Along with other scheduled days of events, the government of the Virgin Islands hosted a solemn and spirited Ras Tafari Day Ceremony July 23, officially honoring the Rastafarian community that follows the life, leadership, and legacy of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.
The event was held with dignity and cultural reverence, drawing community leaders, clergy, and citizens to recognize this significant day in African and Caribbean heritage.
Gov. Albert Bryan, Jr. made a formal public apology to them for the decades of persecution and prosecution endured based on their physical appearance, along with their cultural and religious practices, including the use of cannabis as a spiritual sacrament. The ceremony included Rastafarian drumming, chanting, prayers and song, including the Ethiopian national anthem.
The event was gracefully led by Mistress of Ceremonies Damali Rogers, who guided the program with poise and purpose. The invocation was delivered by Mr. Tafari Tzaddi, Minister of the Ancient Divine Order of Nyahbinghi Church, setting a spiritual tone for the proceedings.
Shikima Jones-Sprauve, St. John administrator, offered powerful renditions of the U.S. National Anthem, the Virgin Islands March, and a soulful delivery of the Black National Anthem, each stirring reflection on freedom, identity, and unity. Members of the Ancient Divine Order of Nyahbinghi Church, joined by attendees, led the singing of the Ethiopian National Anthem, linking the diaspora to its ancestral roots.
The highlight of the ceremony came with the official reading of the Ras Tafari Day Proclamation by Bryan, who also shared personal reflections on the contributions to the community’s health, cultural preservation, leadership, and the principles of love, unity, and respect for each other.
“This is the most moving ceremony I ever had in Government House. We have to continue to promote Pan Africanism. We have to continue to promote black love. Do you know how beautiful it is to hear a black man say Empress to acknowledge the black Queens as Empress or any woman?”
“When you grow up with love you take love for granted but when you go to Babylon and you go on the street and you drop down a man passes you like a dog. We still live in a place where people will help you. Now we got a lot of them taking out their phone when they see you’re hurt instead of calling the ambulance but that’s not who we are. I’m happy and honored that I had the privilege to sign and make this a reality,” said Bryan.
Lt. Gov. Tregenza A. Roach delivered meaningful remarks, emphasizing the historical and spiritual importance of Emperor Haile Selassie I and his enduring influence on global Pan-African movements.
“I want to first thank Governor Bryan for signing the proclamation into effect because in doing so he really says that this administration is one that respects the dignity of each person and the value of each member of this community and each component of this community who contribute to the life of the Virgin Islands. This is just not a proclamation issued one day. Our experience with this goes back far. We go back to traveling to Colorado together wit the minister, Senator Nelson, myself and some other persons looking at this whole cannabis industry and having deep conversations about how do you reconcile making an industry where people will now make this tremendous amounts of money from cannabis and not respect and regard the community who has for decades told us about the sacred principles of this plant,” said Roach.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Bryan and a reverent recitation of The Lord’s Prayer by Minister Tafari Tzaddi, bringing the gathering to a peaceful and joyful close.
The Ras Tafari Day Ceremony served as a testament to the Virgin Islands’ commitment to honoring the shared histories of its people and fostering a deeper understanding of African heritage and spiritual resilience.
The group assembled in Roosevelt Park both before and after the official ceremony in Government House, then marched to the Emancipation Garden, reciting prayers and songs, where a community program was held, including speakers, the awarding of certificates, musical and poetic performances, as well as remarks from members of the Rastafarian community. Vendors who sold produce, food, drinks and Rastafari accessories were set up throughout the park.
Amongst those honored were members of the Rastafarian community who had passed on, including Gene Emanuel, Jermaine Ras Koniyah Pemberton and others, as well as various members who are still living.
From about quarter to midnight, ises (prayers) were held, which included drumming, singing and chanting. Also, on both the start and end of the various event days, the ises were held at the Bordeaux Farmers’ Market on St. Thomas as they closed one day in preparation for the next event to be held on St. John the following day.
“Rastafari is who kept ionic community and the whole Caribbean in remembrance of themselves that you are Africans first and foremost. We can’t change, neither does the leopard change spots on his back, so let’s let us embrace I-and-I one this our culture our identity and let us show pride love and integrity that the Virgin Islands can move forward in righteousness. We give thanks to the honorable governor Albert Bryan Jr., the honorable Lieutenant governor and his administration for vision and for courage and fortitude as we move forward as one Virgin Islands,” said Tzaddi.
