Pinnacle: The Lost Paradise of Rasta

by Bill Howell

A fascinating first-person origin story of the Rastafari ideology, culture, and philosophy, capturing a crucial and little-known chapter in Jamaican history IN 1932, A JAMAICAN MAN NAMED LEONARD PERCIVAL HOWELL began leading nonviolent protests in Kingston, Jamaica, against British colonial rule. While history books rightly credit Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. with popularizing nonviolent protest strategies in later years, little is known about Leonard Howell and his vision of self-reliance―poor people working together to build a society of their own. When Howell first started preaching on street corners in Kingston, he was immediately perceived as "seditious," and he became a target for police harassment. Howell soon founded an organization called the Ethiopian Salvation Society. His idea was to add a religious element to Marcus Garvey's message of African independence. Although Christian values were part of his belief system, he decided to make a break from the Christian interpretation of the Bible and extend the idea of divinity to a living man, Emperor Haile Selassie I, who had been crowned king of Ethiopia in 1930. Jamaican journalists coined a name for the the "Ras Tafarites," or "Rastas." Howell was arrested several times and was eventually found guilty of sedition and sentenced to prison for two years of hard labor. In 1940, Howell and his growing group of followers moved to an old estate in the parish of St. Catherine. They named their land Pinnacle, and for the next sixteen years built a self-reliant community that would ultimately give birth to the Rastafari movement. In 1942, Leonard Howell's wife Tenneth gave birth to their second child, who they named Bill. In The Lost Paradise of Rasta, Bill Howell offers his firsthand account of this utopian community that suffered near-constant persecution from Jamaican authorities. Bill Howell also dispels many misguided notions about the origins of Rastafari culture, including allegations of sexism and homophobia. Pinnacle was built on egalitarian principles, and steered clear of all religious dogma. The Lost Paradise of Rasta provides a crucial and highly informed new perspective on the Rastafari subculture that Bob Marley would later help to spread across the globe. The volume includes photographs and original documents related to Pinnacle. 50 B&W Photos and Scans throughout

208 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2024

Reviews

[Lit_Vibrations · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to the author & @akashicbooks for my gifted copy‼️

When I first heard the term Rastafari (Rasta) it was always associated with Bob Marley. I honestly wouldn’t have known there was more to the Rasta movement or that it was an actual community to be apart of because the way it’s been portrayed.

Throughout the book Bill “Blade” Howell goes in depth on how his father Leonard Percival Howell created an organization that would soon be referred to as “Ras Tafarites,” or “Rastas.” After continuous harassment from police and being thrown into jail Howell and his followers moved onto an old estate they’d call Pinnacle and lived as an egalitarian community.

I loved learning firsthand what it was like for Bill Howell growing up in a Rasta environment. From previous books I’ve read that mention the Rasta experience it always seemed like a strict culture to be apart of. If you didn’t live or behave a certain way you were going against their beliefs. But his father was different and was often viewed by many as a noble man . He didn’t believe in his people needing to be a certain way. Or the women being separate from the men as with present day Rastas. He felt whatever men could do so could women. Pinnacle was truly a place where people could be free and live as one and even outsiders were welcomed. They weren’t a materialistic culture and all lived comfortably together regardless of one person having more than another because they were all equal. I also love how he mentions religion and where the concept of Babylon derived from within their culture and why the Europeans despised his father so much.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book I thought it was very informative. The author thoroughly breaks down in four parts what his father stood for, his influence and reasoning for creating the Rasta movement, what destroyed their community, and provided clarity by answering questions for those who did not understand the culture or their beliefs. I’d recommend to anyone interested in learning the true history of Rastafarian culture.

[Andrea George · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed "Pinnacle: The Lost Paradise of Rasta" by Bill "Blade" Howell. I've traveled to several Carribean countries and have found the Rasta way of life quite interesting. I knew little about this culture. So, I was intrigued when this book came out. The novel follows the life of Mr. Howell and his family from the 1930's through 2016. At times, his recollections were uplifting, amusing, terrifying, and sad. I believe that Mr. Howell's goal with this memoir, was to finally speak the truth about this father and the beginning of the Rastafari faith and culture. The Food for Thought chapter provided a Q&A section, which I found quite informative. In my opinion, the last sentence on page 96 sums up Rastafari. "Rasta is self-enlightenment, self-awareness. I wish Mr. Howell great success with his memoir.

[Nate Kablik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully spoken account of the birth and ideas of Rastafari, as well as the colonial pressure it battled for decades. My favorite quote is when Blade Howell, son of Leonard Howell (the first Rastafari preacher), discusses Rastafari philosophy in relation to other spiritual beliefs: "Every individual, of every creed or nation, has great power within him- or herself... so you must find a way of tapping into that inner resource, that spiritual self". Bro spits heat. A rejection of institutional monotheism and the adoption of the belief in a collective, spiritual consciousness existing within everyone - this is where peace and understanding of one another truly thrive.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

this is good if you're looking for history but not if you're looking for details on Rasta like Livity