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The Great Ethiopian Composer – St. Yared

August 9, 2008 Tadias Magazine 5 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Ayele Bekerie, PhD

Aug 9, 2008

New York (TADIAS) – In his recent song dedicated to the Ethiopian Millennium and entitled Musika Heiwete (Music is My Life), the renowned Ethiopia’s rising pop singer, Teddy Afro, traces the geneaology of his music to classical Zema or chant compositions of St. Yared, the great Ethiopian composer, choreographer and poet, who lived in Aksum almost 1500 years ago.

Teddy, who is widely known for his songs mixed with reggae rhythms and local sounds, heart warming and enlightening lyrics, shoulder shaking and foot stomping beats, blends his latest offering with sacred musical terms, such as Ge’ez, Izil, and Ararary, terms coined by St. Yared to represent the three main Zema compositions.

In so doing, he is echoing the time tested and universalized tradition of modernity that has been pioneered and institutionalized by Yared. Teddy seems to realize the importance of seeking a new direction in Ethiopian popular music by consciously establishing links to the classical and indigenous tradition of modernity of St. Yared. In other words, Teddy Afro is setting an extraordinary example of reconfiguring and contributing to contemporary musical tradition based on Yared’s Zema.

Teddy Afro

An excellent example of what I call tradition of modernity, a tradition that contains elements of modernity or the perpetuation of modernity informed by originative tradition, is the annual celebration of St. Yared’s birthday in Debre Selam Qidist Mariam Church in Washington D.C. in the presence of a large number of Ethiopian Americans.

The Debteras regaled in fine Ethiopian costume that highlights the tri-colors of the Ethiopian flag, accompanied by tau-cross staff, sistra and drum, have chanted the appropriate Zema and danced the Aquaquam or sacred dance at the end of a special mass – all in honor of the great composer.

The purpose of this article is to narrate and discuss the life history and artistic accomplishments of the great St. Yared. We argue that St Yared was a great scholar who charted a modernist path to Ethiopian sense of identity and culture. His musical invention, in particular, established a tradition of cultural dynamism and continuity.

Figure 1: An artist rendering of St Yared while chanting Zema accompanied by sistrum, tau-cross staff. The three main zema chants of Ge’ez, Izil, and Araray which are represented by three birds. Digua, a book of chant, atronse (book holder), a drum, and a processional cross are also seen here. Source: Methafe Diggua Zeqidus Yared. Addis Ababa: Tensae Printing Press, 1996.

Zema or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, is attributed to St. Yared, a composer and a choreographer who lived in Aksum in the 6th century AD. He is credited for inventing the zema of the Church; the chant that has been in use continuously for the last almost 1500 years.

It is indeed a classical tradition both musically and culturally. St Yared’s chants are characterized as subtle, spiritually uplifting, and euphonic. St Yared’s composition draws its fame both in its endurance and institutionalization of a tradition to mark the rhythm of life, the life of the faithful.

By composing chants for all natural and spiritual occasions, St. Yared has also laid down the foundation for common purpose and plurality among various ethnic, linguistic and regional groupings of the Ethiopian people. Elaborate visual representation of chants, the introduction of additional musical instruments, movements and performances by Ethiopian scholars have further enriched and secured the continuity and dynamism of the tradition to the present.

Furthermore, the music has become the central defining ritualistic feature of all the major fasts and feasts, appropriately expressing and performing joys and sorrows with the faithful in the or outside of the Church.

Saint Yared, the great Ethiopian scholar, was born on April 5, 501 A.D. in the ancient city of Aksum. His father’s name was Adam, whereas his mother’s name was Tawkelia. He descended from a line of prominent church scholars. At the age of six, a priest named Yeshaq was assigned as his teacher. However, he turned out to be a poor learner and, as a result, he was sent back to his parents. While he was staying at home, his father passed away and his mother asked her brother, Aba Gedeon, a well known priest-scholar in the church of Aksum Zion, to adopt her son and to take over the responsibility regarding his education.

Aba Gedeon taught The Old and New Testaments. He also translated these and other sacred texts to Ge’ez from Greek, Hebrew and Arabic sources. Even if Aba Gedeon allowed St. Yared to live and study with him, it took him a long time to complete the study of the Book of David. He could not compete with the other children, despite the constant advice he was receiving from his uncle. In fact, he was so poor in his education, kids used to make fun of him. His uncle was so impatient with him and he gave him several lashes for his inability not to compete with his peers.

Realizing that he was not going to be successful with his education, Yared left school and went to Medebay, a town where his another uncle resided. On his way to Medebay, not far from Aksum, he was forced to seek shelter under a tree from a heavy rain, in a place called Maikrah. While he was standing by leaning to the tree, he was immersed in thoughts about his poor performance in his education and his inability to compete with his peers. Suddenly, he noticed an ant, which tried to climb the tree with a load of a seed. The ant carrying a piece of food item made six attempts to climb the tree without success. However, at the seventh trial, the ant was able to successfully climb the tree and unloaded the food item at its destination. Yared watched the whole incident very closely and attentively; he was touched by the determined acts of the ant. He then thought about the accomplishment of this little creature and then pondered why he lacked patience to succeed in his own schooling.

He got a valuable lesson from the ant. In fact, he cried hard and then underwent self-criticism. The ant became his source of inspiration and he decided to return back to school. He realized the advice he received from his uncle was a useful advice to guide him in life. He begged Aba Gedeon to forgive him for his past carelessness. He also asked him to give him one more chance. He wants all the lessons and he is ready to learn.

His teacher, Aba Gedeon then began to teach him the Book of David. Yared not only was taking the lessons, but every day he would stop at Aksum Zion church to pray and to beg his God to show him the light. His prayer was answered and he turned out to be a good student. Within a short period of time, he showed a remarkable progress and his friends noticed the change in him. They were impressed and started to admire him. He completed the Old and New Testaments lessons at a much faster pace. He also finished the rest of lessons ahead of schedule and graduated to become a Deacon. He was fluent in Hebrew and Greek, apart from Ge’ez. Yared became as educated as his uncle and by the young age of fourteen, he was forced to assume the position of his uncle when he died.

Yared’s Zema is mythologized and sacralized to the extent that the composition is seen as a special gift from heaven. One version of the mythology is presented in Ethiopian book Sinkisar, a philosophical treatise, as follows: “When God sought praise on earth, he sent down birds from heaven in the images of angels so that they would teach Yared the music of the heavens in Ge’ez language. The birds sang melodious and heart warming songs to Yared. The birds noticed that Yared was immersed in their singing and then they voiced in Ge’ez:

“O Yared, you are the blessed and respected one; the womb that carried you is praised; the breasts that fed you the food of life are praised.”

