The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a monotheistic, new religious movement that arose in a Christianculture in Jamaica in the 1930s.^[1][2] Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia, former Emperor of Ethiopia (1930–1936 and 1941–1974), as God incarnate, the Second Advent, and are known as Rastafarians, or Rastas. The movement is sometimes referred to as "Rastafarianism", but this term is considered derogatory and offensive by some Rastas, who dislike being labelled as an "ism".^[3]

Rastafari is not a highly organized religion; it is a movement and an ideology. Many Rastas say that it is not a "religion" at all, but a "Way of Life".^[4] Most Rastas do not claim any sect or denomination, and thus encourage one another to find faith and inspiration within themselves, although some do identify strongly with one of the "mansions of Rastafari" — the three most prominent of these being theNyahbinghi, the Bobo Ashanti and the Twelve Tribes of Israel.