THE NYAHBINGHI   ORDER

Early Manifestation of Nyahbinghi

Just prior to the outbreak of the Italo-Ethiopian war in 1935, a photograph of the young Ethiopian Emperor in an Amhara warrior's head dress was circulated in the shanty towns of West Kingston together with an article in the Jamaica Times on December 7. According to the report, originally penned by an agent of the Italian Fascists. Emperor Haile Selassie was the head of the Nyahbinghi Order. This was purported to be an international African secret society dedicated to the overthrow of white colonial domination through racial violence. The name Nyahbinghi was said to mean death to the whites or death to the Europeans.

In Jamaica, early adherents of the Rastafari faith took the article quite literally, and sought to spiritually align themselves with Emperor Selassie by enlisting in the Nyahbinghi Order. The word Nyahbinghi was quickly adopted into the Rastafarian vocabulary of racial protest, and came to mean Death to downpressors.

"The Nyahbinghi Order is the Divine force of truth and rights, the rallying call of Theocracy for humanity. I an'I assert that Iquality and Justice, which are the habitation of the Throne of the Almighty, stand for all who know that satan kingdom must fall. And I an'I render the judgmant of death to downpressors', and everliving life to the righteous. The NYAHBINGHI mean to bring universal co-operation, co-ordination and divine elements for all people which are of righteous good.It means that it is a full universal divine resurrection for all nations which are of righteous element. And that is the protest of full Nyahbinghi to I an' I, and I an' I continue to work it, in the fullness of its activity until peace will come to all nations upon earth in the power of JAH Ras Tafari as the co-ordinator of us all. The true heart Iyahbinghi I put aside all things, whether funds are sufficient or not, to take up the banner of Ithiopia and reach Zion Gate. For nothing is more important to I an'I than when JAH RASTAFARI House of Judgmant Issembly is in motion. Nyahbinghi congregation usually last from three to seven days during which time bredrin and dawtas gather to revive the Faith of Rastafari through communal activities eg. drumming, chanting of Ises, reasonings, herbs smoking, and dancing also known as groun'ation. It commemorates I an'I original tradition of coming together to chant down Babylon, and to give JAH glory. For one man alone is but a voice in the wilderness, but the Congregation of JAH is Omnipotent. The chalice, the Rastafari ganja pipe, passes from bredrin's hand around the altar table, ritually activating the symbols of earth, air, water, and fire, the primal forces of creation. Through the word, sound and power of the Nyahbinghi, the Faithful are united with the Godhead in mystic telepathy to chant down Babylon, to scourge the Earth of wickedness and restore the natural order of Creation to its original state of perfection." LINK TO THE - NYAHBINGHI WEBSITE