Yared was then ascended to the heavens of the heaven, Jerusalem, where twenty-four scholars of the heaven conduct heavenly choruses. St Yared listened to the choruses by standing in the sacred chamber and he committed the music to memory. He then started to sing all the songs that he heard in the sacred chambers of the heaven to the gathered scholars. He then descended back to Aksum and at 9 a.m. (selestu saat) in the morning, inside the Aksum Zion church, he stood by the side of the Tabot (The Arc of the Covenant), raised his hands to heaven, and in high notes, which later labeled Mahlete Aryam (the highest), he sang the following:

“hale luya laab, hale luya lewold, hale luya wolemenfes qidus qidameha letsion semaye sarere wedagem arayo lemusse zekeme yegeber gibra ledebtera.”

With his song, he praised the natural world, the heavens and the Zion. He called the song Mahlete Aryam, which means the highest, referring to the seventh gates of heaven, where God resides. Yared, guided by the Holy Spirit, he saw the angels using drums, horns, sistra, Masinko and harp and tau-cross staff instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God, he decided to adopt these instruments to all the church music and chants.

The chants are usually chanted in conjunction with aquaquam or sacred dance. The following instruments are used for Zema and aquaquam combination: Tau-cross staff, sistra and drum. St Yared pioneered an enduring tradition of Zema. Aquaquam and Qene. These are musical, dance and literary traditions that continue to inform the spiritual and material well being of a significant segment of the Ethiopian population.

It is important to note that, as Sergew Hable Selassie noted “most of Yared’s books have been written for religious purposes.” As a result, historical facts are interspersed with religious sentiments and allegorical renderings.

According to Ethiopian legend, St.Yared obtained the three main Zema scores from three birds. These scores that Yared named Ge’ez, Izil, and Araray were revealed to him as a distraction from a path of destruction. According to oral tradition, Yared was set to ambush a person who repeatedly tried to cheat on his wife. In an attempt to resolve such vexing issue, he decided to kill the intruder. At a place where he camped out for ambush, three birds were singing different melodies. He swiftly lent his ears to the singing. He became too attracted to the singing birds. As a result, he abandoned his plan of ambush. Instead, he began to ponder how he could become a singer like the birds. Persistent practice guided by the echo of the melodies of the birds, fresh in his memory, ultimately paid off. Yared transformed himself to a great singer and composer as well as choreographer. Yared prepared his Zema composition from 548 to 568 AD. He had taught for over eleven years as an ordained priest.

Yared’s zema chants have established a classic Zema Mahlet tradition, which is usually performed in the outer section of the Church’s interior. The interior has three parts. The Arc of the Covenant is kept in Meqdes or the holiest section.

EMPEROR GEBRE MESQEL, THE CULTURAL PHILANTHROPIST

The Ethiopian emperor of the time was Emperor Gebre Mesqel (515-529), the son of the famous Emperor Kaleb, who in successfully, though briefly, reunited western and eastern Ethiopia on both sides of the Red Sea in 525 AD.

Emperor Gabra Masqal was a great supporter of the arts; he particularly established a special relationship with St. Yared, who was given unconditional and unlimited backing from him. The Emperor would go to church to listen to the splendid chants of St. Yared.

The Emperor was ruling at the peak of Aksumite civilization. He consolidated the gains made by his father and consciously promoted good governance and church scholarship. Furthermore, he presided over a large international trade both from within and without Africa.

According to Ethiopian history, Emperor Gabra Mesqel built the monastery of Debre Damo in Tigray, northern Ethiopia in the sixth century AD. It is the site where one of the nine saints from Syria, Abuna Aregawi settled. St Yared visited and performed his Zema at the monastery. The chants and dance introduced by Yared at the time of Gebra Mesqel are still being used in all the churches of Ethiopia, thereby establishing for eternity a classical and enduring tradition.

ST YARED’S MUSICAL COMPOSITION

St Yared created five volumes of chants for major church related festivals, lents and other services and these volumes are:

The Book of Digua and Tsome Digua, the book of chants for major church holidays and Sundays, whereas the book of Tsome Digua contain chants for the major lent (fasting) season (Abiy Tsom), holidays and daily prayer, praise and chant procedures.

Digua is derived from the word Digua, which means to write chants of sorrow and tearful songs. Digua sometimes is also called Mahelete Yared or the songs of Yared, acknowledging the authorship of the chants to Yared. Regarding Digua’s significance Sergew Hable Selassie writes, “Although it was presented in the general form of poetry, there are passages relating to theology, philosophy, history and ethics.”

The Book of Meraf, chants of Sabat, important holidays, daily prayers and praises; also chants for the month of fasting.

The Book of Zimare, contain chants to be sang after Qurban (offerings) that is performed after Mass. Zemare was composed at Zur Amba monastery.

The Book of Mewasit, chants to the dead. Yared composed Mewasit alongside with Zimare.

The Book of Qidasse, chants to bless the Qurban (offerings).

Figure 2. An illustrated Zema chant text and notes from the Book of Digua (Metshafe Digua Zeqidus Yared), p. 3.

Yared completed these compositions in nine years. All his compositions follow the three musical scales (kegnit), which he used to praise, according to Ethiopian tradition, his creator, who revealed to him the heavenly chants of the twenty-four heavenly scholars.

Figure 3. The front cover of Metshafe Digua Zeqidus Yared (Book of Digua). The cover shows the five volumes of Yared’s Zema composition: Digua, Tsome Digua, Miraf, Zimare, and Mewasit. Processional Ethiopian cross, drum, sistrum, and tau-cross staff are also illustrated in the cover.

Each of these categories are further classified with three musical scales (Kegnitoch) that are reported to contain all the possible musical scales:

Ge’ez, first and straight note. It is described in its musical style as hard and imposing. Scholars often refer to it as dry and devoid of sweet melody.

Izel, melodic, gentle and sweet note, which is often chanted after Ge’ez. It is also described as affective tone suggesting intimation and tenderness.

Ararai, third and melodious and melancholic note often chanted on somber moments, such as fasting and funeral mass.

Musical scholars regard these scales as sufficient to encompass all the musical scores of the world. These scales are sources of chants or songs of praise, tragedy or happiness. These scales are symbolized as the father, the son and the Holy Spirit in the tradition.

The composer Yared wrote the notes of the Digua on parchment and he also composed ten musical notations. The notations were fully developed as musical written charts in the 17th century AD. This took place much earlier than the composition of the musical note using seven alphabetic letters within the Western tradition. St Yared named the ten musical notations as follows: Yizet, Deret, Rikrik, Difat, Cheret, Qenat, Hidet, Qurt, Dirs, and, Anbir.

