The Dangers of Broad Generalizations: The Untold Tales of Courageous Ethiopians from the Tigray Province: A Personal Reflection
The Unraveling Historical Context of Abiy Ahmed Ali: From Fifth Orommuma Lubaship Headman to the New Breed of African Dictator
Ethiopian women played a crucial role in the Second Ethiopian-Italian War as freedom fighters, making significant contributions to the conflict.
Exploring Kenya’s State Visit to the US: A Look Back at Historical Ties Since Haile Selassie’s 1960s Visit
Ethiopia: The country where a year lasts 13 months September 11, 2021 ANALYSIS & OPINION Facebook X Pinterest Linkedin Whatsapp Reddit Email By Lucy Fleming BBC News’Ethiopians are marking the start of a new year, with feasting in many homes despite the difficulties caused by rising prices and the war and hunger crisis raging in the north. Find out more about Ethiopia’s unique calendar and cultural heritage.1) The year lasts 13 monthsNot only that – the Ethiopian calendar is also seven years and eight months behind the Western calendar, making Saturday the start of 2014.This is because it calculates the birth year of Jesus Christ differently. When the Catholic Church amended its calculation in 500 AD, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church did not.So the new year falls on 11 September in the Western calendar, or 12 September in leap years, at the start of spring.IMAGE SOURCE,AFPimage captionDuring the Oromo community’s Irreecha celebrations, freshly cut grass and flowers are placed in water to thank God for the beginning of springUnlike children growing up elsewhere, there is little need for Ethiopian youngsters to learn rhymes to remember how many days each month has.In Ethiopia it is simple: 12 months each have 30 days and the 13th – the last of the year – has five or six days, depending on whether it’s a leap year.Time is also counted differently – with the day divided into two 12-hour slots starting from 06:00, which would make both midday and midnight six o’clock in Ethiopian time.So if someone arranges to meet you in Addis Ababa at 10 o’clock for a cup of coffee – Ethiopia is after all the birthplace of the arabica bean – don’t be surprised if they rock up at 16:00.2) Only African country never colonisedItaly tried to invade Ethiopia, or Abyssinia as it was also known, in 1895, when European powers were carving up the African continent between themselves – but it went on to suffer a humiliating defeat.Italy had managed to colonise neighbouring Eritrea after an Italian shipping company bought the Red Sea port of Assab. Confusion following the death in 1889 of Ethiopian emperor Yohannes IV then allowed Italy to occupy the highlands along the coast.IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGESimage captionA parade is held each year to mark the Battle of Adwa – it was the 125th anniversary in MarchBut a few years later when Italy tried to push further into Ethiopia, it was defeated at the Battle of Adwa. Four brigades of Italian troops were overcome in a matter of hours on 1 March 1896 by Ethiopians serving under Emperor Menelik II.Italy was forced to sign a treaty recognising Ethiopia’s independence – though decades later fascist leader Benito Mussolini violated it, occupying the country for five years.One of Menelik’s successors, Emperor Haile Selassie, capitalised on his Italian victory by pushing for the creation of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union, which has its headquarters in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.“Our liberty is meaningless unless all Africans are free,” Selassie said at the OAU’s launch in 1963, a time when much of the continent was still ruled by European powers.IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGESimage captionThe three main colours of Ethiopia’s flag have come to represent pan-Africanism – several post-colonial states adopted themHe invited those leading the fight against colonialism for training – including South Africa’s Nelson Mandela – who was granted an Ethiopian passport, which allowed him to travel around Africa in 1962.Mandela later wrote about the special place Ethiopia held for him ahead of the trip: “I felt I would be visiting my own genesis, unearthing the roots of what made me an African.”The man who taught Mandela to be a soldier3) Rastafarians worship Emperor Haile SelassieThis stems from a quote in 1920 from influential Jamaican black rights leader Marcus Garvey, who was behind the Back to Africa movement: “Look to Africa, when a black king shall be crowned, for the day of deliverance is at hand.”A decade later, when 38-year-old Ras Tafari (or Chief Tafari) was crowned Ethiopia’s Haile Selassie I, many in Jamaica saw this as the prophecy coming true, and the Rastafari movement