Gearing Up for the Fans

It is going to be a week of fun and celebration for Ethiopans in North America, who constitute majority of my blog readers.Does that mean low visitors this week? I hope not.

May be I should gear up for more readers from home. Here is one.

Since opening her European-style Chez Hareg bakery in the District’s Shaw neighborhood last year, Haregewine Messert, an immigrant from Ethiopia, had neglected the little lot behind her shop, allowing it to become overrun with weeds.

But this week new gravel is on the ground. Patio tables have been arranged. And a fresh coat of paint covers a wooden fence that encloses the area. The reason for the renovation?

Twenty thousand soccer fans are expected in the Washington area this week to watch teams of Ethiopians from the United States and Canada compete. The annual tournament has become one of the largest gatherings of Ethiopians outside their homeland.

 Read full article in Washington Post.

Victory party for Obama

Here is a picture from Tadias where Ethiopian Americans are seen celebrating Obama’s Democratic presidential nomination.

 

 Read full story here.

Andreas is back

The past week came as a relief for family and friends of Prof. Andreas Eshete when he made it home after being treated for pneumonia and strokes in South Africa.

His loyal circle of friends and family members hurried to welcome the wheelchair-confined professor who flew from Washington D.C where he spent weeks convalescing.

It is said that the illness was brought on by over-abundance of alcoholic consumption and chain-smoking, though he has been sober lately.

While the university is busy preparing for the graduation ceremony to be held in August, his assistants are looking for ways to distract the professor from his troubles.

It is hoped that he would be out of a wheelchair by then and lead the commencement ceremony, as he prefers to call it.

Though Prof. Andreas is widely admired for his brains, the university community has never developed a fondness for him. Just the opposite, in fact, he has long suffered from his image as Mele’s pet dog and an opportunist who has given up his liberal values for Mele’s brand of “revolutionary democracy”.

Teddy’s trial adjourned

Teddy Afro’s trial has been adjourned until July 4. In today’s hearing, the prosecution presented three pages written submissions which were read to the court. One witness who wasn’t available in the last hearing also sent a written assertion.

Teddy’s lawyer objected, saying that the charge is unproven and there is no empirical evidence. He said the hospital documents didn’t include a physicians’ signature and they are not originals.

On July 4, the court will decide whether Teddy will be freed or would be given a chance to defend himself.

Teddy who appeared before the court was very calm and composed.

Crowds of well-wishers gathered around the courtroom beyond police barricades to give support to the singer.Police was dispersing anyone standing in groups and even those were simply walking on side walksCars were not allowed to park in the area.

Chris Tucker to do a movie in Ethiopia

Here is a story from ENA.

The famous American Actor, Chris Tucker is thinking to do a movie in Ethiopia, his favorite African country where he considers as “a second home”.

The actor who was among more than 200 delegates who paid a two-day visit to Ethiopia before heading to Arusha, Tanzania, for the 8th summit of Leon H. Sullivan Foundation transplanted tree in Ethiopia on Friday.

Chris Tucker told ENA on the spot that “Hopefully, I can come back and do a movie. I have to figure out.”

Julie Mehretu-among top earning African artists

Ethiopain-American painter Julie Mehretu is one of the three top earning African artists, revealed Jeune Afrique.

Stating that African artists are not faring well in the global arts market, the monthly French magazine listed three artists whose works that made it to the list of the top 500 most expensive paintings.”The Teacher” by the South African artist, Marlene Dumas sold for 3 342 600 dollars and “Shadow Procession” by another South African William Kentridge for 181 152 dollars.Julie is third on the list with her work “White Plane”   fetching 217 000 dollars. 

To view her other works, go to

Julie Mehretu on artnet

Wikipedia

Ginbot 7 Formed

Press Release

Ethiopians’ long quest and struggle for justice and freedom is continuing today. The march, though torturous, towards democracy is on. The millions that participated in the May 15, 2005, general election have vowed that no amount treachery and oppression shall break their will to live in a just, free, prosperous and united Ethiopia.

In 2005, 25 million Ethiopians, trusting the words of the ruling party and its western backers and hoping that the election of 2005 will be different from previous elections, went out and registered to vote. The people, along with opposition, were led to believe that for the first time in the country’s history will have the right to elect those who should assume power and put an end to the chaos and misery associated with the thorny issue of power struggle.

Almost there

According to this week’s the Economist print edition, Barack Obama deserves the nomination.It is not yet clear whether he deserves the presidency.

This is how it starts.

IN CARTOONS there is often a moment when a hapless character, having galloped over a cliff, is still unaware of the fact and hangs suspended in the air, legs pumping wildly, until realisation dawns, gravity intervenes and downfall ensues. Hillary Clinton’s campaign looks a bit like that this week. After her heavy loss in North Carolina and her barely perceptible victory in Indiana, a state she needed to carry triumphantly, Mrs Clinton’s campaign is surely close to its end.

To read the full article, clik here.

Ethiopians for Obama

By Teddy Fikre

There is something powerful occurring in the Ethiopian-American community. People who were never inspired to take part in the political process are realizing that the we have a duty as citizens to partake in the political process and be a part of the change that is taking place. While they will always love the land of their birth, they realize that they are deeply engrained in United States and are vested in the direction of this great country. Never before has a politician inspired so many people from so many backgrounds and countries to unite for our common purposes.Senator Obama speaks about the power of one–the power that a sole individual has to change their community and eventually change the world.

Festival to honour legendary musician Girma Beyene

The 7^th edition of the Ethiopian Music Festival will be held from the 7^th to 17 May 2008 in Addis Ababa. Organized by the Alliance Ethio-Francise as a part of its centenary celebration and as a tribute to the Ethiopian pianist, composer and arranger Girma Beyene, the festival is expected to bring along renowned and young musicians.

Francis Falceto in his book Abyssinia Swing, a pictorial history of modern Ethiopian music describes Girma as one of a pioneering generation of artists that has a huge influence on the current Ethiopian music.

From the very beginning of the 1960’s and for some twenty years, he ranked among the Ethiopian musical scene’s most creative and prolific artists. He left precious few recordings behind him as a vocalist: it was above all as a pianist, organist, composer and arranger that Girma made his mark on what is today agreed to be the golden age of Ethiopian music. Throughout the heyday of Vinyl record production (1969-1978), the figure of Girma Beyene dominated the recording sessions. The then-privileged partner of Alemayehu Eshete, Girma innovated, through his simple and to-the-point playing, melding the lightness of pop into the ethos of a changing Ethiopia. Admired for his musical elegance, Girma none the less met one of the saddest fates in Ethiopian music. Though his countrymen still remember his charming voice and his knack for pop, they have totally forgotten his role and importance as an innovator.

Going into exile in the USA in 1981, Girma departed the Ethiopian music scene, sinking into the anonymous “Little Ethiopia’ of America’s East Coast.

According the Alliance booklet, there has been a renewed interest of late in the work and personality of Girma Beyene.International groups such as the Either/ Orchestra, the Daktaris, Le Tigre (Platante), The Ex, Badoum Band and Antibals have added some of Girma’s major compositions to their repertoires.

View programme in PDf here.

 

Related: Ever heard of GB? Bernos.

‘07 baby abesha.com