Imagining Ityoppia: Ethiopian diaspora and Rastafarianism

Abstract

On a very general level, this thesis explores why Ethiopians and Rastafarians - who share Ityoppi, as a general point of reference - have historically been at odds. More specifically, however, I am interested in whether the rather recent emergence of Ethiopian communities in the United States - which share experiences of diaspora and processes of "imagining from afar" with Rastafarians - has resulted in a change of Ethiopian Americans' attitude toward adherents to Rastafarianism. The main aim of this study is to give an accurate account of the Ethiopian perspective of Rastafari, which has not been articulated till the present time. To this end I first give a broad description of their arrival in the United States, and their particular diasporic experiences, which encompasses only thirty years. Finally, I explore the prevailing attitudes and perceptions of Ethiopians in the United States with respect to the Rastafarian movement. This study utilizes primary source such as interviews and surveys conducted with first and second generation Ethiopians. It employs data collected via virtual communities along with other resources on the Internet and printed publications.