Unique Features of Ethiopia

Ancient History

Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa as well as one of the oldest nation in the world that entered independently the 21st Century. What are believed to be the oldest remains of a human ancestor ever found, which have been dated as being some five million years old, were discovered in the Awash Valley in Ethiopia. This beats the discovery of “Lucy”, a 3.18 million year old skeleton, who was unearthed in the same area in 1974. The Greek historian Herodotus, of the fifth century BC, describes ancient Ethiopia in his writings, while the Bible’s Old Testament records the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Jerusalem where “she proved Solomon with hard questions”. Matters clearly went further than that because legend asserts that King Menelik – the founder of the Ethiopian Empire – was the son of the Queen and Solomon.

Remains of the Queen of Sheba’s palace can still be seen today in Axum, in the province of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Axum is also home to many other extensive historical sites, including the home of the Ark of the Covenant, brought there from Jerusalem by Menelik.

Missionaries from Egypt and Syria reached Ethiopia in the fourth century and introduced Christianity. In the seventh century, the rise of Islam meant Ethiopia was then isolated from European Christianity. The Portuguese re-established contact with Ethiopia in the 1500s primarily to strengthen their control over the Indian Ocean and to convert Ethiopia to Roman Catholicism. A century of religious conflict followed resulting in the expulsion of all foreign missionaries in the 1630s.

This period of bitter conflict contributed to Ethiopian hostility towards foreign Christians and Europeans which persisted until the twentieth century and was a factor in Ethiopia’s isolation until the middle of the nineteenth century.

From the 1700s, for roughly 100 years, there was no central power in Ethiopia. This “Era of the Princes” was characterized by the turmoil caused by local rulers competing against each other. In 1869, however, Emperor Tewodros brought many of the princes together, and was a significant unifying force. He was succeeded by Emperor Yohannes, who built upon the efforts made by Tewodros, as well as beating off invasion attempts by the Dervish and the Sudanese.

Emperor Menelik II reigned from 1889 to 1913, fending off the encroachment of European powers. Italy posed the greatest threat, having begun to colonize part of what would become its future colony of Eritrea in the mid 1880s. In 1896 Ethiopia defeated Italy at the Battle of Adwa, which remains famous today as the first victory of an African nation over a colonial power.

In 1916, the Christian nobility deposed the sitting king, Lij Iyassu because of his Muslim sympathies and made his predecessor’s, (King Menelik 11 1889 – 1913), daughter, Zewditu, Empress. Her cousin, Ras Tafari Makonnen (1892-1975) was appointed regent and successor to the throne.

Zewditu died in 1930, after which the regent – adopting the name Haileselassie – became Emperor. His reign was interrupted in 1936 when Italian forces briefly invaded and occupied Ethiopia. Haileselassie then appealed to the League of Nations, but that appeal fell on deaf ears and he fled to exile in the UK, where he spent five years until the Ethiopian patriotic resistance forces with the help of the British defeated the Italians and he returned to his throne.

Haileselassie then reigned until 1974 when he was deposed and a provisional council of soldiers (the Derg, meaning committee) seized power and installed a government which was socialist in name and military in style. Fifty nine members of the Royal Family and ministers and generals from the Imperial Government were summarily executed. Haile Selassie himself was strangled in the basement of his palace in August 1975.

Ethiopian Language and Unique Script

Ethiopia is the only African nations that do have its own unique script and spoken language. Ethiopia has 83 different languages with up to 200 different dialects spoken. The largest ethnic and linguistic groups are the Oromos, Amharas and Somalia. Ge’ez is the ancient language, and was introduced as an official written language during the first Aksumite kingdom when the Sabeans sought refuge in Aksum. The Aksumites developed Ge’ez, a unique script derived from the Sabean alphabet, and it is still used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church today. Amharigna (Amharic) and Tigrigna are the modern languages which are derived from Ge’ez. Amharic is the official national language of Ethiopia. English, Arabic, Italian and French are widely spoken by many Ethiopians. The Ethiopian languages are divided into four major language groups. These are Semitic, Cushitic, Omotic, and Nilo-Saharan.