The ten notations have their own styles of arrangement and they are collectively called Sirey, which means lead notations or roots to chants. The notations are depicted with lines or chiretoch (marks).

Names and signs of St. Yared zema chant. The names are written in Ge’ez in the second column. The signs are in the third column.

According to Lisane Worq Gebre Giorgis, Zema notes for Digua were fully developed in the 16th century AD by the order of Atse Gelawedos. The composers were assembled in the Church of Tedbabe Mariam, which was led by Memhir Gera and Memhir Raguel. The chants, prior to the composition of notations, learned and studied orally. In other words, the chants were sang and passed on without visual guidance. Oral training used to take up to 70 years to master all the chants, such as Digua (40 years), Meraf (10 years), Mewasit (5 years), Qidasse (10 years), and Zimare (15 years). The chant appeared in the written form made it easier for priests to study and master the various chants within a short period of time.

The ten Zemawi notations are designed to correspond with the ten commandments of Genesis and the ten strings of harp. The notes, however, were not restricted to them. In addition, they have developed notations known as aganin, seyaf, akfa, difa, gifa, fiz, ayayez, chenger, mewgat, goshmet, zentil, aqematil, anqetqit, netiq, techan, and nesey.

The composition of the Digua Zema chant with notations took seven years, whereas mewasit’s chants were completed in one year, zemare’s in two years, qidasse in two years, and meraf remained oral (without notations) for a long time until it also got its own notations.

The two leading scholars were fully recognized and promoted by the King for their accomplishments. They were given the title of azaze and homes were built for them near Tedbabe Mariam Church. While their contributions are quite significant, St Yared remains as the key composer of all the Zemas of the chants. He literally transformed the verses and texts of the Bible into musical utterances.

Figure 4. A sample page from St Yared’s zema or chant composition from Metsafe Digua Zeqidus Yared.

The ten chants are assigned names that fully described the range, scale and depth of Zema. Difat is a method of chanting where the voice is suppressed down in the throat and inhaling air. Hidet is a chant by stretching one’s voice; it is resembled to a major highway or a continuous water flow in a creek. Qinat is the highlighted last letter of a chant; it is chanted loud and upward in a dramatic manner and ends abruptly. Yizet is when letters or words are emphasized with louder chant in another wise regular reading form of chant. Qurt is a break from an extended chant that is achieved by withholding breathing. Chiret also highlights with louder notes letters or words in between regular readings of the text. The highlighted chant is conducted for a longer period of time. Rikrik is a layered and multiple chants conducted to prolong the chant. Diret is a form of chant that comes out of the chest. These eight chant forms have non-alphabetic signs. The remaining two are dirs and anber which are represented by Ethiopic or Ge’ez letters.

Yared’s composition also includes modes of chant and performance. There are four main modes. Qum Zema is exclusively vocal and the chant is not accompanied by body movement or swinging of the tau-cross staff. The chant is usually performed at the time of lent. Zimame chants are accompanied by body movements and choreographed swinging of the staff. Merged, which is further divided into Neus Merged and Abiy Merged are chanted accompanied by sistrum, drums, and shebsheba or sacred dance. The movements are fast, faster and fastest in merged, Neus Merged, and abiy merged respectively. Abiy Merged is further enhanced by rhythmic hand clappings. Tsifat chant highlights the drummers who move back and forth and around the Debteras. They also jump up and down, particularly with joyous occasions like Easter and Christmas.

St. Yared’s sacred music is truly classical, for it has been in use for over a thousand years and it has also established a tradition that continues to inform the spiritual and material lives of the people. It is in fact the realization of the contribution of St.Yared that earned him sainthood. Churches are built in his name and the first school of music that was established in the mid twentieth century in Addis Ababa is named after him. By the remarkable contribution of St. Yared, Ethiopia has achieved a tradition of modernity. It is the responsibility of the young generation to build upon it and to advance social, economic, and cultural development in the new millennium.

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Publisher’s Note: This article is well-referenced and those who seek the references should contact Professor Ayele Bekerie directly at: ab67@cornell.edu

About the Author:

Ayele Bekerie was born and raised in Ethiopia. He earned his Ph.D. in African American Studies at Temple University in 1994. He has written and published in scholarly journals, such as, Journal of Egyptology and African Civilizations (ANKH), Journal of Black Studies, The International Journal of Africana Studies, and Imhotep. He is also the author of Ethiopic: an African Writing System, a book about the history and principles of Ethiopic (Ge’ez). He is a Professor at Cornell University’s Africana Studies and Research Center. He is a regular contributor to Tadias Magazine.
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Ethiopian Americans May Swing the Vote in Virginia

August 8, 2008 Tadias Magazine 9 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Friday, August 8, 2008

New York (TADIAS) – The U.S. State of Virginia, which is home to one of the largest Ethiopian American communities in the country, hasn’t voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in four decades, but some say it might turn blue come November.

“I really believe for the first time in 44 years that we have a great chance of getting the electoral votes in a blue column for Sen. Obama this Fall,” Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine recently told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

And, if the predictions hold true, the Ethiopian American vote could become the deciding factor in November that would deliver Virginia to the Democrats in a close general election.

“In states like Virginia, Ethiopians are in a unique position to swing the vote”, says Selam Mulugeta, a Field Organizer with Obama for America campaign in Northern Virginia. “If all of us who are eligible to vote do so, then we could potentially win the state.”

Obama himself is not taking any chances. “Ethiopian Americans have contributed so much to
our country and our culture, and it is an honor to have so much support from your community,” he said in a recent letter directly appealing to Ethiopian American voters. “We are working to break all records for voter participation in this election, and I hope you’ll become a part of that effort by registering and voting.”

“I read and reread the letter Barack Obama wrote to the Ethiopian American community. I am delighted that Obama clearly acknowledged the contributions of the community to the country and to the culture,” said Ayele Bekerie, Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies at the Africana Studies and Research Center at Cornell University.

“He also hinted that, if elected, he is going to have an active foreign policy with the intent of helping people in Africa. That means we should exert even more efforts to make sure that he is elected. By supporting his candidacy and by actively participating in the political process, we are empowering ourselves.”

Of course, not all Ethiopian Americans are crazy about Obama. “What bothers me about him is his extreme leftist position on almost all issues,” writes one person with the alias Aris Tatalis on the Tadias blog. “He was rated the most liberal Senator in the year 2007 by the trend of his vote in the senate. For some reason, I don’t trust these leftists that keep on endorsing him.”

“The brother is doomed,” writes another reader. “There is no way that this country will elect a black man to take over the White House.”

