2007 November archive at Tadias Magazine

Archive for November, 2007

St. Yared - the great Ethiopian composer

Published by admin November 29th, 2007 in Featured and History. 15 Comments

By Ayele Bekerie

New York (Tadias) - In his latest song dedicated to the Ethiopian Millennium and entitled Musika Heiwete (Music is My Life), the renowned Ethiopian popular singer, Teddy Afro (Theodros Kassahun) traces the geneaology of his music to classical Zema or chant compositions of St. Yared, the great Ethiopian composer, choreographer and poet, who lived in Aksum almost 1500 years ago.

Teddy, who is widely known for his songs mixed with reggae rhythms and local sounds, heart warming and enlightening lyrics, shoulder shaking and foot stomping beats, blends his latest offering with sacred musical terms, such as Ge’ez, Izil, and Ararary, terms coined by St. Yared to represent the three main Zema compositions.

In so doing, he is echoing the time tested and universalized tradition of modernity that has been pioneered and institutionalized by Yared. Teddy seems to realize the importance of seeking a new direction in Ethiopian popular music by consciously establishing links to the classical and indigenous tradition of modernity of St. Yared. In other words, Teddy Afro is setting an extraordinary example of reconfiguring and contributing to contemporary musical tradition based on Yared’s Zema.

Teddy Afro

An excellent example of what I call tradition of modernity, a tradition that contains elements of modernity or the perpetuation of modernity informed by originative tradition, is the annual celebration of St. Yared’s birthday in Debre Selam Qidist Mariam Church in Washington D.C. in the presence of a large number of Ethiopian Americans.

The Debteras regaled in fine Ethiopian costume that highlights the tri-colors of the Ethiopian flag, accompanied by tau-cross staff, sistra and drum, have chanted the appropriate Zema and danced the Aquaquam or sacred dance at the end of a special mass – all in honor of the great composer.

The purpose of this article is to narrate and discuss the life history and artistic accomplishments of the great St. Yared. We argue that St Yared was a great scholar who charted a modernist path to Ethiopian sense of identity and culture. His musical invention, in particular, established a tradition of cultural dynamism and continuity.

Figure 1: An artist rendering of St Yared while chanting Zema accompanied by sistrum, tau-cross staff. The three main zema chants of Ge’ez, Izil, and Araray which are represented by three birds. Digua, a book of chant, atronse (book holder), a drum, and a processional cross are also seen here. Source: Methafe Diggua Zeqidus Yared. Addis Ababa: Tensae Printing Press, 1996.

Zema or the chant tradition of Ethiopia, particularly the chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, is attributed to St. Yared, a composer and a choreographer who lived in Aksum in the 6th century AD. He is credited for inventing the zema of the Church; the chant that has been in use continuously for the last almost 1500 years.

It is indeed a classical tradition both musically and culturally. St Yared’s chants are characterized as subtle, spiritually uplifting, and euphonic. St Yared’s composition draws its fame both in its endurance and institutionalization of a tradition to mark the rhythm of life, the life of the faithful.

By composing chants for all natural and spiritual occasions, St. Yared has also laid down the foundation for common purpose and plurality among various ethnic, linguistic and regional groupings of the Ethiopian people. Elaborate visual representation of chants, the introduction of additional musical instruments, movements and performances by Ethiopian scholars have further enriched and secured the continuity and dynamism of the tradition to the present.

Furthermore, the music has become the central defining ritualistic feature of all the major fasts and feasts, appropriately expressing and performing joys and sorrows with the faithful in the or outside of the Church.

Saint Yared, the great Ethiopian scholar, was born on April 5, 501 A.D. in the ancient city of Aksum. His father’s name was Adam, whereas his mother’s name was Tawkelia. He descended from a line of prominent church scholars. At the age of six, a priest named Yeshaq was assigned as his teacher. However, he turned out to be a poor learner and, as a result, he was sent back to his parents. While he was staying at home, his father passed away and his mother asked her brother, Aba Gedeon, a well known priest-scholar in the church of Aksum Zion, to adopt her son and to take over the responsibility regarding his education.

Aba Gedeon taught The Old and New Testaments. He also translated these and other sacred texts to Ge’ez from Greek, Hebrew and Arabic sources. Even if Aba Gedeon allowed St. Yared to live and study with him, it took him a long time to complete the study of the Book of David. He could not compete with the other children, despite the constant advice he was receiving from his uncle. In fact, he was so poor in his education, kids used to make fun of him. His uncle was so impatient with him and he gave him several lashes for his inability not to compete with his peers.

Realizing that he was not going to be successful with his education, Yared left school and went to Medebay, a town where his another uncle resided. On his way to Medebay, not far from Aksum, he was forced to seek shelter under a tree from a heavy rain, in a place called Maikrah. While he was standing by leaning to the tree, he was immersed in thoughts about his poor performance in his education and his inability to compete with his peers. Suddenly, he noticed an ant, which tried to climb the tree with a load of a seed. The ant carrying a piece of food item made six attempts to climb the tree without success. However, at the seventh trial, the ant was able to successfully climb the tree and unloaded the food item at its destination. Yared watched the whole incident very closely and attentively; he was touched by the determined acts of the ant. He then thought about the accomplishment of this little creature and then pondered why he lacked patience to succeed in his own schooling.

He got a valuable lesson from the ant. In fact, he cried hard and then underwent self-criticism. The ant became his source of inspiration and he decided to return back to school. He realized the advice he received from his uncle was a useful advice to guide him in life. He begged Aba Gedeon to forgive him for his past carelessness. He also asked him to give him one more chance. He wants all the lessons and he is ready to learn.

