Africa Unite
I often wonder what Africa would have looked like today had it not been victimized by the slave trade and later, colonized almost totally-in some parts for several centuries.
That virgin Africa is long gone; only to be revisited on celluloid by modern Africans and through the oral traditions, songs and laments passed down by the elders. In this second edition of Africa Unite, we scan over the centuries to profile some of the civilizations and mighty empires that had flourished on our continent prior to the foreign onslaught, an extended invasion which ultimately, spelled centuries of ignorance, conflict and poverty that continues to this day.
East Africa and Greater horn
Quite apart from being the site of great empires and super powers of the era; east Africa, the greater horn and particularly Ethiopia, are the very ‘cradle of mankind’. In a sense, this is where time began……..
Sabaean
Period – First millennium BCE
Territory – Northern Ethiopia, Eritrea and southern Arabian peninsula.
Highlights – Advanced language system with Agazi (proto Ge’ez) as main medium. Highly developed script with numerals.
Center is presumed to have been Yeha –58 Km north east of Adwa. the first capital of Ethiopia and the oldest settlement in Ethiopia, Only surviving ruin is part of a lauge stone temple – believed o be Judiac in origin. Other sites of Sabean relics are Metera, Keskese and Tocanda – all found in southern Eritrea.
Kingdom of Aksum
Aksum is perhaps the greatest African empire to have risen, waxed strong and inevitably waned. From AD to approximately AD 700, Aksum reigned as one of the fourth recognized super powers, vying with arch rival Persia for dominance and influence.
Aksum was wealthy, well organized and even minted its own currency- all vital ingredients for profuse trade with lands as far away as India, Egypt and the Holy Land.
The golden age of Aksum was between 200 and 500 AD, when the empire crossed the Red Sea to incorporate southern Arabia, western Sudan and north up to Nubia – border present day Egypt.
Egyptian Civilization
The pre-Arab Egyptian kingdoms history of Egypt goes back to 4000 years before Christ. The first unitary kingdom was well established by 3200 BCE. Its territory extended south to Nubia (in present day Sudan) and north into the Syrian Desert.
Egyptian civilization depended exclusively on the annual flooding of the Nile River and included a complex hierarchy of kings and organized class of clergy.
Ancient Egypt is renowned for its magnificent edifces, many of which still stand. The Great Pyramids at Giza, the Sphinx and Necropolis – the city of the dead, draw millions of tourists and scholars to their mysterious construction.
Numerous dynastic kingdoms succeeded one another until 341 BCE, when the last dynasty was overwhelmed by rising power Persia.
Empire of Ghana
Straddling the Niger River the ancient empire of Ghana was one of the most powerful in West Africa.
It arose in 1240 BCE and lasted until 400 BCE. The kingdom was a patriarchal with a highly defined hierarchy and ruled by dynastic chiefs. The remnant exist in the form of tribal chiefdoms who hold ceremonial authority.
The Kingdom of Ghana had a rich artistic record and is identified with intricate gold, silver and iron products.
Portraying spiritual and everyday activities
By Addis Mulugeta
The embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela organized an exhibition which featured spiritual and everyday life of Ethiopia, through 23 paintings, on March 26, 2008 at the residence of the Ambassador of Venezuela, as the part of its cultural cooperation to consolidate the relationship between Ethiopia and Venezuela. Ambassadors, invited guests and others attended the exhibition, by Seyoum Ayalew which is the second in the Ethiopian Artists series organized by the Embassy.
Seyoum Ayalew said ” When I was a kid I always drew incture in my exercises. My English teacher told me that I would be an artiest. Art is part of my life, it is difficult to separate it art from my life”. The Embassy of Venezuela appreciated and encourage him to fulfill his dream. Seyoum stated that this exhibition is a great opportunity to introduce him with social and cultural organizations, different embassies and create foreign contacts This was his first large exhibition to display his work.
Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Ethiopia Professor Luis Mariano Joubertt Mata, stated that this is their second exhibition to displaye the work of Ethiopia artists, on order to promote them to the rest of worlds and continue to assist the artist materially and morally.
The relationship between the governments of Ethiopia and Venezuela began 1951 and is strong in terms of cultural, social and economic relationships, Ambassador Luis added and said that Africa is one of the most important continents and has unique creative arts.
