Proof of the Ancestral Homeland of the Jamaican People in Ethiopia.

I’ve always known deep in my heart Jamaica and Ethiopia had a greater connection than just our love and honor of Our Majesty,  Emperor Haile Selassie I, Empress Menen and the land of Kush, known as Ethiopia.   Born in Jamaica, I always heard that our ancestors were from Ethiopia, but I had no facts to prove because many elders had long since passed.   I was introduced to the Ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Faith at a young age and was baptised and received a new name, a holy name, an Amharic Name.   Today, over 70 members of our Jamaican family members are Ethiopian Tewahido baptized members.

Pictured: Ethiopian Bahatawi (Hermit Monk/Priest)

While doing research I came across an ancient map of Jamaica that showed the original name for the nations capital of Kingston was once called Kings Town, and before that, it was called the Parish of St. David!  Then I realized Jamaica is actually 144,000 square miles and our elders taught that this little island rose out of the ocean as a mystery and even in Jamaica, it’s said that seven rivers from The Motherland (Africa) actually meets there.   Jamaica, like Ethiopia, has many churches.  As a matter of fact, Jamaica made the Guiness Book of World Record as having the most churches in the world per ca-pita.  Again, I noticed that Jamaica has 14 parishes reminiscent to the 14 Anaphoras (Holy Books of the Ethiopian Church Liturgy) and each Parish is named after a Saint.

An Ancient Map of Jamaica where the City of Kingston was called The Parish of St. David

The biggest tell tale sign is the insignia, the Imperial Flag of Ethiopia with The Lion of Judah, having a triple crown with a cross on top, carrying a scepter with a cross on top of it.   The Imperial flag of Ethiopia is always mistaken worldwide for the flag of Jamaica.   Jamaica is the only nation on earth known to represent this flag to such heights, especially in the RasTafari community.   After His Imperial Majesty was deposed in 1974, Ethiopia removed this ancient standard and opted to replace the lion with a purple pentagram, represented by the Dergs and now communists.  I was led to an interesting find, written by an Ethiopian National himself and I would like to share this post with you in hopes the Truth shines forth and we can real-eyes (realize) that WE ARE ETHIOPIANS and not just Jamaicans, all of Africa was once called Ethiopia.  Google it!   The Children of the world were born in her, however, Jamaica(ns) have a strong link, an actual bloodline of this ancient land of God.

Please share your research and profound finding with us and we will publish it with the world.  We are indeed waking up and with the information age, you cannot hide the truth under a bushel.  Once again, I implore everyone to do your OWN research and find the truth for yourself!

Love always,

Sis. Fan’aye (Tsege Mariam) SunLight-Selassie
Founder, RasTafari.TV

The Ethiopians

Ethiopian National (Pan-African) Anthem

The following excerpt is taken from the reference book:

Kings of Yesterday Ethiopia by A.M Belay
Gragn Ahmed by T/Tsadik Mekuria

Jama is one of the Woredas (Provinces) in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.  Part of the Debub Wollo Zone, Jama is bordered on the southeast by the Qechene River which separates it from the Semien Shewa Zone, on the west by Kelala, on the north by Legahida, and on the northeast by Were Ilu.  Towns in Jama include Degolo and Shul Afaf.

The region is located in Wollo Province with an old city called Wereilu near Menz. The land is very prosperous to produce all kinds of crops,  specially wheat, tef, several items of beaks, peas and more.

Before the half of the 16th century A.D., the region of Jamma-Wereilu was densely populated by purely Christian people with many Bete-Krystian (House of Christian) buildings but unfortunately when Ethiopia was invaded by Somalia chieftains and the Turkish Ottoman Empire and some governments of the Arab world.  The target of the invader was not to govern the country (Ethiopia) as a nation, but in order to destroy (Annihilate Christianity and all its  followers from the horn of east Africa). This aims and objectives were ethic cleansing. When the Ethiopia central government with its Emperor Libne Dengel moved from the central part of the country, namely, Shoa, to the mountainous province in the north called Gonder, the Christian people at Jamma-Wereilu were crucially exposed to the invasion.

