Jamaican Slang EditorialTHE Blog for Jamaican Slang, Patois, Reggae, Rastafari, Real T’ing dem and Jamaica

Swine Flu has taken the world by storm over the past few weeks and it seems like the chaos is winding down, but for Rastas there was never anything to worry about. Rastas lead a Ital (derived from Vital) lifestyle. 

Ital is a term used by Rastas, derived from “vital”, which means a natural  and healthy way of life. One of the main aspects of the ital lifestyle is the ital food. Ital food focuses on purity because the body is a temple and should not be polluted with impure substances. Also, it is important to take  care of your body out of respect for yourself and the most high. An Ital Diet is largely vegan, but some rastas do eat fish. Salt is still an item of debate, but PORK is definitely prohibited as are preservatives and chemical ingredients. All ingredients in food must be as natural as possible.

Pork is the lowest form of food possible for Rastas and many other faiths around the world. Pork is the worst of all meats to eat since harmful parasites, which are always in pork remain alive even after incredibly high temperatures. Pigs are also scavenger animals.

I remember watching my grandfather feed his pigs and how they would eat almost anything. Rastas and many other religions are on to something. Stay swine flu free by staying away from that pork.

Happy 4/20 people. Today is the Ganja smokers holiday! So if you see a bunch of people in a circle and all of a sudden a cloud of smoke comes out, you know the deal. Well, since it is a holiday based around the use of Ganja, I thought it would be ideal to hit you with a “likkle” quiz as it relates to Ganja (Cannabis aka Marijuana) in Jamaica and Rastafari. Hopefully, you didn’t smoke before taking this quiz or maybe hopefully you did. So, sit back, grab your lighters…and take this quiz!

1) Ganja is legal in Jamaica and everyone walks around smoking spliffs.  (True/False)

2) When Columbus “discovered” Jamaica in 1494, he found the Arawak Indians harvesting large fields of Ganja. (True/False)

3) Rastas were the first people to smoke Ganja as part of their culture. (True/False)

4) All Rastas smoke Ganja and drink alcohol casually. (True/False)

5) Rastas believe that Ganja was the plant found on King Solomon’s grave. (True/False)

6) Bob Marley smoked Ganja. (True/False)

7) Rastas were the first Jamaicans to use/smoke Ganja. (True/False)

Okay, so I hope that wasn’t too difficult. Since nobody cheated, we are going to go through the answers.

1) False - Ganja is illegal in Jamaica.

2) False - Although, nobody is certain about who brough Ganja to Jamaica, the early English settlers in Jamaica and the United States of America were fond of using Ganja for medicinal purposes and to create clothes.

3) False - The Ancient Hindus of Nepal and India were the most famous smokers of Cannabis in the ancient world. In fact, the word Ganja comes from ancient Sanskrit.

4) False -  A devote rasta will smoke ganja, but will never drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes.

5) True - Rastas believe that marijuana was the special herb found on King Solomon’s grave. This is an instrumental part of Ganja in the Rasta believe.

6) True - Bob Marley certainly smoked Ganja.

7) False - Before the rastafari movement in the 1930s, other Jamaicans used Ganja for medicinal purposes, for teas, and for special blends with tobacco. Once the rasta movement gained strength, the usage of ganja went to a “higher level.”

Well, I hope you enjoyed this quiz as much as you enjoyed your holiday…pass this post around. Bless.

Here’s some Collie Buddz to celebrate 4/20!

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Wow! I just finished watching “Runaway Slave” and it was the truth…”natural ting”. This is the kind of documentary that students of Jamaican Culture, Jamaican Slang and Rastafari MUST watch. It is especially insightful for those wanting to understand the relationship between Africa and Jamaica. If you do not know, Repatriation is a very important word to rastas. Basically it means returning to the homeland or in this case, Africa/Ethiopia. Interestingly enough, the documentary starts of in Botswana,Southern Africa. Jesse Jendah (Congo Jesse) travels from Southern Africa to Bobo Hill in St. Thomas, Jamaica, showing the various living conditions of Rastafarians. The documentary provides a window into the ghettos of Cape Town, the cosmopolitan Market Street in Botswana, and Bobo Shanti in Jamaica.

What is really powerful about this documentary is the strength that Rastafari has around the world. It truly is amazing that people in Botswana are maintaining the same way of life as those in Jamaica. There really isn’t a ton of dialogue during the South Africa portion of the film, but there are some great shots of how people are living in Cape Town and other towns. The real heat comes when Congo Jesse makes it to Bobo Hill in St. Thomas, Jamaica.

For starters, the Jamaican Slang was taken to a different extreme! If you get a chance to watch any portion of this documentary, this is the part to watch. You hear plenty of Jamaican Slang/Patois and Rasta Lingo, overstand? Jesse interviews two Bobo Shanti priests about rasta in their lives and the state of African people around the world. Their feedback is consistent with the teachings of Rastafari, but the story of Priest Harold is the most interesting one. Before finding Rastafari, he was a “Badman” (Gangster). He cites Rastafari as his salvation. I really do not want to spoil the film, but I highly recommend this film. I plan to do a more thorough review of the documentary soon.

Until then…Blessed Love

Yah! Merry Christmas everyone. No, I am not late. Rastafarians celebrate Christmas on January 7th as opposed to the Christian celebration on December 25th. Whilst Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, Rastas celebrate his life and works.

Looks like very soon, the Bible will be translated into Jamaican Patois and we will be able to celebrate holidays by reading the Holy Book in Jamaican Slang! Bless