Unique own colander

The Ethiopian calendar is much more similar to the Egyptian Coptic calendar having a year of 13 months,each 12 months with 30 days and 1 month 5 or 6 days in the leap or [year 365 days and 366 days in a leap year (every fourth year) and it is much influenced by the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, which follows its ancient calendar rules and beliefs. The Ethiopian calendar is always seven years and eight months behind the Gregorian (Western) and Eastern Orthodox Church calendars during September and December and eight years and seven months behind during January and August. Therefore, the Ethiopians celebrated the new 2ed millennium on September 1, 2000 Ethiopian calendar.

Pope Gregory XIII reformed the Julian calendar due to the fact that Easter was drifting away from its springtime origins and so lost its relation with the Jewish Passover. Since 1582, the Gregorian (Western) calendar has become the religious, cultural and civil calendar for most of the world. Because of the ideological differences, the Eastern Orthodox Churches and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church did not accept the Gregorian calendar and continued to use the Julian calendar with lunar tables for calculating Easter, together with other religious and cultural holidays.

The date of Christmas in the Ethiopian calendar always falls on December 29, but this date is January 7 in the Gregorian calendar i.e. 13 days after the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches have celebrated their Christmas. However, the date of Easter in the Eastern, Coptic and Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Churches’ calendars falls 7 days after the Jewish Passover which date determines the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches’ Easter.

Although the Julian, Gregorian, Coptic and Ethiopian calendars have the same number of days in a year, (365 days and 366 days in a leap year), the counting systems giving the number of days in each month, and number of months in a year, of the Julian and Gregorian calendars differ from the Ethiopian and Egyptian Coptic calendars. The Ethiopian and Coptic calendars consist of 13 months where the first 12 months have 30 days each, and the Last (thirteenth) month has 5 days (6 days in a leap year). The Gregorian calendar consists of 12 months with January, March, May, July, August, October and December having 31 days, April, June, September and November, 30 days and February having 28 days (29 days in a leap year).

The Ethiopian New Year falls on September 11 (September 12 in the leap year) in the Gregorian calendar but it is September 1 in the Ethiopian calendar. In Ethiopia the first month of the year is September and the last (thirteenth) month of the year is Pagumiene, which comes after August. Each month has 30 days (from September to August) and the thirteenth month, Pagumiene, has 5 days (6 days in a leap year)

Extremities

With a land area of 1,098,000 square kilometres, Ethiopia is five times as big as Britain. Two principal geographical zones can be found in the country: the cool highlands and the hot lowlands. The vast central mountain-plateau – the Ethiopian Highlands – has an average elevation of between 1800-2400 meters. It is here that the country’s major mountain-peaks are found, including the highest mountain: Ras Dashen (4620 m), Ethiopia’s highest mountain and the fourth highest in Africa. In fact, Ethiopia has 20 mountains peaking above 4000 meters. But the country is also home to one of the lowest points on the Earth’s surface: the inhospitable Danakil Depression, which lies at more than 100 meters below sea level.

Uniqueness

Ethiopia has many unique features from Africa nations as well from the rest of the world. Unique script, calendar, being the first African nation to built a Christian church on African soil, being the cradle of human being, hosting the original Ark of the Covenant in Axum at Tsion church and many more thinks make Ethiopia reasonably different nation in the world.

Colorful culture

Ethiopia boasts untapped and ancient colorful culture. Its culture has been less exposed to modern outside influence and is subjected to the dominance of the Amhara people, the country’s geographical, political and historical isolation and Christianity and Islam. Contemporarily the cultural contribution of Ethiopia’s other ethnic groups are receiving attention and credit.