was born.IMAGE SOURCE,AFPimage captionHaile Selassie (left) denied he was immortalReggae legend Bob Marley was instrumental in spreading the Rasta message – and the lyrics to his song, War, quote the emperor’s address to the UN General Assembly in 1963 calling for world peace: “Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned… until that day, the African continent will not know peace.”The title track of Marley’s Exodus, named by Time magazine as the album of the 20th Century, reflects the Rastafari desire to return to Africa, which millions of people were forced to leave during the transatlantic slave trade.IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGESimage captionThe Ethiopian emperor was greeted by tens of thousands of Rastafarians when he went to Jamaica in 1966To this day a small Rastafarian community lives in the Ethiopian town of Shashamene, 225km (150 miles) south of Addis Ababa, on land granted by Selassie to black people from the West who had supported him against Mussolini.Selassie, an Orthodox Christian, may not have been a Rasta believer, insisting that he was not immortal, but Rastafarians still revere him as the Lion of Judah.This is a reference to Selassie’s alleged lineage, which Rastafarians, and many Ethiopians, believe can be traced back to the biblical King Solomon.4) Home to the Ark of the CovenantFor many Ethiopians, the sacred chest holding the two tablets with the Ten Commandments which the bible says were given to Moses by God is not lost – Hollywood’s Indiana Jones need only have gone to the city of Aksum.The Ethiopian Orthodox Church says the ark is under constant guard on the grounds of Aksum’s Our Lady Mary of Zion Church, where no-one is allowed to see it.Tradition has it that the church has this precious relic thanks to the Queen of Sheba, whose existence may be disputed by historians, but generally not by Ethiopians.They believe she travelled from Aksum to Jerusalem to visit King Solomon to find out more about his reputed wisdom in around 950 BC.The story of her journey and seduction by Solomon are detailed in the Kebra Nagast epic (Glory of the Kings) – an Ethiopian literary work written in the Ge’ez language in the 14th Century.It tells how Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, gave birth to a son – Menelik (meaning Son of the Wise) – and how years later he travelled to Jerusalem to meet his father.Solomon wanted him to stay and rule after his death, but agreed to the young man’s wish to go home, sending him back with a contingent of Israelites – one of whom stole the ark, replacing the original with a forgery.When Menelik found out he agreed to keep it, believing it to be God’s will that it stay in Ethiopia – and for the country’s Orthodox Christians it remains sacred and something they are still willing to protect with their lives.This was evident last year when, during the conflict that has erupted in Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray, soldiers from Eritrea reportedly tried to loot Our Lady Mary of Zion Church in the aftermath of an horrific massacre.A civil servant in the city told the BBC that young people ran to the site to protect the ark: “Every man and woman fought them. They fired guns and killed some, but we are happy as we did not fail to protect our treasures.”How a massacre in Ethiopia’s sacred city unfolded5) Home to first Muslims outside Arabia“If you were to go to Abyssinia, you will find a king who will not tolerate injustice,” the Prophet Muhammed is said to have told his followers when they first faced persecution in 7th Century Mecca, in modern-day Saudi Arabia.IMAGE SOURCE,AFPimage captionOne of the mausoleums at the historic al-Negashi Mosque was damaged in the ongoing Tigray conflictThis was at the time the prophet had just begun his sermons, which proved so popular that he was seen as a threat by the city’s non-Muslim rulers.Taking his advice, a small group set off to the Kingdom of Aksum, which then covered much of present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, where they were indeed welcomed and allowed to practise their religion by the Christian monarch Armah – whose royal title in Ge’ez was Negus, or Negashi in Arabic.The village of Negash, in what is now Tigray, is where these migrants are thought to have settled and built what is considered by some to be the oldest mosque in Africa. Last year, the al-Negashi Mosque was shelled during the fighting in Tigray.Local Muslims believe that 15 disciples of the prophet are also buried in Negash.In Islamic history this move to Aksum became known as the first Hijra or migration.Today Muslims make up nearly 34% of Ethiopia’s more than 115 million inhabitants. Facebook X Pinterest Linkedin Whatsapp Reddit Email Leave a