Dreadlocks in Religion?!

First, I find is extremely interesting that we are writing about how the village in the video participates in the system of symbols we see in our book, but the Rastas would oppose their religion as a system of symbols, and more as a way of life.

In the video, you didn’t really see it all that much, however, they mention dreadlocks. At first I never would have thought dreadlocks to be connected to be a religious symbol. In our book, it states that dreadlocks function as a mystical link between those who believe in Rastafari and Jah, or the “earth-force.”  The dreadlocks are to symbolize the doom that Babylon will eventually face. I find it interesting that there is such a religious context behind a simple hairstyle.There are many reasons why dreadlocks could have possibly came to the world, however, according the Rastafari it symbolizes their belief to naturalness. 

While, the video does not directly mention dreadlocks, they mention wrapping the dread locks in a turban, which is worn like a crown. The video recognizes the turban as a crown, and a way to develop a closer connection with the Lord, and connecting them back to the Holy land of Ethiopia. The video mentions that the turban is a distinct and ancient dressing from Ethiopia. I find it a little bit shocking that in our book it says that the HYBF grew their locks as a direct attack on the social norms concerning grooming, and that they knew people would consider them antisocial. However, from this video and the wrapping of the dreadlocks in an ancient dressing that connects back to the holy land, it seems like they were not really concerned with people connected with actual people, but more of their relationship with Jah.