Since William Gibson includes a Rastafarian Enclave and a theological compass in <i>Neuromancer</i>, this can be used to examine the troublesome natures of the two Artificial Intelligences, Wintermute and Neuromancer. The Rastafarian's beliefs and interpretations of Babylon and Zion, the oppressors and the liberated, add political significance to the Tessier-Ashpool's and their enslaved Artificial Intelligences. Since the Artificial Intelligences are both created of Babylon the Tessier-Ashpools and also wanting to be free of them, they are something outside of both. In the Artificial Intelligences, then, Gibson collapses the straightforward dichotomy of Babylon and Zion.

Since William Gibson includes a Rastafarian Enclave and a theological compass in <i>Neuromancer</i>, this can be used to examine the troublesome natures of the two Artificial Intelligences, Wintermute and Neuromancer. The Rastafarian's beliefs and interpretations of Babylon and Zion, the oppressors and the liberated, add political significance to the Tessier-Ashpool's and their enslaved Artificial Intelligences. Since the Artificial Intelligences are both created of Babylon the Tessier-Ashpools and also wanting to be free of them, they are something outside of both. In the Artificial Intelligences, then, Gibson collapses the straightforward dichotomy of Babylon and Zion.

The purpose of this research project has been to shed light on the experiences of Black women in Afrocentric groups' Nation of Gods and Earths, the Black Panther Party, and Rastafarians' that operated on the fringes of society during the 1960s through the early 2000s. This work articulates the gender dynamics between the men and women of the groups. In it, I trace the history of Black nationalism and identity in the United States in the late 19th century to the 20th century which set the framework for the formation of the Nation of Gods and Earths (NGE), the Black Panther Party(BPP), and Rastafarianism and its members to see themselves as a part of the Black nation or community and the women of these groups to see their identity tied in with the goals and desires of the group not as one set on individualistic ambitions. The Africana womanist did not see herself as an individual but rather a vital part of the entire Black community. From a feminist perspective, it would appear as though the women of these Afrocentric fringe groups were marginalized and oppressed by the men but this perspective fails to give credence to the fact that Rasta women, Earths—the female members of the NGE—and women Panthers saw race and racism as a more pressing issue than that of sexism. That is not to say that women in these groups did not question or challenge some of the sexist actions of their male counterparts. When there was a challenge it was done so in a way that reminded the men of the tenets of their respective group and their responsibility to uphold those principles; principles that required the men to consider the women as equally valuable in the cause of the group and deserving of just treatment. While adhering to a gender order that afforded the male members a more visible position, the women of this study did not view their positions as mothers, wives, and sister members as a hindrance to their own personal joy or freedom. In fact, using an Africana womanist point of view, they would argue that it was in the best interest of the entire Rasta, NGE, or BPP and by extension, the Black community for them to own their statuses as a form of empowerment. For it was through their wombs and nurturing that the next generation would be born, through their providing a stable home that would allow their husbands to focus their attentions on the issues concerning their communities outward and through their role as supportive "sisters" encouraging the men that the community could advance socially. / Master of Arts

Opposed to the repressive socio-economic political climate that resulted in the impoverishment of masses of Jamaicans, the Jamaican Rastafarians developed a language to resist societal oppression. This study examines that language--Dread Talk--as resistive language. Having determined that the other variations spoken in their community--Standard Jamaican English and Jamaican Creole--were inadequate to express their dispossessed circumstances, the Rastafarians forged an identity through their language that represents a resistant philosophy, music and religion. This resistance not only articulates their socio-political state, but also commands global attention. This study scrutinizes the lexical, phonological, and syntactical structures of the poetic music discourse of Dread Talk, the conscious deliberate fashioning of a language that purposefully expresses resistance to the political and social ideology of their native land, Jamaica.

This thesis is an ethnography of Rastafari childhood in the former Cape Province, South Africa, through the eyes of both parents and children. If children are a ‘muted group’, then what are the identity formation implications for “double-muted” groups, the children of ethnic minorities whose voices are not heard? Rasta parents’ experience of the struggle, ie. the opposition to apartheid, has shaped the Rastafari chant of ‘equal rights’ and ‘justice’ into a distinctly South African form of protest and resistance. Their childhood experiences have resulted in a desire to provide a better life for their children, using Rastafari as a vehicle. This is expressed in a continuation of the struggle that was started during apartheid, in the Rasta ideology children grow up learning. The Rasta child has become a contested body in this struggle. The South African Government, through policy, has a mandate to protect the child, and legislature exists to do so in accordance with international law. However, as child-raising differs phenomenally from culture to culture, these goals on the part of the State start infringing upon the rights and freedoms of minorities to raise their children according to their own cultural goals. This study examines the tension between Rastafari and government with regards to child raising, specifically looking at the following main points of contestation: public health, public schools and policy/legislation; in order to examine how Rasta children negotiate their identity in the face of these conflicting messages and struggles. Their identity can be influenced by three main groups, the Rasta family they grow up in; school; and multi-media. What these children choose to accept or reject in their worldview is moderated by their own agency. This study shows that this tension results in a new generation of Rastafari children, who are strongly grounded in an identity as Rastafari and take pride in this identity. It also illustrates how Rastafari are impacting on and changing government policy through resistance. Their successes in challenging the state on the grounds of multiculturalism and religious freedom, has helped in the attainment of a sense of dignity.

