The Kebra Negast: The Lost Bible of Rastafarian Wisdom and Faith from Ethiopia and Jamaica (Hardcover)

by Gerald Hausman (Editor), Ziggy Marley (Introduction) "This book is about the mind..." (more)
Key Phrases: salvation shall, blessed shall, Kebra Nagast, King Solomon, Brother John (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
What did Jamaican reggae singer Bob Marley and Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia have in common? A love for the Kebra Negast, holy book of Ethiopian Christians and Jamaican Rastafarians. Contemporary scholars date the Kebra Negast to the 14th century, but it retells the stories of much earlier Biblical times, one very important story in particular. According to the Kebra Negast, the Israelites' Ark of the Covenant was spirited away to the ancient kingdom of Ethiopia by wise King Solomon's own son, offspring of the union between Solomon and the exotic Queen Makeda of Ethiopia (a.k.a. the Queen of Sheba). Gerald Hausman, a consummate storyteller of native traditions, presents the core narrative of the Kebra Negast, from Adam to the rise of the Ethiopian Solomonid dynasty. On top of this, he injects his own encounters with Rastafarians during his travels in Jamaica--dreadlocked Rastas as modern-day Samsons, their unwavering faith in Jah, and a rare outsider's glimpse at the Nyabinghi ceremony. The combination of ancient tale and modern belief give Hausman's Kebra Negast the rich flavor of enduring truth. --Brian Bruya

From Library Journal
Folklorist and author Hausman has combined ten years of informal study in Jamaica, the 1922 version of "The Queen of Sheba and Her Only Son Menyelek" (translated by E.A. Wallis Budge), the Koran, the King James Bible, and the words of reggae great Bob Marley into a new version of the Kebra Negast ("the glory of the Kings"). This "lost bible," the core of Rastafarian wisdom and faith, has survived through oral tradition in many Caribbean nations, even though it has been banned because of its African glory themes. Hausman effectively puts the Kebra Negast into the words of the Rastafarian community, presenting the core?that "we must learn to live by the laws of compassion rather than judgment"?through anecdotes from the author's travels in the Rasta community. A recommended introduction to the Kebra Negast.?L. Kriz, West Des Moines Lib., Iowa
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (October 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312167938
• ISBN-13: 978-0312167936
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #111,992 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Kebra Negast
  #5 in	Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Practices > Rastafari
  #6 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > World Literature > Mythology > African

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 120 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Let the reader beware, September 12, 2001

By	Andre M. "brnn64" (Mt. Pleasant, SC United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This version is not to be confused with the classic text of Ethiopian religion/mythology of the same name. This version contains excerpts from the classical ancient text and combines it with anecdotes and sayings of rasafarianism, which is itself a recent concept dating back to the days of Selassie's coronation in 1930 (another story altogther). Basically, this version tries to connect the classic text with modern rastafarianism. If you're interested in rastafarianism, you can go ahead with this. But if you're interested in an English translation of the actual Kebra Nagast (Glory of Kings), see the E.A. Wallace Budge translation or the Miguel Brooks translation.

23 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very informative book with great stories and history, December 5, 1997

By A Customer

I consider this one of the best books I have ever written. The Kebra Nagast tells us the biblical background of the Rastafari culture and faith. When I read this book , I was very moved by it and it taught me many things about the Rasta beliefs. It contains great tales of wisdom by Rastas and information of what the Rastas believe in. This book contains information passed down from many generations. I strongly recommend this book to any Rasta or person who is intersted in the Rastafari faith.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Decent Buy, May 5, 2006

By	Rasta Royalty "JAH JAH LIVES" (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews

I got this book a while back. It's a very nice book if you have a bad attention span, and you need what your reading to be simple. If your looking for the in depth historical version, then this probably won't be the book for you, but if you're looking for a real good Light reading, then this might be a good purchase.