EMPRESS MENEN EARTHDAY CELEBRATION SATURDAY MARCH 22, 2008 HOWARD UNIVERSITY BLACKBURN CENTER GALLERY LOUNGE WASHINGTON,DC 20059 12pm-6pm DOUBLE CLICK ON FLYER IN PHOTO ALBUM ABOVE.
I-N-I CALLING RASTAFARI!!!
ETHIOPIAN MILLENNIUM 77th ANNIVERSARY CORONATION CELEBRATION WASHINGTON DC NOV.1-NOV.4, 2007 RECAP!!!!!
PICS ROM THE 77th ANNIVERSARY CORONATION EVENTS IN DC NOVEMBER 1-4th 2007How good and how pleasant it is for bredren and sistren to dwell together in love and inity!
Give thanks and praise to the Most High Rastafari for this wonderful occassion and the most wonderful ibrations from the 100's of idren & sistren who were in Washington DC this first strong (weekend).
On Thursday upon the arrival of InI distinguished Rastafari delegates, Nyahbinghi Ises was brim. Words cannot express the heights of churchical ibrations and the strength InI carried forward from this night.
Delegates from Jamaica sponsored by Smithsonian Institution:
Bongo Tawney
Bongo Stephan
Ras Irie Lion
Ras Ivi
Ras Sela
Sister Antoinette
Ma Ashanti
Ras Junior Manning
Sister Maxine Stowe
Sister Yanzi
Bro Brissett
Sister Starliner
Bro Filmore Alveranga
Priest Trevor
Ras Tekla Mekfet
Sister Esta
Ras Ayenton
Sister Ishiwawe Hope
Sister Afrika Thompson
Sister Iby
Sister Marlene
Marcus Goffe
On Friday, the Smithsonian Natural History Museum had a record opening for the wonderful "Discovering Rastafari Exhibit" with an estimated 400+ attendees, a host of over 20 Rastafari delegates from Jamaica, and numbers of Rastafari idren & sistren from all masions across the world including guests from the Ethiopian community. It was truly a joy to see InI culture getting the proper exposure and dispeeling the myths of the "Marked for Death film" propoganda. The evening sealed up at Smithsonian with one of the most memorable performances of Ras Michael & the Sons of Negus EVER.
Nyahbinghi Ises continued for a next light with the fiyah ingels chanting til 5 am.
Saturday, the educational forum at Howard University was in full attendance with youth & elders for the Rastafari Basic Acamemy worskshop on Who are Emperor Haile Selassie I & Empress Menen. HABESHA Inc.'s acclaimed Black to Our Roots documentary film was shown to strengthen support for H.I.M. mandate on educating the youth and preparing them for leadership, and support of Africa. Later in part 2 of the forum Elder Ras Maurice shared a blessed message from the Iniversal Development of Rastafari (IDOR Inc.)organization on the significance of this gathering.
Attorney Ras Kwasi Bonsu shared the significance and the awe of the Coronation around the world. Elder Mother Farika Berhane shared historical accounts of the significance of Empress Menen's crowning including Bro. Leonard Howell's account of the Coronation and H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I's excerpt on the breaking of tradition with the Empress being crowned in the church alongside the Emperor. All of these accounts are in her new book Call I Sister Love A Rastafari Sistrens Daily Handbook .
Rare historic footage of the Coronation of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen on November 2, 1930 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia was viewed courtesy of Jakes Homiak Director of the National Museum of Natural History and curator of the Discovering Rastafari exhibit. The silent film was accompanied by Ras Ivi leading the Nyahbinghi chants including original and foundation chants Hailing up the crowning of InI Queen of Queens Empress Menen.
Ras Ivi of the Nyahbinghi House in Jamaica also shared with InI beautiful video excerpts of the Rastafari re-enactment of the Coronation ceremony produced by Ras Inc.in Florida.
In closing of the educational forum InI were blessed with the visit of some of the most ancient foundation elders in the movement including Ras Samuel Clayton and Ma Ashanti and a historical account of the first Rastafari delegation visit with H.I.M. was given by Elder Ras Alverenga.
