Photo caption: Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia - Wikimedia Commons

The annual April 21 commemoration of His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I’s historic 1966 visit to Jamaica carried special weight this year. In 2026, marked the 60th anniversary of that unforgettable moment when the Ethiopian emperor was greeted by a sea of devoted Rastafari. As expected, Rastafari and sympathisers from all walks of life turned out in their numbers.

But this year’s observance unfolded against the backdrop of an unexpected regional controversy, one that exposed deeper tensions around rights, recognition, and the lived realities of Rastafari in the Caribbean.