Skip to main content

Deep Dive: The First Rasta (2011)

Play Trailer

Film Lens

The First Rasta
The First Rasta presents the cultural history of Rastafarianism through the life of Leonard Percival Howell, a key figure in the movement since the 1920s. Howell, known as the Gong, led a community of 4,500 followers who revered Haile Selassie, the king of Ethiopia, as divine. The film details Howell's establishment of the first agro-industrial enterprise for marijuana production, which became integral to Rasta culture, despite the challenges he faced, including imprisonment and public ridicule. The documentary also covers the dispersal of Howell's community in the late 1950s, which allowed Rastafarian teachings to spread throughout Jamaica's ghettos. This cultural shift contributed to the global rise of reggae music, particularly through Bob Marley, who adopted Howell's message and brought it to mainstream audiences, influencing 20th-century spirituality and culture.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Leonard Percival Howell, Rasta's founding figure.
  • •Find out how marijuana shaped Rasta culture.
  • •See the roots of reggae music's global influence.

Did You Know

•Leonard Percival Howell led a community of 4,500 members.
•Howell established the first agro-industrial enterprise for marijuana production.
•The dispersal of Howell's community occurred in the late 1950s.
•Bob Marley adopted Howell's message, changing music history.

Perfect For

Rastafarian historyReggae music fansCultural documentaries