His teacher, Aba Gedeon then began to teach him the Book of David. Yared not only was taking the lessons, but every day he would stop at Aksum Zion church to pray and to beg his God to show him the light. His prayer was answered and he turned out to be a good student. Within a short period of time, he showed a remarkable progress and his friends noticed the change in him. They were impressed and started to admire him. He completed the Old and New Testaments lessons at a much faster pace. He also finished the rest of lessons ahead of schedule and graduated to become a Deacon. He was fluent in Hebrew and Greek, apart from Ge’ez. Yared became as educated as his uncle and by the young age of fourteen, he was forced to assume the position of his uncle when he died.

Yared’s Zema is mythologized and sacralized to the extent that the composition is seen as a special gift from heaven. One version of the mythology is presented in Ethiopian book Sinkisar, a philosophical treatise, as follows: “When God sought praise on earth, he sent down birds from heaven in the images of angels so that they would teach Yared the music of the heavens in Ge’ez language. The birds sang melodious and heart warming songs to Yared. The birds noticed that Yared was immersed in their singing and then they voiced in Ge’ez:

“O Yared, you are the blessed and respected one; the womb that carried you is praised; the breasts that fed you the food of life are praised.”

Yared was then ascended to the heavens of the heaven, Jerusalem, where twenty-four scholars of the heaven conduct heavenly choruses. St Yared listened to the choruses by standing in the sacred chamber and he committed the music to memory. He then started to sing all the songs that he heard in the sacred chambers of the heaven to the gathered scholars. He then descended back to Aksum and at 9 a.m. (selestu saat) in the morning, inside the Aksum Zion church, he stood by the side of the Tabot (The Arc of the Covenant), raised his hands to heaven, and in high notes, which later labeled Mahlete Aryam (the highest), he sang the following:

“hale luya laab, hale luya lewold, hale luya wolemenfes qidus qidameha letsion semaye sarere wedagem arayo lemusse zekeme yegeber gibra ledebtera.”

With his song, he praised the natural world, the heavens and the Zion. He called the song Mahlete Aryam, which means the highest, referring to the seventh gates of heaven, where God resides. Yared, guided by the Holy Spirit, he saw the angels using drums, horns, sistra, Masinko and harp and tau-cross staff instruments to accompany their songs of praise to God, he decided to adopt these instruments to all the church music and chants.

The chants are usually chanted in conjunction with aquaquam or sacred dance. The following instruments are used for Zema and aquaquam combination: Tau-cross staff, sistra and drum. St Yared pioneered an enduring tradition of Zema. Aquaquam and Qene. These are musical, dance and literary traditions that continue to inform the spiritual and material well being of a significant segment of the Ethiopian population.

It is important to note that, as Sergew Hable Selassie noted “most of Yared’s books have been written for religious purposes.” As a result, historical facts are interspersed with religious sentiments and allegorical renderings.

According to Ethiopian legend, St.Yared obtained the three main Zema scores from three birds. These scores that Yared named Ge’ez, Izil, and Araray were revealed to him as a distraction from a path of destruction. According to oral tradition, Yared was set to ambush a person who repeatedly tried to cheat on his wife. In an attempt to resolve such vexing issue, he decided to kill the intruder. At a place where he camped out for ambush, three birds were singing different melodies. He swiftly lent his ears to the singing. He became too attracted to the singing birds. As a result, he abandoned his plan of ambush. Instead, he began to ponder how he could become a singer like the birds. Persistent practice guided by the echo of the melodies of the birds, fresh in his memory, ultimately paid off. Yared transformed himself to a great singer and composer as well as choreographer. Yared prepared his Zema composition from 548 to 568 AD. He had taught for over eleven years as an ordained priest.

Yared’s zema chants have established a classic Zema Mahlet tradition, which is usually performed in the outer section of the Church’s interior. The interior has three parts. The Arc of the Covenant is kept in Meqdes or the holiest section.

EMPEROR GEBRE MESQEL, THE CULTURAL PHILANTHROPIST

The Ethiopian emperor of the time was Emperor Gebre Mesqel (515-529), the son of the famous Emperor Kaleb, who in successfully, though briefly, reunited western and eastern Ethiopia on both sides of the Red Sea in 525 AD.

Emperor Gabra Masqal was a great supporter of the arts; he particularly established a special relationship with St. Yared, who was given unconditional and unlimited backing from him. The Emperor would go to church to listen to the splendid chants of St. Yared.

The Emperor was ruling at the peak of Aksumite civilization. He consolidated the gains made by his father and consciously promoted good governance and church scholarship. Furthermore, he presided over a large international trade both from within and without Africa.

According to Ethiopian history, Emperor Gabra Mesqel built the monastery of Debre Damo in Tigray, northern Ethiopia in the sixth century AD. It is the site where one of the nine saints from Syria, Abuna Aregawi settled. St Yared visited and performed his Zema at the monastery. The chants and dance introduced by Yared at the time of Gebra Mesqel are still being used in all the churches of Ethiopia, thereby establishing for eternity a classical and enduring tradition.

ST YARED’S MUSICAL COMPOSITION

St Yared created five volumes of chants for major church related festivals, lents and other services and these volumes are:

The Book of Digua and Tsome Digua, the book of chants for major church holidays and Sundays, whereas the book of Tsome Digua contain chants for the major lent (fasting) season (Abiy Tsom), holidays and daily prayer, praise and chant procedures.

