Rastistas

Rastistas refers to female adherents of the Rastafari movement. The Rastafari faith, originating in Jamaica in the 1930s, is a spiritual movement that reveres Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as a divine figure and a messiah. Rastafari women, like their male counterparts, embrace a distinct lifestyle, philosophy, and spiritual practice.

Rastistas often wear their hair in dreadlocks, which are seen as a spiritual and physical symbol of their faith and commitment to the Nazirite vow, a biblical practice. They also adhere to a naturalistic lifestyle, which can include a vegetarian or Ital diet, emphasizing natural, unprocessed foods and avoiding pork, shellfish, and alcohol. Rastafari women may also wear colorful clothing, often in the colors of the Ethiopian flag: red, gold, and green, which hold symbolic meaning within the movement. Red symbolizes the blood of martyrs, gold represents wealth and the riches of Africa, and green signifies the lushness and hope of Africa.

The spiritual beliefs of Rastistas center around the concept of Jah, the divine presence. They believe in the eventual repatriation to Africa, seen as their spiritual homeland. Rastafari women play a significant role in the community, often involved in raising children, maintaining households, and contributing to the spiritual and cultural life of the movement. They share in the core tenets of Rastafari, including peace, love, unity, and resistance against oppression and Babylon, the oppressive system of Western society.