~Written
for a African-American Choral Ensemble class...based on the song
about Martin Luther King Jr "This is the One". Our teacher Doc Mumford
asked us to write about someone we considered The One, in the likes of
say: Dr. King, Gandhi, Jesus, or any great soul!
This is the One!
Sakshi-I
It was in 1892 in the province of Harrar, Ethiopia
that Lidj Tafari Makonnen, Haile Selassie was born to Ras Makonnen and
Waizero Yeshemabet. This child was a direct descendent of the Biblical
King Solomon of Jerusalems union with the legendary Queen of Sheba of the southern most region of the Ethiopian Highlands.
A
prolonged drought had parched the land making life very difficult for
man and beast, and the populace prayed for rain as all their crops had
died. Ras Makonnen and his wife Waizero Yeshemabet not only prayed for
rain but prayed that this time the child she was about to deliver would
live, as in the past all seven children had died prematurely.
It was the 23rd
July 1892 and the process of childbearing was in motion. Waizero was
accompanied by a group of midwives to ensure that all necessary
assistance was present. Prayers went up for her safe delivery, and the entire province of Harrar was in silent meditation. Meanwhile, Ras Makonnen waited on his verandah hoping and praying that it was a son and that this time he would live.
The
heavens above became darkened with clouds not seen in a long while, as
the chant of the midwives break the utter quietness of the night. One of
the midwives uttered May Mary be near her and may the child live
(referring to the Mother of Christ). Soon, the midwives rushed outside
where Ras Makonnen was waiting, A Son is born! while the villagers fired
their rifles gleefully in the air. Ras
Makonnen rushed inside to behold his only begotten Son of the line of
King David, while the midwife anointed the childs lips with butter and
honey as was the custom.
The torrential downpour continued with thunder and lightning and the whole of Ethiopia
knew that something significant had happened. The prolonged drought had
ended at the instant of the childs birth, and a bright light shone from
the universe, described by scientists as one of the brightest comets.
Surely this was synonymous to the star which appeared at Christ birth
and was the fulfillment of Isaiah 9.6. The downpour however did not
prevent the people from all parts of the province to make their way to
Ras Makonnens house to pay respect to the only surviving child of the
union of Ras Makonnen and Waizero Yeshemabet. This child was the future
King of Ethiopia, The One that would lead them.
Many
tales began to circulate about Tafari's boyhood, the most notable
concerning his supposed ability to speak to animals. During his youth,
it was claimed that he was seen on more than one occasion in the bush
conversing with leopards and lions and the fierce jungle beasts becoming
docile at his feet.
Tafari was extraordinarily bright and advanced student at a young age.
His knowledge concerning religious and mystical matters amazed his
teachers. He could quote freely from the Book of Kufale, the Book of
Enoch, Hermas the Shepherd, Judith, Ecclesiasticus, Tobit, the Metsahfa
Berhan (Book of Light), the Sixth and Seventh Book of Moses, the Book of
Eden (secretly deleted from Genesis during the Dark Ages), all
thirty-one books of the Hebrew Bible, the twenty-one Canonical Books of
the New Testament, plus numerous Apocryphal and pseudo-pictographic
books. On one occasions a priest asked Tafari where he got his
knowledge. Tafari's reply was, he got much of it at the time of his
baptism, conducted, according to tradition, on the fortieth day of his
life. The Kes (priest) who presided at the ceremony had opened Tafari's
eyes with the first touch of Holy Chrism, then everything that ensued,
was comprehensible to the infant, as if he was an adult. He remembered
the priest pronouncing his surname and then his baptismal name, Haile
Selassie I (meaning Power of the Trinity), and then he blew softly in
his face to ward off evil spirits. This was the instant Tafari claimed
he felt himself enveloped by a golden glow and as the priest began to
anoint him, water touching his forehead, breast shoulders and all other
thirty seven prescribed places, he felt his knowledge increase, filling
him up like a vessel and endowing him with a great sense of clarity
about creation and the final purpose of man.
Lidj Tafari is said to have made it quite clear that he was well acquainted with the rare manuscripts of Abba Aragaive and other Coptic Monks, known as the Nine Saints, who entered Ethiopia in 480 AD and founded the first monasteries in Tigre province. He also revealed that he was acquainted with the occult applications of Urim and Thummim and the Mezuzah, as well as the use of the magic words Gematria and Notarilon in Egypt, necromancy and also the magical names Adonay, El, Elohe. He exhibited familiarity with the Cabalistic doctrines and the writings in Gilgamesh. The pagan rituals surrounding the worship of Isis, of the serpent Arwe and of the Abyssinian gods of Earth, (Meder), Sea (Beher) and War (Mahrem), as well as the Arcane of astrology and numerology, but most importantly, Tafari exhibited to the priest his understanding of the central messages in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Book of Two Ways. At one stage, an old Abmnet (or Abbot) allegedly asked to examine Tafari's palm. He saw that there was stigmata there and that the lifeline backed up on itself in an emblem of infinity. Tafari whispered a word in the Abbot's ear and all color drained from the old man's face. He left the room apparently in shock, refusing to return or to speak to his colleagues. Tafari addressed a monk who had served in the Cathedral at Axum here the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Tafari described to him, in Cushite, the Kedusta Kedussan, The Holy of Holies or Inner Sanctum where the Tabot, the Ark is kept and recited various inscriptions written upon it. Close to fainting with shock at what Tafari had disclosed. The stories about Tafari's childhood encounters with priests, his occult, wise mind and uncanny powers, spread like wildfire throughout Ethiopia.