Digua is derived from the word Digua, which means to write chants of sorrow and tearful songs. Digua sometimes is also called Mahelete Yared or the songs of Yared, acknowledging the authorship of the chants to Yared. Regarding Digua’s significance Sergew Hable Selassie writes, “Although it was presented in the general form of poetry, there are passages relating to theology, philosophy, history and ethics.”

The Book of Meraf, chants of Sabat, important holidays, daily prayers and praises; also chants for the month of fasting.

The Book of Zimare, contain chants to be sang after Qurban (offerings) that is performed after Mass. Zemare was composed at Zur Amba monastery.

The Book of Mewasit, chants to the dead. Yared composed Mewasit alongside with Zimare.

The Book of Qidasse, chants to bless the Qurban (offerings).

Figure 2. An illustrated Zema chant text and notes from the Book of Digua (Metshafe Digua Zeqidus Yared), p. 3.

Yared completed these compositions in nine years. All his compositions follow the three musical scales (kegnit), which he used to praise, according to Ethiopian tradition, his creator, who revealed to him the heavenly chants of the twenty-four heavenly scholars.

Figure 3. The front cover of Metshafe Digua Zeqidus Yared (Book of Digua). The cover shows the five volumes of Yared’s Zema composition: Digua, Tsome Digua, Miraf, Zimare, and Mewasit. Processional Ethiopian cross, drum, sistrum, and tau-cross staff are also illustrated in the cover.

Each of these categories are further classified with three musical scales (Kegnitoch) that are reported to contain all the possible musical scales:

Ge’ez, first and straight note. It is described in its musical style as hard and imposing. Scholars often refer to it as dry and devoid of sweet melody.

Izel, melodic, gentle and sweet note, which is often chanted after Ge’ez. It is also described as affective tone suggesting intimation and tenderness.

Ararai, third and melodious and melancholic note often chanted on somber moments, such as fasting and funeral mass.

Musical scholars regard these scales as sufficient to encompass all the musical scores of the world. These scales are sources of chants or songs of praise, tragedy or happiness. These scales are symbolized as the father, the son and the Holy Spirit in the tradition.

The composer Yared wrote the notes of the Digua on parchment and he also composed ten musical notations. The notations were fully developed as musical written charts in the 17th century AD. This took place much earlier than the composition of the musical note using seven alphabetic letters within the Western tradition. St Yared named the ten musical notations as follows: Yizet, Deret, Rikrik, Difat, Cheret, Qenat, Hidet, Qurt, Dirs, and, Anbir.

The ten notations have their own styles of arrangement and they are collectively called Sirey, which means lead notations or roots to chants. The notations are depicted with lines or chiretoch (marks).

Names and signs of St. Yared zema chant. The names are written in Ge’ez in the second column. The signs are in the third column.

According to Lisane Worq Gebre Giorgis, Zema notes for Digua were fully developed in the 16th century AD by the order of Atse Gelawedos. The composers were assembled in the Church of Tedbabe Mariam, which was led by Memhir Gera and Memhir Raguel. The chants, prior to the composition of notations, learned and studied orally. In other words, the chants were sang and passed on without visual guidance. Oral training used to take up to 70 years to master all the chants, such as Digua (40 years), Meraf (10 years), Mewasit (5 years), Qidasse (10 years), and Zimare (15 years). The chant appeared in the written form made it easier for priests to study and master the various chants within a short period of time.

The ten Zemawi notations are designed to correspond with the ten commandments of Genesis and the ten strings of harp. The notes, however, were not restricted to them. In addition, they have developed notations known as aganin, seyaf, akfa, difa, gifa, fiz, ayayez, chenger, mewgat, goshmet, zentil, aqematil, anqetqit, netiq, techan, and nesey.

The composition of the Digua Zema chant with notations took seven years, whereas mewasit’s chants were completed in one year, zemare’s in two years, qidasse in two years, and meraf remained oral (without notations) for a long time until it also got its own notations.

The two leading scholars were fully recognized and promoted by the King for their accomplishments. They were given the title of azaze and homes were built for them near Tedbabe Mariam Church. While their contributions are quite significant, St Yared remains as the key composer of all the Zemas of the chants. He literally transformed the verses and texts of the Bible into musical utterances.

Figure 4. A sample page from St Yared’s zema or chant composition from Metsafe Digua Zeqidus Yared.

The ten chants are assigned names that fully described the range, scale and depth of Zema. Difat is a method of chanting where the voice is suppressed down in the throat and inhaling air. Hidet is a chant by stretching one’s voice; it is resembled to a major highway or a continuous water flow in a creek. Qinat is the highlighted last letter of a chant; it is chanted loud and upward in a dramatic manner and ends abruptly. Yizet is when letters or words are emphasized with louder chant in another wise regular reading form of chant. Qurt is a break from an extended chant that is achieved by withholding breathing. Chiret also highlights with louder notes letters or words in between regular readings of the text. The highlighted chant is conducted for a longer period of time. Rikrik is a layered and multiple chants conducted to prolong the chant. Diret is a form of chant that comes out of the chest. These eight chant forms have non-alphabetic signs. The remaining two are dirs and anber which are represented by Ethiopic or Ge’ez letters.