But, most Ethiopian Americans agree that registering to vote is the key.

Meron Wondwosen

Meron Wondwosen (courtesy photo)

“Why should Ethiopians register and vote this November?”, asks Meron Wondwosen, a lawyer who lives in Washington, DC, and a member of Ethiopians for Obama (E40). “The vote determines who gets what, when, where and how. Quite simply, your vote is your voice in a democratic society. While it is not a panacea, it is one of the many strategies we must employ in order to organize ourselves and ensure that our needs are met.”

Mike Endale:

Mike Endale (courtesy photo)

For Computer Programmer Mike Endale, 26, from Maryland, another member of E4O, voting is not only a right, but also a responsibility. “Voting is the ultimate expression of an idea,” he says. “Many Ethiopians who have migrated to the United States never had a chance to vote once in their life time. This is their opportunity to redeem themselves for the lost time.”

Emebet Bekele:

Emebet Bekele (courtesy photo)

Emebet Bekele of Alexandria, Virginia, an insurance agent who works for a family owned agency, says the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the current economic downturn are good enough reasons why Ethiopian Americans should vote in November.

“We are in a war and yes there are a number of young Ethiopian-Americans serving in Iraq & Afghanistan. We need them to come home before they die or get injured. There are a lot of Ethiopian-Americans losing their homes in foreclosures, there are a lot of Ethiopian Americans uninsured because they cannot afford it, there a lot of Ethiopian Americans who cannot send their children to college because it is too expensive,” she said. “The only way we can overcome these obstacles is if we get involved in the political system and get our voices heard. Voting is a right given to us, but it is also a responsibility, we need to exercise that right to protect our community and the larger society.”

Lulit Mesfin:

Lulit

Lulit Mesfin, a small business owner who lives in Portland, Oregon, agrees:

“We cannot afford to remain silent. We must make our voices heard this year. We must vote, and make our votes count. Let’s all remember that African adage it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a whole village to elect a president,” she said.

Mistella Mekonnen:

Mistella Mekonnen (Courtesy photo

Mistella Mekonnen who works as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a member of Ethiopians for Obama adds:

“American citizens of Ethiopian descent are invited to exercise their right to vote as it will enhance our ability to fully participate in this Democracy and voice our concerns in our new home. Voting is a precious right that was bestowed on us citizens through a lot of struggle and we owe it to ourselves to register and to vote in order to participate in the decisions being made that will affect our lives, our families, and our communities at large.”

Teddy Fikre:

Teddy Fikre (Courtesy photo)

“Ethiopians for Obama has been active for the past 12 months working hard to ensure that Ethiopian-American turn-out in record numbers for Senator Obama. We have seen an overwhelming enthusiasm for the Senator; however, we have to turn this enthusiasm into action”, says Teddy Fikre, a business consultant who lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and a member of Ethiopians for Obama.

“In battleground states such as Virginia, Minnesota, and Georgia, a large turnout of Ethiopian-American votes could be decisive. It is for this reason that we have been conducting registration drives on a weekly basis for the past three months and registering hundreds of Ethiopians. Our vote is precious, Senator Obama says that this campaign is more about us than it is about him. Now is our time to act, we have to register and vote in order to help elect Obama our next president.”

Team Obama has gotten the message. The campaign has hired an Ethiopian American as a Field Organizer in Virginia, which coupled with the letter from the Candidate, is a clear sign that the Democrats are taking the Ethiopian American factor in the state seriously.

“The letter is historic. This is the first time that the community has received a letter from a presidential candidate”, Professor Bekerie reminds us. “It is indeed a great achievement for the community to be recognized in such a manner. I think we should take his advice seriously regarding voting. We should stand up and ‘be counted as Americans demanding change’, as he puts it. That means those of us who have not registered to vote should immediately register to vote in the coming crucial presidential election. Our voices are being heard and that indeed is good news.”
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Related:
African Immigrants Among Obama’s Enthusiastic Backers (The Washington Post)
Obama Team Hires Selam Mulugeta (TADIAS)

News

Analyze This: Last Ethiopian Immigrants to Israel?

August 7, 2008 admin

By CALEV BEN-DAVID
Photo by Ricki Rosen (The Jewish Journal)

The Jerusalem Post – Aug 6, 2008

The announcement by the Jewish Agency that the age of Ethiopian aliya is now ended with the last official airlift of olim from that nation on Tuesday should not be taken too literally.

Even the JA admits that among the some 9,000 remaining Falash Mura still hoping to immigrate, about 1,500 might yet qualify on grounds of family reunification or for other reasons.

As to the rest, fierce debate still rages between the Ethiopian advocacy organizations and their political supporters calling for their transfer here, and opponents such as Housing Minister Zev Boim, who two weeks ago charged that American Jewish groups, “who knew how to bring other Jews to their communities [in the US] and spent a lot of money doing so, don’t behave that way with Ethiopian Jews. So they shouldn’t come here and tell us what to do and how to act on this issue.”

This issue will probably work itself out in the coming years with some kind of compromise over the last Falash Mura in Ethiopia, possibly with final passage of a Knesset bill designed to ease their immigration here. Read more at The Jerusalem Post.

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Jolie to Build Daughter Zahara a Clinic in Ethiopia

August 6, 2008 admin 3 Comments

By Tadias Staff
Photo – Jolie with daughter Zahara, NYC, 2007 (Purseblog.com)

Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2008

New York (Tadias) – Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is reportedly planning to build an AIDS clinic in Ethiopia, her adopted daughter Zahara’s country of birth.

“We will be building a Tuberculosis/AIDS clinic in Ethiopia. The one we plan for Zahara to take over when she is older,” Jolie told Hello magazine, which printed its world exclusive pictures of her newborn twins Knox and Vivienne earlier this week.

Jolie and her partner Brad Pitt already have a daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, who was born in Namibia in 2006. In addition to Zahara (aged three from Ethiopia), they are also adopted parents to Maddox (six-year-old) from Cambodia, and Pax (four-year-old) from Vietnam.

According to Contactmusic.com, the clinic in Ethiopia is an initiative of the Jolie-Pitt Foundation, a charity the celebrity couple established in 2006 for international humanitarian aid.

Jolie also has plans for her Asian children. “The next trip for our foundation will most likely be Asia to follow up on the situation in Burma and our work in Cambodia. The boys have been asking to go there, so we will take them when Knox and Vivienne are a bit older,” she added.

News

Obama Reaches Out to Ethiopian American Voters

August 6, 2008 Tadias Magazine 5 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2008

New York (TADIAS) – In a letter sent to the Democratic support group Ethiopians for Obama (E4O), the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee reached out to Ethiopian American voters and acknowledged their growing support for his campaign.

