NAMING CEREMONY (SANCTIFICATION) OF THE RASTAFARI CHILD

[Empress Zebi]

In the rastafari tradition of the Kings of kings and in the bible (Leviticus 12: 1-5) after giving birth, a mother remains indoors to recover with her baby, away from all labouring work. This lasts for forty days (six weeks) for a boy and eighty days for a girl. After this time, the baby is ready to be named blessed (sanctified) in the assembly. The name blessing ceremony formally welcomes the baby into the community.

Although the priest facilitates the blessing, it combines the strength of the family and friends, young and old, in the assembly, thereby giving everyone a role in the event. This ceremony also strenghens the spiritual and cultural traditions of the nation community. Therefore, the foreparents (ancestors) are reverenced at this time also.

On the day of the ceremony, usually before sundown, a table is set out and dressed with water, coconut, fruits, nuts, honey, oil, incense and flowers. These are tokens of a rich and bountiful reward of a newborn, and hope for a sweet future. They are blessed by the priest during the Ivotional prayers. Readings include Psalms 128 and the Ivine Utterances of Almighty Emperor Haile Selassie I.

The ceremonial blessing of the child and naming takes place during the baby immersion in the blessed water containing herbs. It Itinues with the baby tasting of bitter nut or fruit, and honey/sweet. These remind us of the patience and perseverance necessary to overcome diffcult times, and the sweetness of prosperity, the reward for good living. The child is then anointed with oil ( such as olive) to encourage a smooth and healthy passage within life, ae exampled H.I.M own naming ceremonies.

The assistant parents make their pledges to assist the parents in the upfull raising of their child, according to the Ivine guidance in their parental role. All children in the assembly are collectively blessed in sharing the day with the new baby. A baby welcoming chant is raised before the ceremony is sealed with prayer.