1905 Truth 18 May 1267/2 The rasta—for the word undergoes contraction—was twenty years ago apt to be unpleasant on account of his airs.

1929 J. Buchan Courts of Morning 25 One of his South American colleagues had taken him to dine at a restaurant much in vogue among the rastas.

1937 G. Frankau More of Us vii. 77 Doyen de Bouche, that celebrated rasta, Inventor of the coup de limonade.

1954 W. Lewis Self Condemned xxx. 368 The taste of the French-Canadians, who were prominent in staffing and stage-directing this monstrous Hotel, was of a ‘Rasta’ type, the orchestra preferring rumbas and tangos to anything else.

1955 G. E. Simpson in Social Forces 34 ii. 167/1 The ‘Rasta’ people consider Marcus Garvey..as the forerunner of their movement.

1977 Westindian World 3 June 13/3 They are also reflections of Tosh's world view; a combination of Pan African nationalism and rasta mysticism.

1996 Independent 22 June (Weekend section) 4/5 Squashy velvet hats, streetwise Rasta caps, skateboarders' ‘Beenie’ bobblehats..are now widely worn for reasons other than head warmth.

1958 Jamaica Times 8 Mar. 1/6 (heading) ‘Convention’ of the Rastas.

1962 Listener 1 Feb. 209/1 There are other Rastas, fanatic and militant, whose ideology is a blend of myth, religion, anarchistic politics, and black nationalism.

1973 Black World Jan. 77/2 I heard the Rastas credited with starting everything from the island's most popular dance, ‘Reggae’, to the embryonic Black Consciousness movement.

1997 Independent 22 Apr. (Suppl.) 5/1 Just because a man's got locks they call him a Rasta. They're not Rastas; they're not studying the faith.

1976 A. Boot & M. Thomas Jamaica 79/1 Rasta is not just some half-witted heretic sect selling space in the hereafter.

1985 B. Zephaniah Dread Affair 25 So stop praying to polluted air And give rasta your trust.

2002 Monterey County Herald (Nexis) 29 Aug. (Go Mag.) 2 Everybody that enjoys reggae music is not necessarily into rasta.

1977 C. McKnight & J. Tobler Bob Marley ii. 31 Remember the words of the song Jah Live, a Rasta-minded admonishment to all those who suggest that Selassie's physical and merely temporal death might represent the death of the living God.

1996 B. Zephaniah Propa Propaganda 15 Rasta minded vegan humans Never get a treat.