Ethiopianism - Part II

“A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.”
― Tony Blair

I had a great dialogue with a friend of mine about this obsession of the meaning of being an Ethiopian, which seems to sprawl its roots in me. We consciously attempted to flip every historical footprint that is ever declared on behalf of our birthplace.

We gazed at the chronicles; from the tribe of Kush to Queen Sheba, from the Axumites to the era of the Kings, from the fables to the controversial declaration of what being an Ethiopian mean for a native of the land.

Our upbringing was filled with the mystical and heroic stories of Ethiopia and Ethiopians that the feeling of greatness hovers above our head like a piece of blessed cloud.  It is almost impossible to assert one’s Ethiopian identity outside this prideful curtain that is most deeply rooted in the historic “past”.

But then reality hits; why in the world, how in the world, these glamorous and prideful existence led many, Ethiopians, go astray like flock of sheep without a shepherd.  Tony Blair once quoted “A simple way to take measure of a country is to look at how many want in.. And how many want out.”  As we Ethiopians jokingly say, almost every person would like to leave the land – if given a chance.  Our self dismantling way of life is not a sign of a great nation and its people!

So, I wonder, and then what does being an Ethiopian really mean?  If the historical account is put aside, if the arrogant curtain of “...I’m better than you, we are better than everybody, we are greater than everybody ...” bluff rolled up, what is the real meaning of being an Ethiopia to each native?

I’m still digging!

Pazion - 2011

Missing Habesha Family & Friends

I run to the site refugee united while reading a newsletter from the blogcataloge effort and the theme for common blog platform is Bloggers Unite For Refugees. “A noble idea” was my initial feel. Then some how I felt ill! When dug deeper in to the site, the above link unfolded itself; where four of Ethiopian/Eritrean languages are represented.

Well it is cool that some thoughtful people prepared and funded a tool of sort. But, it is really sickening how bad, how severely we Habeshoch (Ethiopian, Eritrean …) are scattered on the face of the earth. Refugee!

I don’t fancy all the complex stats that a highly paid data cruncher from UN, USAID, ALMANAC… etc spits out every minute about the refugee profile. Millions of us live abroad mainly for economical reason, mainly because we are poor – although we pretend that we WERE NOT, mainly for betterment of our life span, our kids, our generation. That is alright, America was formed off of dreams and aspirations of refugees. (Mind you I’m wrapping immigrants to refugee’s bundle here).

But, is there an exodus of sort for us ‘scattered citizen’s of Ethiopia’, abandoned children of Africa?

I don’t know about you, but a dedication of sort, a rebuilding of the “mother land”, a sense of restoring and being restored, a sense of ownership, a sense of freedom from beggar attitude, a sense of freedom from slavery… is so vital for our sanity. It is way bigger and better to re-gather, recollect and restore the scattered seeds of Ethiopia, Africa…!