First Contacts with Europe and Asia

In the 10th century B.C., the Ethiopian Queen of Sheba “came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones” to see the famed wealth and wisdom of King Solomon (1 Kings 10:2). She returned to her country, according to Ethiopian tradition, with a son by Solomon and a knowledge of the one true God. This is the first recorded contact between Ethiopia and the outside world, The results of this contact were immense: religion - and with it every aspect of life - in Ethiopia was forever changed. This contact was also the basis for the Solomonic Dynasty which remained in power almost continuously from 1270 to 1974.

During the first century, Philip, a deacon of the early church in Jerusalem, found an Ethiopian journeying home from the temple in Jerusalem, reading the prophet Isaiah. Philip accompanied the Ethiopian and told him the good news about Jews. According to tradition, this Ethiopian brought the good news to his homeland. Tradition also holds that Ethiopians were present on the day of Pentecost, and that the Apostle Matthew was sent to Ethiopia where he preached the gospel and suffered martyrdom. Throughout the rest of the first three centuries, merchants from the Roman Empire brought the gospel with them to Ethiopia. In the fourth century, Syrian Christians (Frumentius and Aedesius) who became involved in the court of the Ethiopian King Ezana, where they brought the message of the gospel to the king and his court. The young King Ezana, converted to Christianity and decreed Christianity to be the official state religion.

In 1407, a European visited Ethiopia for the first time - the Italian, Pietro Rombulo. This was, however, by no means the first contact between Ethiopia and Europe. According to John Reader, “Ethiopians regularly visited Egypt and Cyprus, and made pilgrimages to the holy places of Palestine, where they met European travelers and established links between Ethiopia and the rest of the Christian world” (Reader, 351). The first recorded contact between Ethiopians and Europeans on European soil was in 1306. In 1306, over one hundred years before any European had visited Ethiopia, some thirty Ethiopians arrived in Italy. They had been sent by their king as envoys to Europe to offer aid against Islam. According to Matteo Salvadore, “Wedem Ra'ad sent a delegation of thirty Ethiopians to Europe, most likely for the purpose of forging an anti-Islam alliance with European coreligionists... The encounter seems to be the first of a series of attempts that Ethiopian rulers made to establish formal contact with European elites on the basis of a common Christian identity.” The Ethiopian envoys visited Rome and Avignon and were preparing to sail home at Genoa, where they were interviewed by a priest.

Relations between Ethiopia and Europe continued throughout the fifteenth century. In 1400, King Henry IV of England sent a letter to Prester John, the legendary Ethiopian King, seeking an alliance for a crusade against Islam. Prester John was the “quintessential representative of a distant and largely unknown Christian might” (Salvadore). The identity of the legendary Prester John was “conferred upon the kings of Ethiopia when medieval Europe learned of the Christian kingdom that lay beyond the realm of Islam” (Reader, 350). In 1402, the Ethiopian King David (the Prester John from 1382-1413) sent envoys to Italy asking to receive Italian craftsmen into his court. During the 1420s, the French sent missions to Ethiopia. In 1487, King John of Portugal sent two Arabic speaking merchants to discover the land of Prester John and obtain the Christian king’s aid in a crusade against Islam.

“Presbiteri Iohannis, sive, Abissinorum Imperii descriptio.”
The Kingdom of Prester John depicted in a European map of Africa in 1603

“The episodes of interaction here considered had lasting consequences for Ethio-European relations: they engendered dynamics of reciprocal understanding based on a common religious identity that ran counter to ideas of African and black inferiority that represented the cultural norm for much of the modern period. Ethiopians became in fact agents of discovery and purveyors of geographical knowledge in an era when the dominating paradigm of difference was grounded not in racial but rather in religious identity” (Salvadore).

Sources:

Reader, John. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. New York: First Vintage Books, 1999. 

Salvadore, Matteo. "The Ethiopian age of exploration: Prester John's discovery of Europe, 1306-1458." Journal of World History 21, no. 4 (2010): 593. Academic OneFile (accessed September 27, 2016). http://p2048-ezproxy.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=vic_liberty&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA246449862&sid=summon&asid=4e916c807c461d3ddc0ba69f56366686.

