Emperor Haile Selassie’s birthday
An event is taking place today in Shashemene to commemorate the former Emperor Haile Selassie I who was born on this day in 1892.
Various events would be held in the town to commemorate the Emperor’s legacy and many Rastas who are based in Addis have traveled there.
Haile selassie was originally called Ras (Prince) Tafari Mekonen.He took the name Haile Selassie, meaning “instrument in the power of Trinity,” when he became Emperor.
He was crowned Emperor on November 2, 1930 after the death of Empresses Zewditu.He took the title Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Conquering Lion of Judea and Elect of God, and immediately moved to establish Ethiopia as a modern state. He abolished slavery, instituted a constitution, and set up an appointed, advisory parliament and a more modern judiciary.
During the Italian invasion (1935-36) he personally led his troops against the enemy.He lived in exile in England until 1941, when he returned and claimed the throne.
Under Haile Selassie, Ethiopia became one of the charter members of the United Nations, and a leader in the establishments of the Organization of African unity.
When he first came to power, there were fewer than 10 schools throughout the country. Twenty-five years later there were over 10,000.
His autocratic rule combined with famine in Ethiopia, resulted in unrest in the 1960’s.He was overthrown by a military coup in 1974 and murdered the following year.
In addition to his legacy in Ethiopia, Haile sealssie became one of focus of RASTAFRIANISM, a religion in Jamaica that derives its name from Haile Selassie’s orgianl name, Ras Tafari.
(photo the Emperor with Colonel Boghossian, source lesnouvelles.org.)
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Thanks arefe.
I’d like to announce to your reders that there will also be musical night in commemroation of the day at Addis’s Harlem Jazz with Ras Kuintesab this night.Come in numbers for this imporant occasion.
Yeah, I just talked to DJ Sami of Harlem Jazz and host of daily musical show on FM 96.3 over the phone who told me that there would be a musical show to commemorate HIM. Ethio-Africa Band with Ras Kuintasab, Ras Janny would be performing. There would be a special guest deejay from Sweden Dj Alex.
His Imperial Majesty had no brothers and sisters who were killed in a boating accident. He had bothers and sisters who were still born, but he was the only child of Ras Makonnen and Woizero Yeshimebet who survived infancy. His Imperial Majesty had one elder half brother, Dejazmatch Yilma Makonnen, who was the son of Ras Makonnen by a previous marriage, and who eventually succeeded their father as governor of Harrar. Dejazmatch Yilma had four children, Dejazmatch Mengesha Yilma, Dejazmatch Asfaw Yilma, Dejazmatch Sahlu Yilma and Princess Yeshashework Yilma who was married to Bitwoded Makonnen Endalkatchew. Please correct your article.
Sen,
thanks for the correction.
I used much of the facts from a certain African-American encyclopedia which I thought was true. After reading your comment, I crossed checked other sources and I came to realize it wasn’t true. Thanks again!
Why are Jamaicans celebrating our king as their God. To me Selassie was a great king with wrong advisers. I can never forget what my dad told me about one of his advisers Ras Kassa, who told Hailesellassie not to open many schools and educate the majority, and he cautioned him that if educated they will gain knowledge overthrow him. Hailesellasie could have accomplished a lot during his regime and all this mess could have been avoided. Is he worth remembering yes, we Ethiopians not Jamaicans should honor him as a king who fled to the united nations to appeal Ethiopia’s invasion by fascist Mussolini the one and only thing that deserves major recognition. He is mere human and nothing special about him, as a little girl I had come very close to him when he visited my school and there was nothing divine about him, a short light skinned man, who resembles my father, more Arab complexion than Ethiopian. Jamaicans need to know that he is just a human being.He wasn’t even a royal, Iyasu was the one who ought to have ruled, he got Iyasu murdered and he is responsible for the murder of patriots like BELAY ZELEKE, DEJAZMATCH TAKELE and many more. Please refrain from showing us his pictures, there are families who still bear a scar from the murder of their forefathers, let us end his sad regime forever.
Stop hating the KING of KINGS Qedemawi Haile Selassie I our king is Israel’s God do your study and stop listening to white mans History it will lead you far from yourself. Senbet Selam
Gorgeous horse!
Etenu, what the heck you’re talking about? In other words, what’s your point?
The Haile selassie the Jamaicans created is a different one. Not the one we know and ruled Ethiopia. They needed one for themselves. They created him. Considering what they have gone through, you can’t blame them. But Ethiopians don’t fall in to their foolish he is God trap. He is the last person to be one.
