When white women flock to Jamaica for a little fun in the sun, the R&R they’re often looking for is not “Rest and Relaxation” but to “Rent a Rasta” according to director J. Michael Seyfert. His eye-opening expose’ of the same name sheds light on a barely acknowledged form of sex tourism, namely, white women who visit the Caribbean Islands to get their groove back with the help of black locals. This documentary claims that, each year, as many as 80,000 females from a variety of relatively-wealthy Western nations descend on Jamaica alone.
Most of those inclined to indulge their Island Fever with wanton abandon are apparently middle-aged and/or overweight spinsters. Ignored by white men, and afraid to date blacks openly due to the social taboo, they look for satisfaction at remote resorts amidst the anonymity offered by a virtual paradise. These decadent dames safely lure their boy toys with money, electronic gadgets, designer clothes, baubles, or whatever material item it takes to get uncomplicated sexual favors in return along with the strict understanding that like in Las Vegas, “What happens in Jamaica, stays in Jamaica.” As one satisfied customer, a 45 year-old spinster from the Midwest explains her addiction to her hedonistic getaway, “A girl who no one looks at twice gets hit on all the time here.
All these guys are paying her attention, telling her she’s really beautiful, and they really want her. It is like a secret, a fantasy, and then you go home.” While this glimpse of the lucky ladies’ rationale for their no-strings liaisons is certainly informative, the picture is actually far more interesting when chronicling the history of Jamaica, winding its way from the slave days through the rise of the Rastafari to the present. Framed from this perspective, we suddenly see a persistent pattern of utter subjugation and economic inequality, with islanders providing stud service only being the latest form of exploitation.
a cult classic Jamaica documentary, gotta watch it to the end, it’s extremely interesting!
Filthy white women.
Excerpt from Rent a Rasta promo: “Every year over 80,000 middle-aged women flock to Jamaica in search of
the “big bamboo” a practice called rent a rasta. I`m not naïve, I`ve
been around the block. I come for sex, of course the sun, but mostly the
sex? (Karen, 45, from Chicago) But who are the real Rastafari and how
do they feel about being marketed everything Jamaican? ” I feel the film delivered very well, although would have appreciated subtitles on occasion….2 thumbs UP!
(1) Sex trade was not the focus here as I was lead to believe. (2) The spiritual beliefs of a people was the focus. The documentary is lacking because it does not deliver on its stated intent in a comprehensive way, and in the end, it does little justice to the subject matters of numbers 1 and 2 above.
Why can I not see the full screen on this?
9.38 A jamaican Samuel L Jackson!! lol… Yeah, the title is definutely missleading.
There is a flipping’ difference between a rasta and a dreadlocks man…get your facts together Mr director…dis film should be called rent a dreadlocks or rent a Jamaican!
filty niggers
Interesting documentary! Lots of information about the Rastafari philosophy which was very cool to learn about, although verry little focus on the actual “rent a rasta” culture. I find both aspects fascinating so I would have liked to hear quite a bit more about the whole idea of why and how people travel to Jamaica to take part in relationships with local guys, but it wasn’t a waste of time to watch it by any stretch.
Misleading title! The documentary is superficial and does not reflect the title and description
Rastafari:- literally Means the dreaded chief. Most Ethiopian families from amharic speaking folk group gives a name like Teferi, Belachew, Ergetei, Gezachew and Aseged to the children to cheer up them selves and sometimes to scare others, counted outsiders. The name of the children mostly refer to the father or Stands for the father. If my name is Blacky and name my son Prince it will be Prince Blacky as simple as that.
Ras Teferi Mekonen was never even been a good leader or as he called himself a king. This cold blooded murderer used his position to manuplet and building his own cult.Tell them I am saying it.
“Long live, for Ethipian patriots who fought and died during The second world war.” The patriotic militant Ethiopian leader was Marshal Abebe Aregay and the gorilla warfare leader was brigadier general Zeleke Feissa, who showed the whole world that the colonialists can be defeated any time any place. These two names were western fear.
I thought this was gonna be about Rasta’s plowin Fat white ladies. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t dissapointed…
I found this piece to very interesting and liked the authenticity of it as they did take the time to get different perspectives. So many of those overweight and middle aged female tourist dont jst go to Jamaica for the sun and beach but also for some ‘Sugar Cane’
hahaha…. what a piece of crap doco.
hardly even on topic.
if it was called “enter the world of a rasta” it would be more credible.
hahaha…. what a piece of crap doco.
hardly even on topic.
if it was called “enter the world of a rasta” it would be more credible.
hahaha…. what a piece of crap doco.
hardly even on topic.
if it was called “enter the world of a rasta” it would be more credible.
Liar… haha this was barely about sex tourism….more about the rasta way of life. Re name the movie fix the description liar.
Very Interesting, like all the bumbaclots wid de eerriee eyesss. lol
I was expecting a revealing documentary about sex tourism. This documentary only addressed the “rent a rasta” phenomenon for about 5-10 mins total and the rest was a basic sympathetic primer on Rastafarianism and black nationalism. The filmmaker could have made the point that “real” rastas are not for rent without spending the whole film on 101 information that is already out there.
I think it’s a nice little film, no interracial sex scenes required.
what could we get out of interviews with tourist sluts?
the film juxtaposes the self evident sex trade with the not so evident
“real” rasta point of view, after all “real” rastas are not “for rent”
and the film allows these unique beings go express their fringe views.
wait, let me light another one, wait…
This documentary falls flat for me. The profound absence of in-depth interviews from sex trade participants (in light of the subject matter, they could’ve been done under pseudonyms and with shots of participants below the neck to obscure identities) makes it seem like the narrative is being shoehorned in as opposed to naturally progressing, and this is from someone who buys a substantial part of the premise already. Also, some subtitles would help – as an American, the patois is nigh indiscernible at points.
great flick, only the lonely hate it, for lack of explicit sex or where to get it tips
this has nothing to do with renting a rasta, very misleading
has nothing to do with renting a rasta bad approach do your research next time and know what your topic is going to be before you set a title