Dread Natty Dread, natty dreadlocks inna Babylon!
 

Today marks seven years that I have been dedicated and consecrated a dreadlocks man, roots natty roots, the congo man here in Babylon. It has not been easy, but it has been fun. the Lord works in mysterious ways to fullfill his every declaration. On this day, I celebrate the consecration of my head, and pray to keep it holy ever-more.

"
The Nazirite

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite, 3 he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins. 5 " 'During the entire period of his vow of separation no razor may be used on his head. He must be holy until the period of his separation to the LORD is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long. 6 Throughout the period of his separation to the LORD he must not go near a dead body. 7 Even if his own father or mother or brother or sister dies, he must not make himself ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of his separation to God is on his head. 8 Throughout the period of his separation he is consecrated to the LORD.
9 " 'If someone dies suddenly in his presence, thus defiling the hair he has dedicated, he must shave his head on the day of his cleansing—the seventh day. 10 Then on the eighth day he must bring two doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 11 The priest is to offer one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to make atonement for him because he sinned by being in the presence of the dead body. That same day he is to consecrate his head. 12 He must dedicate himself to the LORD for the period of his separation and must bring a year-old male lamb as a guilt offering. The previous days do not count, because he became defiled during his separation."

my dreads are formed like Samson, who is said had seven locks on his head, which was unexplainable in the sunday schools until the natty dread come on the scene. I have seen kids bible books illustrate samson a million ways, but never the way it really would have been. Many dread, like myself and those pictured above, have a handful of dreads, and we are able to number the hairs of our head. years and years, dreads and kids are like a living calender, they just grow and grow keeping track of time, just as time flies, so to do kids grow taller and dreads grow longer, reminding you of how long it has been...

why is it a sin to be near a dead body?

I realize that Rastas do not write wills or deal in anything that does not affirm everlasting life, but does this mean you would not have been able to go to yr own mother's funeral had she died?

surely, Jah is more forgiving.

not Rastas, Nazirites. it is a period of ritual separation, and dead bodies happen to be part of the mix, so I have actually had to turn down several funerals of close family, early on it caused some trouble, but over the years there are less and less hurt feelings. i suppose you should ask Moses.

here is my playlist for the day: Roots!Ras!Reggae Mix VIII [Natty Dread mix]




1)Bob Marley “Natty Dread”
2)Dillinger “Studio Star”
3)Gladiators “Dreadlocks the Time is Now”
4)Culture “Hard to be a Rastaman in Babylon”
5)Israel Vibration “Natty Dreadlocks”
6)Itals “Run Baldhead Run”
7)Peter Tosh “Wanted Dread or Alive”
8)Black Uhuru “Guess Whose Comin to Dinner”
9)Briggadier Jerry and Josey Wailes “Nice Vibez”
10)Horace Andy “Dreadslocks She Loves”
11)Big Joe “Natty Dread Don’t Bow”
12)Cornell Campbell “Ranking Dread”
13)The Ethiopians “Dread Prophecy”
14)U-Roy “I’m a Rastaman Dreadlocks”
15)Sizzla “Grow Your Locks”
16)Bunny Wailer “Rastaman”
17)Jacob Miller “False Rasta [dreadlocks man]”
18)The Congos “Congo Man”

^^^ add this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tt4L3U2iAWc

one of my all-time favorites. no sound at work, so I hope it plays.

anyways, congrats. I may not always agree with you completely, but yr heart is in the right place and I sincerely respect yr dogged adherence to yr convictions. it can't be easy.

Hmmm, just yesterday I came up on the Nazirites on wikipedia while reading the article on the Book of Numbers.

uh yay dreadlocks.

if you've ever seen what gets inside of them you'd think otherwise. ew.

this is why it should be more a rite of religious passage than a fashion statement!

i guess.

I'm too sexy for my dreads. Too sexy for my dreads. Too sexy yeah-hah.

So why do they have to dread up? Can't you brush or comb your hair?
It seems to read that you can't cut it not that you can't brush or comb it.

i'm too sexy for my cat

doesn't he say that?

Yes, he does

Right Said Fred is too sexy for a lot of things.

Especially another hit song.

I'm too sexy to rep your reply.