You gotta admit though, Yonas, nothing is funnier than seeing a white “Rastafarian”. I know most Ethiopians find it flattering. For me, it only triggers the question: do these people even know what Rastafarianism is all about. Or are they just aiming for the cute feminine yet masculine/hippie/bohemian look dreadlocks gives guys.
When it comes to Abbaba Janhoy, however, he’s my least favorite Emperor. But I can see what he’s helped us achieve, intentionally or unintentionally. And I’m ready to accept him in the said different form.
Gorgeous horse indeed, my point ,let us not hear about JANEHOY again. He is a mere human, I don’t want to hear the word Ras Tafari and those dredlock guys need to know that they need to worship Jesus Christ the son of God. Not Selassie who is just like you and me, who become emperor through all his mischievous. Please don’t forget the true king, the true emperor Iyasu, the son of the true king Menelik. Let us erase Selassie’s chapter, Ethiopia has GR8 kings that deserve recognition.
Uh? “they need to worship….”, “true emperor Iyasu..”.
Well, his leadership style was very tricky. He has done good and bad like everybody else, though. You cannot just dismiss him b/s he played a big chunks of Ethiopian history regardless. For those who worship him, let them have fun. Why not!?
The only place a prophet isn’t honored is in his.
All right Juru, let them worship him and have fun smoking their weed. I understand where the illusion originated. Too much weed smoking leads to misrepresentations of the true character, they must have become delusional and mistaken Jesus Christ for Tafari Mekonen. To be honest I grew up respecting the emperor, I still feel some kind of phobia thinking he is watching me. He is magical, I think I am getting delusional, I better stop witting. LOL.
Let’s not worhip him. let’s not crucify him either.
Great, he is where he can’t defend himself, that is true. For the worshippers I say the true God is Lord JESUS.
etenu: i feel you girl i don’t expect this Murderer to be worshiped as god but hell is better than they would worhip the satan him self and about the weed ohh they cool you should try them some times . as our Brother anon said lets not worship him and let’s not curcify him cause he must have been already curcified in hell by now . But don’t forget he builded many churches maybe that will reduce his punishiment .
I wish he built schools along with churches. Whatever happens in heel we don’t know, may be he is a friend of Rufus he may not be suffering. I met Prince Zereyacob in person in Addis Ababa during a visit, he lives in a house rented by Bob Marley’s children with a lady that seems to be black American and he looked miserable. This was 2005 and I don’t know what has happened to him since, he is definitely suffering, may be this is how people pay back for their sins, Selassie’s sins is making the innocent grand children suffer. I donated some money to the lady who seems to be more like a care giver than wife and wished him the best. Is this a punishment to Sellassie or the unfortunate encounter of a man who was supposed to be a hire to the throne. BTW Zeriyacob is the son of Asfaw Wossen. Had you seen Zereyacob in London in his days, you would be shocked by what her looked like in 2005. The worshippers of Sellassie might have fed him too much weed, thank you for the offer,I will never try weed even for medicinal purposes. Enjoy your weed brother and congratulations it may soon be legalized. Let Sellassie rest in heel.
Etenu, what’re u talking about. you want exhume a family hatchet buried long time again. royal intrigues are dealt with the same way every where in the old times. when you judge someone u have to be fair. u have to judge him in terms of wisdom of the time. iyasu among other things he did was promiscuity with moslem women, converting to islam, allying himself with the germans/axis powers. if u’re part of the family it is an era that has gone. this chapter of our history is closed. do u know why they say don’t be judgemental ? there is morality, that means there is right and wrong and u must judge. when they say don’t be judgemental means don’t be quick to pass judgement. most of the time the truth is under the surface it take a lot of time to dig out and find the truth. generally he tried to modernize the country. don’t forget is a feudal king surrounded by feudal, illiterate lords. i believe he also gave the country good name/image. personally for me the biggest minus is the iatalian war. he refused to wage a gurella war against his military advisors local and foreign. he is human. may he rest in peace.
