Gondar-Town in Decline

 A History of The City of Gondar

By  Solomon Getahun,The Red Sea Press, Inc 2006 . Pp 298 .

 This book is a chronological survey of the history, genesis and evolution of Gondar town, strarting from its foundation in 1620 Ethiopian calender to the present.It is a revised M.A dissertation the author completed in 1994. It is the first major study  of its kind written by an Ethiopian, and furnishes an important synthesis of the processes of political and social change the town has gone through the centuries.                                               

 Solomon who is currently assistant professor of History at Central Michigan Univeristy was born in Gondar town and this has given him an insight into both past and recent history that many others have lacked.He has engaged in conversation a wide range of people, consulted municipal and other archival material and a wealth of secondary references. Like all good history books, this one offers the reader the opportunity to benefit from knowing history so as to better understand the present.

It brings you into close contact with a town that has evolved from an obscure 17th cent. market town into the flourishing capital of the Ethiopian monarchy, passed through an era of decline and destruction andd underwent a slow renaissance in the mid-20 century.During all these, the town witnessed the evolution of various quarters such as Echage Bet, Abun Bet,Kayla Meda, Islam Bet (Addis Alem) and Dingaya.The author also relates about the new quarters like Cha-cha- la that were added during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia, 1935-1941. it also treats the political scenario in the city in the immediate aftermath of the war, infrastructural developments and economic activities.With all its fascinating history and a rich legacy of unique architecture, Solomon’s book tell us how the town’s economy failed to prosper in recent years.It is caught in a spiralling decline and the once glorious palaces are ruined, buildings are aging and crumbling. Though it is a tourist destination,govermnets in the past and today have neglected the town.Periodic water shortage are a chronic problem.The water supply and sanitation are inadequte.

Gondar faces all of these difficulties and more. How sad for a city that has served as a permanent seat of goverment for about four centuries.

Solomon’s book provides a valuable summary of exsting studies, while ading some interesting inside analysis that is helped by the benefit of hindsight.I just wish the book were translated into amharic and widely disseminated among the public.