“Presbiteri Iohannis, sive, Abissinorum Imperii descriptio.” Copperplate map, with added color, 35 x 42 cm. From Ortelius’s Theatrum orbis terrarium . . . (Antwerp, 1603). Reference: Norwich, Africa 11. Purchase aided with funds provided by Bruce Willsie, Class of 1986. [Historic Maps Collection] http://libweb5.princeton.edu/visual_materials/maps/websites/africa/maps-central/1603%20ortelius.jpg

Natural Resources and Trade

Natural Resources and Trade in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is situated on the Horn of Africa, on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, near, but not adjacent to, the Red Sea. Ethiopia’s geographic location and features gives the country a distinct advantage in the way of natural resources and trade. Being situated on the edge of the Rift Valley, much of Ethiopia is higher above sea level than the rest of the African continent. Most of the continent’s land stands at an elevation of 500-1000 meters. Of the relatively small amount of continental land above 2,000 meters, Ethiopia possesses half. Of the scarce amount of land over 3,000 meters, Ethiopia is home to over three-fourths. This exceptionally high elevation is the cause for excessive rainfall in the Ethiopian highlands - rainfall which is atypical of a country so close to the Red Sea. According to John Reader, “the elevated land masses also force moisture-laden winds up to levels at which clouds form and rain falls. The hot and damp Red Sea winds... rise when they strike the Rift Valley escarpment... and are the source of the rain which falls on the plateau beyond” (Reader, 211). These unique circumstances gave rise to the mighty kingdom of Aksum. Reader writes, “the unique environmental circumstances of northern Ethiopia combined with the trading opportunities of the Red Sea to fuel the rise of sub-Saharan Africa’s first indigenous state” (Reader, 205). The Kingdom of Aksum was involved in a vast system of international trade, trading with Egypt, the eastern Mediterranean regions of the Roman Empire, and Arabia. They exported products such as ivory, rhinoceros horn, hippopotamus hides, gold dust, frankincense, civet-cat musk, elephants, and slaves.

The unique Ethiopian climate has also given rise to plants, endemic to Ethiopia, many of which are domesticated and economically important. Coffee originated in Ethiopia, and was there first domesticated. “The status of coffee as an endemic plant first domesticated in Ethiopia is unchallenged” (Reader, 212). From Ethiopia, coffee spread to the Islamic world, then to Europe, and then to America. Coffee has long been Ethiopia’s foremost cash crop. In 2012, coffee generated 26 percent of Ethiopia’’s export revenues. In previous decades that number was closer to 50 percent. Another plant to have originated in Ethiopia is teff. Teff is a delicate plant which produces a small grain, and “the cereal which contributed most to the historical development of the region” 212 Agriculture in general is the foundation of the Ethiopian economy, accounting for half of GDP and over 80 percent of exports. Mining, particularly gold mining, is also an increasingly important part of the Ethiopian economy. According to one report, in 2012, mining accounted for more than 19 percent of the total value of the country’s exports (World Bank Group).

"Ethiopian Coffee"

Sources:

“Ethiopian Coffee.” EphremTube. Accessed 23 Sept. 2016. http://www.ephremtube.com/Gallery/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Ethiopian-Coffee-with-be-seni.jpg

Reader, John. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. New York: First Vintage Books, 1999. 

World Bank Group. 2014. Strategic Assessment of the Ethiopian Mineral Sector: Final Report. Washington, DC. World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/20585 

Religion in Ethiopia

Religion in Ethiopian is diverse. The major religions include Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Paganism. The majority of Ethiopia’s large population (93.9 million) adhere to Christianity or Islam. Ethiopia is 34 percent Muslim and 63 percent Christian. Christianity is the predominant religion. Christians are further divided amongst the Orthodox Tewahedo Church , Protestant, and Roman Catholic churches (44 percent Orthodox; 19 percent Protestant; less than 1 percent Roman Catholic). 

http://www.geocurrents.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Ethiopia-Religion-Map1.png

Christianity in Ethiopia

According to the legend of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (discussed in Blog Post 2), on the night that Solomon knew the queen, Solomon dreamt a dream. In his dream he saw a sun. This sun “arose of the people of Judah in Israel, but the people of Israel mistreated it and killed it and held it of no account, although it rose from the tomb and brightened the whole world, especially Ethiopia and Rome.” This sun, which Solomon dreamed of, is the Lord Jesus Christ, who was mistreated and killed and held of no account by the Israelite people from whom he arose, yet he “rose from the tomb and brightened the whole world, especially Ethiopia.” Solomon’s dream was certainly fulfilled; the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ has shone brightly upon Ethiopia since the time of Christ’s resurrection in the first century. 

