Who was queen niyabingi?

Answer 1

In the Rastafari religion, it is commonly believed Queen Niyabinghi was a real queen of Africa who became a spirit who possesses people, mostly women, as a matriarchal power. There is a specific rythmic pattern played on hand drums called the Niyabingi or "Niya" beat. This steady pulse is supposed to symbolize (some even believe invoke) the heartbeat or spirit of Queen Niyabingi. She is seen by Rastafarians as a hero and a mother figure in the struggle against Europeanism or "Babylon". In reality, during the british colonial rule over Uganda (over 100 years ago), a woman witch doctor named Anya Nya incited a rather large violent uprising-led by witch doctors and other less than savory characters-against the British majority. Her primary motivation (per her own mouth) was the destruction of Christianity and European influence. As seeing themselves as followers of Christ (albeit in the form of Haille Selassie), it is ironic that a prominant figure in Rastafarians' worship would be someone who not only hated the God of the New Testament, but killed out of this hatred.