Monday, January 6, 2014

Ethiopian Christmas

Source- theforsakenchildren

(Borkena) Tomorrow is one of the biggest days in Ethiopia. Known locally as Gena (ገና), Ethiopian Christmas is one of the most colourful holidays in the country. Never heard of a different Christmas day?! Of course, there is for those  who celebrate in the traditions of Orthodox Churches. Apparently, the erstwhile day of Christmas day even within Catholic religious tradition is contested by Catholic pope emeritus Benedict XVI as he seem to believe that Anno Domini is based on miscalculations by Dionysius Exiguus. For Benedict XVI, the accurate birth of Jesus Christ predates the day which is conventionally celebrated in the West and within the Catholic traditions.

In any case, Ethiopian Christmas falls on January 7 of Gregorian calendar which corresponds to Thahisas 29, 28 when it is a Leap Year (Zemene Yohannes), of the Ethiopian calendar. Thahisas corresponds to December but unlike December, Thahisas is only the fourth months of the Ethiopian year which begins in September. Read more...

Friday, January 3, 2014

Identity Politics and Neo-radical Oromo Activism

Neo-radical Oromo activist bloc, if it is a block yet, is in a celebratory mood for its kill of two birds with a single stone.

For one thing, they successfully engaged the politicised section of population – of course including activists who seem to consider themselves or aspire to be “liberal activists” –in the discussion of what looks on the surface like identity politics. Squarely, what that means is agenda setting outside of their radical political opposition quarter.

For the other thing, and concomitantly, they exploited the reactions they caused and social media coverage they managed to create as an input in itself in manufacturing an even stronger radical movement with not so radical name “Oromo first”– which they are, apparently, exploiting both as a means and an end.

TPLF on its part seized the moment to create the impression of commitment to ideological partnership with radical ethnic movement.

Allusion to cancellation of Teddy Afro’s concert as a success story does not make much sense precisely because Teddy’s concert was barely an issue from the perspective of the neo-radical movement, I believe. Whether the concert was an opportunity seized to put neo-radical agenda in the limelight or whether the concert itself is something staged through nexus of radical elements from within the government (including government itself) and Marketing people who could influence Bedele management on the one hand and the neo-radical movement from abroad on the other is something that needs to be investigated.Read more ...

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