During the first years of the Christian church, Philip the evangelist found an Ethiopian journeying home from Jerusalem, reading the prophet Isaiah. It is significant to note that this Ethiopian had travelled to Jerusalem to worship, and he also possessed a portion of the Scriptures (this was rare during this time). According to Ethiopian tradition, Ethiopians had worshiped the God of the Bible for several centuries before this - ever since the Queen of Sheba learned of the one true God and her son had taken the Ark of the Covenant back to Ethiopia. So it is no surprise that this Ethiopian had travelled to the temple and was reading the Scriptures. When Philip found him, he explained the passage of Scripture to him (from Isaiah 53), and “told him the good news about Jesus” (Acts 8:35). According to tradition, this Ethiopian brought the gospel to his homeland. Tradition also holds that Ethiopians were present on the day of Pentecost, and that the Apostle Matthew was sent to Ethiopia where he preached the gospel and suffered martyrdom. Throughout the rest of the first three centuries, merchants from the Roman Empire brought the gospel with them to Ethiopia.

In the fourth century, Syrian Christians (Frumentius and Aedesius) who became involved in the court of the Ethiopian King Ezana, where they brought the message of the gospel to the king and his court. The young King Ezana, converted to Christianity and made Christianity the official state religion. After the king’s conversion, the gospel spread more freely and widely throughout the country, reaching every man, woman, and child. Over time, Christianity became essential to the national identity of Ethiopia. According to Professor Sergew Habele Selassie, “Christianity does not constitute a purely religious phenomenon on the country, but plays an integral role in all aspects of national life. The Church is not only a religious institution, but has for many centuries been the repository of the cultural, political and social life of the people.”
(For more information on the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, see http://ethiopianorthodox.org/)

http://media-1.web.britannica.com/eb-media/47/91747-004-D41157FA.jpg

Islam

Islam was introduced to Ethiopia in the seventh century - in 615 AD. Islam is the predominant religion in the easternmost regions of Ethiopia.

God’s Grace Toward Ethiopia

The one true living God - the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ - has mercifully shown, throughout history, a special favor toward the Ethiopian people. In 10 BC, the queen in Ethiopia visited Jerusalem and gained knowledge of the one true God which she brought back to her homeland. In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, an Ethiopian in the king’s court put his trust in the Lord and was saved (Jeremiah 39:16-18). In the first century, Philip the evangelist is led by God to bring the gospel to an Ethiopian. The Ethiopian believed and was baptized (Acts 8:26-39). In the fourth century, King Ezana adopted the Coptic Christian faith as the official faith of his kingdom. Throughout the middle ages, Ethiopia was ruled by a Christian priest-king, “Prester John.” Even today, Ethiopia is predominantly a Christian country. 

Sources:

Belcher, Stephen Paterson. African Myths Of Origin. London: Penguin, 2005. 

Professor Sergew Hable Sellassie and Professor Tadesse Tamerat. “The Church of Ethiopia: A Panorama of History and Spiritual Life.” Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, 1970. http://www.ethiopianorthodox.org/english/ethiopian/prechristian.html

Oral History and Music in Ethiopia

Ethiopian Oral History

Ethiopian oral history has had an important impact in shaping the country both culturally and politically. One legend has had a particularly significant impact: the legend of the Queen of Sheba. According to this legend, the Queen of Sheba came to Jerusalem some time around 1,000 B.C. to see the famed wisdom and wealth of King Solomon with her own eyes. She left Solomon with gold and spices and precious stones, and Solomon in turn “gave to the Queen of Sheba all that she desired” (1 Kings 10:13). The Queen of Sheba’s visit to Jerusalem is historically unquestionable; it can be read about in detail in 1 Kings 10. However, what follows is purely legend: according to the legend, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba had a son, Menelik I. Menelik was confirmed by Solomon to the be king of Ethiopia. Before returning to Ethiopia, however, Menelik insisted that he be granted to take the Ark of the Covenant, which God had instructed his forefather Moses to build. When he was not given such permission, he stole the Ark and brought it to Ethiopia where many, including most Ethiopians, believe it remains today. 

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_of_Sheba

Thousands of years later, this oral legend was promulgated as historical fact by emperors of the Solomonic Dynasty for political reasons. According to Chuck Missler, “from the restoration of the Solomonic Dynasty [in Ethiopia] around 1270 until the death of last emperor, Haile Selassie [in 1975], the emperors of Ethiopia claimed descent from Solomon and the Queen of Sheba” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1vzsU1aSvk). The claim was even made part of the Ethiopian Constitution in 1955 by Haile Selassie. The legend is widely believed in Ethiopia today to be true. According to Mamman Musa Adamu, this legend “is clearly one of the most accepted, believed, pervasive and resonant among all the legends of origin in Africa, today. The legend is still widely believed by the majority of Ethiopians and is reflected in their day to day lives” (Mamman Musa Adamu, “The Legend of Queen Sheba, the Solomonic Dynasty and Ethiopian History: An Analysis.” African Research Review. Vol. 3 (1), 2009, 468-482.

