Brother Man

1. Roger Mais who was born in Kingston in 1905 and died in 1955 was a Jamaican journalist, novelist, poet, and playwright. He was born to a middle-class family in Kingston, Jamaica.Mais launched his career as a journalist and contributor for the weekly newspaper, Public Opinion from 1939 to 1952, which was associated with the People's National Party. He also wrote several plays, reviews, and short stories for the newspaper,in fact, Mais has published over a hundred short stories.  He wrote three novels "the Hills were Joyful Together"(1953),"Brother Man"(1954) and "Black Lightning"(1955). By 1951, Mais had won ten first prizes in West Indian literary competitions. His integral role in the development of political and cultural nationalism is evidenced in his being awarded the high honor of the Order of Jamaica in 1978.

2.The concensus of the reviews of Roger Mais' Brother Man consider the book to be strongly religious with regards to the indepth nature of rastafariamism. Critque Annie Paul states in her review that "It’s interesting to read Brother Man today, when Rastas and things Rastafarian have acquired such cultural charisma that their image". She exaggerated the fact that rastafarianism has become a very prominent religion in society as it is was triggered in song by Bob Marley and the forms varied along with their founders but it was refreshing to have this religion in particular being exhibited in book, namely by Roger Mais.Other critiques note that the novel depicts a contrast from what culture in Jamaica had once been like in comnparison to what it is now. Imani claims in his review "(Brother Man) is not a mere historical artefact providing a window into Jamaica’s past, but shows an improvement in style, a sophistication in the development of themes and exploration of human character". He further explains that Mais' way of developing his characters also reflects the change or the growth into a new fashion.

3. Rastafarianism dates back to the 1930s and the black 'Back to Africa' movement, its adherents worship Haile Selassie, the former emperor of Ethiopia, under his precoronation name: Ras Tafari. Believers consider the emperor a divine being and champion of the black race, and await redemption in the form of repatriation to Africa. Although Rastafarians have evolved since the early 1930s from a fringe subculture into a trend-setting movement. Their reggae music and dreadlocks have become cultural icons. Devout Rastafarians have been known to reject Western medical treatment, contraception and legal marriage, while forbidding funerals, secondhand clothing and the eating of pork, among other taboos. But marijuana, also known as 'the holy herb' or ganja, took on the role of a religious sacrament as the movement gathered speed. Today, Rastafarians and their imitators are everywhere on Jamaica, an island of 2.6 million people. The religion of Rastafarianism has about 600 thousand followers. Yet sadly many still complain of workplace discrimination, snubs, and the government's refusal to grant them full religious rights.