harar-art

Land of Culture
Ethiopia, an old country beyond all imaginations, has culture and traditions dating back over 3000 years. With over 80 different Ethnic groups with their own language, culture and traditions. The strong religious setting, celebrations and festivals play an important part in every ones daily life. Church ceremonies are a major feature of Ethiopian life. The events are impressive and unique. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has its own head, follows its own customs, and is extremely proud of its fourth century origins.

Ethiopia's Islamic tradition is also strong and offers colorful contrast, particularly in the eastern and south-eastern parts of the country. In fact, there were Ethiopian Muslims during the lifetime of Prophet Mohammed. This rich religious history is brought to life in the romantic walled city of Harar, considered by many Muslims to be the fourth "Holy City" following Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem.

I. People
Amhara

The Amhara women wear dresses that are tight bodice and full skirted. The dresses are bright white with colored embroidery and woven borders. The men are resplendent in white jodhpurs and tunics. Although originally most of the border designs were based on the varied design of the Ethiopian cross, today you sometimes see more modern motifs - flowers, birds and even airplanes.

Harari

The Muslims of Harar wear colorful dress. The women often dress in red, purple or black. The women of Harar part their hair in the middle and make large buns behind their ears. Harari women have been known for their basketwork for centuries and still weave intricate creations from coloured fibers and grasses. Harar is also famous for the work of its silversmiths, who craft beautiful anklets, necklaces, arm bands, silver chains, bangles and earrings out of the precious metal. Although these items can be purchased at the market, some of the best selections can be found in the homes of the craftsmen and women.

Fascinating People

The Lower Omo is home to a remarkable mix of small, contrasting ethnic groups not only the Bume and Konso, but also the Gelebe, the Bodi, the Mursi, the Surma, the Arbore, and the Hamer, to name but a few. Lifestyles are as varied as the tribes themselves. Lacking any material, culture and artifacts common to other cultures, these tribes find unique ways in which to express their artistic impulses. Both the Surma and the Karo, for example, are experts at body painting, using clays and locally available vegetable pigments to trace fantastic patterns on each other's faces, chests, arms, and legs. These designs are created purely for fun and aesthetic effect, each artist vying to outdo his fellows.

The Afar

The Afar, most of whom occupy one of the most inhospitable desert or semi-desert areas in the world, have long been regarded as a fierce and warlike people. They are certainly proud and individualistic, and somehow manage to eke a living out of the challenging wilderness in which many of them live. The majority of the Afar are semi-nomadic pastoralists, but a minority have settled, notably those in the Aussa oasis. Almost all are Muslims, and are organized into confederacies, tribes, and clans. The nomads live in small, isolated groups with the camel as their beast of burden, and keep sheep, goats, and cattle.

The Anuak

The Anuak people are found in the Gambella region. The indigenous Anuak people are mainly fishermen in this region, and the crops they do grow such as: sorghum does not reach their full potential because of the extremely basic methods employed. There are few large villages, as people prefer instead to group together around a mango grove in the extended family compound of no more than five or six huts.

The Oromo

The Oromo people, offer their products for sale in open markets. They produce the more familiar grains and vegetables of established agriculture. Coffee, one of the world's favorite beverages, is believed to have been 'born' in this region.

The Somali

The lowland Somali wear long, often brightly coloured cotton wraps, while some of the cattle-herders in the lake district have clothing made of skins.

The South People

The Southern region comprises hundreds of ethnic groups. The region of the south of Konso and Yabello is inhabited by the Konso people. Except for trading with the neighbouring Borena for salt or cowrie shells, outside influence had, until recently, virtually passed by the Konso. The cornerstone of Konso culture, however, is a highly specialized and successful agricultural economy that, through terracing buttressed with stone, enable them to extract a productive living from the none-too-fertile hills and valleys that surround them.

The Tigray

The women of Tigray wear dozens of plaits (shuruba) tightly braided to the head and fuzzing out at the shoulders. Young children often have their heads shaved, except for a tuft or a small tail of plaits, which are left so that if God calls them 'He will have a handle by which to lift them up to Heaven'

Building Democratic Institutions of Governance

The NEBE (The Nation Election Board of Ethiopia) by its very nature of how it was formed is biased. The opposition knew this fact perfectly well when it started. It was formed by the ruling party and as it was recently revealed by PM Meles himself on the BBC interview-“Hard Talk”.

