REPATRIATION
Most Rastafarians look forward to returning to Ethiopia/Africa
which is nothing new among African descended people outside of
Africa. in fact this was so from day one of the slave trade and
many have gone back as individuals or in groups. The African
state of Liberia was formed by groups of ex-slaves with the help
of whites.
The most notable efforts at repatriation were organized by a mass
organization called the U.N.I.A. under the leadership of Marcus
Garvey. Garvey and the UNIA wanted to setup a genuine Black state
in Africa and managed to send equipment and large numbers of men
and women, but their efforts were blocked by collaboration
between the American government and Liberian officials who feared
the organization's potential powers. 'the claim by Rastafarians
to their "own vine and figtree" is found in:
Isaiah 11:12
And it shall come to pass in that day1 that the Lord shall set
his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his
people which shall be left from Assyria and from Egypt and from Pathnos
and from Cush and from Elam and from Shinar and from Hamath and
from the islands of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations and shall assemble
the outcasts of Israel and gather together the dispersed of Judah
from the four corners of the earth,
Ezekiel 36:24 I will take you from among the heathens, and gather
you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land.
Isaih 43:6 I will say to the north, give up, and to the south,
keep not back, bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the
ends of the earth.
Isaih 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee. I will bring thy seed
from the east, and gather thee from the west.
Some Rastas maintain the view that on the abolition of slavery in
the British Caribbean in 1838, Victoria allocated 14.5 million
pounds from 20 million pounds compensation paid to the planters.
This sum they claim was for Repatriation of the freed slaves, but
it has not been honored and should thers think that Repatriation
would only come active organization and have made repre-ion to
various governments in Jamaica and Afollected names and
petitioned the United Nations There is also the belief that like
the children of they would be led to their homeland by a Black
Some brethren, mostly older ones, claimed that Garvey had said
that Repatriation would be in 1960 or thereabout. So strong was
the feeling that there were two Rastafarian conventions in the
late 1950's where at the end, migration to Africa was to take
place. This never happened but thousands of people attended and
many sold their possessions on both occasions expecting to leave.
In the early 1960's when an unofficial government of Jamaica
mission left to go to Black African States to deal with the
question of Repatriation, they met with a favorable response in
Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Ethiopia. prior to this, in 1948
Emperor Haile Sellassie had offered over 600 acres of land in
Shashemani, Ethiopia to Africans in the West. This was offered
after the invasion, especially to those who had supported the
Emperon and several Blacks took up the offer
Repatriation has been made difficult for Rastas by the mere fact
that they do not form a government and the process always has to
be attempted through a third party. other than this those who
possess skills and professions can go through the normal
channels. It must be noted however, that the notion of
Repatriation is different from Reparation which African-Americans
seek for their labor that they built America with, but is similar
in that it seeks to put writings right.