Touring Ethiopia

by Dr. Hanna Rubinkowska-Goc

Ethiopia, its culture and people have been part of my life for many years. But it is different every time I come here and it makes me realize how little I know about this country.

It is most probable that if you fly to Addis from another country, you will arrive at night and your first glimpse of the city will be at its dark side. Do not pay too much attention to your first impression. It will get better when the sun rises.

Not many people appreciate the capital city of Ethiopia and many tourists try to escape from there as soon as possible. Of course it is not easy to see the best of the city if one is in a rush. The city is like a woman whose charm you are able to see only after a while.

It does not strike you at the beginning but soon you are under a spell and have no idea how it happened.

Addis - the New Flower
Most tourists come to Ethiopia because they heard about its ancient sites, old churches and thousands of years of history. It is true that many of them are ancient sites but not Addis. This city is new as its name implies “New Flower.”

It is bit over a hundred years old. But this doesn’t mean that the mystical Ethiopia is not there. And it is worth taking a risk to try to make friends with Addis Ababa.

When Menelik, the powerful king of Showa, whose aim was to rule the whole of Ethiopia moved into the area of today’s Addis Ababa, he settled on Entoto, a mountainous province of the country. He was accompanied by his wife, Taitu.

The couple were powerful, perceived by their subjects as beautiful and divine. Moreover, Menelik and Taitu had a blueprint of how to rule the country.

When they settled on Entoto they were already on their way to fulfill their dreams. Not much later Menelik was crowned niguse-negest meaning Emperor and Taitu was crowned Itege or Empress.

She was not only the Emperor’s wife, but also a crowned wife, an Empress with her own rights. The couples influenced Ethiopian fate in almost all of its aspects. The administrational and geographical shape of the country changed completely. What was old Ethiopia constituted one third of the area of the country in its new shape.

The couple also realized that contrary to Ethiopian tradition, they need a permanent capital, a place to settle and to rule.

Entoto was good, but not perfect. Cold at night and dry. Taitu used to travel down the hill to cure her aching back in the hot springs of Fil-wo-ha.

It was her idea that the lower plain was good not only for her back but for a permanent settlement too. It was then that Menelik and Taitu decided to put up their tents and grow Addis Ababa (the new flower) there.

A view from Entoto and the two churches
It is good to go to Entoto when you are in Addis. The view from above shows the city in a completely new perspective. It is quiet, without smoke with no one to bother to you and you can enjoy the eucalyptus forest and the breathtaking view over Addis.

There are also two churches on the hill, Raguel Church and Entoto Mariam Church. Both of them are reminders of the imperial couple.

One was founded by Taitu and the other by Menelik. Both are splendid but there is something extraordinary about the one founded by Menelik - the paintings.

Actually, whichever church you visit in Ethiopia, the churches and their murals do not let you leave before you carefully study each and every representation.

Aba Lukas who painted the murals of the church was an Ethiopian monk from Gonder. A very talented monk, whom I deeply believe one day art historians will admit into the gallery of the most remarkable artists somewhere between Bosch and Broughel.

Inside the city
The marriage between Ethiopia and her coffee has been hailed by many to be the best in the world and with an Italian style. Italians occupied Ethiopia for five years (1936-1941) and whatever harm they did to the country, they also left a bit of their habits behind which turned out to go very well with Ethiopian habits. Coffee places are the best example of this combination.

There are a lot of places to be visited in Addis, providing that you do not run away from this place too soon. Churches each with their own spectacular history and some of them witnessing the most spectacular moments of Ethiopian history.

Like the coronation of Haile Selassie I or another one ‘Selassie Cathedral’ which places the Emperor’s body buried in the year 2000, twenty five years after his death.

From the three imperial palaces in Addis, only one can be visited. The first palace of Haile Selassie I has been housing Addis Ababa University since 1960.

After a failed coup d’etat which was supposed to deprive the Emperor of power, he offered this palace to the University and moved to the new one. Now it is one of the governmental buildings.

Unfortunately, neither the old Menelik’s Palace located next to the Menelik Mausoleum can be visited since the office of Prime Minister has its seat there.

