On the eve of the Ethiopian Orthodox feast day of Timkat, a celebration of the baptism of Baby Jesus and associated with Epiphany, processions of elaborately-dressed clergymen, church mothers, government officials, musicians, scholars, parishioners, and other dignitaries marching through the streets of the capital city, Addis Ababa. Baroque representations of the Ark of the Covenant, […]
“Now the Ethiopians, as historians relate, were the first of all men and the proofs of this statement, they say, are manifest. For they did not come into their land as immigrants from abroad but were natives of it.” — Diodorus Siculus, 60 BC Yesterday, I arrived in Addis Ababa to start a two-week press
On Assignment in Ethiopia Read More
The last imperial capital of Abyssinia and the capital of the modern nation of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa has only existed for a little over 130 years. As such, its name means “new flower,” and speaks to its flourishing as a center of power, culture, and influence in the ancient and storied Ethiopian highlands. Here, friendships
Addis Ababa: Highland Flower Read More