Yared’s composition also includes modes of chant and performance. There are four main modes. Qum Zema is exclusively vocal and the chant is not accompanied by body movement or swinging of the tau-cross staff. The chant is usually performed at the time of lent. Zimame chants are accompanied by body movements and choreographed swinging of the staff. Merged, which is further divided into Neus Merged and Abiy Merged are chanted accompanied by sistrum, drums, and shebsheba or sacred dance. The movements are fast, faster and fastest in merged, Neus Merged, and abiy merged respectively. Abiy Merged is further enhanced by rhythmic hand clappings. Tsifat chant highlights the drummers who move back and forth and around the Debteras. They also jump up and down, particularly with joyous occasions like Easter and Christmas.

St. Yared’s sacred music is truly classical, for it has been in use for over a thousand years and it has also established a tradition that continues to inform the spiritual and material lives of the people. It is in fact the realization of the contribution of St.Yared that earned him sainthood. Churches are built in his name and the first school of music that was established in the mid twentieth century in Addis Ababa is named after him. By the remarkable contribution of St. Yared, Ethiopia has achieved a tradition of modernity. It is the responsibility of the young generation to build upon it and to advance social, economic, and cultural development in the new millennium.

—–
Publisher’s Note: This article is well-referenced and those who seek the references should contact Professor Ayele Bekerie directly at: ab67@cornell.edu

About the Author:

Ayele Bekerie was born and raised in Ethiopia. He earned his Ph.D. in African American Studies at Temple University in 1994. He has written and published in scholarly journals, such as, Journal of Egyptology and African Civilizations (ANKH), Journal of Black Studies, The International Journal of Africana Studies, and Imhotep. He is also the author of Ethiopic: an African Writing System, a book about the history and principles of Ethiopic (Ge’ez). He is a Professor at Cornell University’s Africana Studies and Research Center. He is a regular contributor to Tadias Magazine.

The sunny side of bad times

Published by admin November 16th, 2007 in Featured. 6 Comments

Publisher’s note:

New York - Here is a timely article: 2007 has been a difficult time for many Ethiopian-American home owners, as a large number have defaulted on their payments. However, there is a brighter side to the crashing real estate markets. In the following piece, Mesfin Ayenew, a former senior executive with Union Bank, Metrobank, Comerica Bank, First republic Bank and a developer of mixed use residential and retail developments, argues that the current bust can be a bonanza for smart investors.

Market Meltdown as a Buying Opportunity

By Mesfin Ayenew

The TV pundits and the headlines would have you believe that we are headed for economic armageddon. If you fall for such fear mongering, you would conclude that the only thing that makes sense is to sell all your assets and buy gold bullions and head for the covers.

But we have been through such scenarios many times over the last 30 years. It is precisely in times like these that the greatest opportunity exists! As one of the greatest investment minds of our time, John Templeton who created the Templeton Funds, once said that the greatest opportunities lies in times of maximum uncertainty.

Ironically, banks do not listen, let alone act upon the economic advice of the wise, like John Templeton. Instead, they are swept up along with the madness of the crowd, and lose their bearings when times look “hipper good” or hipper bad”.

Banks do not act counter cyclical to irrational behavior. Instead they fuel it. For one thing, the Government Regulatory Agencies, such as the FDIC, State and federal regulators pressure banks to cut their loses and run when there is bad news in the air and yet they seem to let them run unregulated when they lose their head and make idiotic decisions such as lending to mortgage companies that have no interest in economic prudence. To top it all, the banks see the profits the mortgage companies make and when the cycle is about to end, they too throw caution to the wind and jump in the same game. We have gone through this same scenario in the 70s, 80s, 90, and now repeated in ‘07.

But look what has happened to economic growth, the values of stocks and real estate after each one of those economic panics has passed. Economic growth has been stronger and values have been higher than anyone expected. When times look good the pundits and the headlines are filled with endless optimism, and so the cycle goes on. It is said that the market is driven either by greed or fear. This is true. When the desert winds of fear have passed, most people will say, “I wish I had bought then!”

Advise You Can Bank On:
When the market is hot, banks lend excessively to developers. Since developers pay themselves a hefty sum of money from the loan proceeds while they are in the process of developing the real estate project, they have every incentive to keep building regardless of the over supply of inventory in the market.

In addition, the builders get their construction loans based on the future values of the condominiums or houses they propose to build. Therefore, they have every incentive to paint a rosy picture of demand for their products at ever higher prices as if prices go up in a straight line without any corrections. Herein lies the opportunity.

When economic reality hits, the banks panic; the regulators are embarrassed for not having done their job and the developers lose their credit supply and are pressured to sell their inventory as fast as possible. If the pressure is too high and the developer can not service the debt, they will simply give the property back to the bank. The bank regulators step on the accelerator and force the banks to write down the loan to what they believe is the “real” economic value of the units of inventory which of course is likely to be an over correction. If the bank ends up owning the inventory of condos, they are forced to report every quarter as to what actions they have taken to reduce the amount of inventory they are holding in their problem loan portfolio. This means the banks will take whatever measure they can to sell the units.

This will be the best time for you to negotiate with the banks or for that matter with the developer while they are under pressure from the banks to unload their inventory.

If the bank owns the condominium project, then the bank is paying for all the expenses of running the building such as taxes, utilities, insurance, security, maintenance and so forth. Since the bank now own inventory at a lower value than the developer estimated, and since they have the added burden of paying for all the monthly expenses, they have all the incentive in the world to bend backwards to sell the units to anyone that ventures to ask. You can buy the units at a much lower prices than the developer has been asking.

