nonRastafari

NonRastafari is a label used in some sociological, ethnographic, and cultural discussions to refer to people who do not identify with or belong to the Rastafari movement. It is not an official designation or doctrine, but a descriptive term that appears in analyses of religious and cultural plurality in Jamaica and among Caribbean diaspora communities.

The Rastafari movement emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s and centers on beliefs about Jah (God), Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, repatriation, and a distinctive lifestyle that includes aspects such as dreadlocks, ital living, and reggae-influenced spirituality. Within this context, nonRastafari serves to distinguish those who align with Rastafari from other religious or secular groups present in the same societies, including Christians, Muslims, practitioners of Afro-Caribbean religions, and those with secular or alternative worldviews.

Usage of the term varies and is not tied to a single belief system. In academic writing, journalism, and popular discourse, nonRastafari can refer to any person who does not identify as Rastafari, as well as to communities, spaces, or cultural scenes where Rastafari influences are compared with or contrasted against other traditions. The label often reflects social, religious, and cultural boundaries rather than a fixed creed.

Critics argue that labeling individuals as nonRastafari can oversimplify complex identities or reinforce oppositional binaries. Some scholars and community members advocate for more nuanced descriptions that acknowledge overlap, convergence, and mutual influence between Rastafari and broader Jamaican and diasporic cultures.

See also: Rastafari movement, Jah, Haile Selassie I, dreadlocks, Ethiopianism.