A journey to the soul of Rasta

In 2011, Donisha Prendergast went on a journey around the world to discover the evolution of Rastafarian culture. In the documentary film RasTa: A Soul’s Journey (screening September 22 at IMA 307), she travelled to eight countries where Rasta culture has roots (from Jamaica and Ethiopia to India and Israel), learning not only about its history, but also Rasta’s place in her own life.

“It was amazing, and hectic, and overwhelming, and emotional,” the film student said. “Every place had a different truth to add to the story, and the more truth I learned, the bigger the window became. The documentary was a window into my own life, to ask myself: are you Rasta? Are you not Rasta? What do you agree with? Who do you think your grandfather was beyond the celebrity?”

Her grandfather, by the way, is Bob Marley—a man who, among other things, is still the world’s most famous Rastafarian. When asked if the Marley name weighs on her, Prendergast said, “It is a huge factor in my life because it is what it is. I think as I get older, I come to grips with Donisha outside of the Marley family, and understanding that there is room for me to evolve as an artist beyond just the definition of what my family is.”

Prendergast’s family history caught the attention of producer Patricia Scarlett, a Canadian filmmaker who had already produced a short on Rastafari history. Prendergast, an actress with a Jamaica-based production company (D.S.E. Jamaica (external link) ), noted that, “I grew up in the Rasta culture, but growing up in the Marley family is slightly different from being a Rasta person, y’know?”

For Prendergast, who hosts the documentary the journey revealed a more nuanced perspective of Rastafari culture, spanning the globe in unlikely ways. “Ganja is the first thing that people think of when they think of Rastafari, but that was borrowed from Indian culture. Indians brought it to Jamaica after slavery was abolished,” she said.

“Israel had the most reggae music out of all the countries I visited. Israel. Like, what? But one of the brothers we interviewed there told us that Israel needs this music right now, and that reggae music has a lot of ties in the Bible. It references Psalms, and Israelites relate to that.”

She also learned to think of herself in a new way. “My nickname is Nisha. That’s an Indian name that loosely means ‘the transition between dark and light.’ I learned that while I was there, and that put perspective on my journey—on what I could potentially symbolize, and who I am.”

In addition to her production company Prendergast is enrolled is a founding member of the community organization Manifesto Jamaica (external link) , and is now in her second year in the Image Arts program. Looking back on how the experience of RasTa: Soul’s Journey affected her life, Prendergast said, “I felt empowered to do the activism that I’m doing now, to do the kind of community building I’m doing, and to stand on platforms to interface with governments. It’s empowered me to realize that there’s a whole movement around the world that we represent.

“If my grandfather were still around, I don’t think he would be singing—I think he would be leading nations. He would be having different kind of conversations. As much as his art made him popular globally, it was also the message he was trying to get out, not just the art.”

RasTa: A Soul’s Journey screens September 22, 6:30 p.m. at IMA 307, with a reception in the lobby.