ETHIOPIAN BIOGAPHY

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• Remembering Haddis Alemayehu

  Jul 7, 2016 by Admin / 362 Views

  One of the great Ethiopian authors and statesman of this century, Haddis Alemayehu was born on his day, October 17. If he had been alive, he would have turned 99 today. 

  Born in the Debre Markos district of Gojam province on October 17 1010, Haddis grew up with his mother,Desta Alemu, as his father, Alemayehu Solomon, worked away from home as priest and took another wife. He had begun school in traditional poetry which went up to the level of Zema-chants at home under his maternal grandfather. He then proceeded to Debre Gennet Elyas, thence to Debrework and finally to Dima Giorgis where he graduated in qene.Haddis then attended several schools in Addis Ababa, including the Swedish Mission School(1925-1927), Teferi Mekonen School, and Ecole Imperial Menelik II.  

  He wrote his first play during this period, “Ye Abesha en ye wedewhula gabcha” (The Marriage of Habesha and the Backward) which displayed remarakably mature style.It tells about the marriage of the woman Ethiopia(Habesha) and her children by her husband, the Backward One.Her children think only of thier own pleasure, not about Ethiopia’s well-being, and therefore the glory and greatness of Ethiopia suffer and decay; she becomes poor and ill, she gets an eye disease so that she canot see well, and she lives in misery.Ethiopia tells her son and dughters that it is thier attitude that has led her tp present misfortune.Then Haile Selassie, her latest son, is born, and he changes the state of affairs;he leads the famikly to prosperity and well being, and his mother Ethiopia gets proper treatment and gets well again, and her eyesight is restored. 

  The play was written for a school performance, but staged in the Majestic Hotel in Addis Ababa.He also composed the songs for the play.

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• Nelson Mandela

  Jul 7, 2016 by Admin / 351 Views

   

  Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela became known and respected all over the world as a symbol of the struggle against apartheid and all forms of racism; the icon and the hero of African liberation.

  Mandela or Madiba, as he was affectionately known, has been called a freedom fighter, a great man, South Africa's Favourite Son, a global icon and a living legend, among countless other names. He has been an activist, a political prisoner, South Africa's first democratically elected president, an international peacemaker and statesman, and a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

  As a husband and a father, Mandela sacrificed the joys of family life and of seeing his children grow up. As a young man, he missed out on a normal life spent with family and friends and pursuing a career of his choice, to fight for the cause he unshakably stood for.

  Most ordinary South Africans knew little about Mandela during his prison years, as the apartheid government suppressed information, and what was released was biased. Limited information about Mandela was available from the international press, anti-apartheid activist groups and the Free Nelson Mandela campaign.

  But prison bars could not prevent him from continuing to inspire his people to struggle and sacrifice for their liberation. Public opinion polls repeatedly showed that he was the most popular leader the country has ever had. As the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group observed in 1986, he had become "a living legend", galvanising the resistance in his country.

  He is the most honoured political prisoner in history. He has received prestigious international awards, the freedom of many cities and honorary degrees from several universities.

  Musicians have been inspired to compose songs and music in his honour. Major international art exhibits have been dedicated to him and some of the most prominent writers have contributed to books for him and about him. Even an atomic particle has been named after him.

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• Derartu Tulu is the first African woman to win an Olympic gold medal

  Jul 7, 2016 by Admin / 321 Views

  Derartu Tulu isthe first African woman to win an Olympic gold medal after claiming victory over the women's 10,000 metres contest of the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, clocking 31:06. 

  She returned to the Olympic Games in 1996, but finished in fourth place. However, her running career was far from over. At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Derartu again contested the 10,000 metres race. Regaining her form of eight years earlier, she took the lead at the bell signaling the final lap and sprinted ahead to a clear victory once more becoming the first woman to win two gold medals in Olympic distance races.   Besides her triumphant run at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, she also won the IAAF World Cross Country Championships title for the third time in the year 2000.  In 2001, she won her world 10,000 metres track title in Edmonton. 

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• Haile GebreSelassie Biography

  Jul 7, 2016 by Admin / 696 Views

  Intro

  Haile Gebre Selassie is regarded universally as the greatest distance runner of all times. With a career that sees him breaking records as they are made, Haile has built an extraordinary reputation as an exceptional athlete who is setting a new level in long-distance running.

  The Beginning - Brief Bio

  Haile was born in the province of Arsi in Central Ethiopia. Arsi is a fertile region in the central Ethiopian plateau that has produced great long-distant runners like Derartu Tulu, Fatuma Roba, and of course, Haile Gebreselassie. Haile was inspired by his countrymen, the Ethiopian marathon legend, Abebe Bikila and also 5k and 10k Olympic gold medalist Miruts Yifter. As a child he had to run 10 kilometers a day each way to go and come back from school. At age 16, without any formal training, he entered the Addis Ababa marathon, and finished in 2:42.

  Haile rose to international prominence in 1992 when he won the 5000m and 10,000m World Junior championships. In 1993 at the Stuttgart World championships, he won the 10,000m and got second in the 5000m. Haile set his first World Record in the 5000m in 12:56.96 in Hengelo, Holland in 1994. By breaking the 6 year old world record of Said Aouita.

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• BIOGRAPHY TEDDY AFRO

  Feb 3, 2016 by Admin / 1,258 Views

  

  Raised by musical parents, it was apparent at an early age that  Tewodros Kassahun , (now know as Teddy Afro) had a deep love of music. Over the past ten years, Teddy has emerged as the number one voice in Ethiopia, breaking records for album sales and show attendance.  He is known far and wide, inside and out of Ethiopia as the rising star of East Africa.

  The 2001 debut release of “Abugida”, was a landmark recording that established Teddy as a musical power to be reckoned with.  “Abugida” is a word that means “beginning”, in the language of Ge’ez (the predecessor to the modern spoken language of Amharic) and this recording is aptly named as it marks his entrance on the national stage.

  Using reggae rhythms combined with the traditional sounds of Ethiopian music, the songs are sung exclusively in the national language of Ethiopia, Amharic. Influenced by Ethiopian Maestro Tilahun Gessesse and international reggae superstar Bob Marley, Teddy combines the musicianship and message of his mentors. Singing of freedom from tyranny and self-emancipation on his debut release, he defined his voice as a songwriter as well as a singer. Using the keyboard as his primary vehicle for songwriting, he has written both hooks and melodies that have become a mainstay in Ethiopian pop culture.

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