ESFNA 2011 Event

ESFNA stands for Ethiopia Sports Federation of North America. It was founded in 1984 and promotes soccer and cultural events to the Ethiopian communities within the US.

Every year, ESFNA hosts a week-long event that draws more than 20,000 participants. For 2011, the event will take place in Atlanta, July 3-9. In addition to soccer (men's, women's and children's), I believe there are also concerts, table tennis tournaments, vendors, golf tournaments and cultural activities.

For more information about this summer's event or ESFNA in general, visit their website.

And if you've attended one of these annual events, please leave a comment letting us know more about it and your experience. Thank you...

Pop Quiz!

How much do you think you know about Ethiopia? Want to test your knowledge? Take this interactive quiz and then study up on the answers you don't know.

Christmas in Ethiopia

ARTICLE COPIED FROM SANTA'S NET

The Ethiopian Christmas known as Ganna is celebrated on January 7th. This celebration takes place in ancient churches carved from solid volcanic rock and also in modern churches that are designed in three concentric circles. Men and boys sit separately from girls and women. Also the choir sings from the outside circle.

People receive candles as they enter the church. After lighting the candles everyone walks around the church three times, then stands throughout the mass, which may last up to three hours.

Food served at Christmas usually includes injera, a sourdough pancake like bread. Injera serves as both plate and fork. Doro wat, a spicy chicken stew might be the main meal. A piece of the injera is used to scoop up the wat. Baskets decorated beautifully are used to serve the wat.

Gift giving is a very small part of Christmas celebration. Children usually receive very simple presents such as clothing.

In Ethiopia Christmas day is January 7, so on Christmas Eve the city is crowded with pilgrims from all parts of the country. They remain outdoors all night, praying and chanting. In the morning, a colorful procession makes its way to a nearby hilltop where a service is held. Three young men march at the head of the crowd, lashing whips from left to right to keep the people in line. Those who worship are fed with bread and wine that has been blessed by priests. After the service is over the rest of the day is spent dancing, playing sport and feasting.

Ethiopia on TV

I've set my PVR/DVR to record any show that has the word Ethiopia in the title or description. So, on occasion, I'll turn on my PVR and be pleasantly surprised to see a program about Ethiopia. Below is a listing of some of the shows I've seen in the past couple of months. If any sound interesting you can probably do a search on your local programming provider's website or on the specific network's website to see when they are playing next.

• Six Vs. The World: Ethiopia on Discovery - Athletes travel to Ethiopia for a Suri stick fighting challenge.

• Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern: Ethiopia on The Travel Channel - Andrew explores Ethiopia, an African country famous for its cuisine. But the food he eats is not on the menu at your neighborhood Ethiopian restaurant. Watch as he tastes a real Ethiopian delicacy -- raw meat.

• Adoption Stories: The Matthews Family on Discovery Health - A family decides to adopt an Ethiopian girls after losing two babies to a genetic disorder

• Adoption Stories: The Koochin Family on Discovery Health - A couple plans to adopt Tsega, an Ethiopian girl

• Globe Trekker: Ethiopia on PBS - The oldest church in Ethiopia, resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, Timkat, Bahar Dar and Blue Nile Falls, Addis Ababa

• NOVA: A Walk to Beautiful on PBS - Three Ethiopian women with childbirth injuries find solace at a special hospital in Addis Ababa

• Earth: The Biography: Volcanoes on National Geographic - Dr. Stewart rappels 100 feet into the lava lake of Ethiopia's Erta Ale volcano

• On the Volcanoes of the World: The Horn of Africa on The Science Channel - Three tectonic plates intersect in the Horn of Africa; Erta Ale and Dallol in Ethiopia

• Art Wolfe's Travels to the Edge: Ethiopia, The Omo Valley on PBS - In this episode, Art ventures into the Omo Valley, Ethiopia's nearly inaccessible and richest tribal zone. After enduring muddy, impassable roads and swollen rivers, he makes his way to the Hamer, Karo and remote Surma tribes. He documents the tribes' unique body painting, elaborate adornments and timeless ceremonies.

• Making the Crooked Straight on HBO - Dr. Rick Hodes treats the sick and poor in Ethiopia and provides a foster home for more than 20 children

• Cooking in the Danger Zone on Current TV - Cameroon and Ethiopia: Examining how the local diet is affected by environmental concerns

Anybody else know of any Ethiopian based programming?