More importantly, you can ask the bank to finance the unit below market rate and you can ask the bank to pay the home owners association fees for your unit for a number of years or until the building is sold out! That can take several years. If you are among the first buyers in a development project, you may be able to negotiate as much as 5 years of no home owner’s association fees!

What all this means is that you are buying at near the holding cost of the bank which is probably 30% to 40% lower than the developer’s asking price and you get the bank to carry the home owner’s monthly fees for an extended period of time. When the market swings back you would already have built equity. When, once again, everybody begins to be swept up with greed, you will be in a position to cash out and wait for the next economic panic!

This strategy works best when the project is a big building complex where it takes the bank several years to unwind their ownership in the building. This is not about chasing one-off foreclosed properties that is hyped up by brokers just to get you in the door.

—
Mesfin Ayenew holds MBA from Drucker Management Center of Claremont University. His career in banking includes senior executive positions with Union Bank, Metrobank, Comerica Bank and First republic Bank. He also served as a senior executive with Worldspace Corporaton, a global satellite company. He develops mixed use residential and retail developments. He lives in Potomac, Maryland, with his wife and three children.

Are Ethi’s for Obama & Is Harlem Obama Country?

Published by admin November 10th, 2007 in Featured. 6 Comments

By Staff Writer

New York - U.S. Senator Barack Obama’s Kenyan grandmother told Reuters that her grandson is “full of surprises” and will come back from defeat in New Hampshire’s primary to become the first black U.S. president.

“I know my son will be number one because he is very bright,” Obama’s grandmother said from Kenya, where a contested election has led to riots. “He keeps a lot of secrets and is full of surprises. I am very confident he will win the race and become president.”

Just a week ago, Senator Barack Obama’s commanding victory in Iowa grabbed the attention of the world, and it seemed that Americans were being swept away by Obama’s promise of change.

Obama’s dramatic triumph has fired the imagination of Americans of all stripes and political beliefs. Whites, African Americans, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans - men and women, young and old - Democrats, Independents and Republicans are all beginning to think out loud that maybe - just maybe- we might be ready for the first black President.

Left - Obama’s Kenyan grandmother. Right - Senator Barack Obama meets his grandmother Sarah Hussein Obama at his father’s house in Nyongoma Kogelo village, western Kenya, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2006. (AP Photo)

Even the Kenyans downsized their violence to cheer for Obama. According to Time Magazine, one of the more remarkable stories of the Obama campaign has been playing out behind the scenes as Obama has been working to calm things down in his grandmother’s homeland, where a disagreement over ballots have led to riots and instability.

Obama called Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice On January 1, the day after violence rocked the Kibera slum in Nairobi, where hundreds have died in rioting over disputed presidential elections. Rice returned the call the same day and Obama spoke to her on the road from Sioux City to Council Bluffs, Iowa. She asked him to tape a Voice of America message.

The Kenyans apparently got the message. Presidential challenger Raila Odinga, who says President Mwai Kibaki rigged polls to win re-election, was quick to claim that Obama was his cousin. But, Obama’s uncle made a slight correction. “Odinga’s mother came from this area”, he told the press. “so it is normal for us to talk about cousins. But he is not a blood relative.”

Obama’s father was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British. Obama Senior later won a scholarship that allowed him to leave Kenya and pursue his education in America at the University of Hawaii. It was there, during their school years, where Obama’s parents met. His mother was also a student there. The two separated and Obama’s father eventually returned to Kenya, where he worked as a government economist until he died in a car crash in 1982. Obama grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983.

“Of course, it’s not just in Kenya where Obama has cousins in high places”, writes Joshua Keating on a blog by the editors of Foren Policy. “Vice President Dick Cheney is also a distant cousin of Obama, according to his wife Lynne.” “There is always a black sheep in the family,” Obama joked at a recent campaign speech. “It doesn’t help that you put my cousin, Dick Cheney, in charge of energy policy.”

Obama is hugged by his American grandmother Madelyn during high school graduation ceremonies. His grandfather is at right. Source: obamabarack.blogspot.com

And what do Ethiopian Americans think about all this? Meaza Siraj from Minnesota posted the following description on the Ethiopians for Obama, a community blog on the Obama ‘08 official campaign website: “More than 2000 people were able to attend in this cold winter weather… when it comes to Barack, no excuse is good enough to stay behind. His vision to this country is something you wouldn’t miss. His dream is the people’s dream. His campaign is a movement for change.”

“With a ballot, not a bullet, Iowans took a shot at the status quo and delivered a might blow for change—a shot that is being heard around the world today,” writes another supporter.

Under the headline Why I am voting for Obama?, a blogger, with the alias VA4Obama, on the Ethiopians for Obama site shares his enthusiasm: “While there are some offering immeasurable experience in this art of scorched earth combat, Barack Obama offers a chance to break free from the experience of discontent and replace it with the novelty of hope…”

And back at home in our neighborhood….people respect the Clintons here in Harlem, where the Clinton Foundation is located. But New American Media recently posted an article which included the following editor’s note:”If Harlem’s opinion still matters in the African American community, this groundview snapshot shows Sen. Barack Obama pulling ahead of New York rival Sen. Hillary Clinton.”

Their headline said it more precisely: “Obama Has Harlem Locked.” Harlem is Obama country.

Stay tuned for Ethiopian American diaries from the Obama campaign trail.

A chat with director Wondwossen Dikran

Published by admin November 9th, 2007 in Featured and Profiles. 10 Comments

By Liben Eabisa

New York - We recently had an email chat with Wondwossen D. Dikran, director of the independent film Journey to Lasta, which has been picked up by Vanguard Cinema, and is now available in most major outlets, including Amazon.com, Blockbuster.com, and Netflix.com.

