THE ROLE OF RASTAFARI YOUTH IN THIS TIME

THE ROLE OF RASTAFARI YOUTH IN THIS TIME, LOOKING BACK AT THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE ANCIENTS PLAYED AS YOUTH IN THE MOVEMENT. WHAT DID THEY GET UP AND HOW HAVE WE CONINUED THEIR WORKS (if at all?). 22 PROPOSALS.

Rastafari movement and consciousness has been developed and kept alive from that time until this time by the courageous militant Black Youths who form the core of the movement. These are the youths who stood up against the colonial forces and free themselves from spiritual and physical bondage, a condition which we were forced to it by European colonial forces through colonialism and enslavement of Afrikan people.

This strength and power was within Qadamawi Haile Selassie I who show great wisdom at an early age, a rear quality which lead Him to take responsibility of being a governor at the age of 14 in Harar. Through HIM we can really see the role of youthfulness in the development of Rastafari consciousness. Leonard Howell (Gong guru Maragh) who is known as the first Man to declare the divinity of Qadamawi Haile Selassie I, who went to Ethiopia to witness the coronation of His Majesty on 2nd November 1930 in Ethiopia, coming all the way from Jamaica, was only 32 years at that time. It is no doubt that the youth were and are still the key in the development of the concept and livity.

Rastafari consciousness has been the most appealing to the young blood who accepted the truth about the divinity of the Ethiopian Kings and Queens, filling the ranks of the movement immediately after the coronation of Qadamawi Haile Selassie I and Empress Mennen Asfaw. Hence the first Rastafari adherents who followed after Howell, were also young African blood warriors. Rastafari community of The Pinnacle in Jamaica was also an establishment which attracted young Africans who were willing to abandon the colonial society, rebelling against the colonial establishment to build a self-reliant and self-sufficient Afrikan centred community.

The Youth Black Faith which formed nucleus of the Nyahbingi Order in Jamaica was one of the important organized structure by the Youth within Rastafari, which elevated Rastafari and uphold the warrior tradition within the movement. Rastafari elders like Elder Bongo Watto, Bongo Dinermite, Bongo Floyd, Bongo Tyme to name just a few, were among the youth in the 40’s and 50’s who were part of the Youth Black Faith, became the militant Revolutionary Order of Nyahbingi following in the ancient Afrikan warrior tradition of Nyabinghi which was under the leadership of Qadamawi Haile Selassie that time.

It is clear to me that it was the youth who kept and uphold the mission of Rastafari vision during the early days in development of Rastafari culture. Even here in Azania and everywhere in the continent, youths are the drivers and keepers of Rastafari consciousness and culture, as it manifest in all colonial societies where elders are more tolerant and afraid of the white colonial system. The youth maintained and sustained the anticolonial stance with no fear of the colonial and neo colonial establishment which was, against anyone who rebel against their machinery. I have no doubt in my mind that if the youth never took the responsibility of organising Rastafari, we wouldn’t be here with our heads high, declaring with the confidence of the divinity of Qadamawi Haile Sellassie I and Empress Menen I.
This brings I to the importance of the responsibilities of the Youth within Rastafari. As Youths of Rastafari this time, we a faced with different reality within Rastafari. We have our own challenges which are not the same with the ones that were once faced by Rastafari youths of the 40’s and 50’s.
The movement has grown to a level where we can no longer, classify it as a youth movement because now we have Elders within the livity, who are the custodians of Rastafari tradition and culture, something which require a different approach than the one of the youth during the rise of Rastafari. There are also changes socially, economically and politically universally which forces everyone to be in line and in tune with the conditions of the day.

