Rastafarians in Cuba
Quote of note:
As a cultural phenomenon, she adds, Rastafarianism is caught up in an ongoing process of 'Cubanisation'. According to the researcher, there are three manifestations of the movement in Cuba: the religious rastas, the philosophical rastas, and the rastas who are making a fashion statement.
Not THAT much different than here.
Socialism's Rastas
Dalia Acosta
HAVANA, Apr 10 (IPS) - Long dreadlocks stuffed into trademark red, black, green and yellow tams (knitted caps), which sometimes carry a symbol of an Afro-Cuban religion or even a U.S. flag, Bob Marley t-shirts and camouflage pants -- that is the typical look of Cuba's young Rastafarians, a growing urban presence.
The rastas of this socialist island nation are mainly found in Havana and tend to be young Afro-Cuban men from poor neighbourhoods, who seem to carry reggae music in their blood.
''People don't look on us kindly,'' Yosvany Reyes, a 27-year-old craftsman, told IPS. ''In Cuba people don't know very much about what being a Rastafarian means. They generally think we're dirty drug addicts or bums who just wander around the streets not doing anything.''
''They think we're like rock 'n rollers or rappers, people who just have a different look or have adopted different cultural codes. But being a Rastafarian is a way of thinking, a philosophy, another way of looking at life,'' he said.
Reyes can be seen just about every afternoon chatting with his girlfriend and three or four ''brothers'' on a bench in Parque Central, a busy park in Old Havana. He defines himself as a ''pure Rastafarian'', but says not all of the local rastas are like that.
''It's true that evil can be found in many people. There are young people who adopt the Rastafarian symbols as a way to make a living. They know that young black men who look like us are a great attraction for the tourists,'' he said.
Reyes complained that these ''false'' Rastafarians, who he said are often involved in prostitution and drug -- including cocaine -- rackets, are responsible for society's distorted image of the movement.
