Interview with Miss Ethiopia World 2005 – Jiitu Abraham

She’s got brains, beauty and a serious sweet tooth. Meet Jiitu Abraham. Recently, we had a chance to sit down and chat with the reigning Ethiopian beauty queen.

Tadias: How does it feel to be crowned “Miss Ethiopia World 2005”?

Jiitu Abraham: I feel blessed and honored. I fasted for two months prior to the competition. I asked GOD to make it clear to me if I should go, or if it was just going to be a waste of my time. I didn’t actually buy my ticket until 3 days before the competition. I am honored because I am the first American-born Ethiopian to win this title. I was happy to see that organizers such as Andy Abulime, and the competition’s judges, were progressive enough in their thinking to understand that you don’t have to be born in Ethiopia to be an Ethiopian. The county of your birth doesn’t prevent you from taking pride or interest in the country that raised the parent(s) who raised you. While I have received a lot of negative feedback from many, I stand my ground in believing that to be Ethiopian is something that you are born being regardless of your birth country, not something that can be given or taken away from you. With all the children being born to Ethiopian parents in the US and other countries outside of Ethiopia, there is no way that I can or will allow someone to tell me that we are not real Ethiopians, or not Ethiopian enough. We might have had different experiences growing up but that is what is going to make us a more eclectic and successful community. If encouraged and supported properly, Ethiopians, from all backgrounds, can come together and fuse their different life experiences and knowledge to better the social, economic, and political situation in Ethiopia. Being born outside of Ethiopia was not our choice, neither is being Ethiopian. It just simply IS our reality.