. Recently Rastafarians are asking the Jamaican government to open an embassy in Ethiopia since lots of Jamaicans are coming to Promised Land every time. Nowadays both governments are showing interests for new business, cultural and other political motive agreements. This a little indicates how Rastafarians get influenced the governments.The role of Rastafarians for contemporary ethio Jamaican relation also discussed in this thesis. In analyzing the case governmental, sociaetal and individual level of analysis are applied. In governmental level, the thesis gives brief descriptions on the two governments view towards Rastafarians. Even thought the two countries diplomatic relation began since many years back, but there was not that much fruitful political relation happened between them in the last decades. Nonetheless recently, due to the Rastafarian influence, there are interests for the new relation from the two governments. Despite the fact Rastafarians were treated as poor and minority group in Jamaica in the past decades, but recently they got accepted by the government and the Jamaican government is about to decriminalize the smoking of ganja for Rastafarians. The government is also trying to inscribe their unique culture in world heritages lists of UNESCO. This a little shows how Rastafarians got influenced the Jamaican government and people of the world. From societal level, plenty of organizations are working in promoting Rastafarians, Jamaicans and Ethiopians to other world. There are also renowned individual influentials that are entitled to promote Rastafarians which again help the two countries to revise their relationship.Based on their contemporary relation, future developmental relations are also suggested in this thesis. As Rastafarians become a world deal recently, the two countries better used their culture to influence other countries, soft power. The Rastafarians future also discussed in this thesis which rests on young generations. Rastafarians established plethora of institutions responsible for preaching peace, love and unity, Rastafarian culture and practices which helps to endure Rastafarian thoughts.