Churches are not everything and being a typical tourist it is good to learn a bit and visit some museums. In Addis there are quite a few of them.

The National Museum with a replica of Lucy is the best known but there are others, like Addis Ababa Museum.

The building of the museum is an old residence which allows visitors to imagine Addis Ababa’s aristocratic life style from before.

A mug of Menelik, one of his daughter Zawditu and lots of pictures are there.

If someone doesn’t find it fascinating, it is better to stay in the nearby Meskel Square where huge white pigeons have been constructed to meet the New Millennium.

According to the Ethiopian Calendar year 2000 has started on the 12th of September 2007.

Addis Downtown
Addis Ababa is a very joyful place with some quarters even more joyful than others. Piazza, the center has the most shopping and nightlife areas and used to be called ‘Arada’ before the Italian occupation. Now it is a name which is only inserted in some lyrics referring to the busy district.

There is another part of Addis that is now struggling to be the most occupied place on Saturday nights. Bole, a district spreading towards the airport is full of modern shops, restaurants and busy night clubs. The list of bars which are recommended by those who know it well will keep you there for the whole time.

At Piazza you feel more of Ethiopian life-style in comparison to Bole; especially, if you decided to stay in Itege Taitu Hotel. It is the first hotel in Ethiopia founded by Menelik’s wife. It is still offering something of the feeling of an imperial era in a very shabby, yet charming style. It is like one of those places which get old and fall apart with dignity.

Crowded streets and people calling you is what imagination brings when we think about African cities and Addis Ababa is no different. Ethiopians often talk freely to each other no European standard of pretending that we don’t see each other.

And foreigners or ‘ferengi’ I say this because it is a term applied by Ethiopians for foreigners. It is not meant to be offending even though some ferengi may feel like killing the 100th person who has called them by this name on the street. It can be tiring when used a lot, but this is one of the cultural differences that we want to experience as we travel. It seems ridiculous to complain.

Merkato
This is one place in Addis that missing it would be a big mistake. Not only for shopping but for visiting, seeing, smelling and touching. Merkato is a place that you will love to go back to.

It is one of the biggest market places in the world. It is a whole district with a huge number of tiny streets, big and little shops offering you anything you want.

As in all traditional markets, each profession has its own sectioned area. You walk through sellers offering a variety of strange parts of odd machines, threads, garments, fruits, spices, colors, aromas, and you see the people excited, smiling, talking, touching …etc. Touching is also a way of noticing…another piece of culture that we come to experience.

One may ask how many days are needed to enjoy Addis before getting tired of the crowds, cars and smoke. I say, for some two minutes might be enough while others believe that this is the place where they may find a sense for their lives.

But all are tempted to go further to explore Ethiopia out of its capital. Of course whatever you may find in Addis, the real experience and real Ethiopia is waiting for you when you leave the city.

But what can be a big surprise is that when you return to the city before your next trip or to fly back to your country, you realize that you feel at home there.

The man at the corner who is trying to sell you pots from Gambella even though you bought two from him already, seems to be your old friend. It does not matter how ugly Addis Ababa may seem to be for some, you like it more as time passes by.

Dr. Hanna Rubinkowska-Goc has plenty of travel experiences to Ethiopia and is a contributor to our site.

She has specialized in modern history of Ethiopia and currently lectures at Warsaw University, Department of African Languages and Cultures.

Hanna Rubinkowska-Goc (Ph.D.)

A few months ago, I was in the old and beautiful walled city of Harar, 526km to the east of Addis Ababa. This is a city of wonderful contradictions bordered to the north, south, and east by arid and mostly barren desert.

The city rests on a plateau 1,800 meters above sea level and is enriched by a lush green valley graced with year- round sunny skies.

Harar began its formal existence in 1520 when a local Amir, Abu Beker Mohamed, moved his capital here from the city of Dakar. It is considered by many Muslims to be a notable holy city and center of Islamic learning. It contains over 90 mosques and many consider it to be the fourth holist city of Islam.

Harar is special for its old town within the sturdy wall built between the 13th and 16th centuries. The wall or Jugol, fortified against invaders, is about four meters high and pierced by five gates.

