E2 - Arabs Have Oil, Americans Have Timber, Our Wealth Is Ganja
Touching down in Kingston, Jamaica, on a warm 1972 night, the twenty-something-year-old Alan encounters a world foreign to him. Making his way to Brother Louv’s Rasta Camp, Alan is met with the revelation that his arrival was expected. Believing this is a great adventure, Alan decides to stay and learn more about this fledgling movement - the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church.
Despite sickness, police raids and even deportation, he finds himself enthralled. The longer he stays, the more his thinking changes. Brother Niah Keith - the Jamaican leader of the Church - explains that their mission, inspired by the prophecies of Marcus Garvey, is to build a Black Kingdom. But how are these impoverished Rastas supposed to build such a kingdom? Well, see the title.
Tune in using the player below, or via Apple, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, Amazon or any other podcast listening platform of your choice.
We have created musical playlists on Spotify and Youtube that match the mood of each episode.
Take a look at our glossary, which includes terms that will be encountered throughout this episode until the conclusion, such as "Jah" and "Babylon."
The Brutal History Of Jamaica's Slave Trade w/ Tom Zoellner (video)
Mansions of Rastafari, different branches of the Rastafari faith
Rastafarians and Orthodoxy, please note that Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church is distinct from the Orthodox Rasta churches. Nonetheless, we are providing this concise and informative overview to help you gain a deeper understanding of the historical connection between Rastafari and Orthodoxy
Credits
Production & post-production: Alan, Benji Anstey, Taylan Bulbul
Music: Benji Anstey (guitar), Dan Boshoff (guitar), Dawud Petersen (bass), Nkanyezi Ngwenya (percussion), Conor Hugo (sound engineer), Joshua Riley (mixing and mastering)
Visuals and website: Taylan Bulbul
Font (ChemyRetro) by Jay Batch
Photo in the cover art by Paul Von Baich - The old Kingston Road, Oxford University Press 1980