Religion

Ethiopia was the first country to build a Christian church on African soil. Christianity crossed the border in the 4th Century AD during the time of the Axumite kingdom. Even now this church shelters the original Ark of the Covenant brought from Israel by King Menelik I of Ethiopia. It is found in the town of Axum in northern Ethiopia. In addition it is here that the famous pre-Axumite obelisks stand. It is believed that the erection of these obelisks dates back to 300-200 BC. The tallest (33m) has fallen down; the second (27m) was stolen but the third (23m) still stands. These structures are the tallest on earth to be carved out of a single rock. Muslim refugees were given asylum in Ethiopia, established communities and were free to worship before Islam triumphed in its birthplace Arabia.

Legend

According to the narrative (i Kings x, 2 Chron. ix), the Queen of sheba, hav-ing heard of Solomon’s wisdom, comes to Jerusalem in great state, with spices, gold, and precious stones, to test him; she plies him with hard questions concerning everything that interested her, and receives satis-factory answers – there was no problem that Solomon was not able to solve. Then, after the usual exchange of presents between the two sovereigns, she come back to her own land. As legend says she was pregnant from Solomon when she backs to her home land. Some months later she gave birth for Minilik I. Minilik I the beloved son of King Solomon ans queen of sheba went to Israel to visit his father. The Ark is brought to Axum, contemporary capital of Ethiopia when Minilik I come back to Ethiopia after his visit to Israel. The kings of Ethiopia are now the legitimate successors of the kings of Israel and Juda.

Natural Beauty

Ethiopia inhabits varied type flora and fauna. Many animals and birds are unique to Ethiopia. Ethiopia is especially well-known for its wonderful and unique birdlife – it is a paradise for bird-lovers. Birds are numerous, diverse (862 different species), very colourful and – very important for ‘birders’: easy to spot, because Ethiopia’s natural areas are very unspoilt and quiet. In the whole country, there are 277 mammal species: 31 of those are endemic, meaning: they only exist in Ethiopia. There are also many endemic birds (17 species) and some reptiles, amphibians (eg. frogs), insects and fish. Among the endemic mammals are: the mountain nyala, the walia ibex, Menelik bushbuck and the gelada baboon all living in the mountains. Ethiopia’s highland flora is also very exceptional – between 600 and 1400 plant species are thought to be endemic: that’s 10-20% of all Ethiopia’s flora. There is no country in Africa that has more unique species of flora. An example is the exotic Abyssinian Rose: commonly found in both the Bale Mountains and the Simien Mountains.

The land of Origins

What are believed to be the oldest remains of human ancestor ever found anywhere else in the world, which have been dated as being some five million years old fossil were discovered in Ethiopia at the Awash Valley. 3.5 million Years old ‘Lucy’ the oldest direct ancestor of human kind was un earthed in 1974 in afar region at a place called Hadar

The birthplace of coffee

Ethiopia, the original home of the coffee plant, coffee Arabica, which still grows wild in the forest of the highlands. While nobody is sure exactly how coffee was originally discovered as a beverage, it is believed that its cultivation and use began as early as the 9th century. Some authorities claim that it was cultivated in the Yemen earlier, around AD 575. The only thing that seems certain is that it is originated in Ethiopia.The indigenous coffee trees (which some experts say, are the only native coffee trees in the world) first grew in ancient “Abyssinia,” which is now present day Ethiopia. These trees blossomed in an area called “Kaffa” and the trees were called “Kafa,” which may as well be the root word for coffee. In the tenth century, coffee was considered as a food.

The Ethiopian nomadic mountain peoples of the Galla tribe may have been the first to recognize coffee’s sustaining effect (but not as a beverage). Among the many legends that have developed concerning the origin of coffee, one of the most popular account is that of Kaldi, an Abyssinian goatherd, who lived around AD 850. One day he observed his goats behaving in abnormally exuberant manner, skipping, rearing on their hind legs and bleating loudly. He noticed they were eating the bright red berries that grew on the green bushes nearby. Kaldi tried a few by himself, and soon felt a novel sense of elation. He filled his pockets with the berries and ran home to announce his discovery to his wife. They are heaven-sent, she declared. You must take them to the Monks in the monastery.