It was built to prevent an expanding Christian empire from advancing on its Muslim way of life, and yet the city is a comfortable home of several different ethnic and religious groups. It was given a ‘United Nations City of Peace Award’ four years ago.

It is a city with a rich and wonderful history, famous architecture and a friendly people, who really knows how to roll out a red carpet.

Beautiful women carefully garbed with shoulders draped with bright shawls and strolling on the twisted streets carry bundles of cloth or baskets on their heads.

Harar is known for its handicrafts, which include weaving, and basket-making.

Its skilful people are renowned for their basket work and artistic creations from colored fibers and grasses.

It is also famed for the work of its silversmiths who craft beautiful anklets, necklaces, arm bands, silver chains, bangles and earrings out of precious metals.

Harar’s large and bustling markets are firmly established directly outside the entrance gates.

There are two small markets in the walled town, the Christian and the Muslim market.

The latter is quite attractive with its white buildings and colorfully dressed women selling fruit, grains, baskets and other wares.

Other special attractions are the house of Arthur Rimbaud (a French poet and arms dealer) and the ancient mosque of Abu Beker.

Rimbaud’s house is a fantastic building which has recently been renovated.

It is a great two-storey affair with plenty of Indian woodwork and art deco wall paper.

It has a wonderful indoor balcony which from the windows you can see in almost every direction over the city.

Exploring the city walking inside through each of the five original gates set into its walls is an ideal way to capture the sense of the mysterious past.

Wandering through the narrow pathways bracketed by high whitewashed walls makes your visit worthwhile. Walk past vendors selling everything from bananas to boots and cookware to flat thin cake of unleavened bread.

Soon you will find yourself in the city’s distinctive narrow cobble-stoned alleyways past belch-white and aqua blue interiors.

Outside the Jugol, one can make a visit to hyena man, one of the city’s most unique attractions.

These men feed dozens of wild hyenas that live in the surrounding hills.

These predators, each called by name, rush forward to snatch their supper from the hands of the hyena men.

You can also feed the hyenas meat from the end of a stick for a small fee and or using your mouths if you are brave enough.

Eskinder Hailu
Turning Your Dream Vacation Into a Reality

Addis Ababa is a vibrant city where a visitor can find different extremes and contrasts of people, culture, city life and more.

It is a bustling city with more than three million residents. It is the third highest capital in the world situated at an elevation of more than 2,000 m above sea level.

It is the diplomatic and political capital of Africa where many organizations like the African Union Head Quarters, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and more than 100 embassies are found.

There are many features that characterize the city which are also part of the city’s life.

I was thinking how Addis would appeal to travelers and what visitors would want to know about the city. Things like the airport, shopping centers, and hotels which are important for visitors as they visit or pass through the city.

Bole International Airport
Bole International Airport is one of the best airport terminals in Africa where the traveler can find excellent services like good selection of shops, cafes, banking facilities, baggage handling, immigration and customs services all provided in a generous space.

If you are leaving or just in transit, there’s plenty to fill in your time. Stretch your legs and do some last minutes shopping of important duty-free items.

Ethiopian Tourist Trading Enterprise (ETTE) duty free shops are filled with a numbers of outlets and a wide range of Ethiopian artifacts, jewellery, books and souvenirs as well as a fine selection of spirits, cigarettes, perfumes, sweets and chocolates.

The departure area has coffee shops selling hot snacks and you can visit the well-stocked restaurant for a more leisurely meal. If you still have a spare time you can check your emails or surf the internet at the internet cafes available there.

Hotels and restaurants
Addis Ababa has hotels that are available in a wide range of types to suit all pockets.

One is the Addis Ababa Hilton which has 356 guest rooms including suits, executive floor rooms and self contained apartments. You will love the Hilton not only for the service but also for its beautiful and unique architectural designs and motifs. It has exotic and cozy restaurants, popular bars, health club facilities, and much more.

Also the Luxurious Sheraton Addis is unique for its luxury collections combining the richest elements of Ethiopian culture with the international neo-classical architecture.

