Culture minister Olivia Grange, has joined the celebration of Groundation Day which commemorates the 1966 visit to Jamaica of Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia.
In her message, Minister Grange said April 21 was an unforgettable day in Jamaican history when 100,000 Rastafari from all over Jamaica descended on Palisadoes Airport in Kingston playing drums, smoking chalices and chanting Nyabinghi songs as they waited for His Imperial Majesty.
Ms Grange says even after 55 years, the memory has not faded from the memory or importance to the Rastafari community, at home and abroad.
The Emperor’s visit was a significant moment in the development of the Rastafari religion in Jamaica.
