Meaning
A Rastafarian — a follower of the Rastafari faith and way of life ('livity'): reverence for Jah (God) and Haile Selassie I, African identity and repatriation, natural 'ital' living, dreadlocks, the sacred herb, and resistance to 'Babylon'. Born in 1930s Jamaica, Rastafari shaped reggae and carried Jamaican culture to the world. 'Rasta' also broadly names the whole movement and its ways.
Examples
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Him a Rasta, him live a natural livity.
He's a Rastafarian, he lives a natural way of life.
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Rasta teach love, unity, an African pride.
Rastafari teaches love, unity, and African pride.
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Di Rasta dem chant dung Babylon.
The Rastas denounce Babylon.
Origin
From 'Ras Tafari' (Prince Tafari, the pre-coronation name of Haile Selassie I); the faith and its followers born in 1930s Jamaica. See [[ras]], [[negus]].
How it’s used
A Rastafarian and the movement; foundational to reggae and Jamaican identity. See [[ras]], [[jah-know]], [[livity]], [[babylon]].