“Ethiopian Americans have contributed so much to our country and our culture, and it is an honor to have so much support from your community”, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois said in his letter.

“We are working to break all records for voter participation in this election, and I hope you’ll become a part of that effort by registering and voting.”

“I am committed to renewing America’s global leadership and helping people like those I met when I traveled to Africa in 2006, not just because it is right, but because it will help America as well”, the letter continued.

“But in order to do this, I need your help and participation first. I need you to stand up and be counted as an American demanding change.”

The Senator concludes his letter by encouraging Ethiopian Americans to get inloved at the grassroots level of his presidential campaign.

“If you have any questions about voting or you want to get involved in our campaign, I hope you’ll talk to your local organizers”, he said. “Thank you again for reading this letter and for voting. Together, we will create the change we seek.”

The letter was sent to Tadias by members of E4O (Ethiopians for Obama):

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Related:
Ethiopian Americans May Swing the Vote in Virginia (TADIAS)
Obama Team Hires Ethiopian-American Congressional Staffer (TADIAS)

News

Portland Family Enjoys a Taste of Ethiopia

August 5, 2008 admin

By Angela Obery

Published: August 5, 2008

Portland, Oregon (Statesman Journal) – Looking back on local family trips, I must admit that many of them revolve around food.

After all, we have to eat; we might as well make the meal an adventure!

Recently while visiting friends in Portland, my husband, sons and I were invited to dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant.

I was eager to see my old friend but wary about his ability to choose a child-friendly restaurant. A confirmed bachelor, I was unsure if he understood the intricacies of dining with a 3-year-old.

Holding the printed directions in one hand and a map in another, I navigated while my husband drove into a north Portland neighborhood previously unknown to us.

Parking on a side street and walking past other business, we saw the chosen restaurant — it had an old sign welcoming us to the Queen of Sheba Ethiopian Bar.

I momentarily thought our bachelor friend has steered us terribly wrong, however a second look unveiled an additional sign that read: “and Restaurant.’

I silently sighed as my husband and I shared a look of uncertainty.

Slowly stepping through the front door we were greeted by the restaurant owner and immediately shown to a roomy table by the front window.

Glancing around the small room, I saw a few other tables seated with groups including children. The place was a buzz with activity and so the adventure began.

Reading the menu, I was confused. Ordering would not be easy. Although the menu gave short descriptions of the offerings I still had no real sense of what was being offered.

Meats, vegetables, lentils and spices were all clearly named, but where as Japanese, Italian, and French bring certain flavors to mind, I had no background knowledge to consider Ethiopian.

Sensing our general confusion, the waitress was incredibly helpful when ordering. She told us which dishes were favorites with other families with small children and she guided our order to include several items considered mild and two with a bit more spice for the adults in our group.

As she walked away from the table I knew only that, among others, we would be trying dishes #1, #6 and #27.

When the meal arrived, the adventure continued as all the items were served family style on one large platter.

Injera, the traditional flat bread of Ethiopia, was provided and everyone tore off small pieces so as to scoop up the entrée and side dishes. My 3-year-old watched all the adults dig in and shyly asked, “Where are the forks?”

He seemed amused by the idea that no one would use utensils at this meal.

Injera is a flat, spongy bread and after several bites with the meal, my 6-year-old then ate several more bites of the bread alone. Holding up a small piece he commented, “It looks like a pancake, but it doesn’t taste like a pancake.”

I agreed.

Our party continues to scoop, wrap and dip as the meal continued. I found my sons and I most enjoyed the wat, or stew, of potatoes, carrots and beans. My husband favored the chicken and mushroom combination, while our friends ate up most of the spicier dishes.

The time passed quickly between eating and conversation and, before I knew it, the platter before us was almost wiped clean.

Paying our bill and heading out into the pleasant evening air I was pleased to have ventured out of our comfort zone with my family to try this new restaurant.

Time had passed since our last gathering with this old friend, but the feelings of care and loyalty for him are still strong.

Mix that up with two kiddos who are willing to try anything new and you have the perfect recipe for an adventurous Kid Trips to Portland, or to Ethiopia, or to whatever lies ahead.

—
Angela Obery lives in Salem with her husband and two young sons. Look for the Kid Trips column each Tuesday in this section. Contact Angela at Kid Trips, the Statesman Journal, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309-3009. Letters can be faxed to (503) 399-6706 or e-mailed to sjkidtrips@yahoo.com.

News

Millions of African Women Mutilated

August 5, 2008 Tadias Magazine

Source: Independent Online (South Africa)

Published: Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Cairo – The age-old tradition, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), is primarily performed on girls ages four to 14, though in some countries it is done on infants. It involves removing a girl’s clitoris and sometimes other external genitalia.

FGM is done out of beliefs that it controls a woman’s sexuality, enhances fertility, initiates her into womanhood or is required by religion, although both Muslim and Christian leaders have spoken out against it.

FGM is also performed for hygienic and aesthetic reasons in some places where genitalia are believed to be dirty.

Countries where more than 50 percent of girls and women ages 15 to 49 are mutilated include: Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Sudan (north).

Countries where 10-50 percent of females aged 15 to 49 are mutilated include: Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Yemen. – Sapa-AP

—
This article was originally published on page 2 of Cape Times on August 05, 2008

—
Today’s Headlines:
Morgan Freeman injured in car wreck (Reuters)

Ethiopia faces a new food crisis (Los Angeles Times)

Plane crashes into Oregon house, kills 3 children (Reuters)

Pakistani Suspected of Qaeda Ties Is Held (NYT)

Obama backs some drilling, tapping oil stockpile (AP)

Featured, News, Profiles

Obama Team Hires Selam Mulugeta

August 2, 2008 Tadias Magazine 16 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

New York (TADIAS) – The presidential campaign of Senator Barack Obama has hired Selam Mulugeta, an Ethiopian American, who formerly served as a Congressional Staffer and Special Assistant to Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), founder and Chair of the Congressional Ethiopia and Ethiopian American Caucus.

“I will be a Field Organizer in the Northern Virginia region,” Selam told Tadias Magazine. She formally joined the Obama campaign earlier this month.

“This means that I would be doing community organizing at the grassroots level to increase the number of registered voters, and most importantly, to increase voter turn-out in November.”

Members of the Democratic support group Ethiopians for Obama (E4O), which is active in Virgina, often say that the November election may be decided by a few thousand votes, and the robust Ethiopian American presence there may end up being a deciding factor.

Selam Mulugeta agrees. “In states like Virginia, Ethiopians are in a unique position to swing the vote,” Mulugeta said. “If all of us who are eligible to vote do so, then we could potentially win the state.”