I have met jewish nazirites who let their hair grow long and just comb it. this is also how sheiks do it, as they do not shave, cut their hair or their nails, but let these functions grow naturally. Well, the natty dread is the same thing, this is the way my hair grew naturally, shit, even when i tried to break some apart in the early days my spirit felt the pain more then my scalp, and I could not do it, so that is why I have seven dreads rather then a few dozen.

props. that is added to my Nattydread playlist!

we Nazirites were the only Israelites allowed to pronounce the sacred name of God during the Hebrew Liturgy services. This name, pronounced "Ehyah Asher Ehyah" means "I Am who I Am" or Ehyah "I AM" for short [exodus 3:16], and it was strictly forbidden to be spoken outloud. It was replaced with "Adonai" for Lord, rather then pronounce this name outside of purity. However, due to the consecration of their head, the nazirites were allowed to chant and sing this great and powerful name, in fact, in Herod's temple they had their own court to chant their part of the liturgy, and also to sheer their locks at the end of their consecration. The Apostle Paul took this vow, under its temporary version, but I-man follow the lifelong nazirite path of Samuel and Samson.

I am happy about that!

in germany they got some....and they are even worse

Okay, i'm iffy on this: If you enter a building (example:hospital) that contains dead bodies and you are completely unaware of the fact, can you have rendered yourself impure while being unaware of the fact?

I fucking love this song.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to acousticrock87 again.

the answer is yes. In fact, I avoid such places as hospitals religiously, and one time a person almost dropped dead in the thrift shop near me and I felt terrible because my first thought was a prayer for their health, my second thought was a prayer for my dreads....

the ritual purity of Moses is a serious thing. Dead bodies are full of uncleanness, which is why Jesus said, ""Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

The deal with unmarked graves is that cemetaries make a person ritualistically unclean to enter the Temple or the Sanctuary. As the Nazirites were an essential element of the Hebrew Liturgical Choir, and as such needed to mainain ritual purity to be able to enter the Sanctuary often, they were required to keep themselves in this state of purity. Many are also celebates, as there are three things which render a person unclean for the Sanctuary:

1) Menstruation/Childbirth [for both men and women equally]
2) Sexual relations and the emission of semen
3) Dead Bodies

This is also why Jesus said, "You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean."

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, we practice Levitical Ritual Purity as prescribed above, and do not enter the Church sanctuary under these conditions, but rather, pray outside within the gates, in what correlates to the Solomonic Temple's "Court of the Gentiles"...

Ah, okay. I was wondering about extenuating circumstances. As in, you being rendered impure without your knowledge and what repercussions that would have in your path, so to speak. Like if you were living in an apartment building and someone died within the building and your were 100% unaware of it at the time and did not ever find out. I'm not sure if an apartment constitutes "under the same roof". Oh well, thanks for the explanantion.

I see yr Dreaded Locks, and raise you Chase the Devil / Croaking Lizard aka Disco Devil.

^^^ my favorite $cratch Lee.

Shit. I fold.

Too rich for my blood.

Nice :D

Said Me Don't want no Ice Cream sound cuz its too soft for me..

and who could forget...

I'm a rastaman, natty dreadlocks! see my natty dread, and I just let it grow and grow and grow, and it feels so good...

and this list will make some sense of things:

Pretty Looks
----------------

Cornell Campbell-"Pretty Looks" (Studio One)
Michigan & Smiley-"Complments to Studio One" (Studio One)
Dillinger-"Babylon Bridge" (Studio One)
Sugar Minott-"Never Give Up" (Studio One)
Jays-"Pretty Looks" (Channel One)
Hell And Fire-"Pointless killing" (Channel One)
Ranking Trevor-"Penriy A Look" (Channel One)
General Trees-"Everything So So" (Black Scorpio)
Sanchez-"Pretty Looks" (Digital B)
Admiral Tibett-"My Sound is Champion" (Digital B)
Donovan Steele-"Breaking Up" (Madhouse)
Terror Fabulous-"You Must Be a Fool" (East West)

Melody Life
---------------

Marcia Griffiths-"Melody Life" (Steely & Clevie)
High Charles-"Zion" (Studio One)

Throw Me Corn
--------------------

Lone Ranger-"Dance Haffi Cork" (Studio One)
Horace Andy-"Slacky Tidy" (Studio One)
Winston Shand-"Throw Me Corn" (Studio One)
Ethiopian-"Muddy Water" (Studio One)
Splenders- "Sometimes Coffee" (Studio One)
Cocoa Tea-"Come Again" (Jammy$)
Sugar Minott-"Rise Up" (Phrang)
Bajja Jedd-"Roots Rock Reggae" (Signet)