Text in English Summary in English, Tshivenda and Setswana / Rastafari (this term is preferred to Rastafarianism) is known as a movement which originated in Jamaica and has since spread throughout the world. The movement has attracted much attention from the public and media worldwide because of reggae music. This study set out to investigate the lived experiences of Rastafari women of Tshwane. The purpose of the study was to describe their experiences regarding their roles, duties and responsibilities. It paid particular attention to the behavioural patterns of women within what is often regarded as a patriarchal order. The study was qualitative in nature and made use of various data gathering techniques such as life histories, focus groups, semi-structured and unstructured in-depth interviews, observations and field notes. My findings are, firstly, that Rastafari pays very scant attention to women. Secondly, in contemporary times some practices enforced by their holy books feel oppressive. Lastly, the lived experience reveal that Rastafari as a culture changes with time and women influence the movement. / Rasiṱafari tshi ḓivhea sa tshigwada tshine vhubvo hatsho ha vha ngei Jamaica zwino tsho phaḓalala na ḽifhasi ḽoṱhe. Tshigwada tsho kunga vhunzhi ha zwitshavha na nyanḓadzamafhungo ḽifhasini ḽoṱhe nga nṱhani ha muzika wa rigei. Ngudo iyi yo dzudzanyelwa u ṱoḓisisa nga ha vhutshilo ha tshigwada tsho tsikeledzwaho tsha vhafumakadzi vha Rasiṱafari vho no wanala Tshwane. Ndivho ya ngudo iyi ndi u ṱalusa tshenzhemo yavho zwi tshi ya kha mishumo na vhuḓifhinduleli havho. Yo sedzesa kha kutshilele kwa vhafumakadzi kha sisiṱeme ya matshilisano hune vhanna vha dzhiwa sa vhone vhalanguli. Ngudo yo lavhelesa nga maanḓa kha u ṱanḓavhudza vhuvha ha tshithu ho shumiswa thekhiniki dzo fhambanaho dza u kuvhanganya data u fana na ḓivhazwakale dza vhutshilo, zwigwada zwo sedzeswaho khazwo, na inthaviyu dzine mbudziso dza vha dzo thoma dza dzudzanywa na inthaviyu ine mbudziso dza vha dzi songo dzudzanywa, kuvhonele na mafhungo e a kuvhanganywa kha vhupo. Mawanwa anga ndi, zwa u thoma, Rasiṱafari i sedzesa zwiṱuku kha vhafumakadzi. Zwa vhuvhili, zwazwino maitele ane a tevhedzwa nga maṅwalo makhethwa a pfala a tshi tsikeledza. Zwa u fhedzisela, vhutshilo ha tshigwada tsho tsikeledzwaho vhu dzumbulula uri mvelele ya Rasiṱafari ine vhadzulapo vha Afrika vha shela mulenzhe khayo I khou shushedzwa nga mvelele ya mashango a vhukovhela, i ne ya kunga na u ṱanganedzwa nga vhafumakadzi. Zwenezwo, Rasiṱafari sa tshigwada tsha mvusuludzo a yo ngo ima fhethu huthihi fhedzi i khou shanduka na tshifhinga. / Rastafari e itsege jaaka mokgatlho o o tlholegileng kwa Jamaica, mme go tloga foo wa anamela mo lefatsheng lotlhe. Mokgatlho o o nnile le kgogedi e kgolo mo bathong le bobegakgang lefatshe ka bophara ka ntlha ya mmino wa reggae. Patlisiso eno e ikaeletse go sekaseka maitemogelo a a tshedilweng ke basadi ba kwa Tshwane ba Rastafari. Maikemisetso a patlisiso ke go tlhalosa maitemogelo a bona mabapi le seabe, ditiro le maikarabelo a bona. E etse tlhoko thata mekgwa ya maitsholo ya basadi mo go se gantsi se kaiwang e le thulaganyo e e bayang banna kwa godimo. Patlisiso e ne e le e e lebeletseng go tlhaloganya mabaka le megopolo (qualitative) mme e dirisitse mekgwa e e farologaneng ya go kokoanya tshedimosetso go tshwana le hisetori ya botshelo, ditlhopha tsa puisano (focus groups), dipotsolotso tse di rulaganeng fela di sa tsepama (semi-structured interviews) le dipotsolotso tse di sa rulaganang tse di tsenelelang ko botennye jwa kgang, go ela tlhoko mmogo le dintlha tse di kwadilweng mo tsamaong ya patlisiso. Diphitlhelelo tsa me ke gore, sa ntlha, Rastafari e tsaya basadi tsia go se kae fela. Sa bobedi, mo dinakong tsa ga jaana, ditiro dingwe tse di laelwang ke dibuka tsa bona tse di boitshepo di utlwala di gatelela. Sa bofelo, maitemogelo a senola gore setso sa Rastafari se mo go sona Bantsho ba nang le seabe, se tshosediwa ke setso sa bophirima se se nang le kgogedi, mme se amogelwa ke basadi. Ka jalo, Rastafari jaaka mokgatlho wa tsosoloso, ga e a tsepama, mme e fetoga le dinako. / Anthropology and Archaeology / M.A. (Anthropology)