Shashemene is a city in southern Ethiopia, known as the spiritual home of the Rastafarian community. It’s a city with a vibrant, lively atmosphere, cultural diversity, and natural beauty, situated near the Rift Valley lakes.
Buddy, Linda and her husband introduced us to the “Rasta of Shashemene”, who migrated from the Caribbean after Emperor Haile Selassie I granted 500 acres of land to people of African descent from the diaspora in the 1950s. This community is seen as a sacred “promised land” and a focal point for the global Rastafari movement, symbolising a return to the African homeland. The community practices Rastafarian traditions, such as ital food (a natural, plant-based diet from the Rastafari faith in Jamaica that emphasises vital, pure, and life-giving foods) and reggae music. The first wave of Rastafarian migrants arrived in the late 1960s and 1970s, followed by another group in the early 1990s after the Ethiopian Civil War.
The community has faced challenges over the years, including land nationalisation during the Derg regime, and recent issues with land disputes and citizenship. The Rasta community remains a major attraction for tourists, who can visit places like the Zion Train Lodge and the Banana Art Gallery to learn about the history and culture.