The challenge now is for the opposition to stay in the game and build an important democratic political institution, a neutral NEBE accountable to the nation and the people, not to a ruling party or any other future party for that matter. This is job number one in the next parliament, in addition to other peaceful battles of debate and dialogue aimed at forming “pillars of democratic institutions” such as term limits, amendment of article 39, land policy, and education/language policy, investment and privatization policy in a way that is fair and acceptable to the majority of the Ethiopian population. Building democratic institutions may take decades, but we are only talking about 5 years patience. In a political life Ethiopia, which has languished under dictatorship and misrule under various regimes for hundred of years, and in its extreme form over the last 30 years, five years is nothing.

Moreover, we must understand that the problems of political leadership and democratic failure and peaceful transition over the last three regimes in Ethiopia has always been absence of a strong and united democratic party alternative, before the incumbent regimes fall under their own weight as they did in 1974,and 1991 in the country’s recent history.

The same thing will be repeated this time if the opposition does not organize and provide viable alternatives, and the ruling party remains rigid and not change some of its non-democratic or even destructive policies enshrined in few articles of the Current Constitution. By the way, this phenomenon which is called "historical path persistence" by Nobel Laureate economic historian Douglas North is real in contemporary democratic transition of nations around. This is the notion that once societies and institutions are gripped by conflict and take a destructive path they tend to produce incentives and characters/ actors that trap them in the same path. There are many societies that find themselves in this path today, and Ethiopia is not alone in this regard.

If both the opposition and the ruling party face up to the challenge of promoting true democracy grounded on protection of individual freedom and human rights,ethnic groeps rights secured property, rights, just rule of law, equitable and free politically choice and expression for citizens, etc. Ethiopia has the potential to be fully democratized where citizens have a choice among two three strong multi-ethnic political parties that differ on ideology and policies, and avoid this monopoly of political power,

The challenge of building democratic institutions and political parties that will guide a true democratic process in Ethiopia or any developing country for that matter, is to create right for all ethnic groeps democratic parties peacefully from the current proliferation of opposition parties. For example, in the current political landscape of Ethiopia, CUD (Kinijit) and UEDF (Hibret) can evolve as a viable independent parties in their own right, by uniting their respective coalition party members and producing visionary and flexible, and enlightened (not rigid) leaders. The EPRDF has also the right and the choice to true democracy for Ethiopia,

But, this is for the opposition to sort out and produce a united loyal opposition party with visionary and enlightened leaders. This is not denying there are potential credible visionary leaders among both UEDF and UEDF some of whom are well known nationally and internationally. As to the EPRDF, even the current head of this party,

“Therefore, the ethnic coalitions in the ruling party and to freely form coalition party membership based on political preference or ideology may remove the conflicts that threaten to destroy the basic right of ethnic groeps and democratization process in Ethiopia, and drive some of the policies that balkanize the Country, and market based economic development.So the parties peacefully which are loyal to the nation and its people, like emerging democracies around the world that are struggling to be free and democratic in a civilized manner around the world.

unlees the opsition CDU and other coalition pary realized the rights of all ethnic groeps and thier owen representation it is unexceptebel with two or multi party coalition to keep the curse dimocatization of ethiopia.

the EPRDF keept Ethiopia above 15 years on right path indeuring dimocracy and right course of history for future Genaration.

If the current democratization process is sustained with proper and visionary leadership of the concerned parties, the process will have a chance to move forward and be realized peacefully at the next election in 2010 with a democratic outcome. This will only be possible, if the opposition stays in the game, and leaders learn to trust each other, and the ruling party backs up this democratization process. and this produce viable visionary leadership on its part. But, copying out in the middle of the beginning of this unique and long journey to democratization, by opposition, will produce nothing but a sure set back of the will of the people expressed on May 15, and result in political chaos of which the outcome cannot be predicted with certainty by any one. To move along this line, all concerned parties must fight extremism in their midst and wherever it comes from and stay in the game, and show courage and visionary leadership.

Frankly, why would a rational opposition voter in Ethiopia vote again, if and when the opposition abandons the struggle for, whatever reason,that it has agreed to by boycotting the next parliament. Such a potential voter may not vote at the next election for any party out of expression of anger and protest. This may result in a few voters that will most likely vote for the ruling party, and perhaps allow the ruling party to “win” in a landslide by de-facto, similar to the elections before May 15 when there is little voter turn out by supporter of the ruling regime.

As a person who had an opportunity to observed carefully the election process on May 15 in Ethiopia on a private visit to Ethiopia, This May 15 election outcome surprised the opposition. It also surprised and and scared the ruling party, which assumed the vote will be as in previous elections.