Selam added: “The responsibility is tremendous, but doable. We can accomplish this by investing more time in the campaign and fully extending the reach of our influence. I am a member of the steering committee for E40. I have always supported the organization, even from its days as a loose discussion group formed in someone’s living room. I am so proud of the work that has already been done, and even while I was on the Hill I was quite adamant about engaging its leaders. My role in E4O will be to empower Ethiopians to realize that they can support the Obama campaign by volunteering.”

Selam Mulugeta with Capitol Hill Backdrop

Asked about the high level of excitement within the African immigrant community particularly about the prospect of electing the first African American President, Mulugeta says the candidate’s background is attractive to Africans in general.

“African immigrants can identify with Barack Obama because he himself is a second generation African American. More than that, he identifies with his own African heritage in a way that we all can be proud of”, she said. “He was able to achieve a level of success that our parents or first generations dream of for their children.”

She pointed out that Obama, because of his African background, will be in a strong position to advocate for better governance in the African continent.

“We also believe that his shared appreciation for Africa makes him the ideal President” she said. “He will not be afraid to engage and confront the challenges of achieving political stability and economic independence throughout the African continent, while preserving the dignity of its people. It is all the more reason that Diaspora Africans in this country should remain visibly involved in the campaign.”

The gregarious and young former Congressional staffer landed her gig on Capitol Hill fresh out of college and says she was attracted to the job by her former boss’s dedication to advocate on behalf of his Ethiopian American constituents in San Jose, California.

Selam Mulugeta Campaigning on behalf of Congressman Michael M.
Honda for Keith Ellison for Congress. September 2006.

“I interned for Congressman Honda during the summer after college graduation. I had the opportunity to work on building the Caucus because of the open-mindedness and dedication of the Congressman to the Ethiopians in his District. There was a clear need to create a voice for Ethiopian Americans in the legislative process, and I was hired to exercise that potential. The Congressman wanted to create an institution that could maximize that potential, so there was a clear need for someone to develop this institution on a full time basis”, she said.

“The Caucus is an organization of Member of Congress who all believe that the Ethiopian American agenda is a priority, or that Ethiopia is a strategic ally in Africa. Members of this Caucus usually have a strong relationship with the Ethiopian community in their districts, or believe that Ethiopia can play a leading role in achieving peace and economic stability on the continent.”

Asked to name what she considers as the significant achievement of the Caucus, Selam said: “The most significant achievements are passing language in Appropriations Bills on Ethiopia, and organizing a huge effort to recognize the Ethiopian Millennium. On Appropriation, Congressman Honda was able to pass language to encourage the Administration to fund development programs in Ethiopia that are led by Ethiopian Americans.”

“Mr. Honda advocates for the support of Ethiopian American NGOs because he believes that they should play a role in guiding US development policy toward Ethiopia,” she noted.

“On the Millennium, the Caucus was able to seize the moment by organizing a festival on the Hill and passing legislation that would draw attention to the development concerns of Ethiopia”, Selam said. “The Caucus hosted a festival with live cultural performances, art exhibit, and food from the best Ethiopian restaurants in Washington DC.”

The event, attended by Tadias Magazine, had generated a crowd of over 500 people among whom were Members of Congress, USAID and State Department staff, NGO directors, grassroots leaders, and diplomats. “It was a joyous occasion that drew a lot of attention, so the Caucus was able to promote its development priorities most effectively,” Selam said. “Rep. Honda introduced a Resolution honoring the Millennium that passed a few months later. This was significant because it was truly the work of several Ethiopian American organizations – the Caucus made a concerted effort to seek the input of community leaders across the country, and it was the first project that proved how strong the community can be when leaders cooperate with one another.”

And her personal role in this achievement?

“I was the lead staff on the Appropriations related to Ethiopia in my office,” she said. “I also proposed and implemented the planning for the Millennium event on the Hill. And with the guidance and mentoring of Ted Dagne (CRS, Africa Policy Director), I helped to draft the Resolution. I thought that it would be much more meaningful to have the endorsement of several community organizations before seeking co-sponsorship.”

Equipped with Capitol Hill experience and youthful zeal, Selam Mulugeta has embarked onto her next challenge. “Most Ethiopians are registered to vote, but their responsibility to electing the new President does not end there,” she said. “They will have to join the movement by registering their family members, their children, their friends at church or mosque. Our strength is in volunteering.”

Selam has joined the ranks of thousands of like-minded and optimistic young professionals who have answered Senator Barack Obama’s call for change.
—
Related:
Ethiopian Americans May Swing the Vote in Virginia (TADIAS)
African Immigrants Among Obama’s Enthusiastic Backers (The Washington Post)

Featured, News

Pankhurst’s Memories of the Aksum Obelisk Issue

August 2, 2008 Tadias Magazine 3 Comments

Personal Memories of the Aksum Obelisk Issue (Capital Ethiopia)

By Richard Pankhurst

Part Three

Saturday, August 2, 2008

We saw in the last article how the original Aksum Obelisk Committee, an entirely private body composed of less than a dozen individuals, albeit people of good will, helped to launch a movement for the return of the Aksum obelisk which Mussolini had looted from Ethiopia a generation or so earlier: Please read on:

The Obelisk Return movement at this time was not without a useful international dimension. Having formerly been Director of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies several decades earlier I was on good personal terms with most of the international scholars of Ethiopian affairs, many of whom, when approached, expressed support for our campaign. This enabled me to issue a succession of statements to the essentially sympathetic press – announcing that such and such Ethiopianist was demanding the Obelisk’s repatriation. This helped to keep the issue virtually every week in the public eye.

Such supporters, who rallied to the cause, included Professor Sven Rubenson from Sweden, Professor Angelo Del Boca from Italy, Professors Richard Greenfield, Christopher Clapham and Frederick Halliday from Britain, Professors Donald Crummey, Frederick Gamst, Pascal Imperato, and Alberto Sbacchi from the United States, Maria Rait and Yuri Kobischanov from Russia, Hagai Erlich from Israel, Viraj Gubta from India, Katsuyoshi Fakui from Japan – and many, many others. Support was likewise announced from not a few prominent writers, among them Wilfred Thesiger, Thomas Pakenham, David Buxton, Graham Hancock, and Germaine Greer, as well as Rita Marley, widow of Bob Marley, and Lutz Becker, producer of the remarkable historical film The Lion of Judah, as well as the two leading British historians of modern Italy: William Deakin and Denis Mack Smith. Mrs Winthrop Boswell, an American scholar who had some years earlier used the IES library to study ancient Ethiopian-Irish relations, most generously supplied us with much appreciated “Return Our Obelisk” car stickers. They bore a representation of an Aksum obelisk as reproduced by the Scottsih traveller James Bruce in 1790.