Kaldi presented the chief Monk with a handful of berries and related his discovery of their miraculous effect. “Devil’s work!” exclaimed the monk, and hurled the berries in the fire. Within minutes the monastery filled with the heavenly aroma of roasting beans, and the other monks gathered to investigate. The beans were raked from the fire and crushed to extinguish the embers. The Monk ordered the grains to be placed in the ewer and covered with hot water to preserve their goodness. That night the monks sat up drinking the rich and fragrant brew, and from that day vowed they would drink it daily to keep them awake during their long, nocturnal devotions. While the legends attempt to condense the discovery of coffee and its development as a beverage into one story, it is believed that the monks of Ethiopia, may have chewed on the berries as a stimulant for centuries before it was brewed as a hot drink. By the 13th century, coffee’s restorative powers were well known in the Islamic world. Coffee was considered a potent medicine, as well as a religious potion that helped keep people wake during prayers. Pilgrims of Islam spread the coffee throughout the Middle East and by the end of the 15th century, coffeehouses had replaced mosques as favored meeting places. With the spread of Ethiopian from Africa, to the Middle East, India, Europe, and the Americas, make it one of the most popular bends of coffee in the world. Even great coffee business like Maxwell House and Folgers “lust” for this type of bend of coffee.

The source of Blue Nile

Bahir Dar is one of the most clean and beautiful city located besides Lake Tana, the largest highland Lake in Ethiopia. It is the head quarter of Amhara Regional State. It is about 563 km from Addis Ababa and 9 hours’ drive. Lake Tana is the source of Abay/Nile world’s longest and holey river that quenches Heaven. It is the home of more than 37 islands and about 21 ancient monasteries. One of the largest and longest water falls, Blue Nile fall lies about 32 km far from its source.

Discover where the true birth place of the world’s longest river

The Blue Nile (Ge’ez ጥቁር ዓባይ Ṭiqūr ʿĀbbāy (Black Abay) to Ethiopians; springs from Lake Tana in the Ethiopian Highlands. The Blue Nile flows about 1,400 kilometers to Khartoum, where the Blue Nile and White Nile join to form the Nile. Ninety percent of the water and ninety-six percent of the transported sediment carried by the Nile originates in Ethiopia, with fifty-nine percent of the water from the Blue Nile (the rest being from the Tekezé, Atbarah, Sobat, and small tributaries). The erosion and transportation of silt only occurs during the Ethiopian rainy season in the summer, however, when rainfall is especially high on the Ethiopian Plateau; the rest of the year, the great rivers draining Ethiopia into the Nile (Sobat, Blue Nile, Tekezé, and Atbarah) have a weaker flow.

The flow of the Blue Nile varies considerably over its yearly cycle and is the main contribution to the large natural variation of the Nile flow. During the dry season the natural discharge of the Blue Nile can be as low as 113 m3/s (4,000 cu ft/s), although upstream dams regulate the flow of the river. During the wet season the peak flow of the Blue Nile often exceeds 5,663 m3/s (200,000 cu ft/s) in late August (a difference of a factor of 50).

Before the placement of dams on the river the yearly discharge varied by a factor of 15 at Aswan. Peak flows of over 8,212 m3/s (290,000 cu ft/s) occurred during late August and early September, and minimum flows of about 552 m3/s (19,500 cu ft/s) occurred during late April and early May.

Bahr el Ghazal and Sobat River

As far as i am concerned with tourists and working as a guide in Ethiopia no one is targeting tourists even during people are protesting. But for more safety use Ethiopian Professional Tourist Guide or Travel with tour operators in Ethiopia. They will make your trip very safer and successful.

