Louv Brethen,
In regards to my Father, I do not know too much about him myself. He died when I was a year and six months old. Most of what I know, was taught to me by my other brethens, such as Keith Gordon - Niah Keith and Walter Wells, both passed on. I hear many good things about my Father, but I am the kind of person who doesn't like to tell everyone about it. It all sounds so good, I feel like I am bragging. All I know, he was a great man. Jim Tramner who is in prison, knew my Father very well. He met him in 1967-67 in the flesh in Jamaica. Brother Tommy in Florida also knew him/Brother Louv. Brother Allan who is still in Jamaica, and Brother Mitchie. My Mother is in Jamaica, Sister Flowers, but busy with all the children and grandchildren, does not speak of it much. My brother, Dennis Ivy, and Brother Ivy's oldest son, can tell you all about him. He is in England, I will get his # for you.
As far as I know, and what I was taught, Rastafari is the name of the Doctrine, the belief. Rasta means noble. A Rastaman is a noble man. So when a lot of people misinterpret Rastafari with God. Two different things. As my Father say, God is a Rasta man. A lot of Jamaican’s would say they are praying to Rastafari. They are praying to God, but it is a slang for saying Almighty God - they would say Rastafari God. Selassie was a great King to his people. Just like Marcus Garvey was a great man to his people. My Father was a great man to the people the same. King Salassie was Rastafari in the sense that he was a noble man, however, he was not and is not the resurrection of Christ. There are people who claim to be Rastafari who pray to King Sallasie as God. This was not the teachings of my Father.
I was born in the hills of St Andrew, where they had the first little Church. My Father died then we moved to St.Mary with my maternal Grandfather. We got back together with the Church until Niah Keith passed on in '86. I moved on to work in the states and help the family. After my Father was gone, I became the oldest male. (Dennis has a different mother). I married last year, and now live here in Boston. I keep in touch with a couple of the Brethen, I know what my Father did was important. I am not sure where I fit in this crazy world yet, but I live my life as the best person I can, knowing my Father looks on. I will definitely get my brother Dennis's phone for you. He knew him well before he died. I was just an infant.
Respect