In 2004, during a cover interview with Tadias Magazine, while discussing the pros and cons of being an indie filmmaker, Wondwossen had described his personal experience by providing a hefty list of pros.

“The freedom of artistic expression, the ability to take risks on new ideas that would otherwise be deemed ‘un-sellable,’ the pleasure of working with other equally passionate people,” he told Tseday Alehegn, Editor-in-Chief of Tadias Magazine.

“Magic happens when the group has a common goal and understands that it could not get any worse but rather better.”

Fast forward three years later, and the distribution deal for Journey to Lasta just got sweeter.

Tadias: Wondwossen, thank you for taking your time to speak with us. It’s good to hear from you again.

Wondwossen: It’s good to be back with Tadias. I miss getting my hard copies

Tadias: Tell us about the deal with Vanguard Cinema.

Wondwossen: We were approached by Vanguard about half a year ago after an executive saw a screener copy of the film and got in touch with us to get the film a distribution deal in the US and international video / DVD and TV market. I was very excited and pleased with the proposal since they have a great reputation in the industry for distributing independent and foreign films that include titles by cinema giants such as Andre Wajda, Jacques Rivette and Michealangelo Antonioni to name a few. Their library is very unique, and the interest and passion they showed about the film gave us enough incentive to get the deal done. We are also very proud that an Ethiopian film has received a major distribution deal from a powerhouse such as Vanguard, and that the film will find an international audience that it would not have been able to reach otherwise.

Tadias: Just so you know, we just requested a rental from Netflix

Wondwossen: Thank you. Make sure to rate, and write a review on it , and add me to your friend’s list. Me and Writer / Director Yemane Demisse send each other recommendations, so we would love it if you join the madness. I am also curious to see what the Tadias rental queue looks like:)

Tadias: How do you think your partnership with Vanguard Cinema will impact the future of the budding Ethiopian and Ethiopian-Diaspora film industry?

Wondwossen: I think it will bring us one-step closer to having our stories being able to reach audiences of all kinds, despite the geographical and other cultural barriers. I don’t think distribution will be an issue for our artists and our industry, if we made films and told stories that really matter. The market has been saturated with so much “fast-tracked” products for a quick buck. That attitude needs to change, and change very quickly.

Tadias: How do you define success as a filmmaker?

Wondwossen: These days, just waking up and being able to do what you love to do is a success, and i have been blessed as far as that is concerned. Obviously, having our work out there so that it can be seen is a pivotal part of the process in our profession, but i am also looking forward to working on the next thing, and the next, and the next.

Tadas: What are you working on these days?

Wondwossen: I have been working as a producer for a few Network shows on Television and getting experience in that world, which is a different beast all together. I have also been writing my next film, and seeing it come alive has been very exciting. I do not like to be comfortable, and always try pushing myself and my own creative limits. What you will be seeing from us in the next few years will be a series of assaults on the senses, and i mean that in the best sense of the term. And I will share that when the time is right.

Tadias: Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Wondwossen: I would like to thank everyone who has supported “Journey To Lasta” for getting us here. For those who have not seen it yet, the film will be out Nov. 20th.

If you have any interest in film-making, writing, or would like to send your questions and comments, feel free to e-mail me @ wdikran@yahoo.com. I always make time to connect with audience from all over the world.

BTW, What Director Yemane Demisse has been cooking up in the kitchen is going to blow everybody’s minds away. I was very lucky to see many scenes from his upcoming film, and it looks fantastic. Look out for it.

Tadias: Great chatting with you, as always. Good luck.

Harlem rekindles old friendship

Published by admin November 6th, 2007 in Featured and Meditations. 3 Comments

By Tseday Alehegn & Liben Eabisa

New York - Members of Harlem’s legendary Abyssinian Baptist Church congregated together on Sunday, November 4th to describe their recent travel to Ethiopia and to brainstorm ways in which they could play a meaningful role in the nation’s economic and social development.

It was the first time that the group had met since their return from their historic trip. The church sent 150 delegates to Ethiopia this fall as part of its bicentennial celebration and in honor of the Ethiopian Millennium.

The meeting officially opened with Abyssinian members presenting an appreciation gift to Reverend Butts - a photograph of Haile Selassie, which they believe to be the Emperor celebrating the 25th anniversary of his reign. The photo had recently been purchased in Addis Ababa, after having been discovered lying covered in dust in a back room at one of the local shops (souks), according to church members who presented the gift.

Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, after the meeting with the Abyssinian Baptist Church delegation to Ethiopia on Sunday, November 4, 2007. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

This photograph of Emperor Haile Selassie was presented by Abyssinian members as an appreciation gift to Reverend Butts. Photo by Liben Eabisa

Reverend Butts thanked the members and reiterated how much he enjoyed his stay in Ethiopia. “We are focusing on Ethiopia,” Butts said, “because our church is named after this nation. We also believe that Ethiopia is the heart of Africa. What happens here may be replicated elsewhere on the continent. It is the seat of the African Union.”