The Symbol of Freedom

It is written in Holy Scripture and world literature that Ethiopia is one of oldest counties in the world to have survived as a sovereign state for several thousand years. Many colonial powers tried about 27 times to conquer but they fail each time. A very recent and remarkable victory of Ethiopian over the Italian colonial power on 1896 at the battle of Adwa initiated other African nations too to start straggle for their freedom and all most all colonized countries in Africa gotten their freedom in 1960s.

The original ark of the covenant

Ethiopia claims to preserve many biblical relics. It is believed the original Ark of the Covenant is housed in Axum at St, Mary’s church and pieces of the true cross on which Christ is believed to have been crucified

Ethiopian rock hewn and cave churches

Rock hewn churches of Tigray, ETHIOPIA

While the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are the most dramatic buildings, the cliff churches of Tigray show the most dramatic landscapes and the longest Christian tradition. Unknown to the world outside, these churches were first described by the British explorer Ivy Pearce as ‘the greatest of the historical-cultural heritages of the Ethiopian people’. It was not until some 4 decades ago that there were some 200 rock hewn churches, and even more may still be unknown. Most better-known churches are found in the following clusters: Gheralta, Taka Tesfay, Atsbi, Tembien and Wukro. The churches are usually semi-monolithic – a part is cut out of rock, while another part is built with masoned rocks – or hewn out of caves. Many of them relatively easily accessible, but some can only be reached by climbing up difficult terrain or even a cliff. Being hidden in mountainous areas, the many of these churches are in surroundings of breathtaking landscapes. Usually rather primitive in design, many of the churches have some classics inspired columns and they usually are divided into three spaces: The most holy part, only accessible to the priest, where a replica of the stone tablet with the 10 commandments – is kept; The inner ambulatory, which is used by communicants at mass; and the outer ambulatory, which is accessible to anyone. While the ages of the churches are usually unknown they seem to predate those at Lalibela, though few churches in Tigray are as immediately impressive as the ones in Lalibela.

Rock hewn churches of Lalibela , ETHIOPIA

While many spectacular churches have been constructed in Ethiopia, perhaps the country’s most famous churches are the ones carved out of stone. Located 150 miles south of Aksum, Lalibela is the best example of Ethiopia’s hypogean (rock-hewn) architectural tradition. With 11 rock-hewn churches, Lalibela is understandably a place of pilgrimage for those in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. The site Lalibela was originally called Roha, but it eventually took the name of King Lalibela, who ruled around 1200 C.E. as part of the Zagwe dynasty. King Lalibela is traditionally attributed as the builder of all the churches at the site.

Lalibela’s 11 churches are carved out of hillside, which is made of soft reddish volcanic rock. The churches can be divided into two complexes—a northern and a southeastern complex—that are connected through a series of carved passageways and naturally occurring wadis. Six churches are featured in the northern complex and four in the southeastern complex. The 11th church—Beta Giyorgis (Church of St. George)—stands alone and is not part of either interconnecting complex.

The northern complex is composed of:

(1) Beta Madhane Alem (Church of the Savior of the World)

(2) Beta Maryam (Church of Mary)

(3) Beta Masqal (Church of the Cross)

(4) Beta Danagel (Church of the Virgins)

(5) Beta Mika’el (Church of Michael)

(6) Beta Golgotha (Church of Golgotha)

The southeastern complex consists of:

(7) Beta Emmanuel (Church of Emmanuel)

(8) Beta Abba Libanos (Church of Father Libanos)

(9) Beta Merkurios (Church of Mercurius)

(10) Beta Gabriel and Beta Rafa’el (the twin churches of Gabriel and Raphael)

Located west of the other complexes, the final—and most famous—rock-hewn church of Lalibela is (11) Beta Giyorgis (Church of St. George. Shaped like a cross, Beta Giyorgis sits on a stepped platform inside a 72-by-72-foot courtyard that is 36 feet deep. Originally, it was accessible only from the west by means of a long approach—measuring nearly 100 feet—that led uphill and connected the church to the wadi below