The warriors slaughtered more than 80,000 Christian people of Jamma without any resistance.  All the Bete-Krystians along with their books and all other ecclesiastical objects and all public houses were burnt down to the ground with fire.  Only 20,000 Christians from Jamma were captured alive by Gragn Ahmed the savage warrior, and he sold them all to one of the Arab countries, namely, Iraq with its capital city, Baghdad and Iraq sold them to the colonialists who occupied North America as their own home land.  So for a long time those Christian Victims from Jamma were serving the colonialists as slaves along with other million of Africans.

But since the people of Jamma had Ethiopian precious and patriotic blood, they could not have more patience to bear such slavery to serve the colonialist forever and ever.  Many opposition party members were able to resist the colonialists.  I think one of the powerful patriotic liberators might be Marcus Garvey  and His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I also was in favor of their movement to liberate themselves from such infamous slavery.   After much struggle, they were successful to gain their freedom.

Where the liberators were successful to establish their own government possessing the largest island in the Caribbean countries, they called its  name “Jamaica” after Jamma their real ancestral homeland in Ethiopia, Wollo province, and they also called themselves Jamaican people which means originaly the people of Jamma Wereilu.

“In the month of August 1991, I my self was in Jamaica to attend a meeting for 12 days when I arrived in the airport, by seeing the Jamaican people, I was surprised, because I supposed that I had been among my own native people of Jamma.  All their beauty with various or mixed color, brown, red or black etc and the structure of their body was the same to the Ethiopia.” Mekibib Atnaw (Megabe Aelaf)

Really still, it is the same praise the Lord Egziabher of our father and mothers .  We give thanks to King Haile Selassie I and Marcus Garvey.  All of you, Jamaican people are our brothers and sisters in Eyasus Kristos, son of Egziabbler.  We love and honor you for ever more. Please come again and again to Ethiopia your ancestral Home land yesterday, today and forever
Amen!

Emena Bet Ha Tsion’s Recent Speech to the Jamaica people

The Following is More Evidence and
Words of Our Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I
regarding this subject

Jamaicans of Ethiopian Origin and the Rastafarian Faith

Today in Ethiopia and throughout the world there are many misconceptions regarding the Rastafarian faith. These misconceptions or distortions may have been brought about by some who are not Rastafarians, but merely dreads or imitators and by the enemies of Ethiopia who wish to keep the people from understanding the truth about our faith. Centuries ago over 100 million Africans were kidnapped from their native home and enslaved by European and Arab slave traders.  Although most of these Africans were stolen or sold from West Africa, it is important to note that slaves were taken from as far as Mt. Kenya in East Africa.

In 1961 (Western calendar) when a delegation of Jamaicans visited Ethiopia, they were told by the late Abuna Basillos that the people were taken from Ethiopia and brought to the Western world centuries ago. When His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I visited jamaica in 1966, he told us that “Ethiopians and Jamaicans have a relationship going back for a very long time,” and that “Jamaicans and Ethiopians were brothers by blood.”  Furthermore, during the time of the Emperor Lalibela there was a great war, and many supporters of the Solomonic Dynasty were exiled.  Some reached the Caribbean. Our forefathers have left us history from the 18th Century A.D. of their support for the Royal House of Solomon. This spirit and tradition has survived to the present time. Therefore, we believe that our heritage has it’s roots in the union of the Royal House of Solomon and Sheba and even beyond that point.

ETHIOPIANISM

During the African’s enslavement, the Europeans made vicious attemps to destroy our language and religion. We were told that the land of our forefathers was a land of savages and uncivilized people, and that we were taken from Africa to become Christians and be civilized by the so-called superior white man. This brainwashing process was done to break our foreparents’ spirit and to make them humble and willing slaves.  They also claimed to be teaching our people about the bible.When a few of our forefathers learned and began to read in English they took up the Holy Bible and read it for themselves.  And behold, in the very first book of Genesis, Chapter 2 vs. 13 they read that out of the garden of Eden there flowed a river which separated into four parts. One of these was the river Gihon which flowed over the land of Ethiopia. Our fathers wisely concluded that Ethiopia must logically be part of the Garden of Eden, the cradle of mankind.  How then could we be inferior to whites when man originated in our country? It must be noted that slaves were not permitted to read, and therefore they had to secretly read the Bible.

Being inspired and enlightened, our forefathers read on and came upon a story of Moses and his marriage to an Ethiopian woman,(see Num.ch12). Aaron and Miriam,(Moses’ brother and sister) were upset and spoke against Moses’ marriage because his wife was an Ethiopian. Jahovah punished and afflicted Miriam with leprosy for criticizing Moses.  Moses pleaded with Jahovah to forgive them, and Miriam was cured.

