Are rastafarians really bad guys?

Rastafarian culture is one of the known religious groups whose cultural practices are observed from all parts of the world. It was developed in the slums of Kingston, Jamaica in 1920s and 1930s. The Rastafarian movement began with the teachings of Marcus Garvey (1887-1940), a black Jamaican who led a “Back to Africa” movement. He taught that Africans are the true Israelites and have been exiled to Jamaica and other parts of the world as divine punishment. Garvey encouraged pride in being black and worked to reverse the mindset of inferiority that centuries of enslavement had ingrained on the minds of blacks. Garvey is regarded as a second John the Baptist and famously prophesied in 1927, “Look to Africa, for there a king shall be crowned.”

The Rastafarian culture is facing a major challenge of poor reputation in Kenya. This has been a challenge for a long time and the people in that culture feel rejected in the society. The Rasta way of life has an ill reputation because majority of Kenyans associate people with dreadlocks with crime.

The Rastafarian way of life conflict the normal life of other various religions in the country. They smoke marijuana as their religious sacrament every time they are in prayers mood and that is a big challenge because the use of marijuana is illegal according to the state laws. Just as the other religions are allowed to exercise their freedom of worship freely, rastas should also get that freedom for them to feel appreciated in the society.

According to the Rastafarian beliefs, they are not allowed to cut their hair. Most rastas keep dreadlocks and this is another thing that makes their reputation poor. A criminal gang popularly known as “mungiki” in central Kenya had the same identity as rastas because they kept dreadlocks. This makes many local Kenyans get hard time knowing who “mungiki” is and who is not.

A true Rastafarian is a cool person who does not like bringing up or being involved in any kind of trouble. They smoke marijuana as their religious sacrament and they only do it at prayer occasions as they speak to Jah (God). The keeping of dreadlocks is done as a religious right and that is not an identification of a criminal. A true Rastafarian is always friendly and loves everyone and that is why a Rasta legend Bob Marley had a song titled “one love” where he asked people from all backgrounds to come together and live together in equal love.

If Kenyans had a true picture of what it means to be a Rasta, everyone would love their way of life and would always want to be associated with them. As Kenyans we should change our perceptions towards rastas and give them freedom to exercise their religious ways of life for them to feel loved and appreciated in society.

Bob Marley once said” life is one big road with lots of signs. So when riding through the routes, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts. Put your vision to reality, wake up and live.” Here he was telling rastas that there are many challenges in life such as been neglected in the society and he calls on them to always share love with people of all kinds.

By Mutuku Felix

Insyder Times

Remember the sweet high school days when most of us would starve to buy an insyder magazine? Many high school leavers will agree with me that the insyder could be read many times than a chemistry book in school. The magazine is designed in a fascinating manner which will always attract an eye for more than one time.

Why love the insyder so much? The different genres of stories in the magazine makes it a full entertainment avenue. It contains stories on love, events, celebrities, football, rugby and other sports, gossip, relationships and also school news. Young people are attracted to relationship stories and that is one reason why they cannot afford to miss a story like “7 texts from an Ex that will make you want to smash your phone”- http://www.theinsyder.com/7-texts-from-an-ex-that-will-make-you-want-to-smash-your-phone/ .

The insyder has the fascinating power because of its well-designed pictures and it has the power to carry away a teens mind and that is why if an exam could be set from there, everyone could pass with flying colors. Insyder is good entertainment avenue for the young people and the young people should be encouraged to read it because they are interested and they will also improve their language skills and also know how to associate with great people.

The online version of the insyder will also give updates on movies and music videos which helps the young people to keep updated on the music and film industry. The following link shows some movie, series and updates. http://www.theinsyder.com/trailers/

http://www.theinsyder.com/prezzo-drops-new-vid-for-my-gal-vera-stars-in-racy-bikini/

the best taste in dating

Dating is basically a social action carried out as a pair with a sort intention of each evaluating others suitability as their spouse or beloved, in an intimate relationship. In deciding on who to date, men are guided by some reasons according to one’s taste of women. According to the understanding i got from the world in the time i have been around, the following points openly describes the best guy’s taste.
Incomparable stance
Every man dream of dating a women who deserve to be called naturally beautiful. These ladies have a mystifying edge but they do not overdo it with loud ghastly makeup. They do not show off their curves or try to look seemingly sensational by expressing a part of their bust but they are such beauty that you will be bound to honor them and spend hours with them without checking your time gear.

moral attitude 

Men will love women who are quite ethical and this feature they don’t flaunt but naturally comes out in their attitude and expression.They are not only appealing but they can be deemed as a rear combination of beauty and morality. They have in mind their heritage and they maintain their behavior. They carry a super stance woman wherever they go and someway or another influence their partners or the people surrounding them.This is one of the most important reason you should consider in selecting who to date.