Raymond Goulbourne, Executive Vice President of Media Sales at B.E.T. He is already thinking about purchasing a home in the old airport neighborhood of Addis Ababa and starting a flower farm business with Ethiopian partners. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

Adrienne Ingrum, Publishing Consultant and Book Packager, chats with Tseday Alehegn, Editor-in-Chief of Tadias Magazine. Ms. Ingrum is working on a proposal to create a writers cultural exchange program. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

Both local Ethiopian media and the U.S. press, including Tadias, Newsday and the New York Times had given press coverage to the congregation’s two-week spiritual journey. While in Ethiopia, Reverend Butts received an honorary degree from Addis Ababa University. The celebration included liturgical music chanted by Ethiopian Orthodox priests, manzuma and zikir performed in the Islamic tradition, and Gospel music by the Abyssinian Church Choir.

Jamelah Arnold, member of the Abyssinian Baptist Church delegation to Ethiopia. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

Aliya J. Nelson, Attorney at Law, also member of the delegation to Ethiopia. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

The Abyssinian Church members visited schools, hospitals and NGOs in addition to touring towns and cities in Northern Ethiopia and Addis Ababa.

As they discussed various charity work, Reverend Butts encouraged the group to brainstorm ideas on how to make the maximum impact through volunteer work guided by the Abyssinian Baptist Church. Reverend Butts also shared the invitation that he had received from the Ethiopian Government to make a second group trip back to Ethiopia with the intention of meeting business men and women with whom they could start joint business ventures.

“We should think about the economic impact that our trip has made - we have invested close to $8 million dollars and we focus not just on charity but also on developing business opportunities.”

A spokesperson from the Ethiopian Mission to the United Nations addressed the group and mentioned the recent reorganization of Ethiopia’s foreign ministry, which now includes a “Business and Economy Department” that focuses on joint business ventures.

Ethiopian-American social entrepreneur Abaynesh Asrat (clad in white Ethiopian dress, above middle), Founder and CEO of Nation to Nation Networking, accompanied the group during their Ethiopia trip. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

Althea Vyfhuis. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

In addition, an initiative to involve more youth in volunteer work in Ethiopia was presented. Possible charity work suggested by the Abyssinian Baptist Church members included providing soccer uniforms for a team in Lalibela, assisting NGO work in setting up mobile clinics, aiding priests in their quest to preserve and guard ancient relics, creating a writers cultural exchange program, providing young athletes with running shoes, and improving education and teacher training.

Reverend Butts reminded the audience that civic participation is also another avenue that the church could focus on.

“Our ability to influence public policy - this too will be a great help to Ethiopia,” he said.

“We should write our congressmen and senators and let them know that we’re interested in seeing economic and social projects with Ethiopia’s progress in mind.”

Brenda Morgan. Photo by Liben Eabisa.

Sheila Dozier, Edwin Robinson, and Dr. Martha Goodson. Photo by Tseday Alehegn.

Reverend Butts thanked his congregation for sharing their ideas and experiences and expressed his hope to once again make a return pilgrimmage to do meaningful work in Ethiopia. Perhaps, even set up a permanent center from where the work of the Abyssinian Baptist Church could florish from one generation to another.

In 1808, after refusing to participate in segregated worship services at a lower Manhattan church, a group of free Africans in America and Ethiopian sea merchants formed their own church, naming it Abyssinian Baptist Church in honor of Abyssinia, the former name of Ethiopia.

In 1954, former Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie I, presented Abyssinian’s pastor, Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., with the Ethiopian Coptic Cross. This cross has since become the official symbol of the church.

Related Links and Tadias Stories:

A special visitor from Ethiopia discovers Harlem in 1931 (Tadias)

African American & Ethiopian Relations (Tadias)

The Case of Melaku E. Bayen & John Robinson (Tadias)

Gete Wami wins half-a-million-dollar jackpot

Published by admin November 3rd, 2007 in Featured and Podcast. 2 Comments

By Tadias Staff

New York - With a half-mile left in the ING New York City Marathon women’s professional races today, 2004 champion Paula Radcliffe, 33, of Great Britain ran one step ahead of Ethiopia’s Gete Wami, who had followed her closely for the entire race.

It ended in the same order. Radcliffe won after a dramatic duel with Gete Wami, who finished second, good enough to claim the first-ever World Marathon Majors (WMM) title and its $500,000 jackpot prize.

Two-time defending champion Jeļena Prokopčuka of Latvia came in third.

Gete Wami and Jelena Prokopcuka were the only two athletes with a real chance of winning the World Marathon Majors jockpot prize of $500,000. Gete came into the race leading with a total of 65 points and Jelena was second with 55 points. Berhane Adere, also from Ethiopia, was tied in second place with Prokopcuka at 55 points, but she did not compete in New York City Marathon.

Prokopcuka would have won the title if: she was second and Wami placed fourth or lower, or she was third and Wami placed below the top five.

But, the coveted prize went to Wami, who placed second at 2:23:13. And Prokopcuka finished the race third place at 2:26:13. Radcliffe, the British world-record holder covered the 42.2-kilometers through the five boroughs of New York City in 2:23:09.

“I’m so happy to be the first World Marathon Majors winner,” said the 32-year old Wami, according to the Bangkok Post, which quoted a story on the majors’ website. “I came to New York to win the jackpot, and I did it. The race felt good and I’m happy.”

Paula Radcliffe, 33, of Great Britain ran one step ahead of Ethiopia’s Gete Wami, who had followed her closely for the entire race. Photo: ING New York City Marathon

Radcliffe, who was returning after a two-year break to have a child—and then to recover from a stress-fractured sacrum that resulted from the birth—also simply loves to race.

“It was great fun today,” she said. “Way more than crosstraining in a pool. And I’m just so glad to be back.”

