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Ethiopia and its onward march towards Westernisation
Since the departure of the Emperor and the rise of the dirge, Ethiopia seems to have been on an inexorable slide into Westernisation.
The years of the dirge under Mengestu took Ethiopia into the hands of the Soviet Union and all that Marxism stood for. This meant that the ordinary Ethiopian was denied information about its former times, as the idea of the monarchy was viewed by the state as anti-human. Thus they did all they could to wipe out the memory of the Emperor and the anciency of the Ethiopia empire. Their efforts also meant that people conceived the royal family as a nett drain on the country. As an aside it is worth noting than European nations, even those that no long have a royal family as such, teach a full history of their nation. They may teach it with a particular bias, however they teach it and this includes Russia (USSR as it was). Ethiopians on the other hand have been denied even the opportunity to examine for themselves the the ramifications of their monarchy.
If not for the Rastafari Movement the name of Emperor Haile Selassie, Empress Menen, Emperor Menelik and others would have disappeared into the mists of time. In short they would for the most part have become footnotes in history. Not even the Emperor's epic defence of Ethiopia, after the Italian invasion would have warranted many pages of world history.[1]
The years of the dirge under Mengestu took Ethiopia into the hands of the Soviet Union and all that Marxism stood for. This meant that the ordinary Ethiopian was denied information about its former times, as the idea of the monarchy was viewed by the state as anti-human. Thus they did all they could to wipe out the memory of the Emperor and the anciency of the Ethiopia empire. Their efforts also meant that people conceived the royal family as a nett drain on the country. As an aside it is worth noting than European nations, even those that no long have a royal family as such, teach a full history of their nation. They may teach it with a particular bias, however they teach it and this includes Russia (USSR as it was). Ethiopians on the other hand have been denied even the opportunity to examine for themselves the the ramifications of their monarchy.
If not for the Rastafari Movement the name of Emperor Haile Selassie, Empress Menen, Emperor Menelik and others would have disappeared into the mists of time. In short they would for the most part have become footnotes in history. Not even the Emperor's epic defence of Ethiopia, after the Italian invasion would have warranted many pages of world history.[1]
Whilst it is clear that the Emperor saw some virtue in the adaptation of some aspects of "Western Culture", he was also quite clear that the traditions and history of Ethiopia must be preserved
This is to say that the inclusion of the new should not be at the cost of displacing tried and tested ancient traditions. At present it seems that Ethiopian people, are hell bent on dismantling the last great stronghold of indigenous African culture on the continent.
Whilst I am not trying to present an idealistic view of Ethiopia nor of the Emperor's reign, it is nonetheless true that this ancient empire represents the hopes of many diasphorian Africans. Its heroic defeats of Italy in the 19th and 20th centuries, show us what can be achieved in the face of overwhelming odds. The Emperor and Ethiopia helped to turn the tide on foreign conquest -physical, though socially this conquest has been unabated- of the African continent. Its triumphs can be seen as the turning of the tide. African independence movements gained momentum in the aftermath of -particularly the Benito Mussilini- these victories. H.I.M.Emperor Haile Selassie I stated, “I declare before the world that the Emperor of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Government and the people will not accept anything done to them by force. I further declare that they will do anything in their power to...have the authority and the territory which is theirs restored to them.” H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I[2]1990
This is to say that the inclusion of the new should not be at the cost of displacing tried and tested ancient traditions. At present it seems that Ethiopian people, are hell bent on dismantling the last great stronghold of indigenous African culture on the continent.
Whilst I am not trying to present an idealistic view of Ethiopia nor of the Emperor's reign, it is nonetheless true that this ancient empire represents the hopes of many diasphorian Africans. Its heroic defeats of Italy in the 19th and 20th centuries, show us what can be achieved in the face of overwhelming odds. The Emperor and Ethiopia helped to turn the tide on foreign conquest -physical, though socially this conquest has been unabated- of the African continent. Its triumphs can be seen as the turning of the tide. African independence movements gained momentum in the aftermath of -particularly the Benito Mussilini- these victories. H.I.M.Emperor Haile Selassie I stated, “I declare before the world that the Emperor of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Government and the people will not accept anything done to them by force. I further declare that they will do anything in their power to...have the authority and the territory which is theirs restored to them.” H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I[2]1990
Today a very different type of revolution is taking place in Ethiopia, if we are to believe Ethiopian nationals resident in the UK. It seems that Ethiopia is breaking up, albeit surreptitiously, into its constituent parts. Whilst it is quite natural for the various ethnicities, which make up the Ethiopian populace, to desire to celebrate their own distinct culture, the incorporation or importation of some things western seems to create a dichotomy. It appears that some Ethiopian communities have elected to drop the use of the Amharic characters, to write their languages, in favour of the Roman characters. This seems to me, quite ironic, when in the preceding two centuries Ethiopians (Abyssinian) fought tooth and nail to keep the descendants of the Romans from overrunning their territory. Time alone will tell, if this turns out to be a disaster for Africa and Africans. I for one can see no good coming of it.
