Life Is a Ceremony — And the Village Endures
ihiTFor over 16 years, we at Rastafari Indigenous Village (RIV) have opened our gates to the world—not as a tourist destination, but as a living, breathing expression of Afro-Indigenous wisdom. Here, alongside the Montego Valley River, we have shared herbal healing, regenerative farming, drumming, ceremony, plant sacraments, and the teachings of Rastafari with all who come in peace. The recent article in Double Blind Magazine is a good description of our offerings.
But now, we face a deep disruption.
A government-approved road project has altered the landscape around us. Forest cover has been stripped away. River access is limited. The soundscape and energy of the land—elements that are central to how we hold space—have been disturbed. We’ve been told the disruption may last for many months, making it difficult to host our retreats in the way our tradition requires.
This video shows the scale of disruption.
A Call For Support
As we walk forward into this uncertain moment, we are preparing a call for support. In the coming weeks, we will launch a GoFundMe campaign to help sustain the Village—and potentially support relocation or restoration if needed. If you feel called to stand with us, we ask only this for now:
So we can stay in touch, and let you know when the time to act arrives.
How a Rasta Village Reclaimed Psychedelics on Its Own Terms
Our journey was recently captured in the April edition of DoubleBlind Magazine: We encourage you to read the piece—it speaks to the sacred nature of the plants we work with, our connections to ancestral practice, and our role in bridging Indigenous and global healing traditions.
Whether you’ve shared a chant by the river, sat in circle under the stars, or dreamed of joining us one day—your presence matters. Your support matters. Your belief in sacred space, cultural sovereignty, and Earth-based living matters.
This is not the end of our story. This is a call to deepen the connection.
One Love & Gratitude,
The Family of Rastafari Indigenous Village