It was a competition among friends. Wami had commented about Radcliffe prior to the race: ““I consider myself to have grown with Paula since our track and cross country days, and I’ve appreciated our competition over the years.”

From left: Jeļena Prokopčuka of Latvia, Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain, and Gete Wami of Ethiopia. Photo: ING New York City Marathon

Gete Wami’s strong showing today comes only 35 days after winning the Berlin Marathon.

Gete Wami, racing 35 days after winning the Berlin Marathon, finished second, clinching a $500,000 prize for the women’s World Marathon Majors title. Photo: ING New York City Marathon

Wami’s 500,000-dollar prize will be awarded on Monday in New York by the consortium of the World Marathon Majors, an organization of five major marathons - Boston, Berlin, London, Chicago and New York - set up two years ago.

The inaugural Marathon Majors covered the races in New York, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and London in 2006 and 2007, plus the world championship race this year in Osaka.

The awards will be made to Wami and the men’s aggregate winner, Kenya’s Robert Cheruiyot, who secured his half-million-dollar jackpot with two wins in Boston plus first place in Chicago 2006 and fourth place there this year.

Source: ING New York City Marathon and the Bangkok Post,

Watch the video

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Wami v$. Prokopčuka: Battle for $500,000

By Tadias Staff

New York - Two-time defending champion Jeļena Prokopčuka of Latvia (above left) and World Marathon Majors (WMM) Series leader Gete Wami of Ethiopia are among the ING New York City Marathon 2007 favorites, according to ING NYC Marathon’s website.

Both are aiming not only to win the race but also to claim the first-ever WMM title and its $500,000 jackpot prize.

2007 real,- Berlin Marathon champion Wami, 33, arrived from her home in Ethiopia today to prepare for her race on Sunday. Berlin was only five weeks ago, and her attempted double is unprecedented among top-level professional runners, who typically run only one or two marathons per year. Everyone is wondering what kind of shape she’s in.

Heading into this second major fall marathon, Wami says, “I was happy I was able to win in Berlin. Had Berlin worn me out, I wouldn’t be here.”

When asked specifically about her physical condition coming into New York, ”I am well prepared to compete in this race,” Wami says.

She eased up at the 30K mark in Berlin to cruise in for a 2:23:17 win.

Jelena Prokopcuka of Latvia (left) and World Marathon Majors (WMM) Series leader Gete Wami of Ethiopia (right). Photo: ING NYC Marathon

In a testament to the WMM Series, which was created to increase the visibility of professional marathon running worldwide, Wami noted that “yes, the fact that the WMM Series was taking place was an important factor in my decision to come here to New York.”

But she maintains a respect for the physical realities: “I have to listen to my body and know what it is telling me.”

Having fared well on flat, fast courses in the past, Wami is counting on her experience with this course (she placed seventh here in 2005, after giving birth to her daughter, Eva, now 4), and her training on flats, uphills, and downhills back home, to carry her to victory this year. “I know it’s tough terrain, and each athlete’s stamina will be a deciding factor,” she said.

Prokopcuka, 31, has achieved star status back home in Latvia, where she says, “people pay more attention to running now” after her second victory. Coming off her two wins here in New York, and a strong second-place finish at the Boston Marathon in April, she is ready to break the tape in New York yet again.

“The [ING] New York City Marathon is my favorite,” she said today, adding, “it is really exciting for me to have a chance to win for the third time and win the World Marathon Majors [Series].”

Prokopcuka is well aware of her second-place status in the WMM standings and the fact that there is only one race left to decide the winner of the $500,000 prize purse. With a three-peat in New York, Prokopcuka would add her name beside Grete Waitz, the only other woman able to best this race more than twice and also become 2006-2007 WMM Series victor, a title that will be presented for the first time on November 5. Challenger Wami has set her sights on the very same title. Only one woman can win.

Prokopcuka and Wami are quick to mention the other top contenders entered in Sunday’s race, especially world record-holder and ING New York City Marathon 2004 champion Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain.

“[The competitive field] will make November 4 exciting for me,” said Prokopcuka. “These women, especially Paula, don’t like to run slowly.” Wami commented, “I consider myself to have grown with Paula since our track and cross country days, and I’ve appreciated our competition over the years.” Also affecting the race on Sunday, world champion Catherine Ndereba and Boston’s reigning champion, Lidiya Grigoryeva will be taking the field.

“It’s a pretty complicated matrix of who ends up where. But each runner controls her own destiny if she wins,” said ING New York City Marathon race director Mary Wittenberg.

Wami leads the WMM Series with 65 points right now, and Prokopcuka is right behind her with 55. If either Wami or Prokopcuka takes the gold in New York, the champion of the five boroughs will also earn the WMM Series crown. Prokopcuka will win the title if: she is second and Wami places fourth or lower, or she is third and Wami places below the top five. In the case of a tie, the first WMM title will go to the winner in head-to-head competition, and Prokopcuka will take the coveted prize. In any other race-day situation, with Wami placing top-five, in a scoring scenario, she will take the WMM Series crown. But with two titles on the line this Sunday, only the race itself will provide definitive answers.

The 38th ING New York City Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, November 4, 2007.

The race through New York’s five boroughs (Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan), unites dozens of culturally and ethnically diverse neighborhoods, passing over five bridges, and finishing up at Tavern on the Green in Central Park.

The event attracts many world-class professional athletes, not only for the more than $600,000 in prize money, but also for the chance to excel in the media capital of the world before two million cheering spectators and 315 million worldwide television viewers.

Source: ING New York City Marathon