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Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — September 8, 2025 — St. Kitts and Nevis’ cultural ambassador John “Ras Kalonji” Jeffers has once again placed the Federation on the international stage, concluding his visit to Ethiopia where he attended the 2nd Africa-Caribbean Summit before journeying to the historic city of Shashamane, a symbolic homeland of the Rastafarian movement.

ROOTS AND HISTORY OF SHASHAMANE

Shashamane, located in Ethiopia’s Oromia Region, carries profound meaning for the global Rastafarian community. In the 1940s and later the 1960s, Emperor Haile Selassie I granted land to Africans in the diaspora, particularly Rastafarians, as part of Ethiopia’s embrace of Pan-Africanism and the repatriation movement. Over the decades, the city has grown into a vibrant hub where Ethiopian traditions blend seamlessly with Rastafarian spirituality, culture, and enterprise.

Visitors to Shashamane encounter bustling markets, colorful street life, and a living repository of history, where reggae beats mix with Ethiopian rhythms. It has long been regarded as a pilgrimage site, attracting those seeking reconnection with Africa. Notably, Rita Marley, widow of reggae icon Bob Marley, once considered Shashamane as the final resting place for her husband — a testament to the city’s enduring symbolic importance.

KOLONJI’S CULTURAL CONNECTION

For Ras Kalonji Jeffers, his journey to Shashamane represents more than a personal experience — it embodies the strengthening of cultural and historical ties between Africa and the Caribbean. By setting foot in a city where Rastafarian heritage and Ethiopian identity intertwine, Kolonji symbolically reaffirmed the diaspora’s continuing bond with the African continent.

His presence also underscores the pivotal role of Caribbean leaders, artists, and activists in maintaining bridges of solidarity across the Atlantic. In the context of the Africa-Caribbean Summit, which closed on Sunday, his visit sends a strong message about the importance of cultural diplomacy alongside political and economic cooperation.

BEYOND DIPLOMACY — A PEOPLE’S LEGACY

Analysts note that while high-level summits often emphasize trade, climate resilience, and governance, cultural figures like Ras Kalonji remind us that the human and spiritual connections between Africa and the Caribbean are equally vital. His walk through Shashamane stands as a recognition of the Rastafarian community’s sacrifices and resilience — a community that has faced challenges yet continues to preserve its vision of unity, repatriation, and African pride.

JOURNEY HOME

From Shashamane, Kolonji traveled back to Addis Ababa, preparing to fly through Turkey and Miami en route to St. Kitts and Nevis. His journey home closes one chapter of international engagement but opens another in the ongoing effort to strengthen St. Kitts-Nevis’ role in the Pan-African conversation.

As Ras Kolonji returns, he carries with him not just memories of Ethiopia, but also a renewed commitment to deepening the cultural, historical, and spiritual ties that bind the people of the Caribbean to their ancestral homeland.