I"ll Never Let You Go
---------------------------------

Lone Ranger-"Answer" (Studio 1)
Lone Ranger-"World War l" (Studio 1)
Johnny Clarke-"Like a Soldier" (Joe Gibbs)
Brigadier Jerry-"Pain" (Jwyanza)
Ranking Trevor- "Answer Me Question" (Channel One)
Junior Reed-"She"s A Regular" (Techniques)
Pinchers-"Lift It Up Again" (Vena)
Tiger-"Puppy Love" (RAS)
Pinchers-"Lift It Up Again" (Gold Disc)
Buju Banton-"No Respect" (Penthouse)
Marcia Griffiths-"I Shall Sing" (Penthouse)
Yellowman-"Body Move" (Junjo Lawes)

Run Run
-----------

Dennis Alcapone-"Run Run" (Studio 1)

Love Me Forever
---------------------

Big Youth-"Hit the Road Jack" (Manley Buchanan)
Garnet Silk-"Love Me Or Leave Me" (Tan-Yah)
Junior Tucker-"Body I Want" (Steely & Clevie)
Dennis Acapone- "Forever Version" (Studio One)
Prince Jazzbo-"Jah Dread" (Studio One)

Wire Higher
---------------

Nora Dean-"Barb Wire" (Treasure Isle)
Nora Dean-"Barb Wire" (Studio One)
Nina Sola-"Barb Wire" (Studio One)
Dennis Alcapone-"El Paso" (Studio One)
Lone Ranger-"Barnabus Collins" (Studio One)

Nanny Goat
---------------

Buju Banton-"Woman No Fret" (Penthouse)
Marcia Griffiths-"Closer To You" (Penthouse)
General Degree-"Brinks" (Penthouse)
Tony Rebel-"Chatty Chatty" (Penthouse)
Sound Dimension-"Musical Scorcher" (Studio One)
Dennis Alcapone(Mad Roy)-"Home Nanny Version" (Studio One)
Dennis Alcapone."Nanny Version" (Studio One)

Picture On the Wall
--------------------------------

Dennis Alcapone-"Picture On the Wall" (Treasure Isle)
Freddie Mckay-"Picture On The Wall" (Treasure Isle)
Cedric Brooks-"Im Flash Forward" (Studio One)
Jackie Bernard-"Torture & Flames" (Studio One)

Skylarking
-------------

Cedric "Im" Brooks-"Idleburg" (Studio One)
Prince Jazzbo-"Crabwalking" (Bongo Man)
Garnet Silk-"Skylarking" (Steely & Clevie)
Lone Ranger-"Screw Gone A North Coast" (Studio One)

Vanity
--------

Alton Ellis-"Just A Guy" (Studio One)
Michigan & Smiley-"Rub a Dub Style" (Studio One)
Brigadier Jerry-"Ram Dance Master" (Studio One)
Jacob Miller-"I'm Just A Dread" (Joe Gibbs)
Ranking Toyan-"Tribute To The Entertainer" (Greensleeves)
Frankie Paul-"Here We Go Again" (John John)
Ninjman-"Come Out of Church" (Jammy$)
Al Campbell-"A You Girl" (Jammy$)
Wayne Wonder-"Take You To A Place" (Tan-Yah)
Terror Fabulous-"From Birth" (East West)
Dilringer-"Dub Them Rasta" (Studio One)

Breaking Up
----------------

Fred Locks-"Woman's Tender Care" (Tan-Yah)
Shelene and Andrew Bell-"Can You Give Me What I Want" (Tan-Yah)
Sugar Minott-"Give Me Jah Jah" (Studio One)

Rockfort Rock
------------------

Junior Tucker-"Under My Skin" (Steely & Gevie)
Wayne Wonder-"Baby You and I" (Steely & Clevie)
Prince Jazzbo-"Rock Fort Dub" (Studio One)
Big Youth-"Waterhouse Rock" (Joe Gibbs)
Big Youth-"Chucky No Lucky" (Joe Gibbs)
Trinity-"Kingston Two Rock" (Joe Gibbs)
Cocoa Tea-"Reggae Music" (Cornerstone)
Josie Wales-"Pon Street Again" (Phrang)
Johnny Osbourne-"We A Di Don" (Steely & Clevie)

Moving Away
-----------------

Jack Radics-"Moving Away" (Digital B)
Half Pint-"I'm Not a Substitute Lover" (Digital B)
Sanchez-"Don't Worry" (Digital B)
Garnet Silk-"It's Growing" (Digital B)