The movement also rallied extensive support among the Ethiopian Diaspora, most notably from Ato Samuel Ferenje in Canada, Dr. Asfawossen Asrate in Germany, and Ato Zaudie Haile Mariam in Sweden, as well as Professors Achamele Debele, Ashenafe Kebede, Ephraim Isaac, Getachew Haile, Syum Gabre Egziabher, and Ato Kassahun Chekole, all in the United States. Support was also received from prominent Americans of Italian decent, among them our friend Professor Pascal Imperato. Many articles on the Obelisk likewise appeared in the Italian media, many supportive ones from the heroic pen of Professor Angelo Del Boca. Other writings on the obelisk, by the present writer and others, also appeared in the Ethiopian Diaspora press, the Ethiopian Review, the Ethiopian Register and others. As well as, in Ethiopia itself, in Addis Tribune and other papers.

The Obelisk Return Movement gained further impetus once again as a result of an Anniversary – this time the Centenary of the Battle of Adwa of 1896. In the lead-up to that anniversary Professor Andreas Eshete, Chairman of the Ethiopian Centenary Committee, and an old family friend, seized the occasion to appeal to the Italian Government, on Ethiopian TV, for the monument’s restitution – and was joined by Fitawrari Amede Lemma and several other members of the Obelisk Return Committee. A few days later the Ethiopian Parliament held a Public Hearing on the Obelisk, the first such hearing in its history, at which several of us urged the case for repatriation. We were joined in this by Professor Marco Vigoni, a teacher at Addis Ababa’s Italian School.

Then, on 8 February 1996, the Parliament voted unanimously – to demand the Obelisk’s return – just as its predecessor, the Emperor’s Parliament, had done three decades earlier.

The cause of the Obelisk’s restitution, first voiced by a few isolated individuals in different parts of the globe, had thus at last become official Ethiopian Government policy; and a matter to be discussed at an inter-governmental level – but that is another story.
—
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Featured, News

Tadias Added to Index for Google News

August 1, 2008 Tadias Magazine 3 Comments

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Friday, August 1, 2008

New York (TADIAS) – Tadias Magazine has been added to the index for Google News. The Ethiopian-American publication, which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, joins Google’s global network of original content and news publishers — including some of the top news agencies in the world, such as the Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, UK Press Association and the Canadian Press.

Founded in January 2003, Tadias Magazine is the leading lifestyle and business publication devoted exclusively to the Ethiopian-American community in the United States. The word Tadias is a popular casual greeting among Ethiopians. It means “hello”, “hi,” “what’s up?” or “how are you?”

The magazine serves as a medium of communication for those who have academic, business, professional or personal interest in the Ethiopian-American community.
—–
Join the conversation on Twitter and Facebook.

Featured, News

Hello Magazine Wins Bid for Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Twins Pics

August 1, 2008 admin 1 Comment

By Tadias Staff

Published: Friday, August 1, 2008

New York (Tadias) – Hello Magazine has won an exclusive deal for the first photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s newborn twins, Knox and Vivienne, born on July 13 at the Lenval hospital in southern France.

The celebrity couple are also adopted parents to Ethiopian American Zahara (aged three), Maddox (six-year-old) from Cambodia, and Pax (four-year-old) from Vietnam. They already have a daughter, Shiloh Nouvel, who was born in Namibia in 2006.

An insider for Hello!, which outbid rival magazine OK! for the rights for the photos told ITN: “This is one of the publishing sensations of the decade – Brad and Angelina are the dream couple of the glossy magazine world and we expect to triple our circulation because of the public’s fascination and interest in the couple and their children.”

The magazine will be published on Monday, August 4.

Featured

A Rare Treat to Ethiopian Groove at Lincoln Center

August 1, 2008 admin 1 Comment

By Tadias Staff

Published: Sunday, August 3, 2008

New York (Tadias) — Among some of the most exciting out-door music events scheduled in New York this summer, is a concert on August 20th, featuring Ethiopia’s most noted musical artists: Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemayehu Eshete and the legendary saxophonist Getatchew Mekurya.

The artists burst forth into the Ethiopian music scence in the 1960s, during a time of prolific music recording in Addis Ababa, where the nightlife and club scene was buzzing with live Afro-pop, Swing and Blues riviling those in Paris and New York.

But the fun was short lived. In the mid 1970’s the rise to power of Lieutenant-Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam ushered in a dark age, which halted Addis Ababa’s flourishing music scene and severly curtailed the record music industry.

“Mengistu was well-versed in the Ethiopian tradition of song lyrics that are double entendres speaking to romantic and political themes, so he set about silencing the Ethiopian Swing”, penned writer Michael A. Edwards in an article entiltled Nubian Sunrise in Jazz Times Magazine, the world’s leading Jazz publication. “Curfew brought the Capital to a viritual stand still…jailed, discredited and otherwise harrased, many of the musicians went into exile and the sun set on swinging Addis.”

The Swinging Sixties: The Police Band strut their stuff in 1965/6. (Time.com)

The sun has risen again for Ethiopian music and it has re-emerged in the international scene under a new name: Ethiopiques, which refres to a stunning CD series containing a treasure trove of Ethipian sounds from the 1960’s and ’70s.

And on August 20th, beginning at 6 p.m, at the 38th season of the Lincoln Center’s out of
doors concert, one of the longest-running free summer festivals in the U.S, New Yorkers will
be treated to the groove of “Nubian Sunrise”.

—
You can learn more about the event at Lincolncenter.org

News

Ethiopia to Take FIFA to Court

July 31, 2008 admin 1 Comment

Above: Ethiopia’s Grum Siyoum (R) fights for the
ball with Morocco’s Benjalloun Abdessalam (C) during their 2010 World
Cup qualifying soccer match in Casablanca May 31, 2008.
REUTERS/Rafael Marchante(MOROCCO)

Ethiopia to go to court over FIFA ban (The Guardian)

ADDIS ABABA, July 31 (Reuters) – Ethiopian soccer authorities said on Thursday a suspension by FIFA was illegal and that they would take their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

FIFA suspended the Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) on Tuesday after it repeatedly failed to comply with a February 2008 agreement aimed at restoring its officially recognised leaders.

“The ban imposed by FIFA is illegal and EFF will take its case to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport,” the body said in a statement.

Unless the suspension is lifted, Ethiopia will not be able to play their next international match, a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Morocco on Sept. 7.