His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica part 1

The Bible described a land to our forefathers that resembled the land of their fathers, and the Bible customs, names and stories sounded all too familiar. In the Psalms of David ch 68 vs. 31 they read that Princes and Princesses would come out of Egypt(Africa), and that Ethiopia would soon stretch her hands unto God. This gave our fathers hope because they knew they were once Princes in Africa and were now sure that God would deliver them. In the book of Amos, ch9 vs7, they read how the children of Israel were likened unto the children of Ethiopia by God. Also in the book of Acts of the Apostles, chapter 8, they read how the Apostle Phillip baptized the Ethiopian Jew (Eunuch/Official) who was on his way to Jerusalem to worship. These constant references to Ethiopia inspired African people to form their own churches and to give their churches Ethiopian names. For example in southern Africa and in the Caribbean there emerged over 200 independent African churches with Ethiopian names. The Ethiopian Zion Church, the Ethiopian Baptist Church, the Ethiopian Methodist Church and the Abbyssinia Coptic Church are just a few names adopted by our forefathers to identify with Ethiopia.  As literacy in the English language increased among Africans in the late 19th century, brilliant scholars of Ethiopian history emerged. Such names as Casely Hayford, Edward Blyden and Marcus Mosiah Garvey are to be noted for their contributions. They provided other historical materials written by Greek historians, who referred to all Africa as Ethiopia, not only the present day geographical boundaries.

Our Majesty Kisses the Meskel/Cross of Abune Yesehaq

These scholors found that the Greeks spoke of Ethiopia as “the land where the Gods loved to be” and of Ethiopians as the “blameless race.” They provided other literature that showed that civilization “came down the River Nile, ” from Ethiopia to Egypt and then to Greece and then to Rome.” These revelations about Ethiopia came at a time when all other African people, inside and outside of Africa were under White rule. Only Ethiopia had never been conquered by the white man. Ethiopia was the torchbearer of freedom and the bastion of African independence and pride.More inspiring events took place in 1896 when Italy’s army was utterly defeated by the armies of Emperor Menenlik II on Ethiopian soil. This news managed to leak out to Africans under colonial rule. There was great rejoicing by Africans everywhere, and the hope of freedom was rekindled.

His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visits Jamaica part 2

The RASTAFARIANS

It was out of this rich and fertile tradition of love for Ethiopians that the Rastafarian faith was born. In 1930 news came of the crowning of an Ethiopian King. This was not merely another King being crowned. This King was crowned His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Elect of God, Light of this World, King of Zion. This King was reported as being the 225th restorer of the Solomonic Dynasty. It was also reported that the coronation of Haile selassie I was attended by many nations, including the Duke of Gloucester, the representative of the Brittish Crown who returned the Emperor the sacred sceptor stolen from Ethiopia many years before.African Christian people now began asking many questions. The throne that Haile Selassie I represented was the oldest throne on earth, over 3,000 years old. The throne of the Royal House of Britain, the colonial sovereign of Jamaica was less than 500 years old. It was not only that African people saw that they had an African King exceeding all over colonial sovereigns in royal status and antiquity, but that this King’s throne represented the throne of God on earth, established by a covenant between God and King David as recorded in the Old Testament (IISam ch7).

Our people earnestly searched the scriptures and the prophecies concerning this throne in Ethiopia. In the book of Genesis ch 49 verse 18-12, they read that God had promised the custodianship of His kingdom of the Tribe of Judah. Moreover, God had made an eternal promise to King David and King Solomon, that their throne and Dynasy would endure as long as the moon and the sun, and that David would never be short of a manchild to sit on his throne(see pslams 89). It must also be emphasized that the kings of this dynasty were not only the kings of Ethiopia, but the kings of the whole earth;representing the justice and judgement of God in human affairs (see Psalms 72).