Don't Blame the Baldhead
------------------------------------------

Spanner Banner-"Lie Goes On" (Techniques)
Supercat-"Cry For the Youth" (Techniques)
Admiral Tibett-"Leave People" Business" (Techniques)
Little John-"Run For Cover" (Techniques)
Thriller U-"Prove It to You" (Techniques)
Wailing Souls-"Back Out With It" (Studio One)
Wailing Souls-"Things In Time" (Studio One)
Jackie Mitto-"Black Out" (Studio One)

Bobby Babylon
-------------------

Pinchers-"Order" (Redman)
Cutty Ranks-"Rude Boy Number"
Jackie Mitto-"One Step Beyond" (Studio One)
Lone Ranger-"The Big Match" (Studio One)

Real Rock
-------------

Born Jamaicans-"Boom Shak Attack" (Delicious Vinyl)
Jigsy King & Tony Curtis-"My Sound a Muder" (Stone Love)
Sanchez-"If I Ever Fall In Love" (Stone Love)
Cocoa Tea-"She Loves Me Now" (Exterminator)
Shinehead-"The Real Rock" (Elektra)
Ronnie Thwaites-"Mr. Luxury" (Jammy$)
Johnny Osborne-"No Ice Cream Sound" (Jamrry$)
Red Dragon-"Crotches" (Jammy$)
Reggie Stepper-"Modelling" (Jammy$)
Yammie Bolo-"Isn't She Lovely" (Jammy$)
Barrington Levy-"Lookinq My Love" (Jah Screw)
Junior Murvin-"Cool Out Son" (Joe Gibbs)
Willie Williams-"Armagideon Time" (Studo One)
Michigan & Smiley"Nice Up The Dance" (Studio One)
Sugar Minott-"Wicked A Go Feel It" (Wackies)
Smilie Culture-"Cockney Translation" (Fashion UK)
Tenor Saw-"Eni Meanie Miney Mo" (Volcano)
Nitty Gritty-"Letting Off Steam" (Jammy$)
Cocoa Tea-"Rocking Dolly" (Volcano)
Beres Hammond-"I Could Beat Myself" (Elektra)

Natty Dread On the Go
----------------------------------

Jacob Miller-"Keep On Knocking" (Joe Gibbs)
Bob Marley & the Wailers-"Hypocrites"

Strange Things
--------------

Freddie McGregor-"Strange Things" (High Times)

Simmer Down
-----------

Judy Mowatt-"Simmer Down" (Pow Wow)
Freddy McGregor-"Simmer Down" (Big Ship)

Arte Bella
----------

Mykal Roze-"Arte Bella" (Taxi)
Freddie McGregor-"Arte Bella" (Big Ship)

i thought that only jewish preists (cohanim) cant go to a cemetary. bt its been a while since i studied any kind of religioustext or whatnot.
im hoping this coming school year to take a course in the new testament.

btw, unfortunatly for everyone there are no more red heifers in the world. because then you could do anything you wanted and then get purified by their ashes. am i correct? it really has been a while since i studied all of this stuff....
and happy rasta day. i know thick girl who works at the local video store that really wants to go to ethiopia. so i was able to talk with her about it using all the useful info that you have posted here...

Cemetaries make anyone ritualistically unclean, as do the three things I had mentioned, but you are partially correct regarding the ritual cleaning. Of course, in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the purity is regained through prayer and fasting because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and the temporary ritual impurity of menstruation, contact with dead folks, or sexual relations prohibits entrance into the Church sanctuary and in particular approaching the Altar to receive the Eucharist. The Nazirite Vow is just an extreme avoidance of the ritual impurity of contact with dead folks.

The Ethiopian Orthodox faith is Johannine intepretation of Christianity, with a focus on the Gospel and Epistles of John, their related commentaries, and in particular the Old Testament, as compared to Roman and Western Pauline Christianity, which focuses almost exclusively on the New Testament writings, almost attempting to void the Old, as if it were possible. Ethiopian Orthodox is a syncretic blend of the two, as we revere Paul as much as John the Apostle.

so women need not ever apply?

this kind of stuff is where it all starts to go wrong with me.

One Love is turning out to be a sausagefest.

no, just five days out of the month, and that impurity applies to men also, if they come into contact with anything sat or lied upon by menstruous women. Its a good thing I assure you, the Nyabinghi Theocratic Order biblical lifestyle for women follows this lifestyle like the old Israelites sending their women to a special menstruating camp for a week.

ok. yeah. that's pretty awesome.

I'm back in the fold.