Ethiopian Music

Music has been an integral part of Ethiopia’s long history. Even today, the Ethiopian University of Addis Ababa’s Yared School of Music states: “Music is an important aspect of life and culture. It is a significant means of expressing and interpreting human experience, which involves the whole person: physical, mental, spiritual and social.”

One instance in which the importance of music can be seen in Ethiopian history is at the Battle of Adwa (1896). The Battle of Adwa was fought between the Ethiopian Empire and the Kingdom of Italy near the town of Adwa, Ethiopia. After the Ethiopian victory, a treaty was signed, and Italy recognized Ethiopia as an independent state: the long history of Ethiopian sovereignty was thus defended and secured. During the battle, strong, poetic, and patriotic songs (called in Amharic, “shilela”) were sung by the soldiers. The songs helped the Ethiopian soldiers to fight with unity, valor, and nationalistic purpose.  

Example of a “shilela”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz6-dI4x3XU

The instrument being played in the above video is called a “Kirar.” The Kirar is a traditional Ethiopian instrument. Another traditional Ethiopian instrument is the “Masinko.” The Masinko has been used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Masinko is a single-stringed instrument played with a bow.

The Masinko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JHemzHe2CI

The Geography of Ethiopia

Where is Ethiopia?

Ethiopia is located in and near the Horn of Africa, on the easternmost part of the continent. 

http://www.nouahsark.com/data/images/infocenter/worldwide/africa/location/ethiopia.png

                                               

Ethiopia is near the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Indian Ocean, yet the country touches neither of these waters. Instead, Ethiopia is bordered by the countries of Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Kenya to the south, South Sudan to the southwest, and Sudan to the northwest.

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/ethiopia/etlatlog.htm#page

Major Cities:

Ethiopia has a population of 93,877,025, making it the second most populous country in Africa. The capital city is Addis Ababa (9° 1' N, 38° 44' E). Other major cities include Dolo Odo (4° 11' N, 42° 4' E), Gonder (12° 36' N, 37° 28' E), and Werder (6° 58' N, 45° 20' E) ("Location of Ethiopia", World Atlas, http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/ethiopia/etlatlog.htm#page).

Climate:

The climate in Ethiopia is tropical monsoon. It is typically hot and humid in Ethiopia, though in the central mountains temperatures are cooler. As I am writing this, it is 84 degrees in Dolo Odo, and it is 59 degrees and raining in the capital of Addis Ababa. The wide difference in temperatures is due to the variations in topography.

Key Geographic Features:

Ethiopia is geographically diverse. It is near three major bodies of water (Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Indian Ocean). Within its borders, there are rivers (Blue Nile, Awash, Ganale, Gestro, Shebelle) lakes (Rudolph, Chew, Abaya, Tana, Abbe), mountains (Simiens, Mendebos, Ahmars), highlands, valleys (the Great Rift Valley runs through the center of the country), forests (in the southernmost reaches) and deserts (Danakil, Ogaden). Elevations range from 14,928 feet (Ras Dashen) to -410 feet (Afar Depression) ("Geography of Ethiopia", World Atlas, http://www.worldatlas.com).

Ethiopia is geographically diverse. 
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/africa/lgcolor/etcolor.htm

Impact of the Geography on the country:

The Ethiopian economy is built on agriculture. Agriculture counts for "half of gross domestic product (GDP), 83.9% of exports, and 80% of total employment"  ("Agriculture in Ethiopia", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Ethiopia). The Ethiopian economy has developed in this way as a result of its geography. "Ethiopia has great agricultural potential because of its vast areas of fertile land, diverse climate, generally adequate rainfall, and large labor pool" ("Agriculture in Ethiopia", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture_in_Ethiopia). Cotton, flowers, oilseed, sorghum, millet, corn, and pulses are all produced in Ethiopia. However, seasons of drought are not infrequent in Ethiopia, and these have severely harmed the Ethiopians in the past (some 200,000 Ethiopians died during a drought in 1972-74). Along with drought, various diseases have taken the lives of millions of Ethiopians. These include lower respiratory infections, diarrheal Diseases, HIV, and Malaria (http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/ethiopia).

Recently, the Ethiopian government has pushed for increasing tourism in the country, particularly ecotourism. For instance, many tourists have travel to Ethiopia to see the Ethiopian Highlands. 

The Ethiopian Highlands.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPAy-zy6oOFXRVePvzfG5fvniOAsHtKPgdk3BsUvS9ZFfD-8IFXH2YwMCRZK4B79hUF6dJxGyISuTGBAoWOuLh5gc7BN-7wj4VurrUARyoj_Wy8QdPuIU9z5KkUFL_54DymFubF_1qMXho/s1600/ethiopia+Simien+Mountain+ethiopian+highlands+19.jpg