The Social forces which were driving and influencing the consciousness of Rastafari are still with us to this day. Africa is still controlled by the same Arab and European colonial imperialist vampiric forces who are hell-bent to destroy us, continuing their greediness and blood sucking of Afrikan people, profiting in our destruction, though we have new Black managers who protect the interest of their masters. The current environment forces us to continue sounding the trumpet against colonialism, neo colonialism and any form of exploitation by a man to another man. Black people are still fighting to reclaim and retain Mama Africa, which is still in the hands of the white man. Our brothers and sisters in the foreign lands are still crying, agitating for repatriation of African people who were taken away from Afrika by white enslavers by force. Within Afrika we are also struggling and fighting to get control of the continent which still suffer from the same exploitation after 500 years of colonisation of Africa by Europeans and Arabs.

As Rastafari youth in this time here in Azania and in the whole continent of Africa, we have a responsibility to liberate the minds and our land from colonial and neo colonial rule, which put us in servitude. The liberation of Afrika is central and critical to the thinking of Rastafari, as we only have Afrika to build the strong and lasting foundation for Afrikan people universally. The repatriation of Afrikan people back to Afrika will only be a dream up until Afrikans Liberate Afrika and establish an Afrikan centred Pan Afrikan government to serve the collective interests of Afrikan People. It is then that we’ll be able to have a government who will listen to our African collective interest and to our demands as African People.
The first priority must be the liberation of Azania and Afrika from this settler neo colonialism which perpetuate the exploitation of Afrikan natural and human resources This is where the youth must focus this time so to realise our aspirations as Rastafari and as Afrikan people. We need our land for our advancement socially, economically and spiritually, to maintain our collective existence, and also to give us security.
For us to achieve this goal of total liberation for the restoration of Afrika, the youth must dirty themselves and be part of the revolutionary force that seeks to overthrow white colonial domination here in Azania and elsewhere. Rastafari is not a fence sitter, who glorify laziness, ignorance and irresponsibility. We cannot sit behind and allow ourselves to be at the back of this revolutionary train. Rastafari must be at the forefront of Afrikan Struggle as a leader of a revolution. We cannot allow other people to do it for us, without our involvement and participation in the cause. Rastafari youths must set an example in every field of life and advance the struggle to its final conclusion. Rastafari has been involved in the struggle against colonialism from its inception, as HIS Majesty lead other Afrikans and form the Organisation of African Unity, in Addis Ababa 1963 for the liberation of Afrika and Afrikan people. Rastafari Sons and Dawtas Grenada saw the need and importance of struggling with the people against the injustices perpetuated by the white man, when they took part in the revolution against colonial imperialism and exploitation of Afrikan people in Grenada.

Our Programmes must be clear to all, we can’t be beggars and squatters in our own Land. We must put an end to this colonial madness that kept us in bondage for over 500 years. If we ignore this reality and run away from our responsibility, we’ll be no better to the traitors and sell outs who sold our land, gold, diamond, platinum, uranium, iron, forest, rivers and other resources to de beers, oppeinheimer, rockerfellers, anglo American, rino tinto of this world who still continue to use our people in their thiefing and robbing of Afrikan resource. We must learn from the works of HIS Majesty on how to deal with the imperialist vampires like he did to the fascists beasts Mussolini the devil.
As the youths we must rise up from the dust and take the lead, as this will bring the lasting peace and progress within our Afrikan family. So long as our Afrikan resources are foreign controlled, we won’t be able to advance and fulfil our goal and attain the envisioned self. The role of the youth will always be critical as we constitute a power which can bring change by virtue our strength, versatile and youthfulness.
History has thought I that the real revolutions all over the world were driven and lead by Youth leaders. For example, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Muammar Ghaddafi of Libya, Thomas Sankara of Burkina faso to name just a few.
Many of the great African revolutionaries who were killed by white supremacists within the Black world like Biko, Marley, Sankara, Malcom X, Frantz Fanon, Walter Rodney and many others were killed at the young age but with immense contribution in the struggle for total liberation of Africa.
Essentially Rastafari is not about locks, ganja and Ital food. Rastafari is the total commitment to one’s responsibilities as a man, and as an African. We must be responsible people, who always shows commitment to our Afrikan people with the aim to free our family from the white man colonial bondage. Let us be agents of positive change and allow ourselves to be the servants of Afrikan people, subjecting our individual interest to the one of the collective. Afrika awaits its creators. Hotep! Rastafari!

THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN THE LIBERATION STRUGGLES IN AZANIA. JUNE 16

A true evaluation of history proves that invaders and conquerors never spread civilization. Invaders and conquerors spread their way of life in order to control the people they conquer. John H. Clarke

The concept of Pan Africanism is the best method of resolving African problems and of further strengthening African independence and unity.” HIM Selassie 1

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the commemoration of June 16 Soweto Massacre Day when the white settler illegal European regime of apartheid killed and murdered hundreds of Black school children, who were protesting against the use of Dutch (Afrikaans) as medium of instruction in Black township schools in Soweto and surrounding areas, and also against domination and exploitation of Black People by Europeans. It was the colonial injustices that were perpetuated by the white European racists, and the rise of Black Power Movement which was a response to white power domination that aroused the Minds of Black youths in the seventies. This was a bold and courageous move by the youth of Azania who were inspired by Black Consciousness and Pan Afrikanist philosophy which was advocated by the likes of Mangaliso Sobukwe, Zephaniah Mothopeng, Bantu Biko, Ongkopotse Tiro and many others from the Azanian movement. The incident changed the whole political climate in Azania, and the world become more aware about the Black Condition in Azania.

The Azanian youth of the seventies really proved to all, of the importance of the involvement of the young blood in the struggle to liberate Black men, women and children from the hands of the wicked white man. Young Black warriors like Tsietsi Mashinini, Khotso Seatlholo who were student leaders barely reached the age of twenty that time, yet they managed to challenge and confront the white power structure with no fear at all, showing a high level political awareness and consciousness. What happened in Soweto was a symbol of sacrifice, selflessness and self-determination by Black Youths of that generation, virtues which are needed among the youth of today, who are victims of euro Americanisation in the name of globalisation.

There cannot be a revolution in Azania and anywhere in the world without the involvement of the fresh blood which embodies the future of its nation, and will carry the load for the elders, becoming the engine of movement, for the realisation of our collective Afrikan aspirations. The youth are the pride, drivers of the nations. Without the participation and involvement of the youth in the struggle and advancement of Afrika, we are bound to fail in our endeavours to liberate Azania from the hands of white European settlers who still exploit our natural and human resources for the benefit of white world.
History teaches us that, it was after the formation of the ANCYL in the forties under the leadership of Mzwake Lembede, which brought militancy, agency and vibrancy, with a clear radical programme of action within the ANC, being inspired by the works of Marcus Garvey’s UNIA, and the victory of the Ethiopians under the leadership of Qadamawi Haile Selasie I against the Italian fascists of moussolini. The exemplary life and works of Mangaliso Sobukwe, Mzwakhe Lembede, Bantu Biko, Ongkopotse Tiro, Marcus Garvey, Assata Shakur, Malcom X, Che Guevera, Walter Rodney, Angela Davis, Frantz Fanon, Thomas Sankara, Amilcar Cabral and many Black warriors who at the young age carried the responsibility to liberate Afrika and Afrikan people from white supremacy.These Black warriors affirms the crucial and critical role of the youth in nation building and in the fight against white domination. They were actively involved with the struggle and commanded respect from the elderly, some went to an extent of leading the movement, like Biko who was the President of the Black People’s Convention. Many of them lost their lives and others were imprisoned at the young age, sacrificing their lives for the liberation of Afrika.
As the youth of Afrika in this day and age, let us learn from the past and to those who trod before us, as we are still confronted with the same social, economic and political forces of white supremacy which are hell-bent and eager to destroy our Afrikan nation. The Black youths must be aware of the machinations of imperialism and settler neo colonialism here in Azania and in the Black World, so to be empowered to advance the struggle for total liberation of Afrika. Here in Azania we are witnessing the distortion and falsification of our Black story by the new managers of south afrikkka, with the purpose of falsifying our Afrikan Consciousness, for them to perpetuate and maintain the exploitation of Afrika by their European masters. They have changed the June 16 Commemoration Day to be a day of celebration, undermining and disrespecting the Black life that was lost at the hands of the wicked whiteman. I urge the Black sons and dawtas of Azania to keep the memory of those martyrs alive by continue to commemorate the June 16 Soweto Massacre Day in an Afrikan WAY to honour and respect our Brothas and Sistahs.

