This SpiritualRay post explains the symbolism and meaning of these colors. Rastafari hold that Haile Selassie is a direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, through their son Menelik I. When the Rasta movement rose up in the 1950s, the hairstyle was referred to as "dreadful," and here arose the first usage of the term. They look like thick tubes of hair and vary in length. I cover my hair because as a female Rasta, I feel more beautiful with my hair covered. Woolly nappy hair if simply washed and dried but never combed or brushed, will naturally entwine into long locks as it grows. Eating poorly will slow hair growth and zap hair strength. Rastas, those who follow the Rastafari Movement, are often depicted as poorly groomed pot-heads in common culture.This has everything to do with their use of marijuana - often called ganja - and wearing of dreads, but nothing to do with how or why they use them. Babylon is the term used to describe the world that Rastafarians see as being plagued by oppression, capitalism and materialism. Their dreadlocks were inspired by the Nazarites of the Bible. Rastafarians wear dreadlocks because, according to their religion, dreadlocks symbolize the mane of the Lion of Judah and their own resistance to "Babylon." The word Nazarite is from Nazar, meaning unshorn. Rastafari “livity,” or the principle of balanced lifestyle, includes the wearing of long hair locked in its natural, uncombed state, dressing in the colours of red, green, gold, and black (which symbolize the life force of blood, herbs, royalty, and Africanness), and eating an “I-tal” (natural, vegetarian) diet. I also like the fact that I am embracing my African heritage when I where a hair wrap, to cover my hair. Lately I have been showing my dreadlocks and that makes me feel pretty too! As a matter of fact, a common tenet of Rastafarian beliefs is the sharing of a central Livity among living things, and what is put into one’s body should enhance Livity rather than reduce it. The rastas have specific ways of wearing their hair, colors and clothing, this being part of their symbolism that will be seen in detail below. Now, there are five main symbols that are the most representative in the Rastafarian movement, according to the order of importance, the first one is the colors of the flag. The colors of red, yellow, green, and black, also known as 'Rasta colors', are often seen on iconography depicting the movement. The bible says "a woman should not prophesy or pray without her head covered, other wise she disrespects her head." Rastafarians follow ital, a dietary practice; follow the Holy Piby, a pro-African reinterpretation of the Bible; and are most noticeable for their dreadlocks, long strands of woven hair. Rastafarians grow their hair long, before coiling it into dreadlocks. I cover … Jesus was said to be a Nazarite. Origin of Name. The cultivation of dreadlocks in the later Rastafari movement established a closer connection between with people. The Rastafari Movement is a spiritual way of life which rose to prominence during the 1930s. Perhaps the most common modern association with dreadlocks is the Rastafari movement. Rastafarians take the vow of the Nazarites, one of which is to never cut their hair and let their locks grow.