The Mount Teman Roots Story
“I am a Rastafarian and Mount Teman Beverages is built on the principles of Rastafari.”
NATURAL LIVITY, PEACE AND LOVE!
At age 11 in Kingston Jamaica, I went fishing quite often on Sunday mornings with my father, older brothers and friends in Port Royal. After fishing we’d go around the town,” hanging out”…That is when I was first introduced to a sweet wine like drink called “Sputnik”. This was my first experience getting drunk!
Growing up in Jamaica I was exposed to numerous churches and religions. My Grandmother was Seventh Day Adventist (I generally spent summers with her in the country {St. Catherine}). My Uncle, Raymond Harper a well know musician (trumpeter) practiced the Rastafarian faith. My older brother, Glenroy, a devoted Catholic took me to church with him regularly.
Fast forward – my family moved to New York in the late 60’s where I went to school from grade 8 and got my degree in Marketing from BMCC (Borough of Manhattan Community College) in 1977.
While in college, I read my bible constantly, as well as “The Lost Books of the Bible” , “The Forgotten Books of Eden” and countless Black/African history books.
In the mid 70’s I put on my Covenant (Dread Locks) and started visiting various “Rastafarian Houses” to commune with members of my faith.
I started a family at age 22 and in 1981 moved my family to the Bobo Hills in Bull Bay St. Thomas Jamaica (also known as Mount Temanhighites) where we lived with Prince Emmanuel, other Brethren and Sisters in “Communal levity”.
In 1983 I moved my family to South Florida. Being a Sabbath Keeper I knew it would be difficult to get a job that would allow me to observe the Sabbath “in its fullness”. I had to come up with viable means to take care of my family. Still remembering the sweet taste of Sputnik (from 20 years ago) I incorporated that concept and applied it to my “all natural” roots drink. – Mount Teman Roots started production in my backyard in Miami, Florida. Initially the drink was sold to local Jamaicans and Rastafarian markets.
The original recipe for making “roots” came from Africa with the slaves that were left in Jamaica. In Jamaica the drink was geared to the enhancement of male virility. After numerous years of research we’ve discovered that Mount Teman Roots is beneficial to both men and women in countless ways…It balances the body.
While reasoning with some of my Brethren we decided to collectively build a business and the venture would be a vegetarian restaurant . Since most of us were previously living on Mount Temanhighites, we named it Mount Teman Vegetarian Restaurant. Mount Teman International was incorporated in Miami, FL in March 1987. The origin of the name comes from The Bible. Mount Teman is a hill adjacent to Mount Sinai. It is said that Moses passed thru Mount Teman en route to Mt. Sinai.
We rented a warehouse in Opa Locka, FL and started a small manufacturing factory where my sons, nephews, other family members, Brethrens and friends were welcomed to help as needed. We had a great following and basically cornered the Jamaican and Rastafarian market until TTB & FDA pulled the product off of the shelves and required licensing.
It’s been a long journey and finally, Mount Teman Roots no longer has to worry about being pulled off store shelves because Mount Teman Beverages Inc. is fully licensed and bonded. This All Natural beverage has been produced with the same ingredients since its inception in 1987 – IT HAS NEVER CHANGED!
”Some a leaves, some a branches, Mount Teman a de Roots” The Original Roots drink.
So get ready, you’ll see Mount Teman Roots again in your neighboring stores and supermarkets.