Addis Ababa has a great number of restaurants that serve injera and all the delicious wots (sauses). You will find yourself tempted to try the food at some of the wonderful cuisines and traditional restaurants.

Many of the restaurants feature live singing and dancing to keep you delighted as you enjoy the exotic foods.

Ethiopian traditional restaurants serve wonderful Ethiopian fare and usually feature a local ‘Azmari’ band and traditional dancing. But if you are keen on international styles, there are good number of restaurants serving European and Asian cuisines as well as cafes, discos, and art galleries.

You should also try the thick and undiluted fruit juice in Addis. It is absolutely great!

Coffee
Coffee is one of the country’s strongest icons. “I have been to other African countries and drunk coffees that taste great, but Ethiopian coffee is far better and even the best of all”. These are the words of Mickle one of my guests when I asked him about Ethiopian coffee.

For those who have time and want to have the real Ethiopian experience, the coffee ceremony should not be missed. Be prepared for three delicious cups if invited to some one’s house for coffee.

Ethiopians themselves love to drink coffee. For my wife and I, one of the best times of the day is our coffee time. I think coffee is more than a drink for Ethiopians. It is also one of the biggest export items of the country, even though almost 50% of the harvest is consumed locally.

So if you arrive in Addis, try the coffee. The city has cafes on every street serving excellent black coffee or macchiato.

Museums, Shero Meda and Souvenir Shops
If you have time for a city tour you may want to visit the important museums found in Addis which exhibit some of the world’s famous archeological, cultural and religious treasures. Among them the national museum possesses ‘Lucy’ the bones of one of the oldest hominids ever found.

Trinity Church Cathedral attracts many visitors being renown for its impressive architectural design.

The churches are filled with wonderful paintings and ancient manuscripts all well worth a visit.

Also not to miss a wonderful birds eye view of the city from above. Take a trip to the two churches on the hills of Entoto.

Another exciting experience for a guest in Addis is shopping for exotic and traditional woven clothes at Shero-Meda. There are beautiful traditional dresses hanging in all colors and designs available for all ages and at affordable prices.

You are sure to find something for yourself, your children and the whole family, traditionally woven or with printed design on a variety of cotton t-shirts, scarves and handbags.

Merkato Africa’s largest open air market
If you like shopping in Addis, Merkato should be the place. It is the largest open-air market in Africa where you can find anything from electronics to garments, from spices to automobile spare parts and a whole lot more.

Merkato is Addis’s most crowdest, bustling, and colorful area. If you have time and just penny in your pocket, go to Merkato, you will always find something there.

Of course if you prefer a more modern shopping experience, you may need to go to Bole where a good number of new malls have sprouted up. Also walk up on Churchill road if you want to purchase great souvenirs for the best deals.

Buses, taxis, listros, woyalas, and beggars
Much seen in the streets of Addis are the blue taxis transporting most of the city’s population. A slight annoyance are the woyalas (drivers assistants) calling on passengers and naming city areas as you travel in the city.

Also to be seen on the streets are the friendly and hard working listros (shoe shiners) who always want to polish your shoes.

A sad sight in the city are beggars, nagging everyone for money. Hundreds flock to the city for jobs and a better future, but many of them unfortunately end up on the streets. However, giving them money may not be a good idea or helpful for the beggars. Thanks to some rehabilitation projects they are decreasing in number.

Addis Ababa has lots of faces, which leave a visitor with mixed feelings and experiences. It is also a very safe city and base to explore the country’s great historical, cultural, and diverse attractions.

One thing for sure, the city provides you with the feeling of being at home and the people are courteous and helpful whenever you go or wherever you want to explore.

Eskinder Hailu
Turning Your Dream Vacation Into a Reality

In my opinion, if there are two words that can better explain the people of Ethiopia are “diversity” and “harmony”. This is obvious for one who has got the chance to visit the country north to south and east to west.

One can see people with different psychological makeup, lifestyles, following different religions, languages falling into semitic, cushitic, omotic and nilo-saharan groups.

There are more than 80 ethnic groups, 200 different dialects and many others which make the country a mosaic collection all mixed in a harmonious fashion.