Reply Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Previous StoryHorn of Africa: Tigrayans lies undermine peace wanted by Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan Next StoryThe Biden Africa Team’s Ethiopia Regime ‘Change’ Folly Undermines US National Security Latest from Blog UN Reports Potential 500 Fatalities in Ethiopia Landslides Amid Ongoing Recovery The Gofa Zone in southern Ethiopia was hit by a devastating landslide due to heavy rainfall, resulting in the burial of several individuals on Sunday night. Tragically, another landslide occurred on Monday, Ethiopia Needs Long-Term National Development Plan (Part Twenty-Two, Policy Framework and Stakeholder Dynamics) Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD 2024-07-24 In the context of a long-term national development plan, a policy framework provides the structured and coherent set of guidelines, principles, rules, tools, and processes that guide the Amhara Fano Shewa command’s Political Department Head, Fano TesfaMariam Tafesse, issued a press release 📌Press release From Amhara Fano Shewa command, Political Department Head Fano TesfaMariam Tafesse pic.twitter.com/7CysPP9eKC — 👑ምኒልክ አማራዊት ጥቁር ሰው🦅 (@FanoAmhara21301) July 24, 2024 Amhara Fano Shewa command’s Political Department Head, Fano TesfaMariam Forum for Ethiopian Scholars & Professionals 13th Conference The 13th conference is fast approaching. Enclosed is the preliminary schedule for the upcoming online conference. Your assistance in spreading this information to the public would be highly valued. Instructions for media Ethiopia Landslides: Tragedy Strikes with 229 Fatalities It is a devastating tragedy. The loss of so many lives in the landslides in southern Ethiopia is heart-wrenching. In a remote, mountainous area, residents were observed using their bare hands to sift Inside Senator Menendez’s Scandal: Bribes and Egypt’s Opposition to GERD Explained July 23, 2024 – by Mesfin Mekonen Ethiopia: Washington Update Senator Menendez conviction. Good riddance. One of the charges against Senator, soon to be ex-Senator Bob Menendez, was accepting bribes from the The IMF and World Bank are Complicit in Abiy’s Extravaganza It is disheartening to me and millions of Black Africans that their governments squander resources, commit economic and other crimes with a ;level of unprecedented impunity in the 21st century!! Ethiopia is among them. Biden has announced his decision to exit the race and throw his support behind Harris Vice President Kamala Harris has already secured important endorsements from senators, House members, and governors. President Biden’s choice to withdraw from the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris could have a The Dangers of Broad Generalizations: The Untold Tales of Courageous Ethiopians from the Tigray Province: A Personal Reflection By Habtamu Kebede As we stood at Shire Endasilassie Airport, preparing to fly back to Addis Ababa after a week of exploring Axum, Shire, and the surrounding areas, the sun beat down Ethiopia Needs Long-Term National Development Plan (Part Twenty-One, Practical Challenges) Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD 2024-07-21 I believe we have thoroughly discussed the conceptual frameworks, models, and principles guiding the overall planning process of the country’s long-term national development plan. We have employed root FANO’s Organizational Structure Fuels Effective Struggle Strategies The issue of Fano is a matter of great public interest. There are public declarations being made, public discussions taking place, and errors being committed. However, the focus should be on learning Unraveling the Surprise: Kios Man Abiy Ahmed’s Untold Peace Mediation Proposal for Sudan Kios Man Abiy Ahmed has put forward a peace mediation proposal for Sudan, which brings to attention the unexpected elements and difficulties that are part of the process. Delving into the Unexpected: Kiosman Ethiopia Needs Long-Term National Development Plan (Part Twenty, Timeline and Key Milestones) Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD 2024-07-19 The long-term national development plan we are discussing has extensive components: six overarching goals, 38 fundamental pillars, 114 objectives and 342 strategies. We need to create a detailed A New Approach for Lasting Peace in Sudan – OpEd By Arlene Schar and Dr. David Leffler Despite ongoing efforts to resolve tensions and stabilize Sudan, longstanding divisive issues remain largely unresolved, and civil war persists. Achieving a sustainable and lasting peace remains The complete Audio FANO Leadership selection procedure \The complete Audio FANO Leadership selection procedure