Etenu, what’re u talking about. you want to exhume a family hatchet buried long time ago. royal intrigues are dealt with the same way every where in the old times. when you judge someone u have to be fair. u have to judge him in terms of the wisdom of the age/time. iyasu among other things he did was promiscuity with moslem women, converting to islam, allying himself with the germans/axis powers. if iyasu was king u’ll be wearing burqa today. if u’re part of the family it is an era that has gone. this chapter of our history is closed. do u know why they say don’t be judgemental ? there is morality, that means there is right and wrong and u must judge. when they say don’t be judgemental means don’t be quick to pass judgement. most of the time the truth is under the surface it take a lot of time to dig out and find the truth. generally he tried to modernize the country. don’t forget he is a feudal king surrounded by feudal, illiterate lords. i believe he also gave the country good name/image. personally for me the biggest minus is the iatalian war. he refused to wage a gurella war against his military advisors local and foreign. he is human. may he rest in peace.
wow he was a leader and he did many bad things in his time we also have to believe he did some good things one of the good things he made Ethiopia to be recognized the whole world well etenu like correction said we Got no right to judge but you never judge so it doesn’t concern you . But our fathers say don’t blame the dead and we should feel bad for prince Zereyacob (whose prince) for what happen to him and let pray the sins of his grandfather not come to him but if the problem is from weed then he is enjoying his life so no regret but if it is the sin let God have mercy on him. THE SUBJECT IS CLOSED. YEA AND I HEARD ABOUT THE WEED LEGALISED BUT WHERE I AM IT WAS LEGALISED LOND AGO …..
Congratulations if it is legalized where you are. I must have acted on my emotions a lot, let me not wake the dead, sorry for saying he rest in heel, let him rest in peace. I am not related to Iyasu, my pain is when I think of the five decades Selassie ruled and the poverty,illiteracy etc., my blood boils. Remember what the Gr8 JFK said, ”Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.” What the—-were the regime doing for the country. Sorry for the heart aches I caused some, can’t blame Iyasu for being Muslim, he was being innovative by allying with the Germans, he was never with the Axis of evils, he wanted to bring European influence so our people could get exposed to modern life. I do pray for Zereyacob he is not to blame for the sins of his ancestors. Love you guys a lot and appreciate your guidance to the truth and understanding you have made me fell.LET US ALL HAVE PEACE AND CLOSE THIS CHAPTER. NO MORE CORRECTION.
Haile Selasse is his baptismal name given to him by a priest when he was 40 days old. when you work spiritual work you can take ur spiritual name .
The Word of Haile Selasse means the power of Holy trinity~ Don’t you think the power of God is not working through him?When Man is alone Man and God is one…That’s wt the bible says….
Why do we focus on Mocking his majesty? anyways What is given to him by God our creator and be touched by men so please lets find something productive to contribute to our nation and continue their hard work. He was a defender of our faith …..
correction:- What is given to him by God our creator can not touched by men. We can spent days and years talking about negative energy wasting our time on earth coz the Power of God Exhales above all …
when he was born, fell from the sky drops ,but it was not rain,the sky
is crying because it lost a bright star like him.
happy Birthday Grmawinetwo the Sun
excuse me, why is everyone so obsess with the the EMPEROR OF ETHIOPIA? this GOD thing as some call our FAITH is BIBICAL founded and rooted, any embicil can read it, can any of you cyber people read GEEZ or the Amharic version? Just like those who use to say their is no “J” in amharic. Oh you foolish Ethiopians, afraid and ashame of Christian Ethiopia. I use to feel sorry for you lot, but I can see that you and your generation will be going to hell. The love of the Emperor is not for un-belivers, but for the FAITHFUL. You guys have no love and your generation is Evil and Adulturious: Can you not see how the world views you, how your men and women are scattered ,peeled & used as sex toys & slaves etc? So if you think you all can make a baffoon outa us you have a another thing coming. As bob says” you aga tired fi see we face but you can”t get us outa the race, run whey the “SWORD OF SELASSIE IS AFTER YOU!!!!!. See you all beep beep
ETENU MAY JAHOVAH FORGIVE YOU…..
was at Haile Selassie I 118 birthday celebration today 7-23-10 at Ras Michaels gates in Los Angeles Califas. What a beautiful day of chanting Nyahbingi, singing and playing drums with people of all ages and color’s. no fighting, no meat, no alcohol. Just smoking the hola herb. I did not notice anyone acting stupid or talking nonsense because they smoke (weed as you say) But giving praises to a little man (yes I! a living man not a spirit) named Haile Selassie who still is the Emperor of your ancient and beautiful land of Ethiopia. I&I do not preach to anyone you can think of the Emperor what you like, take it or leave it. But I&I know that His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I Is the King of Kings Lord of Lords, Almighty God! with no apology to anyone. My Ethiopian Brothers and Sisters check it and you will see that this is true. Love to one and all! your Rastafarian brother Ras Salvador
Haile Selassie the first, is indeed greatly great and greatly to be magnified: those who have eyes to see will see. Let HIM be praised.
Ras Blakkstone
rasta man vibration will be positve mode and me love ethiopia very much give tnx and priese to jah (GOD)