DRAFT Universal Hair Exemption Letter TO: United ... - RasTa Ites

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Caribbean identity and Afro-centric values that strengthened the impulse for African liberation on both sides of the Atlantic, while serving as a positive force for Africa globally." [Note: an integral and most visible part of the African identity is the wearing of locks ala various tribes in Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, etc] 7. Rastafari leaders were among approximately 100 leaders from Faithbased Organisations (FBOs) across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) that participated in Champions for Change II: Regional Conference of FBOs, in Georgetown, Guyana on November 22-23. 2005. 8. Rastafari will be represented at the Global Dialogue of Faiths: Religion, the Slave Trade, and the case for African Reparations in Bridgetown, Barbados, August 27, 28, & 29, 2007 II. Rastafari people around the world are known for their wearing of the Covenant of Locks. Many Elders and most brethren and sistren of the Rastafari faith refer to Biblical scripture such as Numbers 6:5 and Leviticus 19:17. "All the days of their Nazarite vow no razor shall come upon the head; until the time is complete for which they separate themselves to the Lord, they shall be Holy; they shall let the Locks of the head grow long." Numbers 6:5 "You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard." Leviticus 19:27 1. Beginning with field studies on the Rastafari movement in 1953 by Professor George Eaton Simpson of Oberlin College, Ohio, U.S.A. under the sponsorship of the Institute of Social and Economic Research, U.C.W.I., all subsequent literature and scholarship on Rastafari has repeated Simpson’s statement that: “From the earliest days, many Ras Tafari brethren had worn beards and let their hair grow, because of Ezekiel 5 and other Scriptures. . . . Numbers 6:I,ii, v provides the Biblical basis for this practice. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: ‘Speak unto the children of Israel and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow the vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord…all the days if the vow of the separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.” According to informants, the men of Dreadlocks first began to appear in Kingston round about 1947.” ." 2. Some Rastafari brethren wear their locks as part of an Ethiopian tradition of monasticism whose adherents are called “Bhatawi”. This tradition is pre-Biblical and is depicted on “Narmer’s Palette”, an ancient
artifact that is dated to approximately 3200 B.C. These graduates of the “Mystery School System” were prophets and counselors to Ethiopian Kings and Egyptian Pharaohs. 3. Still other Rastafari brethren and sistren wear their locks after making personal vows of “livity” - a sacred promise to live a natural, moral and spiritually balanced way of life. This way of life is often referred to as “Ital” and recognizes spirituality in all creation. Thus, Rastafari vow to live naturally in the way that the Almighty Creator designed. Hence, the body is naturally programmed to grow long hair and adherence to the Ital way of life requires the growing of locks. 4. Rastafari has made the wearing of locks so popular that today locks are worn by people of all races and faiths, even for a fashion. 5. THE REPORT ON THE RAS TAFARI MOVEMENT IN KINGS<strong>TO</strong>N, JAMAICAby M. G. Smith , Roy Augier. And Rex Nettleford for the INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH 1960, concludes: “Those Ras Tafarians who advertise themselves by wearing beards or the dreadlocks are shunned by the general public. They have difficulty in obtaining work. In every part of the world, including Africa, people who insist on looking different form their fellow men tend to be persecuted by their fellow men. This is not a justification for persecution. The Public should learn to recognize that religious people have a right to wear their hair long if they wish to do so. The general public believes in a stereotype Ras Tafarian, who wears a beard, avoids work, steals, smokes ganja, and is liable to sudden violence. This type exists, but it is a minority. The real danger is that if all Ras Tafarians are treated as if they are like this, more and more will become extremists. What strikes the investigator, on the contrary, is how deeply religious the brethren are. Our meetings with them began and ended with the recitation of psalms and the singing of hymns, and were punctuated by frequent interludes of religious observance. A movement which is so deeply religious need not become a menace to society. . . . [and] they should leave innocent Ras Tafari brethren alone; stop cutting off their hair, stop moving them on, stop arresting them on minor pretexts, and stop beating them up. Violence breeds violence. 6. IN RE CHIKWECHE 1995 (4) SA 284 (ZC) ZIMBABWE SUPREME COURT GUBBAAY CH. McNALLY JA and EBRAHIM JA says, "This Court was furnished with the affidavit of Professor Horace Campbell, a Rastafrian scholar and author of several books and articles on the Rastafari movement. One of his books, Rasta and Resistance: From Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney, was also made available. It repays study. Professor Campbell maintains that the wearing of dreadlocks is a symbolic expression of the Rastafari movement, which embraces the cultural, philosophical and religious aspirations of the African peoples in general and, in particular, the African peoples of the diaspora. . . . . Professor Campbell proceeds to recount that in time the wearing of locks gave rise to the idea of dreadlocks. This was an affirmation that the hair of the African was as good as any other hair. The concept of 'Natty Dread' became part of the
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Page 13 and 14: Table of Male Hair Law Cases Prefac
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Page 31: 9th Circuit Khalsa v. Weinberger, 7

DRAFT Universal Hair Exemption Letter TO: United ... - RasTa Ites

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