Ital
Encyclopedia
Ital or I-tal is food often celebrated by those in the Rastafari movement
. The word derives from the English
word "vital", with the initial syllable replaced by i. This is done to many words in the Rastafari vocabulary to signify the unity of the speaker with all of nature. Rastafarians derive their beliefs and morality from intense personal meditations and prayer, and therefore there is no single dogma of Rastafarian belief. Due to this emphasis on individual personal meditation in Rastafari, the expression of Ital eating varies widely from Rasta to Rasta, and there are few universal "rules" of Ital living.
The primary goal of adhering to an Ital diet is to increase Livity, or the life energy that Rastas generally believe lives within all of us, as conferred from the Almighty. 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. Though there are different interpretations of ital regarding specific foods, the general principle is that food should be natural, or pure, and from the earth; Rastas therefore often avoid food which is chemically modified or contains artificial additives
(e.g., colour, flavourings, and preservative
s). Some also avoid added salt
in foods, especially salt with the artificial addition of iodine, while pure sea or kosher salt is eaten by some. In strict interpretations, foods that have been produced using chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizer are not considered ital. Early adherents adopted their dietary laws based on their interpretation of several books of the Bible
, including the Book of Genesis ("Then God said, "I give you every Seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."), the books of Leviticus
and Deuteronomy
.
. This is based in part on the belief that meat is dead, and would therefore work against Livity elevation. It is also practiced because as strict adherents to natural living, Rastas often believe the human being is a natural vegetarian based on human physiology and anatomy. Many adherents to Ital diets are strict vegans
, as they do not consider dairy to be natural for human consumption either. However, consumption of fish, particularly those less than 12 inches in length, is often practiced within Rasta Ital diets. In addition, in common with religion
s such as Judaism
, Islam
, and Ethiopian Christianity, most Rastas avoid the eating of pork
. Some Rastas also avoid eating shellfish
because, in common with pigs, shellfish are considered scavenger
s.
The most strict interpretations also avoid food that has been preserved by canning
or drying
and even prohibit the use of metal
cooking utensils. In this case, only clay
and wood
cooking pots, crockery, and cutlery
are used. Few adherents of ital follow the strictest interpretation; some Rastas do not adhere to them at all.
Due to its roots in Jamaica and the deleterious effects alcohol has had on Jamaican society, many Rastafarians do not approve of alcohol
consumption. However, many Rastas, especially those in the United States and Europe, do drink alcohol on occasion as long as it does not reach a level that clouds the mind or reduces their livity. Many Rastas disapprove of cigarettes due to the serious health concerns associated with their use, and a few Rastas avoid coffee
and other caffeinated beverages, though this is less common. Many Rastas, however, do favor the smoking of cannabis
because they believe it causes a strong prayerful state. Some Rastas do not believe in modern medicine, but many urbanized Rastas allow such practice.
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
. The word derives from the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
word "vital", with the initial syllable replaced by i. This is done to many words in the Rastafari vocabulary to signify the unity of the speaker with all of nature. Rastafarians derive their beliefs and morality from intense personal meditations and prayer, and therefore there is no single dogma of Rastafarian belief. Due to this emphasis on individual personal meditation in Rastafari, the expression of Ital eating varies widely from Rasta to Rasta, and there are few universal "rules" of Ital living.
The primary goal of adhering to an Ital diet is to increase Livity, or the life energy that Rastas generally believe lives within all of us, as conferred from the Almighty. 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. Though there are different interpretations of ital regarding specific foods, the general principle is that food should be natural, or pure, and from the earth; Rastas therefore often avoid food which is chemically modified or contains artificial additives
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
(e.g., colour, flavourings, and preservative
Food preservation
Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down spoilage and thus allow for longer storage....
s). Some also avoid added salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
in foods, especially salt with the artificial addition of iodine, while pure sea or kosher salt is eaten by some. In strict interpretations, foods that have been produced using chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizer are not considered ital. Early adherents adopted their dietary laws based on their interpretation of several books of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, including the Book of Genesis ("Then God said, "I give you every Seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."), the books of Leviticus
Leviticus
The Book of Leviticus is the third book of the Hebrew Bible, and the third of five books of the Torah ....
and Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy
The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
.
Vegetarianism
Many expressions of the I-tal diet include adherence to a strict vegetarian dietVegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
. This is based in part on the belief that meat is dead, and would therefore work against Livity elevation. It is also practiced because as strict adherents to natural living, Rastas often believe the human being is a natural vegetarian based on human physiology and anatomy. Many adherents to Ital diets are strict vegans
Veganism
Veganism is the practice of eliminating the use of animal products. Ethical vegans reject the commodity status of animals and the use of animal products for any purpose, while dietary vegans or strict vegetarians eliminate them from their diet only...
, as they do not consider dairy to be natural for human consumption either. However, consumption of fish, particularly those less than 12 inches in length, is often practiced within Rasta Ital diets. In addition, in common with religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
s such as Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, and Ethiopian Christianity, most Rastas avoid the eating of pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
. Some Rastas also avoid eating shellfish
Shellfish
Shellfish is a culinary and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environments, some kinds are found only in freshwater...
because, in common with pigs, shellfish are considered scavenger
Scavenger
Scavenging is both a carnivorous and herbivorous feeding behavior in which individual scavengers search out dead animal and dead plant biomass on which to feed. The eating of carrion from the same species is referred to as cannibalism. Scavengers play an important role in the ecosystem by...
s.
The most strict interpretations also avoid food that has been preserved by canning
Canning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
or drying
Drying
Drying is a mass transfer process consisting of the removal of water or another solvent by evaporation from a solid, semi-solid or liquid. This process is often used as a final production step before selling or packaging products. To be considered "dried", the final product must be solid, in the...
and even prohibit the use of metal
Metal
A metal , is an element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both electricity and heat. Metals are usually malleable and shiny, that is they reflect most of incident light...
cooking utensils. In this case, only clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
and wood
Wood
Wood is a hard, fibrous tissue found in many trees. It has been used for hundreds of thousands of years for both fuel and as a construction material. It is an organic material, a natural composite of cellulose fibers embedded in a matrix of lignin which resists compression...
cooking pots, crockery, and cutlery
Cutlery
Cutlery refers to any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in the Western world. It is more usually known as silverware or flatware in the United States, where cutlery can have the more specific meaning of knives and other cutting instruments. This is probably the...
are used. Few adherents of ital follow the strictest interpretation; some Rastas do not adhere to them at all.
Due to its roots in Jamaica and the deleterious effects alcohol has had on Jamaican society, many Rastafarians do not approve of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
consumption. However, many Rastas, especially those in the United States and Europe, do drink alcohol on occasion as long as it does not reach a level that clouds the mind or reduces their livity. Many Rastas disapprove of cigarettes due to the serious health concerns associated with their use, and a few Rastas avoid coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
and other caffeinated beverages, though this is less common. Many Rastas, however, do favor the smoking of cannabis
Cannabis (drug)
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...
because they believe it causes a strong prayerful state. Some Rastas do not believe in modern medicine, but many urbanized Rastas allow such practice.
External links
- Ital is Vital
- Ital Food
- Recipes for Ital Drinks, Soups, Porridge, Main Course Dishes and Breads & Cakes