A Beautiful Walk

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY KELLY ON OUR JOURNEY TO THREE

A few weeks ago Steve and I watched an amazing documentary calledA Walk to Beautiful. It follows the journey of 5 Ethiopian woman who suffered horrific childbirth complications that resulted in them being shunned from their villages and forced to lives of shame and loneliness. When they hear about the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, they each decide to make the long journey to the capital city in hopes of regaining their dignity. The story is told through their eyes and with their voices.

While people in the US argue over natural vs. drugs vs. c-section, it's a reality check on how truly blessed we are here. It's really an interesting and eye opening (and yes, short) film that I'd highly recommend everyone see. It's on PBS occasionally, but we got it from the library.

Though the hospital has over a 90% success rate, there are some cases that require long-term care. These women are invited to live at Desta Mender (Village of Joy), a gorgeous 60-acre farm village at the foot of a mountain. There they are given not only treatment, but trained in a variety of income producing trades...from nurses aides, to gardening, to sewing, etc.

Recently Desta Mender created Juniper Cafe, an outdoor restaurant, where the women who were trained in cooking/catering serve lunch to convention meetings and visitors. Some other adoptive parents have said it's an amazing place and we definitely have it on our (growing) list of "must-dos"!

Gift of Jewels

This Saturday, September 11th, is Ethiopian New Year.

From Wikipedia:

Enkutatash is the first day of the New Year in Ethiopia. It occurs on Meskerem 1 on the Ethiopian calendar, which is September 11 (or, during a leap year, September 12) according to the Gregorian calendar.

Ethiopia still retains the Julian calendar, in which the year is divided into 12 months of 30 days each and a 13th month of 5 days and 6 days in leap year. The Ethiopian calendar is 8 years behind the Gregorian calendar from January to September and 7 years behind between September 11 andJanuary 8.

Enkutatash means the "gift of jewels". When the famous Queen of Sheba returned from her expensive jaunt to visit King Solomon in Jerusalem, her chiefs welcomed her bolts by replenishing her treasury with inku or jewels. The spring festival has been celebrated since this early times and as the rains come to their abrupt end, dancing and singing can be heard at every village in the green countryside.

The date traditionally marks the end of the season of heavy rains and is more recently or historically set by the return of the Queen of Sheba to Ethiopia after her visit to King Solomon in Jerusalem.

Large celebrations are held around the country, notably at the Ragual Church on Entoto mountain. But Enkutatash is not exclusively a religious holiday. Today's Enkutatash is also the season for exchanging formal new year greetings and cards among the urban sophisticated - in lieu or the traditional bouquet of flowers.

In 2007 on the Gregorian calendar, it became 2000 on the Ethiopian calendar.

Ethiopia Kids has a great article about how the holiday is celebrated in Ethiopia.

World Heritage Sites within Ethiopia

Within Ethiopia there are eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, equal to or more than any other country in Africa. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) selects sites that are of special cultural or physical significance.

Below is a listing, by category, of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia with the dates that they were inscribed.

CULTURAL:

Askum, Tigray Region, 1980

The ruins of the city of Aksum, dating from the 1st to the 13th century, mark the heart of ancient Ethiopia and what was the "most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia". It includes monolithic obelisks, giant stelae, royal tombs, and ruins of former castles.

Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar, Amhara Region, 1979

The fortress was the residence of the Ethiopian emperors during the 16th and 17the century. The city remains, surrounded by a wall and featuring buildings with a Hindu and Arab influence, later transformed to a Baroque style by Jesuit missionaries.

Harar Jugol, Harari Region, 2006

The city is located on a plateau and surrounded by gorges and savanna. It contains 82 mosques, three from the 10th century, 102 shrines and exceptional interior design in the townhouses. It is said to be the fourth-holiest city of Islam.

Lower Valley of Awash, Afar Region, 1980

Palaentological findings from at least 4 million years ago, such as Lucy, give evidence of human evolution.

Lower Valley of Omo, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region, 1980

The prehistoric site near Lake Turkana is the location of many fossil findings, such as Homo gracilis.

Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, Amhara Region, 1978

The site contains 11 medieval monolithic cave churches from the 13th century.