cool and compliant

These ladies are not only ethical in their behavior but quite submissive and modest. They do not get excited or outraged easily. They have a sense of modesty which is evident in words and body language. A girl with this character will be unpretentious and quite natural.When they laugh or talk there is no inch of superficially and shrewdness. Hence they make best wives with their compatible attitude. They are actually well cultured.

caring and hardworking

This is the kind of women who you don’t find them feigned to be pampered like just came out of a doll’s house.But they have hardworking and struggling mentality. They should not be harsh or excessively caring. You should notice some motherly affection in their disposition. They should catch over you and take care of your little hitches. They know the meaning of love and how to show it.

self-respect

These girls do not force you to spend money extravagantly on them. But they would try to take some share with them if you are on dieting. They are quite aware pf their culture and heritage and they will not in any way stigmatize it by making you spend dollars on them.

Religious

The best type of ladies you will find them extent spiritual. Today many girls grow in American setting but some haven’t forgotten their religion ways. A lady belonging to a certain religion will always have her principles and they have a sense pf belonging. These ladies have teachings on how to behave when with men and for sure they won’t let you down in relationships.

fun loving

A perfect lady will always ensure that you have fun in loving times.

less materialistic

These are women who are able to maintain their chastity and are less money oriented. They are able to hold your hands both in times of money and broke days. They are different from those trying to get away from their economic stringency but do not overlook their values and principles.

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By Mutuku Felix

KENYA’S MOST ANNOYING TRIBES

Born Kenyan, Raised Kenyan both from the village and the town point of view, I have come to notice a couple of units which really, should be what we fight against. Not the 42 individual beautiful tribes that we are made to believe are the necessary evil. Here’s a couple:

a. The Matatu Tribe
OH Goodness, where to begin my lamenting! From driving on the sidewalks and insulting you, the pedestrian insisting that you want to be run over, to insulting an old woman who is trying her best to cross the street as fast as her frail body can telling her to take her age elsewhere… (Whatever that means) This is the biggest tribe to be shunned on so many counts of irresponsibility, recklessness and habits that only one can perceive as ungodly. NB: Not all Matatu Drivers and Touts do this just a vast majority especially here in the City of Nairobi.

b. The ‘Socialites’ Tribe
When did our girls become this cheap? Become this senseless? Become this classless? When exactly did our parents let us off the leash, completely? We all know from a certain perspective that indeed we really do not have real socialites but let’s just settle on calling some random, no-so-hot, ratchet girls that. Let’s also put them on literally every paper as soon as they come asking and begging for attention. While at it, why not pay them hundreds of thousands to appear on commercials and videos? #icant

c. The MPigs Tribe
This is a song whose tune has been sung and continues to be sung and will still be sung as long as we never change our thoughts and begin acting and thinking as individuals instead of weird units. Truth be told, NONE of us have ever had a Parliamentarian bring them food to their house in the evening especially after following them around in the name of rallies let alone invite you to their Mansions in the suburbs for a drink of water. NONE of them ever paid your child’s fees. In fact there’s a chance that some of them have slept with your daughters, classmates and will sleep with your children just for a buck and a drink. Oh, I have your attention now? Good.

d. The ‘Classic105’ Lamenter’s Tribe
Oh Goodness! Aren’t those two guys great at their jobs? They rake in millions and also serious listener and caller ratings. Anyway, my issue is with most of these callers. Men and women who call in to justify infidelity. The brainwashing of so many women to acceptance of some weird accepted norm that ‘All men must cheat’, Those who call to shame their spouses, the mother of their children, that man you go home to, that woman who cleans your undies even after soiling them while in another woman’s house. Yes!! That tribe should be shunned.

e. The ‘Sponsor’ Tribe
Here we are again, most of the politicians and wealthy businessmen fall here. They pick these poor boys and girls from their dorms just outside campuses in sleek German machines and take them to specific known locations and hideouts. She or He is most probably 19 or 20, from the village and has never tasted alcohol, barely has money on them to buy their basic necessities and that pot-bellied warthog-faced man or woman is in her 40’s and 50’s, wealthy and bored. Whatever the situation, there’s so many things wrong with the picture. Shun these people!!

f. The ‘Toa-Kitu’ Tribe
Be it Kitu Kidogo or Kitu Kikubwa. This weekend, I took a matatu to Nanyuki and on my way back to Nairobi, there were probably 10 roadblocks and on each block, the driver always shook the hand of one of the cops. We all know what was going on. In public offices, be it trying to get a passport (mind you which you’ve paid a couple thousand for) you will still be asked to part with a couple more for you to get it within a specified period. Owe unto you if you’re in urgent need.

I most probably haven’t spotted each and every of these shunned people but trust me, there will be a Part 2. For a better people, individually and as units, for a better country and its leaders, for growth as individuals and as a nation, we need to shun these tribes. Do away with them as much as we can for our sake, our children’s sake and our children’s children’s sake.

Blessings and Love,