( also infml Rasta ) n
a person who believes in Rastafarianism , a religion that began in Jamaica in the 1930s. It is based on the ideas of Marcus Garvey , who taught that black people around the world would one day return to Africa, and that they should worship the ruler of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie (1892–1975). Rastafarians wear their hair in long twisted pieces, called dreadlocks , sometimes with red, gold, black and green hats. They also often smoke the drug marijuana, which they call ganja . Many reggae musicians are Rastafarians.