The statement urged FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to send a delegation to Ethiopia to investigate the problem. (Reporting by Tsegaye Tadesse; Editing by Sonia Oxley). Read More.

News

UN Terminates Eritrea-Ethiopia Border Force

July 31, 2008 admin

Above photo: undispatch.com

UN council disbands Eritrea-Ethiopia border force (Reuters)

By Louis Charbonneau

Thu 31 Jul 2008

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council voted on Wednesday to disband its peacekeeping mission to the volatile border between Eritrea and Ethiopia after Eritrea forced out most of the U.N. troops.

The mandate for the 1,700-strong force expires on Thursday. The council unanimously approved a resolution drafted by Belgium that calls for the mission to be terminated and all peacekeeping personnel to be withdrawn.

The resolution calls on the two sides “to show maximum restraint and refrain from any threat or use of force against each other, and to avoid provocative military activities.” Read More.

News

African First Ladies Coming Soon to LA

July 31, 2008 admin

Above: Ted Alemayhu, Founder & CEO of U.S. Doctors for
Africa, hosts the market close at NASDAQ on Thursday, March 23,
2006.

U.S. Doctors for Africa (USDFA) to host African First Ladies Health Summit in Los Angeles

By Tadias Staff

Thursday, July 31, 2008

New York (Tadias) – U.S. Doctors for Africa (USDFA), founded by Ethiopian-American social entrepreneur Ted Alemayuhu, announced earlier this week that it will be hosting the first Annual African First Ladies Health Summit in Los Angeles in April 2009.

USDFA in collaboration with African Synergy, an NGO founded by African First Ladies, has formed a strategic partnership to efficiently mobilize and deliver needed medical resources to African countries. The summit will highlight current and prospective projects to be taken by USDFA and African Synergy.

“This is probably one of the most empowering initiative we have ever been involved in,” says Ted Alemayhu, Executive Chairman and CEO of USDFA. “What is exciting about this particular partnership is that the entire movement is initiated and mobilized by the First Ladies themselves. And it is a great testimony, commitment, and dedication that needs to be encouraged and supported by all stake-holders around the world.”

The summit is held in collaboration with the African Synergy Against AIDS and Suffering, an NGO founded by African First Ladies. Mr. Alemayhu described this strategic partnership as a way to re-ignite the dialogue and work on key African health initiatives. “It would help to mobilize women’s strength & commitment to a better Africa” he said.

USDFA seeks to help advance the First Ladies efforts to create an effective and sustainable complementary approach in the fight against public health issues affecting Africa’s development.

The first Annual African First Ladies Health Summit will particularly focus on the threat of HIV/AIDS on children in Africa. “USDFA is prepared to be engaged in the helping the people of Africa with the full support and direct assistance & participation of the First Ladies” Mr. Alemayhu told Tadias. “USDFA and African Synergy share the common belief that healthcare is a basic human right, and recognize that a healthy population is essential for growth, development, and prosperity in every society.”

Above: (Standing, left to right) First Lady of Kenya, Mrs
Lucy Kibaki; Mrs Edith Lucie Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of
Gabon; Dr Peter Piot, UNAIDS Executive Director; Mrs
Jeannette Kagame, First Lady of the Republic of
Rwanda and President of the Organization of African
First Ladies against HIV/AIDS; Mrs Maureen Mwanawasa,
First Lady of Zambia; Mrs Toure Lobbo Traore, First
Lady of Mali; (seated, left to right) Madame Denise
Nkurunziza, First Lady of Burundi; Mrs Viviane Wade,
First Lady of Senegal; and UNICEF Deputy Executive
Director Rima Salah together at the launch of the
“Treat every child as your own” campaign, an initiative
of the Organization of African First Ladies against
HIV/AIDS, in New York on 15 September.
Photo credit: UNAIDS/Peter Serling

In addition to the summit, USDFA will mobilize volunteers and other resources from the United States and strategically distribute these resources in regions where they are most needed, in accordance with African Synergy’s recommendations.

Although details for the Summit are still being worked out, the event is currently set for April 20th – 23rd and the planned location is Beverly Hilton. Mr. Alemayhu told us that more information about the Summit schedule will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

Photo Journal: Ted’s Keynote at Columbia (Tadias)

USDFA to Deploy Mobile Clinics to Ethiopia (Tadias Exclusive)

Art, News

The Long Road Home: Photographer Andarge’s Quest to Raise Awareness About Ethiopia’s Deforestation

July 30, 2008 admin 1 Comment

The Long Road Home (Valley Advocate)

Photographer Andarge Asfaw is raising awareness of Ethiopia’s deforestation with his photography book, Ethiopia From the Heart.

By Kendra Thurlow

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, photographer Andarge Asfaw has lived in the U.S. for almost 40 years. He came here as a young teenager, attending high school in Ithaca, N.Y., then Cornell University and the Hallmark Institute of Photography. After Asfaw completed his studies, he planned to return home to Ethiopia, so his birth country could benefit from his education abroad. That plan was thwarted in 1974: a Soviet-backed military junta deposed Emperor Haile Selassie and established a communist state.

“At the time we had no choice of going back,” said Asfaw in a recent interview with the Advocate. “The generation that came from Ethiopia at the time, we were pretty much expected [after getting an education] to go back and provide service. But once the government changed, everything changed.”

Asfaw’s photography career blossomed as he settled into life in the United States and strove to “live the American Dream.” For over 25 years, Asfaw has maintained, with longtime business partner Donna Jones, F/Stop Studio, a Washington D.C.-based commercial photography studio. His work has been featured in Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Esquire and the Washington Post; he teaches at the Washington School of Photography, the Art League School and the Metropolitan Center for the Visual Arts.

Despite Asfaw’s success in the U.S., the thought of seeing Ethiopia’s breathtaking countryside again was never far from Asfaw’s mind. “As a photographer, I think it’s always your dream to go back and do something about where you came from,” said Asfaw. “I remember such a beautiful country, with animals running around, and people down south running around naked& When I was young and driving with my dad in the countryside, you’d have to watch out for deer, leopards, zebras, giraffes—and the monkeys owned the road.”

In 1994, the first year since the 1974 coup that Ethiopia held multi-party elections, Asfaw returned to his home country. What he found, however, barely resembled the country he had left almost 29 years earlier.

“I arrived to find an unfamiliar Ethiopia,” Asfaw wrote in Tadias, an online magazine for the Ethiopian-American community. “The trees had disappeared. Wildlife that had crossed the roads not far from the region where I grew up was absent… Unemployment, relocation, political differences and health concerns had reshaped the lives of the population. Devastated, I didn’t know where to begin documenting my dreams.” Read More.

Ethiopian Business and Lifestyle