Ethiopian “People’s Day” Festival
Dec. 9th was a special day for all Ethiopians; a day in which people representing each ethnic group in the country gathered in Awassa to celebrate an annual event ‘The People’s Day’. The day was celebrated not only in the country but in all Ethiopian embassies in different countries of the world.

Various cultural shows, photographic exhibitions and a day long musical concert were performed by each ethnic group.

There were also trade fairs and bazaars where indigenous products such as coffee, cultural ornaments etc. were displayed.

Besides celebrating our diversity, the event has brought about cultural exchanges among the various people groups. It was also a big moment to promote Ethiopia’s cultural and traditional heritage to the outside world.

To this effect, ambassadors of over 103 countries to Ethiopia were invited to attend the celebration and invitations were extended to many countries’ foreign representatives.

Awassa, The Host City
Located 273 km south of Addis Ababa, enjoying a moderate climate, Awassa was the perfect place to host this great event. Awasa is the capital of Southern Ethiopia in which 56 of the 80 ethnic groups including the popular Omo valley tribes like Hamer, Surma, and Mursi live. The region also houses important tourism spots like wildlife parks, lodges, big lakes and a number of recreation centers.

Ethiopian Cultural Costumes
An interesting part of the event is seeing the different ethnic and tribal groups each wearing its traditional costumes. The christian highland people wearing white cotton cloth whist the muslims of Harar, by contrast wearing very colorful dress, the men in shorts and the women in fine dresses of red, purple and black.

The lowland Somali and Afar were wearing long brightly colored cotton wraps. The Oromo horsemen were seen in their bead-decorated leather garments attiring themselves in lions’ manes or baboon-skin head-dresses also carrying spears and hippo-hide shields.

The Dorze and Wolaita were also great in their typical colorful woven clothes whilst the lower Omo tribes, almost naked, were decorated in a white bark belt and leather strap.

They were ornamented with notches, a short skin garment, and painted their bodies with artful designs adorned with jewelries made of bone and all sorts of metals.

Ethiopian Hair Styles and Jewelries
An apparent identification of these different groups is in their fanciful jewelry, hair styles and the embroidery of their clothes. The women of amhara and tigray were dressed with dozens of plaits (shuruba) tightly braided to the head and billowing out at the shoulders.

The Tigray women dressed their hair with a multitude of tiny plaits anchored to the scalp and bushing out on to the shoulders. They were also ornamented with earrings and three separate medallions of a necklace made from pure Ethiopian gold.

The lower omo tribes like Hamer, Geleb, Bume, and Karo men formed a ridge of plaited hair and clay to hold their feathered headgear in place.

The stylish Geleb people had shaved off their head except for their topknot covered with mud, a Colobus hair cap and ostrich feather.

The women of Harar parted their hair in the middle and had made a bun behind each ear. The Arusi women had fringes and short bobbing hair style whilst the Bale girls had the same but were covered with a black head-cloth.

Ethiopian Traditional Songs, Dances, and Musical Instruments
Traditional music was the other exciting part of the festival which every ethnic group was performing its own distinct music. From the popular Iskista (juddering the shoulders ‘up and down’ and ‘to and fro’) to the jumping and leaping up and down of omo tribes, all sorts of cultural music was played by each ethnic group.

Traditional musical instruments were also widespread including the massinko - a one stringed violin played with a bow and the kirar - a six stringed lyre played with the fingers or plectrum.

Also to be heard was the washint - a simple flute, the kebero - a drum played with the hands and the atamo - a long flute played by tapping with the fingers or palm.

The celebration was amazing. It has left every one with a great excitement exhibiting the Ethiopia’s diverse people and culture - all at the same time and in the same place.

Eskinder Hailu
Turning Your Dream Vacation Into a Reality

Ethiopia is a country where one can find an amazing contrast of cultures, traditions and religions among a multi ethnic people.

The country, amidst its beauty, possesses colorful festivals and public events which are much loved by visitors. Many tourists prefer to book their Ethiopian holidays during the festive seasons when most celebrations take place.

