NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2022 7 SUGAR CONTINUED FROM 6 he would tell the afflicted to seek help elsewhere, whether medical or a “higher physician who can do more”. He prefers when the afflicted has visited a doctor before going to him. Herbal medicine, prayer, a connection to the Almighty and the ancestors are the secret to the healing. His grandfather was a healer himself. “It is in the bloodline, and it is not for a man to ignore something in the bloodline,” he stated. He said he has seen his grandfather heal people with “fasting, prayer and herb”, and even through “conversations with higher ancestors”. “Some people think that it is duppy, enuh, but I no see dat. I know that spirits can jus talk to yuh like how you and I talking right now, and you respond, if you understand.”This consciousness of the healing powers of Revivalismhe said began when he was in his 20s, but he has been following the concept of Rastafari from he was “a little youth growing up around Rasta”. “I listen how dem talk, and gradually I just get a vision from his majesty, and I see the majestic on a mission, and I just know is just Rasta. Whether you is a Christian, whether you is anything, but Rasta for me is just the foundation,” he said. So, Farquharson is a Rastaman healing people through Revivalism, which is mixture of African religiosity and European Christian beliefs and practices. This is incongruent to Rastafari, which is averse to much of the beliefs and practices of Christianity. It is about having an independence of thought and practices, and not about being concerned about what people might say and perceive of him. He cited the concept of ‘one aim, one destiny’, saying that there should be no conflict among themselves because of differences in thoughts. “Right now, in the concept of Rastafari, we just have to respect each other, no matter who the person is, we are connected to the same powers, is just one Almighty, and the one Almighty belongs to all nations,” he explained. The origin and evolution of Maroon culture, Kumina, Revivalism and Rastafari predated Jamaica’s political Independence in 1962. Arising from the experiences of our enslaved African ancestors who were brought here as chattels by Europeans to work on the plantations that dotted the country, they are rooted and grounded here, but have their own dynamics and world view. And in this the 60th year of Independence their roots are still deeply embedded in the psyche of many Jamaican people – Farquharson is one of them. Keisha Hill/Senior Gleaner Writer THE MUCHDESIRED, West End is the place to be while in Negril. It is renowned for its many sought-after attractions, including the Negril Lighthouse and Negril Scuba Centre, with lively surroundings, fine restaurants, shopping areas and stunning attractions. On these meandering roads in the West End, several craft vendors display exquisite pieces of jewellery and artefacts synonymouswithour Jamaican culture. Just opposite Ricks Café, an iconic landmark in Negril, we found a craft vendor, Kenneth Brown, who has been peddling his merchandise for over 15 years. His products, all hand-made, Craft vendor Kenneth Brown showcases one of his craft-work at his shop in Negril, Westmoreland. ASHLEY ANGUIN/PHOTOGRAPHER We are not reaping the benefits of tourism –Craft vendor PLEASE SEE TOURISM, 8 jamaica at JAMAICA AT 60: WESTMORELAND
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