The Rastafarian community in Jamaica and around the world celebrated the 129th Anniversary of the birth in 1892 of  Ethiopia’s last Emperor, Haile Selassie I in the heart of downtown  Kingston at a local Jamaican Ital  (Vegan) restaurant, Ibo Spice Portal, located on Orange Street. 

The aroma from Ethiopian Traditional Coffee Ceremony, Ethiopian vegan food as well as the Ethiopian frankincense filled the air around Orange street, attracting lots of people and attention to that part of downtown Kingston.

The event was hosted in collaboration with the Ethiopian Consulate in Jamaica and Ibo Spice Portal. 

The Honorary Consul for Ethiopia in Jamaica,Yodit Hylton, shared her tradition with the Rastafarian Community and guest to bring the authentic Ethiopian flavor to the celebration. 

Ethiopian food and traditional coffee ceremony was served and was one of the highlight of the event.

The owner of Ibo Spice Portal, Ras Ibo said: “We give  many thanks to the Honorary Consul of Ethiopia, Mrs. Hylton, for  preparing special Ethiopian foods and traditional coffee ceremony on this special occasion, Emperor Haile  Selassie I Earth Day (birthday). We are blessed to have Ethiopian authentic coffee and food here to share with our brethrens (brothers) and sistrens (sisters) for this  special occasion. 

Ras Ibo further expressed that “the Portal was decorated with Ethiopian posters,  artifacts, and immersed in the sound of Ethiopian and Rastafarian Nyahbinghi drumming. Many people and well wishers joined this colorful festive celebration in Downtown Kingston. We have people from around the world, including Ethiopia, the UK, Italy, Japan, Israel and Germany. Everyone is welcome to hail di King. This experience is like going to Ethiopia without  traveling to Africa.” Ras Ibo thanked Mrs. Hylton for bringing Ethiopia here to Kingston. “Everyone here is very welcome and we are very happy today.”

Hylton added that “the Ethiopia-Jamaica connection goes a long way back to  the Pan-African Movement of the early 1900s, the Back to Africa  Movement, the vision of Jamaican National Hero Marcus Garvey  and his prophesy of a Black King arising in Africa, who would  liberate Africans, which was realized in 1930 when Ras Tafari Makonnen  was crowned the new Emperor of Ethiopia and become known  as Emperor Haile Selassie I.”  This connection is popularized by the Rastafari and  the  Reggae music of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Culture, Sizzla, Chronixx, and many other Jamaican artistes who sing about former Emperor Haile  Selassie I, helping to spotlight Ethiopia on the international  stage. 

The Celebration ended with Naybingi drumming, Rasta “bun-fire” night, in which the fire represents the purification of life, as well as the Ethiopian traditional Coffee Ceremony  “jebena buna” where these Ethiopian and Jamaican symbolic ceremonies signify a coming together  and  celebrating the most significant date in the Rastafari community, the  birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie I.