Therefore I wanted to write a few things on the more colorful celebrations, on when, how, and why are they celebrated by Ethiopians.

The Ethiopian New Year - Sept 11th
Following the Julian calendar, Ethiopia is seven and half years behind the western calendar and its new year falls in the month of September.

Once the rainy season has ended, the sun comes out to shine all day long, creating an atmosphere of dazzling clarity and fresh clean air. The highlands turn green and gold as the Meskel daisies burst out in their entire splendor.

On 11th September early morning, the new-year is announced by little girls singing the song Abeba-ye-hosh (meaning do you see the blooming flowers?) in their respective villages whilst the boys give paints to each household as their new year wishes. Adults are expected to respond by rewarding gifts to the children.

This is the most special and important day, in which Ethiopians start the year with a new spirit, freshness, excitement and good expectations.

Meskel - The Finding of the True Cross - Sept 28th
Meskel (the finding of the true cross) falls on 28th September each year and has been celebrated in Ethiopia for over 1,600 years. The word Meskel means “Cross” and the feast commemorates the discovery of the cross (upon which Jesus was crucified).

As the legend tells, it was found on 19 March, AD 326, by Empress Helena, the mother of Constantine The Great.

The festival coincides with the mass blooming of the golden yellow ‘Meskel daisies’, a flower called ‘Adey-Abeba’ in the Amharic language.

A large bonfire is lit in Meskel Square and this is repeated all over the country in churches and small neighborhood groups.

Bonfires are built topped by a cross to which flowers most commonly the Meskel daisy are tied. Priests don their full regalia and people of all ages are seen in the streets carrying fresh bunches of yellow flowers.

After the bonfires are blessed, they are lit and the dancing and singing begins around them. The feasting and the celebrations continue the night and well into the next day.

If you wish to be part of this great celebration the best places that I recommend are Addis Ababa, Gonder, and Axum.

The Great Run - Nov 18th
It is not a religious holiday but a big running event among the biggest and first of its kind in Africa, held in the month of November every year.

This event was pioneered by Haile G. Sillassie, the greatest long distance runner in the world and most famous for his numerous athletic records. People of all ages numbering 25,000 or more participate in this great international event, counting it as a great joy and privilege to run with world class athletes.

Besides the joy of running, people have a lot of fun in this event. One can see people with different skills showing their abilities, telling jokes, singing songs and all manner of funny things. The other nice thing about this event is that everyone receives a medal for his/her participation, but to do so, they have to finish the race.

Genna - Ethiopian Christmas - Jan 8th
The birth of Christ also known as Genna in amaharic, is a colorful festival celebrated by all Christian people in the country. Especially at Lalibela, there is a spectacular view of priests surrounding the church and donning their colorful priestly robes praising and celebrating the birth of Christ.

At Lalibela a vivid colorful ceremony accompanied by dances and the hymns of the priests take place and unfolds before your eyes.

Traditional hockey games, horse racing and feasts of tej, tella, and doro-wot (Ethiopian traditional beers and meats) make the day more colorful.

Timket - Ethiopian Epiphany- Christ’s Baptism - Jan 20th
Timket in remembrance of Christ’s baptism by John the Baptist is the greatest festival of the year falling on the month of January two weeks after the Ethiopians Christmas.

Hundreds of thousands of people gather at Janmeda (the largest square in Addis) for singing, dancing and to receive a blessing from the patriarch. The Church tabots (so called replicas of the Arc of the Covenant) are taken to a nearby body of water on the afternoon of the eve of the festival.

Dramatic and colorful processions happen during the night; ringing of bells and bowling of trumpets and swinging bronze censors all mixed together make the day most colorful. The tabots rest in their special tents in the meadow each hoisting a proud banner depicting the church’s saint.

The following morning, the crowds gather around the blessed water to have it splashed upon them. By this act the people are renewing their commitment to the faith. Then the tabots are paraded back to their churches accompanied by much singing and dancing.

Timket is held at Gonder in the bathing palace of emperor Fasiledas.

Eskinder Hailu
Turning Your Dream Vacation Into a Reality