For some reason I was reminded of a Hue, Vietnam a place I once visited. It appears orderly and relaxed. Not too big not too small. I enjoy the vibrant colors and tropical appeal. The mix of color stands out among the vegetation providing shade. It sits on the shores of Lake Tana which you wouldn’t know by the picture alone. Perhaps that’s why it reminds me of a few lazy days I spent under the shade in that place called Hue. Another thing of note is that they both were previous capitals to their country in times of emperors.
A simple reminder of 17-18th century imperial reign stands at an intersection of modern tourism. The castles in the background overlook a new time. Now Gondar is a hot spot and a worthy enough home base to visit for a few days to see the Simien Mountains. This picture resembles one of bureaucracy in my opinion. Same colored taxis and transport vehicles keep things simple and organized. I’m not doubting the beauty and mystery of the relics of old imperialism but despite its castles and churches of old I still can’t help but to feel “trapped” judging from this picture alone.
Hawassa is the capital of the Ethiopian portion of the Southern Regions. This
point transects a majority of all the Omo Valley tribes as well as many others.
In the center of the city, in the main square sits the Sidamo monument. It is
decorated with colored mosaics that are meant to pay tribute to the many tribes
that reside there. It was meant to resemble the common banana plant which they
all share as an important part of their history. This picture reminds me that you
must start somewhere. Now adays it boasts a growing population around 300,000.
What looks like a rather poor attempt to prevent intrusion of some sort, this gated entrance acts as the entrance Harar. A unique and rather important place. Considered by many to be the fourth holiest Islamic city after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Behind this gate is a world of religious and cultural tolerance. If those walls could only talk. Their irregular shape and unassuming construction make me think of poverty. The picture hanging over the gate should serve as a reminder who is in control and its not these people carrying about their daily lives. It speaks of old tradition (Brandt 463-464).
When I see obelisks, I think of symbols of male fertility and power that were used for common markings for burial sites. Axum’s Stelae Park is where you find these landmarks present today in Ethiopia. What could the carvings mean on the larger one? Why do the smaller ones seem to be without carvings? They are a part of UNESCO World Heritage Site and are the tallest of all obelisks known to man. Ethiopia seems to have a deep importance in the world as we know. These serve as a reminder of ancient civilizations one that so far has stood the test of time.
From this aerial view you see an inland sea that goes by the name Lake Tana. It is Ethiopia’s largest lake and one of its most important. Not unsurprising in this region, it was formed from volcanic activity over 5 million years ago. It’s not hard to decipher from this view, with the rocky exterior rim and multiple islands present. The mix of blue and muddy orange water is a sign of its alkaline characteristics. The water here is said to be colder than most tropical lakes. The lake itself, and the rivers that feed it play an important part to the to the ecology of the region.
In all my searches the hewn sewn rock churches such as this one called St. George kept popping up as I searched for landmarks. In this picture you are forced to reconcile with the possibilities of one building this church, out of the rock earth itself. Its an impressive undertaking. The natural characteristics take on an important reminder of the medieval world that once existed. We are amazed by things today such as 3D printers that build things out of material. I can’t help but to think of this being its own technological feat given it was built before the 13th century. If I close my eyes, I can imagine millions of people overtime pilgrimaging to this site thereby giving it purpose. In a “if you build it, they will come kind of way”.
This was the best two pictures that from my best knowledge are from webcams yet from a different location. The location is Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I notice organized chaos present in the daylight picture. I love to see people moving in space zigzagging, stopping and going, all amidst one another but still moving along the way to wherever they are going. Sometimes I wonder if we had no speed limits or traffic laws to follow. Would we fall into organized chaos such as this?
In the picture taken during the night I notice bare to minimal usage of this vehicles at night as well as a lack of infrastructure to provide light to the roadways. It presents calmness as supposed to the hectic traffic that takes place during the day. I bet if you were to sit there in the still of night you would hear the vehicles beeping and the clamoring of the people carrying on in traffic as if it was occurring as it does during the day.
A very big crocodile appears out of nowhere close to the shore of one of Ethiopia’s many lakes. In the background three individuals appear to be floating on standing papyrus rafts. They appear to be aware of the threat ahead. The water is calm, and they seem to be at a great enough distance to avoid an active threat. On second thought, I now see several more waiting in the distance. This leads me to believe that there is food nearby. Maybe there are people offshore throwing food to the crocodiles? Crocodiles exist throughout many parts of Africa and it appears Ethiopia is no different.
This is a photo of seven women who adorn the scars of ceremonial and traditional whippings that occur in the bull-jumping ceremony. In a ceremony that centers around young men walking over bulls as a challenge to enter adulthood and marriage. Side by side the women of the tribe are whipped and lashed by the male members of their families. This is not believed to be acceptable in the Western world but to them this is their life and encouraged by the female participants. Nothing about the way they are standing shows signs of fear. They look as though they are mere participants in their tribes’ culture.
References
Briggs, P. (2019). Bradt travel guide: Ethiopia (8th
ed.). UK: Bradt Travel Guides Ltd.
Rough Guides Ltd. (2015). The rough guide to Ethiopia (1st
ed.). London.
Submitted
by your Nate W. on 4/1/2020.