Moreover, a careful observation and understanding of the the May 15,2005 national elections, is not necessarily an expression of “love” of the opposition by the people, an opposition which was just formed and which was a generally unknown entity or to the Ethiopian people. But, it is the credit of the opposition and its leaders to provide this choice.

But, to win the necessary confidence of the voters, they have a long way to go, which must start with staying in the game with great patience and courage,to which they have correctly agreed to start.

Ethiopian aspiring political leaders must go beyond, "mistrust", "Kurfia" or anger which kills constructive dialogue and compromise necessary for democracy, and move away from a political culture of conflict among individuals and organizations over trivial matters, abdicating their struggle and responsibilities due to extremism and mistrust, frustration, and learn to move forward to advance democracy with courage, honesty, and sacrifice if necessary.

The silent majority especially among the intellectuals and civil society groups (which this writer considers himself to be a member of)-must speak and not remain silent out of fear or “Yelunta”. The English saying that “Silence is golden” does not work when human freedom and the revival of a nation and people is at stake. The Diaspora must rise to the responsibility of speaking the truth and promoting fairness and democracy, and dislodge itself from extremism that promotes hatred of individual actors in the game or the process of political competition, and detracts people from the noble goal of democratization, human freedom, and socio-economic progress.

It the opposition moves along the proposed line and the ruling party cooperates in this regard for its own good and the good of the country, will have a chance to be free and democratic. All stakeholders including the opposition parties, the ruling party, civil society groups, civil society groups, independent intellectuals, and most important the Ethiopian people have a chance to stay on right curse of dimocratization.

Ethiopia will then have a chance to revive and become, for the first time in its long history, to be a member of progressive and viable free democratic nations in Africa in general and developing nations in general. This great country with long history,and her great people deserves that chance.

The challenge of civil society groups and intellectuals, and citizens is to move this process along not to collapse in the face of extremism, knowingly or out of ignorance, fear or lack of courage and vision. that said the EPRDF deserve most credit for keeping Ethopian dimocracy on right course.

The Struggle for human freedom and Progress in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa must continue on a sustained basis, and Ethiopia and a few African states that have began this difficult but necessary process must lead against all challenges.

Ramzy holland

People and landscape

EPRDF and Progress in Ethiopia

Jijiga Somali state
Interwiew with fatuma mohamed yosuf

Lij Eyasu
This picture is Lij Eyasu, Emperor of Ethiopia in Harar. Lij Eyasu was the ruler of Ethiopia from 1913 to 1916.

Ethiopian muslim history Under shadow of christian Ethiopian Abysinian kingdom

Ethiopian History Video

ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND ETHIOPIA'S LOST ISLAMIC KINGDOM

PARIS, March 27, 2007 (AFP) - French archaeologists said on Tuesday that they had uncovered the remains of three large towns that may have been the heart of a legendary Islamic kingdom in Ethiopia.
Ancient manuscripts have long told of the kingdom of Shoa, which between the 10th and 16th centuries straddled key trade routes between the Christian highlands and Muslim ports on the Red Sea. But Shoa's precise place on the map has never been clear.
The National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) said a team of archaeologists had laid bare the remains of three mediaeval towns, Asbari, Masal and Nora, on a high escarpment of the Rift Valley.
Shoa -- also written as Shewa -- was an autonomous state from about the 10th century until it was absorbed by the sultanate of Ifat at around the end of the 13th century.
The three towns "may have constituted the heart of the Shoa Muslim kingdom before it came under Ifat's political control," the researchers, led by the CNRS' Francois-Xavier Fauvelle, suggest.
The area today is covered in thick brush and scrub, but still bears the vestiges of terraced farming from hundreds of years ago, it said in a press release.
"Mosques, residential areas, walls and various buildings whose remains are several metres (yards) high" stud the sites, the CNRS said.
In Asbari, the team found the remarkably well-preserved remains of a mosque that they believe to be one of the biggest in Ethiopia, whose walls are adorned with inscriptions in Arabic. They also found a cemetery covering several hectares (acres) that contained hundreds of graves.
In Masal, they found a necropolis with a tomb emblazoned with stars and Arabic inscriptions that may have been a royal sepulture.
Nora was clearly once a "dense urban centre," with a network of streets and the remains of roads, and whose main mosque has remains of walls up to five metres (17 feet) high. The archaeologists found large numbers of tools made of obsidian, a rock that is a kind of naturally occurring glass.
The discovery was made in an area about 11 kilometers (six miles) long, around 45 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of the town of Shoa Robit, in the Ifat region, the press release said.
Further work is being planned for next year to map Nora and carry out a dig there.

