Rasta Big Up in Zimbabwe

http://allafrica.com/stories/200611010460.html

Zimbabwe: Rastafarians to Mark Selassie's Coronation

The Herald (Harare)

November 1, 2006
Posted to the web November 1, 2006

Sifelani Tsiko
Harare

THE Rastafari community in Zimbabwe will from today celebrate the 76th anniversary of Haile Selassie's coronation at Madzimbahwe Rastafari House on the outskirts of Glen Norah, a few kilometres west of the capital.

Ras Ancient Amos, the vice chairman of the National Rastafari Council of Zimbabwe, told The Herald that the Rastafari followers would gather at the hills for three days and three nights to celebrate the coronation of Selassie.

"This is one of the most sacred days on the Rastafari calendar," he said.

"We are celebrating the coronation of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I which was made on November 2 1930. It's a great day for us and we are inviting all the Rastafari community to come."

Ras Amos said the main houses of the Nybinghi Order, which will be represented, were the Chaminuka Rastafari House of Chitungwiza, Mwenemutapa Rastafari House (Kwekwe), Khami Army Rastafari House (Bulawayo) and the host, the Madzimbahwe Rastafari House.

During the festivities to mark the coronation of Selassie, there will be reasonings (teachings of Selassie and from the Bible), chanting and praises and an annual meeting to elect new leaders of the local chapter of the Rastafari sect.

Selassie is said to be a descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba and is widely regarded as the messiah of the Rastafarian faith.

He is also revered as the Conquering Lion of Judah, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

The name Rastafari is taken from Ras Tafari which was Selassie's name when he was a young prince.

After his coronation as king, he became known as Haile Selassie which means the Power of the Trinity.

In 1936, Selassie was forced to flee Ethiopia after the invasion by Italian troops but he regained his throne in 1941 when his troops, with the support of the British army, repulsed the Italians.

He was one of the founding fathers of the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, in May 1963.

Selassie was deposed in a military coup led by a Marxist army officer Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1974 and died under mysterious circumstances in 1975.

His remains were re-intered in 2000.

Emperor Selassie's importance to the Rastafarians stems from their belief that he was a messiah, an African king sent to lead his people to their destiny.