Gobedra
By Tedla Yeneakal
Directors: Yenealem Lema & Abenet Ezira
Executive Producer: Yenealem Lema
Duration: 111mins
Type: Suspense
Written by: Yared Yilma
Cinematography: Samuel Taddese
‘Gobedra’ a feature film inaugurated this week, Tuesday, March 25 at the Alem Cinema, depicts linkages behind historical secrets significance, patriotism, money and love. The story unveils how dedication for career and loyalty for love are challenged invariably.
A historical professor, who has been carrying out a research on the Axum obelisk, finds himself strangled in danger along with his geologist daughter based in the town of Jimma, working for a gold mining company. An Italian family who has found out the mystery before him have been smuggling gold through Kenya based on the valuable information the professor discovered. The academic senate of the research institute of the professor has put his research on hold for reasons that were not clear. His architect friend, who signs a contract to design a hotel resembling the Axum obelisk, plays a timely role in unveiling the scene behind the Italian family that built a business empire using the valuable information. Coincidentally the architect is forced to discover more about the mystery of the code, for a multi purpose of freeing his troubled friend out of danger as well as enhancing his carrier. An incidental love theme that came into effect followed with some strings attached a mix of Ethiopian and Italian woman working for the Italian family falls in love with the architect forced to choose from her love or carrier.
In the production of the movie that has cost the producers close to 400,000 birr, taking eleven months to make, the sound effects and graphics that were in use attribute to it. The audience was clearly grabbed by the sound effects used at different slots in the movie; clearly anticipating what is to come accordingly based on the various sounds put into effect. The producer has used the graphics effectively, especially the action parts in different parts, particularly towards the end of the movie. The rhetoric of some historical facts have been very limited and hardly noticed. If the historic parts were clearly outlined in the movie, it would have served its’ educational purpose better, putting into consideration an interesting way of presenting it. Moreover, some minor details in the movie were not given the appropriate attention. For example, there was a part that the architect was trying to get in touch with the professor’s daughter through her office number, only to find out her colleague, who then called her mobile phone to find her successfully. The architect clearly must have called her mobile straight, considering it was an essential call that would put her out of danger.
The combination of good looking actors selected in the movie with various talents involved as well as the theme of love that was put in place amidst an ongoing suspense scene, the movie is watching worthwhile.
The movie produced by Armoneam production chose “Gobedra” as its title, which is the name of the place, where the stones that were used to build the Axum obelisk were found.
Art : The audience fell in love with the Film Festival
The applause was tremendous in the cinema hall that was filled to the last seat. The opening of the 2nd Addis International Film Festival on Rights and Justice organised by Initiative Africa turned out to be a huge success. 900 people watched the Ethiopian premiere of Black Gold at the Sebastopol Cinema. The director Nick Francis who came from London to attend the screening said that the film had never been shown in front of a broader audience: ‘It was moving to finally see the film being screened in its birth place Ethiopia.’ Experts from Oxfam America, The Ethiopian Intellectual Property Office, the director Nick Francis and the main character of the film Tadesse Meskela from the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union answered numerous questions of the audience on coffee trade, globalisation and the making of the film.
The success of the opening night continued on the following festival days. Hundreds of people attended each screening of about 50 documentaries, feature films and short movies and actively engaged into the subsequent discussions with film directors, producers or experts on the topics raised by the films. Documentaries such as ‘The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo’ by film director Lisa F. Jackson moved the audience to amazing reactions – the documentary inspired one participant to create a website to raise awareness for Ethiopian rape victims of war. Moreover, the workshops accompanying the festival lead to a spontaneously created Ethiopian film network.
Today is the final day of the film festival – ready to present another highlight: The first ‘Addis International Film Festival Award on Rights and Justice’ (AdIFFA) to be given to an Ethiopian film maker. This afternoon from 2 p.m. onwards, eight short film entries will be shown to the audience and to a high profile Ethiopian and international jury will decide critically on the best Ethiopian film on the topic rights and justice. We all look forward to a spectacular afternoon and evening with films, prices, theatre and music at the Sebastopol Cinema (Exhibition Center).
|
