Biography of Roger Mais
According to wikipedia the free encyclopedia Roger Mais was born in Kingston, Jamaica on the 11 August 1905 and died on the 21 July 1955. Roger Mais was a journalist, novelist, poet, and playwright. He was He was born to a middle-class family in Kingston, Jamaica. By 1951, Mais had won ten first prizes in West Indian literary competitions. His integral role in the development of political and cultural nationalism is evidenced in his being awarded the high honor of the Order of Jamaica in 1978.
Mais launched his career as a journalist and contributor for the weekly newspaper, Public Opinion from 1939 to 1952, which was associated with the People's National Party. He also wrote several plays, reviews, and short stories for the newspaper Focus and the Jamaica Daily Gleaner, focusing his articles on social injustice and inequality. He used this approach to reach his local audience and to primarily push for a national identity and anti-colonialism. The novels Brother Man and The Hills were Joyful Together were his work that gave him his name as a novelist of social protest.
The book Brother Man has been received well by the critics and the people of Jamaica in general and especially Rastafarians. Since back in the days rastas were looked down upon Brother man gives Jamaican Rastas a better view of themselve since Brother man is portraited as Jesus in the novel.It’s interesting to read Brother Man today, when Rastas and things Rastafarian have acquired such cultural charisma that their image, carried abroad by stars such as Bob Marley and other dreadlocked musicians, is now routinely used to advertise Jamaica as a tourist destination.
Rastafarianism
Rastafarianism is a religion that was founded in Jamaica in the 1930s, following the coronation of Haile Selassie I as King of Ethiopia in 1930.Rastas believe that Selassie is God and that he will return all the black people to Africa who are living in exile as the result of colonisation and the slave trade.
Rastafarians, Rastas, Sufferers, Locksmen, Dreads or Dreadlocks are some of the names that the members of this religion are called.Rastafarians believe that blacks are the chosen people of God, but that through colonisation and the slave trade their role has been suppressed.Rastafari religious ceremonies include chanting, drumming and meditating in order to reach a state of heightened spirituality. they also believe that the smoking or inhaling of marijuana will increase their spirituality.
Rastafarians believe that after death a person is reincarnated and will live eternally.Rastafarians grow their hair long and twist it into dreadlocks since they are forbidden to cut it.
Rastafarians eat clean and natural produce, such as fruit and vegetables.
Rastafarians try to refrain from the consumption of meat, especially pork. So there you have it a little piece of what rastafarianism is all about.
By: Kurne Williams
Date: 29/09/2010