When God’s people sinned He told them that He would punish them by famine, pestilence and the sword, and he would scatter them to the four corners of the earth. They would be ruled by a foreign power and be servants to other nations. But when they returned to God with all their hearts He would rise up one from the family of David and Solomon who would regather His people back into their own land, (see Ezekiel 37, Isaiah 43, Jerm. 23, and 33). Then God promised that by the seed of David, the Tribe of Judah, He would set up His promised Kingdom on earth, which would be a light to the world. His people would be returned to their land and no more would they suffer.H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I, born July 23, (the beginning of the astrological sign of the Lion), by the dignity of His stature, the discipline of His character, and eyes that reflect a sense of purpose and mission, was seen by Bible students as the promised Messiah from the House of Judah.  His titles fit the only man on earth “worthy to open the the book and to loose the seven seals” of Revelation Chapter 5.  Known before his Coronation as Ras Tafari, our people who saw him as the long awaited Messiah, began calling themselves by his name, Rastafarians. To the Rastafarians, this King was the one promised from the House of David, who would regather them from their lands of captivity and bring them again into their own land.

THE ORIGINAL CHRISTIAN FAITH

I would like to stress a very important point to my Ethiopian brothers and sisters. The belief that the throne of Ethiopia was given by God is part of your own history and tradition. This history of Solomon’s and Sheba’s son Menelik I, the bringing of the Ark of the Covenant to Axum and the 12,000 sons of Israel’s nobles and high priests who returned to Ethiopia with Menelik, was a great historical significance to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and gave legitimacy to government.  Before Iyesus Christ and His disciples (except John) were murdered, Christ’s gospel was about His Father’s Kingdom.  This was the promised Kingdom of God to be set up by David’s seed.  This was the key message for which Iyesus and all of the prophets were martyred. Was it not the clergy in the time of Iyesus Chist who had sold out to Rome not to preach to the people about the Davidic Covenant and settle for semi-autonomy and a life of comfort? Because of the popularity of Iyesus Christ, who taught the people as the prophets did about His promised Kingdom, the puppet Jewish Clergy informed Rome that Iyesus said that He was the promised King of the Jews.

Iyesus was arrested and charged with sedition against Rome.  For many years the early Christian Church was persecuted because of their belief in Iyesus Christ’s message, ie:God’s coming Kingdom on earth. Soon most churches left out this teaching in their sermons. It was seen as political propaganda because it suggested an alternative government of righteousness and truth. Only the Ethiopian Churcj preserved this teaching until the invasion by Rome in 1936.  These different invasions were attempts to be continued… to destroy the seed of David (as Herod attempted to do at the birth of Iyesus) and to take possesionof the Ark of the Covenant, sacred manuscripts and documents of Ethiopia. Then as they planned, this promise of a Kingdom of God to our people, would be put away forever,(see Psalms 2). So what Ras-tafarians are really representing is what the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church and the early Christians once stood for.

WHAT RASTAFARIANS BELIEVE

We believe as the Bible teaches that God is a spirit. However, this spirit manifested in and represented by our King H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I, who the nations of Babylon have conspired against, (see Psalms 2). This spirit of God, through the grace of Iyesus Christ also lives in the hearts of all believers. There is no other name by which man receives salvation but through the name and belief in Iyesus Christ.  Iyesus Christ was a direct descendant of King David. This family of King David is represented today by the Ethiopian Solomonic Dynasty bearing Ethiopian and Shemetic physical characteristics.  Any artistic representation of Iyesus Christ should therefore logically bear similar physical characteristics of living family members descended from this Royal House.

We therefore reject Michaelangelo’s painting representing Jesus and Mary with blonde hair and blue eyes. This misrepresentation of the racial characteristics of Jesus and Mary by European artist (which also defies geography) is significant in that it can affect the national pride and self confidence of Ethiopians (all Africans). Why should we be denied of this joy and dignity in accepting the reality that Iyesus and Mary were people that looked like us.

The psychological damage to Africans in perpetuating the myth of the past and coming white redeemer may be that of seeking outside of their own kith and kin for a solution of their condition.We believe ourselves to be the original Lost Tribes of Israel that were once scattered, but now found because of the preservation and appearing of Judah, David’s seed, in the person of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Sealssie I.  We will be returned to Ethiopia by God’s will and power.  In concluding, it is hoped that this attempt to throw some light on the faith of Rastafarians will not have been in vain. I hope it will encourage Ethiopians to examine and study their rich history and culture and make a careful study of the bible.

Ethiopia yesterday, today and FORIVER!

Source: Visit Website: Bro. P. Napti is a Rastafarian and resides in Washington D.C.  This article was printed in Feb/March 1995 in “Caribbean Lifestyles” magazine. I found it on the internet that site does not exist anymore.