The Begena Puzzle

Words flow from Alemu Aga's lips like a fresh spring from the highlands. They are captivating but his demeanor is calm, like the begena he plays with exquisite mastery. In front of his souvenir shop in Piazza, flocks of sheep cross the street, people hustle and bustle, cars honk irrationally, and beggars stalk pedestrians, cars and all other moving objects. The outside is antithetical to the serene atmosphere inside the shop mirroring the unique melancholy sounds of the begena in the frantic world of Ethiopian music.

Alemu Aga's name is synonymous with the begena, the ten-stringed musical instrument bearing remarkable resemblance to the harp. He is quick, however, to caution against using this term to define the begena. They are ...  READ MORE

Unheard victims of Violence

Kamilat's acid attack story was shocking. Wait until you here other voices, says Tesfalem Woldeyes

As an expert at the Legal Aid Service of the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA), Shewaye Takele has observed a lot of horrific violence against women-- malicious battery, life-threatening assault, abduction, rape?which desanctify manhood. But what she encountered four months ago was too much to take.

She was as usual busy advising clients when a young couple, tongue-tied and shabbily dressed, stood by the door of her office. The woman had her child tucked to her chest. Her woebegone looks emitted hints of torment. Shewaye felt queasy on her stomach, and knew that something terrible had happened to the couple. When they told the story ...  READ MORE

A nation on the verge of insanity?

We are chewing ourselves to collective lunacy, says Abiye Tekelemariam

For a casual observer, there is nothing which makes Munaye--whose name is changed upon request-- stand out from the group of impudent hayseeds who are chewing qat at the hovel near Legehar. . He laughs uproariously, interrupted by switching spells of inspired conversation, and heightened calmness. In his right hand, he holds tiny tooth-cleaning stick and polishes his teeth furiously. Sometimes, he spits out a gob of saliva without caring about where it lands.

But Munaye's story is extraordinary. When he was in his early teens, his parents left Ethiopia, and took him with them to the US. He performed well at school, and joined one of the country's prestigious ...  READ MORE