- Also written
- Rastafari, Ras, Rastaman
What “Rasta” means
Rasta is short for Rastafari, the faith that arose in Jamaica in the 1930s, and for a person who follows it. Rastafari honour Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, whose name before his 1930 coronation was Ras Tafari. Followers often refer to the faith as Rastafari rather than "Rastafarianism".
Examples
Im a Rasta, im nuh eat meat.
He's a Rasta, he doesn't eat meat.
Rasta seh: one love.
Rasta says: one love.
How to use it
Respectful when used to describe someone's faith. Some people also use "Rasta" or "Ras" as a friendly address to a man with locs, but not everyone with locs is Rastafari, so don't assume.
Cultural context
Rastafari has given Jamaican speech many words and ideas, including ital (natural food), reasoning, and the use of "I" forms such as "I and I". Reggae, through artists like Bob Marley, carried Rastafari consciousness worldwide.
Where it comes from
From Ras Tafari Makonnen, the name of Haile Selassie I before his coronation; "Ras" is an Ethiopian title.