UN Reports Potential 500 Fatalities in Ethiopia Landslides Amid Ongoing Recovery The Gofa Zone in southern Ethiopia was hit by a devastating landslide due to heavy rainfall, resulting in the burial of several individuals on Sunday night. Tragically, another landslide occurred on Monday,
Ethiopia Needs Long-Term National Development Plan (Part Twenty-Two, Policy Framework and Stakeholder Dynamics) Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD 2024-07-24 In the context of a long-term national development plan, a policy framework provides the structured and coherent set of guidelines, principles, rules, tools, and processes that guide the
Amhara Fano Shewa command’s Political Department Head, Fano TesfaMariam Tafesse, issued a press release 📌Press release From Amhara Fano Shewa command, Political Department Head Fano TesfaMariam Tafesse pic.twitter.com/7CysPP9eKC — 👑ምኒልክ አማራዊት ጥቁር ሰው🦅 (@FanoAmhara21301) July 24, 2024 Amhara Fano Shewa command’s Political Department Head, Fano TesfaMariam
Forum for Ethiopian Scholars & Professionals 13th Conference The 13th conference is fast approaching. Enclosed is the preliminary schedule for the upcoming online conference. Your assistance in spreading this information to the public would be highly valued. Instructions for media
Ethiopia Landslides: Tragedy Strikes with 229 Fatalities It is a devastating tragedy. The loss of so many lives in the landslides in southern Ethiopia is heart-wrenching. In a remote, mountainous area, residents were observed using their bare hands to sift
Inside Senator Menendez’s Scandal: Bribes and Egypt’s Opposition to GERD Explained July 23, 2024 – by Mesfin Mekonen Ethiopia: Washington Update Senator Menendez conviction. Good riddance. One of the charges against Senator, soon to be ex-Senator Bob Menendez, was accepting bribes from the
The IMF and World Bank are Complicit in Abiy’s Extravaganza It is disheartening to me and millions of Black Africans that their governments squander resources, commit economic and other crimes with a ;level of unprecedented impunity in the 21st century!! Ethiopia is among them.
Biden has announced his decision to exit the race and throw his support behind Harris Vice President Kamala Harris has already secured important endorsements from senators, House members, and governors. President Biden’s choice to withdraw from the race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris could have a
The Dangers of Broad Generalizations: The Untold Tales of Courageous Ethiopians from the Tigray Province: A Personal Reflection By Habtamu Kebede As we stood at Shire Endasilassie Airport, preparing to fly back to Addis Ababa after a week of exploring Axum, Shire, and the surrounding areas, the sun beat down
Ethiopia Needs Long-Term National Development Plan (Part Twenty-One, Practical Challenges) Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD 2024-07-21 I believe we have thoroughly discussed the conceptual frameworks, models, and principles guiding the overall planning process of the country’s long-term national development plan. We have employed root
FANO’s Organizational Structure Fuels Effective Struggle Strategies The issue of Fano is a matter of great public interest. There are public declarations being made, public discussions taking place, and errors being committed. However, the focus should be on learning
Unraveling the Surprise: Kios Man Abiy Ahmed’s Untold Peace Mediation Proposal for Sudan Kios Man Abiy Ahmed has put forward a peace mediation proposal for Sudan, which brings to attention the unexpected elements and difficulties that are part of the process. Delving into the Unexpected: Kiosman
Ethiopia Needs Long-Term National Development Plan (Part Twenty, Timeline and Key Milestones) Tsegaye Tegenu, PhD 2024-07-19 The long-term national development plan we are discussing has extensive components: six overarching goals, 38 fundamental pillars, 114 objectives and 342 strategies. We need to create a detailed
A New Approach for Lasting Peace in Sudan – OpEd By Arlene Schar and Dr. David Leffler Despite ongoing efforts to resolve tensions and stabilize Sudan, longstanding divisive issues remain largely unresolved, and civil war persists. Achieving a sustainable and lasting peace remains
The complete Audio FANO Leadership selection procedure \The complete Audio FANO Leadership selection procedure
The Dangers of Broad Generalizations: The Untold Tales of Courageous Ethiopians from the Tigray Province: A Personal Reflection
The Unraveling Historical Context of Abiy Ahmed Ali: From Fifth Orommuma Lubaship Headman to the New Breed of African Dictator
Ethiopian women played a crucial role in the Second Ethiopian-Italian War as freedom fighters, making significant contributions to the conflict.
Exploring Kenya’s State Visit to the US: A Look Back at Historical Ties Since Haile Selassie’s 1960s Visit