We are responsible for our future, so let us create it now. Let us use the month of june to bring Black awareness among our people especially the young ones who are bombarded by euro American version of life, which perpetuate carelessness and foolishness among the people. The youth must start to help and build their own communities, leading our people out of darkness, backwardness, ignorance, illetracy, hunger, poverty, diseases and exploitation by European invaders. We must defend and advance Afrika and the aspirations of Afrikan people here at home and abroad. The involvement of the youth in the Afrikan Liberation struggle, especially the Afrikan Centred brothas and sistahs, who are conscious of their Afrikan Blackness and grounded in Afrikan Spirituality is highly important.

“Pan Africa and not EuroAfrica should be our watchword and the guide to our policies. There is no time to waste. The longer we wait the stronger will be the hold on Africa of neo-colonialism and imperialism. Only a united Africa under a Union Government can cure us… can redeem our past glory…” Kwame Osagyefu Nkrumah (1965)

Azanian revolutionary movement needs youths who are of Biko, Tiro, Lembede’s calibre to take the revolution to its final conclusion. Azania is still under white European settler domination like yesterday, hence the need for young warriors to liberate the land and restore Afrika to its ancient glory. No one must underestimate the power that we are wielding in our own Black hands. I urge and encourage the Black youth of Azania to keep the legacy of Soweto martyrs, by building the movement of Biko and Sobukwe and involved ourselves with the anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, anti- capitalist movement for the liberation of Afrika and humanity. So long as our Minds, Land and all our natural resources are controlled by anglo American, de beers and other European gangstars to build Europe and America at our detriment, our cause and struggle against European colonisation of our Afrika will always be justified. Let us rise up and take the stand as warriors of old who never bow and dance to the tune of white supremacy. Afrika awaits its creators. Total liberation is a MUST.

PAC'S FAILURE

I'm of the view that PAC compromise and made a blunder that will continue destroying the movement from within and outside when we took part, collaborating with the enemy in this settler neo colonial project of ANC and NP. The only solution is to advance the struggle for the liberation of Azania outside the confines of white supremacy. This is the time also to venerate those sons and dawta who opposed the involvement of the Azanian forces in this white south afrikkkan project, who were willing to continue with the fight againts white supremacy, but were demoralised and forced to abandoned their position. The history has proven that they were right in the analysis of the Azania reality. We must also learn from Hamas of palestine which won elections democratically but was and still not recognised by the white and whitewashed world including israel. We'll only get Black Power in Azania only by force through arm struggle not otherwise. Izwe Lethu!

CHURCHIANITY IS STILL THE ENEMY OF THE AZANIAN REVOLUTION

In Azania the white supremacists colonizers have managed to use religion, especially churchianity to tame us, and made Afrikan people to see a white man as a god, the indestructible being which supposed to be respected regardless of what they have done to Afrika and Afrikan people in the last 500 years of european instigated and created genocide againts Black people. Euro colonial churchianity was and is still used as a weapon by the enemy to manipulate us, killing our Afrikanness within, thus creating an anti Afrikan mind which perpetuate foolishness in the name of christianity. No wonder that anglican church represented by their local agent desmond tutu, was instrumental in the construction the so called rainbow nation, an illusion which mantains and sustains white supremacy.

The 911 Documents: OSAMA BIN LADEN (TIM OSMAN)

The 911 Documents: OSAMA BIN LADEN (TIM OSMAN)