USA Africa Dialogue Series - Brief reflections on my trip to Ethiopia

After 16 hours in the plane from New York and two hours in Dubai,
I landed in Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa. This was my third visit to Ethiopia
but by the end of the trip I knew that I would make many more visits

Ethiopia is truly a center of African Civilization in terms of the diversity of African peoples.Whether you are
from South Africa, Central Africa, East Africa, Jamaica, T&T, or Barbados, you will find someone who looks like you.

Because I am a historian and passionately interested in ancient African Civilization I made a dash to the historical sites.

There are numerous sites but this time around I decided to focus on sites in Yeha and Axum in Northern Ethiopia.
The last time I visited Ethiopia, I focused intensely on Lalibela and Gondar. They are all astounding.

There are now new dates for the construction of the Yeha temple and nearby palace as a result of some
discoveries this year.They go back as early as 1000 BC or 3000 years ago. They are huge structures.
The palace contained over 15 rooms. The temple about ten. I also got to see the palace of Queen Makeda
(Queen of Ethiopia and Sheba) that was discovered in 2003.

They recently found some charcoal and ibex remains on the site, that date to about 1000BC.The ibex is found only
in Ethiopia, apparently. I saw a lot of depictions of this animal in a decorative style at the Yeha palace.

I was able to see some manuscripts from about the 17th century all depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ as Black people,
while I was at Yeha. At Axum I was reminded that Balthazar, one of the three wise men was from Axum. I bought
some frankincense in Axum- and thought about his alleged gift of frankincense 2000 years ago.

About 40% of Ethiopia is Muslim; 40% Christian; 20% polytheist and atheist. These figures are approximate and
subject to correction. A Muslim Imam in the bus that I took to Axum told me that, not too far away from Mekelle,
Prophet Mohammed was buried. I told him that was not true as far as I knew. He finally conceded that the person
buried there was a name sake who was one of the early converts to the religion.He reminded me thast the fourth holiest
place for Muslims is located in Ethiopia in the vicinity of Hadar. I knew that was quite true and related to the fact that
Ethiopian Emperor Armah 11 (615-30AD), hosted about 100 believers of the new religion as they fled from persecution in Arabia.

I have to go back to Ethiopia soon. I want to visit the place where the 3.2million old skeletal remains of Dinknesh alias
Lucy was found, in the Afar region- and see the sculptured churches outside the town of Mekelle that go back to
the 5th century AD - earlier than those fascinating sculptured churches of Lalibela, dated13th century AD.

There are about 500 sculptured churches in Ethiopia, sculptured from the mountains and rocky terrain. I used to think that there
were 300 but I was told that new ones have been found. You have to see them to believe. They truly are among the wonders of the world.
I gave two well attended public lectures in two different parts of the country at the National Museum of Ethiopia and at Mekelle University.

I acknowledge the assistance of Professor Ayele Bekerie of Mekelle University in facilitating this visit.

I shall bring out a few films from the visit in due course and as you know my videos are entirely free for individuals around the world
to look at- once you have access to a powerful enough computer.


Professor Gloria Emeagwali
africahistory.net
vimeo.com/user5946750/videos
Documentaries on Africa and the African Diaspora


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