The discovery was made in an area about 11 kilometers (six miles) long, around 45 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of the town of Shoa Robit, in the Ifat region, the press release said

Silti Guragey People

Solidarity with silti Gurage people

Silti Gurage people

Above: Women fix each other’s hair on the roadside near Kibet, a town in the Silti region of Ethiopia. Of the 1 million Silti Gurage, few are Christians.

Silti Gurage
It’s just before midday and farmers, who make up most of the area’s population, are making their way to lunch. Their farming methods, like much of their lives, remain unchanged . Instead of using combines and fancy machinery, most Silti Gurage people farm their small plots of land with oxen. The newest technological innovation they use is the metal point on the end of their plows.

A tough life
Pray
—Ask God to open the hearts of the Silti Gurage so that they may hear Him.

—Ask God to call out workers to reach the Silti Gurage. Pray that the allah will empower them to reach the Silti Gurage

The mostly Muslim Silti Gurage are similar to the rest of their Ethiopian countrymen in that most are extremely poor. Most will live on 150 birr, to 200 birr a year ($2O to $25). But for most Silti Gurage farmers it’s irrelevant; they survive on the barter system.

Recent times have not been good for the average Silti Gurage farmer. Deforestation, poor farming methods and bad weather have led to low crop yields. A recent Ethiopian government program that sold hybrid seeds to farmers for 25 percent down has helped some. Crops increased by three to four times their original size. But progress is slow.

For the most part, Silti farmers grow corn, wheat, teff and enset on plots of less than two acres. They turn the teff they grow into injera, a sour bread the shape of a pancake but larger. But the most popular food for all Gurage is enset or the “false banana.”

Enset got its name because it looks like a banana, but slightly bigger. Gurage use it to make bullo, kucho and amicho.

Many Silti Gurage who aren’t farmers are traders. They make up many of the close to 20 percent of Silti who live outside the country. About 50,000 Silti live in the capital and economic center of the country, Addis Ababa.

What makes a Silti Gurage?

The Silti are a part of a larger group of Gurage, who total almost 2 million. A whole range of people groups exist within the Gurage, but most of them are part of one of three major—and mutually unintelligible—language groups (northern, western and eastern).

Their language, part of Eastern Gurage, is the most important unifying element for the Silti Gurage.

It’s possible the name Gurage was given by the Amhara—Ethiopia’s dominant people group—to all the languages spoken by the people on their southern periphery. In Amharic, Gurage means “area of the Gura.” Gura is another name for Harage, the traditional name for the area around the present-day city of Harer.

“It’s the language and the culture—we definitely have our own culture,” says a Silti county official. Ninety-eight percent of the county’s 130,000 citizens are Silti.

One important Silti custom is their marriage ritual. When a young man is interested in marrying a woman, one of his friends will go to her parents and offer them money for their daughter. If they accept, he’ll return and tell the groom to prepare for the wedding. Bride and groom won’t see each other until the wedding day. After the agreement or engagement, the groom and the bride will be invited to feast with their families.

“After the engagement the boy will go to the market to try to see her, and she’ll try to hide herself,” the official says. “It’s almost like a game.”

Following Muhammad
Almost 97 percent of the Silti Gurage are Muslims. Islam is the world’s second-largest religion and the fastest growing. The most important principles of the religion include the unity of God, Muhammad as the prophet and the Koran as the holy book. As Muslims, Silti Gurage pray five times a day facing Mecca. Also, each week they observe various religious ceremonies connected to Islam. When they can afford it, which is seldom, they make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the spiritual capital of Islam.

But the Silti practice folk Islam, which differs from the more formal Islamic traditions throughout the Middle East. Most Silti mix Islam with traditional beliefs in spirits. Silti often use rites such as coffee ceremonies to appease spirits and worship nature spirits.

Silti, like most Muslims, believe Mohammad. But most rely on their parents and religious leaders to tell them about what they believe. The Silti Gurage get formal Islamic education in public school.

Mohammad,” says Abende*, sitting on the side of the road chewing khat, a mild narcotic popular in Ethiopia, with his friends. “But I think Mohammad is the greater prophet,” he says as he ponders the question a little longer. “Yeah? Mohammad is the greater prophet.”

Piczo