rich whites n2 reggae
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Droid, I don't think white women and white men are treated exactly the same within rasta scenes..
Though it's hard to say what the "rules" of rastafarianism are, since there's no central text and no Pope-type figure. Although this doesn't stop most rastas from speaking very authoritatively about what is really rasta , actually I would say a central tenet of rastafarianism is speaking authoritatively about whatever you think it is - contructing your own meaning (including a few key terms and practices) and perhaps embodying some aspects of it.
But I think far more rastas are open to white women joining or hanging out around rastas/rasta culture than are into white men joining.
A lot of weird stuff about gender, control, sexuality, and baby-making in there a lot of times.. i.e. white women's social and sexual participation is seen as non-threatening (and non-racially dominating, as I've several times heard arguments about 'spreading' black power through babies with white women), where as white mens' social and sexual participation is seen more often as threatening or potentially detrimental to black power.
as far as why white women might get into it, even if they're "poseurs" you can include in there the appeal of the dignity and often less-overtly sexualized headwrap look - remember womens' style choices at reggae clubs, as far as how you want to be treated by people there, are pretty narrow and specific.. As far as the appeal of the ideology.. I think that's a bigger question. Isn't it always a mystery, why people put up with ideologies (or aspects of ideologies) that oppress and dengirate them? or no mystery, if you get close enough to understand them?
Though it's hard to say what the "rules" of rastafarianism are, since there's no central text and no Pope-type figure. Although this doesn't stop most rastas from speaking very authoritatively about what is really rasta , actually I would say a central tenet of rastafarianism is speaking authoritatively about whatever you think it is - contructing your own meaning (including a few key terms and practices) and perhaps embodying some aspects of it.
But I think far more rastas are open to white women joining or hanging out around rastas/rasta culture than are into white men joining.
A lot of weird stuff about gender, control, sexuality, and baby-making in there a lot of times.. i.e. white women's social and sexual participation is seen as non-threatening (and non-racially dominating, as I've several times heard arguments about 'spreading' black power through babies with white women), where as white mens' social and sexual participation is seen more often as threatening or potentially detrimental to black power.
as far as why white women might get into it, even if they're "poseurs" you can include in there the appeal of the dignity and often less-overtly sexualized headwrap look - remember womens' style choices at reggae clubs, as far as how you want to be treated by people there, are pretty narrow and specific.. As far as the appeal of the ideology.. I think that's a bigger question. Isn't it always a mystery, why people put up with ideologies (or aspects of ideologies) that oppress and dengirate them? or no mystery, if you get close enough to understand them?
Martin Dust
Techno Zen Master
I'll try to explain how I got into reggae but while I've never really got deep into the culture, I do respect it. John Peel got me into reggae and as a budding bass player it made perfect sense, as did, in many cases the lyrics, I was a punk at the time and I knew my parent would hate the music as well 
I got chased by the same racist dickhead skinheads and was only safe on a night out in punk/gay/reggae clubs.
I remember going to see a very early Aswad, Linton and Yellow Man at a rasta club, I was the only white person there, and I don't mind saying I was shitting myself. For the first time ever I felt out of place and for all my front (and believe me I've got some) I didn't understand what I feared. Anyways, I had a good time and an older timer took me under his wing and kept me supplied with cones, I was very ill when I hit the cold air and spewed for England, they all pissed themselves and I've never really smoked since. I still feel like an outsider but reggae made sense to me and still does. I've never understood why someone would try to be something they are not but I went to gigs as I normally dressed and was accepted, maybe because I didn't bullshit...
I got chased by the same racist dickhead skinheads and was only safe on a night out in punk/gay/reggae clubs.I remember going to see a very early Aswad, Linton and Yellow Man at a rasta club, I was the only white person there, and I don't mind saying I was shitting myself. For the first time ever I felt out of place and for all my front (and believe me I've got some) I didn't understand what I feared. Anyways, I had a good time and an older timer took me under his wing and kept me supplied with cones, I was very ill when I hit the cold air and spewed for England, they all pissed themselves and I've never really smoked since. I still feel like an outsider but reggae made sense to me and still does. I've never understood why someone would try to be something they are not but I went to gigs as I normally dressed and was accepted, maybe because I didn't bullshit...
droid said:Tried to post this yesterday, but the site was down...
Ive never really understood how white men/boys can buy into the cultural and religious side of reggae, (apart from smoking weed
It never even occured to me that they might just have been a bunch of poseurs!
Martin Dust said:I'll try to explain how I got into reggae but while I've never really got deep into the culture, I do respect it. John Peel got me into reggae and as a budding bass player it made perfect sense, as did, in many cases the lyrics, I was a punk at the time and I knew my parent would hate the music as well
I remember going to see a very early Aswad, Linton and Yellow Man at a rasta club, I was the only white person there, and I don't mind saying I was shitting myself. For the first time ever I felt out of place and for all my front (and believe me I've got some) I didn't understand what I feared. Anyways, I had a good time and an older timer took me under his wing and kept me supplied with cones, I was very ill when I hit the cold air and spewed for England, they all pissed themselves and I've never really smoked since. I still feel like an outsider but reggae made sense to me and still does. I've never understood why someone would try to be something they are not but I went to gigs as I normally dressed and was accepted, maybe because I didn't bullshit...
well when i was growing up in cornwall there were loads of white men with dreads into reggae, they had reggae sunsplash down there every year in the 80's and ninetees and i remember macka b commenting on the number of white dreads down there.
There was a soundsystem called toxic soundsystem with white dreadlocked selectors and black mc's. it still runs and is pretty good. i tihnk the guys there are very aware of the difference (and the simularities) between themselves and rasafarians, they have to be, quite often they compete against them in clashes. But then we're talking about Cornish boys and there are very few non white people in cornwall, understanding or misunderstanding of people from other cultures is a fairly abstract thing most of the time.
what ripley said about the effect that dressing like that even tho you are a poseur strikes true, its dignified and less overtly sexual for sure, but also slightly fascinating and otherworldy too.
Martin Dust
Techno Zen Master
There is something in what you say, I think the first time I saw locks on a white person was in a punk club around the time of early Culture Club, and rich they had to be as it did cost a fortune and, indeed, on white girls. With dance music having no uniform I suppose it was to be expected, maybe that's just to simplistic.
Martin Dust
Techno Zen Master
What do you all make of people like Westwood then?