Lidj Tafari is said to have made it quite clear that he was well acquainted with the rare manuscripts of Abba Aragaive and other Coptic Monks, known as the Nine Saints, who entered Ethiopia in 480 AD and founded the first monasteries in Tigre province. He also revealed that he was acquainted with the occult applications of Urim and Thummim and the Mezuzah, as well as the use of the magic words Gematria and Notarilon in Egypt, necromancy and also the magical names Adonay, El, Elohe. He exhibited familiarity with the Cabalistic doctrines and the writings in Gilgamesh. The pagan rituals surrounding the worship of Isis, of the serpent Arwe and of the Abyssinian gods of Earth, (Meder), Sea (Beher) and War (Mahrem), as well as the Arcane of astrology and numerology, but most importantly, Tafari exhibited to the priest his understanding of the central messages in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Book of Two Ways. At one stage, an old Abmnet (or Abbot) allegedly asked to examine Tafari's palm. He saw that there was stigmata there and that the lifeline backed up on itself in an emblem of infinity. Tafari whispered a word in the Abbot's ear and all color drained from the old man's face. He left the room apparently in shock, refusing to return or to speak to his colleagues. Tafari addressed a monk who had served in the Cathedral at Axum here the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Tafari described to him, in Cushite, the Kedusta Kedussan, The Holy of Holies or Inner Sanctum where the Tabot, the Ark is kept and recited various inscriptions written upon it. Close to fainting with shock at what Tafari had disclosed. The stories about Tafari's childhood encounters with priests, his occult, wise mind and uncanny powers, spread like wildfire throughout Ethiopia.
Then
the day of Biblical Prophecy came on Nov 2, 1930, Ras Tafari was
formally crowned His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings,
Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Emperor of
Ethiopia, 225th descendent of King David in the Solomonic Dynasty. Representatives
from 72 nations came and bowed in reverence to His Majesty. The
ceremony was conducted by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and He was first
vested with a gold sword along with the exhortation: May you be enabled
with this sword to punish the wicked and protect the righteous.
This
was followed with the bestowal of the Imperial scepter of ivory and
gold, and the golden orb (globe), a diamond incrusted ring, two
traditional lances (spears), the imperial vestments, and finally,
anointing His head with oil, the priest placed upon Him the Triple
Crown. Some of the vestments like the robe and crown were believed to be
King Solomons ancient kingly attire. The Archbishop concluded the
anointing with the words: That God may make this crown a crown of
sanctity and glory. That, by the grace and the blessings which we have
given, you may have an unshaken faith and a pure heart, in order that
you may inherit the crown eternal. So be it. Haile Selassie also had his
wife Empress Menen coronated with him, a first in Ethiopian Royal
History. The final part of the ceremony was a tour of the cathedral by
their Imperial Majesties, escorted by the bishops and priests, the
princes and dignitaries, assistance and others, carrying palm branches
and chanting, Blessed be the King of Israel.
During this era Selassie was an inspiration to the Ethiopians living on the Caribbean slave island colony of Jamaica. One of these was Marcus Mosiah Garvey who is regarded as a prophet by Jamaicas Afro-Ethiopian community. He told the people to look to Africa
where a Black King shall be crowned King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He
shall be the Redeemer. And so it was, that soon after this prediction
Haile Selassie was crowned and the black people of Jamaica looked in
their Bible, seeing the fulfillment of Revelation prophecy come true:
The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of Judah, Black King
of Davids Line has been crowned in Majesty and Glory. This is the One!
This is the One that will save us!
The movement of Rastafari was manifested. Oppressed black peoples had
waited in hope for the One that would lead them. Haile Selassie was
their King, and because He was King of the oldest Christian monarch in
the world, and the only remaining African nation that had not been
colonized by white people, He represented a dignity that all black
people could be proud of. He had fought on the front lines with his
people against the invaders of Italy led by Mussolini, protected the
ancient Ethiopian Orthodox Church, built schools, highways, airports and
in many ways led Ethiopia into the modern world. Ethiopia
is without a doubt what it is today due to the contributions of Haile
Selassie. For Rasta people, with Selassie I as King, they no longer had
to accept the white Jesus, as portrayed in their slavery/bible school,
but saw God with their own eyes, as Marcus Garvey taught. They saw
themselves again as black kings and queens of a Royal and Holy Family
with their Black King and Queen, God and Goddess, Haile Selassie I and
Empress Menen as their Divine image and object of Love and Reverence.
They Know! They know when He has the look! Yes! They can tell!
Hallelujah!
HAILE SELASSIE I
JAH RAS TAFARI !
