Brief Summary
This video explores the roots of veganism in Jamaica through the Rastafari's "Ital" diet, which is a strict form of veganism focused on locally grown, organic foods. It highlights the historical context, the diet's importance to Rastafarian culture, and its growing influence worldwide.
- The Ital diet is central to Rastafarian culture, emphasizing health, connection to nature, and spiritual practice.
- The movement has grown from a grassroots effort in the 1970s to a global phenomenon, influencing veganism worldwide.
- Jamaican chefs and restaurants are innovating with Ital cuisine, attracting international attention and demonstrating the diet's versatility.
The video introduces the Rastafarian and Ital diet, emphasizing its strict vegan principles that exclude meat and focus on locally grown, organic foods. The Ital diet is described as "veganism on steroids" due to its stringent requirements, avoiding supermarket chains and industrial farming. Sister Ivon Hope, a Rastafarian Elder and early pioneer, explains that the Ital movement gained popularity in Jamaica in the 1970s, driven by young people seeking change and self-reliance.
The emergence of vegan shops and restaurants in Jamaica during the 1990s marked a significant milestone, making Ital food more accessible. Rastafarians believe that eating Ital is crucial for their health and connects them to nature, making it an integral part of their spiritual practice. Iby Lion and his partner CSE have introduced Ital food to Kingston's working class through "V Me on Wheels," emphasizing that veganism is a holistic lifestyle that nourishes the body, soul, mind, and spirit.
Iby and CSE innovate with traditional Jamaican dishes, such as substituting saltfish in Ackee and Saltfish with banana strips seasoned with turmeric and curry. They use coconut oil, promoting a return to basic, plant-based ingredients. The banana strips offer a similar consistency to fish, providing a flaky and salty alternative.
The video highlights the global spread of Ital cuisine, noting that in the 1970s, many foreigners visited Jamaica to learn how to cook Ital food, taking these practices back to the US and starting a health food movement. In Jamaica, upscale Ital restaurants like "Stush in the Bush" attract people from around the world, offering an immersive experience in nature with elegant dining and innovative food. The restaurant serves dishes like watermelon crudo with almond feta, plantain chips, and gazpacho with cucumber, mint, lime, and jackfruit seed hummus.
Jamaica's significant influence on the world, from music to language, extends to veganism, with Ital being a key component. The video emphasizes that one cannot discuss veganism without acknowledging Ital and Jamaica's Rastafarian culture. The spread of healthy food trends from Jamaica is seen as a positive development, with people taking something beneficial from the culture.
The Ital movement's foundation lies in the conviction and beliefs of its followers. Without this dedication, the movement, Ital food, and related establishments might not exist. The commitment to these principles has fueled the movement's spread and impact.
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Transcript
Full transcript of “The Ital Diet: A Rastafarian Way of Life”. Click a timestamp to open the video at that moment. Need another video? Use the YouTube transcript generator.
0:00 [Music] thank you friend you guys come all the way up here every day we're up in the mountains of n m and today we with a couple of rostas in the garden all about the roots of veganism here in Jamaica so you really have to know to dig the yam how did you learn how to dig the yam my mama you know everything what I know about the farm is my mom teach me so that's how it does you know first [Music] yeah when you think to make and food you
0:46 might think of jerk chicken beef patties and curry goat but the Rastafari and Eyal diet is veganism on steroids it's only what's locally grown no Supermarket Chains No industrial farming and is Strictly Organic you know theal would do no meat nothing with face just straight vegetable everything you could see come off the the ital movement became popular in Jamaica in the 70s sister Ivon hope a Rastafarian Elder is one of the early pioneers and has seen the vegan movement grow not only in Jamaica but around the world I have been a vegan italist from 197 three people was getting conscious in
1:34 that period Rasta far was new and it was a movement of young people want change in the world we try to be self-reliance and grow what we eat when did you start to see more vegan shops and restaurants start to pop up here in Jamaica in the '90s you see a whole burst of heal food store vegetarian restaurant and you say oh I'm so happy because at one time you had to go miles to get a ital food rosters believe eating itow is vital to their health and connects them to nature which makes eating an important part of their Divine practice iby lion and his partner CSE have brought ital food to Kingston's Working
2:20 Class A five bills food all right BR blessed here yeah we started V me on Wheels in 2010 we were all vegans V and is really about a holistic livity not just eating for your belly but for your soul and your mind and your spirit they special for the day Aki AI our national dish traditionally Jamaicans add saltfish to the a but ktis and iby have come up with an alternative we basically use the banana to make our strips and we put it back with a make a and banana strips to avoid the fish then I season it with a tumer curry or Burberry this is coconut oil you know people saying we must get plant-based Get Back
3:05 to Basics get back to the [Music] Earth it's really really good it has the same consistency as like a fish it's kind of flaky and salty that's good in the ' 70s I remember I would never forget I went up to the hills I see a whole leaper hippie a lot of white and I'm saying what is these people doing up in the bush but they come to learn how to cook itol and those same people went back to the US and start a old movement the movement has come a long way in Jamaica as well with upscale ital
3:50 restaurants like stush in the bush attracting people from around the world the whole idea is to immerse yourself in nature and still still have comfort Elegance style and really amazing food at the same time Jamaica is a power center the amount of influences that Jamaica has had on the world from the music to the language you know you can't say veganism without saying ital and you can't say ital without saying Jamaica without saying Rastafari fresh from the farm bonap so we're going to start with a watermelon Crudo the feta is made from almonds you have some plant and chips
4:37 that are crispy fried I love um a really good gaspacho so it has cucumber mint lime and a jackf fruit seed hummus so we just had about our third course obviously no meat everything was fresh organic and honestly I'm full I feel fulfilled I don't miss meat at all this is great total ey to living right now so it is a thing crust pizza we make it ourselves it has fresh Rosemary in the dough and you also have some coconut bacon so [Music] good people have come to Jamaica and taking the healthy food Trend back is that a good thing that it's spreading around the world yes yes it is not like they came and take us in captivity they
5:26 take something positive this time if it wasn't for I and I conviction you wouldn't have this movement you probably wouldn't have a old food we wouldn't have any of those places but because we stick to what we believe in that is how the movement spread