On Sunday morning Rastafari Sistren from all houses met for a Sistren Only gathering at Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant in Washington DC to enjoy a wonderful Ethiopian luncheon and Coffee Ceremony. Prayers, laughter, song, and tears of joy and healing poured as sistren shared their stories and feeling of delight that InI could come together.
The evening culminated with the 77th Anniversary Coronation Banquet at Zanzibar on the Waterfront. Rastafari love showered the atmosphere with roots and culture music, ital drinks, ital food, and Nyahbinghi ises. Many supporters of the Coronation events were present including the Great Blacks in Wax museum who provided their wax sculptures of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I and Marcus Garvey, and the U.N.I.A Legal Department Washington DC. To our surprise InI were once again blessed with a special encore performance by Ras Michael and the Sons of Negus.
The highlight of the evening was the audience of Rastafari sons and dawtas and supporters from across the diaspora contributing to the Rastafari Elders fund, and allowing the Elders from the delegation to go forward with a strength.
Thank you to the following sponsors for your support of the 77th Anniversary Coronation Banquest Celebration:
Irie Ites Washington DC
Ras Carleton Washington DC
Mr. Flash Gordon Washington DC
Empire Sedan & Limo Services Gaithersburg, MD
Island Pride Food Market Gaithersburg, MD
Blue Nile Botanicals Washington DC
Desse Ethiopian Restaurant Washington DC
Everyone's Place Baltimore MD
Asli Pure Natural Body Care Capitol Heights MD
Sankofa Cafe Washington DC
Anbessa Roots Capital Heights MD
Empress of Zion, Inc. Atlanta, GA
Moses Selassie Washington DC
Nat'l Great Blacks in Wax Museum Baltimore, MD
Afrikan World Books Baltimore, MD
NationHouse Washington DC
Negril Jamaican Eatery Silver Spring, MD
Pelle Restoration & Design Washington DC
Realty Solutions Network, LLC Washington DC
Phoenix Cultural Variety Washington DC
Dreadlocks Exclusively Washington DC
Black Mission Films Washington DC
Success Arts Washington DC
M.E.D. Construction Washington DC
Crown Caribbean Bakery Washington DC
U.N.I.A. Washington DC
Thanks to InI Rastafari family for your leadership and strength in this critical iwa, InI never get weary yet!!!!
H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I On Leadership:
"A good leader is devoted to his work and willingly forego even the demands of sleep to see its accomplishment. This does not mean that he is impetuous. On the other hand, he maintains a balance between emotional drive and sound thinking. His labors which sometimes seem excessive, derive from his firm realization that unless a man undertakes more than he can possibly do he will never be able to do all that he can do. It is his enthusiasm that stimulates his energy."
Thanks to all of our MySpace friends who sent us wonderful comments and linked us to your pages, your support has given us an overwhelming amount of hits on the site.
Thanks to all of the radio and media personalities including Sandy Mallory, WEAA Baltimore, Papa Wabe, WEAA Baltimore, Sidrach Franklin WPFW Washington DC, Rasta Punch WPFW Washington DC, Tony Carr WPFW Washington DC, Dermott Hussey XM Radio, and IRIE FM Jamaica that promoted this event you are one of our greatest resources thank you for your community support.
Thanks to everyone who attending these wonderful events, every voice that sang, every arm that greeted and embraced, every smile that was given was all apart of the highest vibration that InI could ever expect.
Special Thanks to Selahjah Reggae Band, Proverbs Reggae Band, a host of guest artists who came out to perform, King Selassie I Sound and Revolution Sound. Thanks to the facilities and sponsors Howard University's Ethiopian Rastafari Community, and Zanzibar Restuarant & Nightclub.
A 77th Anniversary program book was created whch includes articles on the coronation and the life of H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I and Empress Menen. If you'd like to purchase a souvenir program book please e-mail us for details at
[email protected].
Please stay tuned to www.myspace.com/himcoronation for photos and video footage from this historical occassion.
Remember that Ethiopian Millennium Celebrations last throught the year until September 11 2008 so we will continue to bring forward programs, events, and information and post it to this site.
Please e-mail is your photos, videos, and comments!!!!!
[email protected]Rastafari Love
77th Anniversary Coronation Committee Washington DC