Tiya, Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region, 1980

The archaeological site contains 36 monuments, including 32 carved stelae covered with symbols.

NATURAL:

Simien National Park, Amhara Region, 1978

Massive erosion on the Ethiopian plateau has created a spectacular landscape of jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500 m.

Ethiopia: The Whole Picture

Ethiopia: The Whole Picture from Paul Hassell on Vimeo.

Tips for your Ethiopia trip...

ORIGINALLY POSTED BY HEATHER ON TEN MORE TOES

I just finished a really good travellers guide about Ethiopia and recommend it to anybody going to pick up their sweethearts. It is from the Culture Smart series and written by Sarah Howard.

Here are just a few of the interesting facts and travel tips I have learned from this book:

* Half the estimated population of Ethiopia (77 million) is under 20 years old.
* Remember to use the right hand to eat the injera and wot. The left is considered unclean.
* Time follows the traditional Middle Eastern twelve hour clock. The hours start at dawn (6:00). So, twelve noon is 6:00 in Ethiopian time. Be sure to ask which time somebody is giving you for your major appointment or court date.
* It is also a good idea to leave a small piece of food left on your plate. This shows the host that you are graciously full.
* Buna bet or "coffee house" is not what you think. These are usually bars that might also have hotels and prostitutes.
* Ethiopians often greet each other with an embrace, then a kiss on each cheek, and then again on the first cheek.
* Children will walk up to nine miles a day to attend school.
* Orthodox Ethiopians will fast on Wednesdays and Fridays and during the holidays. Fasting means only having one meal a day, usually after 3:00 and abstaining from dairy and meat products. As many as 250 days a year can be kept as fast days.
* Swimming pools at the Hilton and Ghion hotels are heated by natural springs.
* Public latrines are so public, they are called "en plein air." Bring your own toilet paper.

Ethiopian and Sidama Music

Click here for a few choices of streaming Ethiopian music.

This link has Sidama music.

Keeping Ethiopian Culture Alive for Our Children

Below are a couple of ideas to help families keep Ethiopian culture alive for their kids. Some of the ideas are pretty superficial but hopefully when looked at as a whole they will help our children feel connected to their Ethiopian culture.

- Visit Ethiopian restaurants and stores and meet the proprieters and have conversations about history, current events, culture, etc. (Visit this SITE to find an Ethiopian restaurant near you.)

- Attend culture camps created for kids adopted from Ethiopia and their families

- Listen to Ethiopian music at home and in the car

- Learn how to cook Ethiopian food as a family (Click HERE for recipes.)

- Read Ethiopian folktales and other children's books (Click HERE for some suggestions.)

- Attend sports/culture events

- Hire a babysitter that speaks Amharic

- Take notice of and/or celebrate Ethiopian holidays

- Set your digital TV recorder (tivo, dish, direct, etc.) to record any program with "Ethiopia" in the title or description (I've gotten some great documentaries this way.)

- Have Ethiopian art, items, books, etc., displayed throughout the home

- Have birth family contact (if they are also interested) through letters and photos exchanged through your agency

- Join local playgroups for children adopted from Ethiopia so other ideas can be exchanged between families

I would love to hear what others are doing to keep culture alive in their families. Please share more ideas in the comments section. Thank you!

National Day

Tomorrow (5/28) is Ethiopia's National Day though the official name of the holiday is Derg Downfall Day as it commemorates the end of the Derg (or Dergue) dictatorship in 1991.

Read about the history of the Derg at Wikipedia.

Julian Calendar

The calendars of the entire world are based on the work of the old Egyptian astronomers who discovered - as early as three to four thousand years BC - that the solar or sidereal year lasted slightly less than 365 ¼ days. However, it was left to the astronomers of the Alexandrian school to incorporate this knowledge into some sort of calendar; and it was these astronomers who also came up with the idea of leap years.

Subsequently, the Romans under Julius Caesar borrowed their reformed calendar from the Alexandrian science and adopted it to the western world. Then the Copts inherited this science as a right and built upon it themselves. In due course, the Copts handed this calendar, together with their method of computing the date of Easter, on to their descendant Church in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian year therefore has something in common with the western year, having been derived from the same source.

So much so that the Ethiopian calendar retains the old Egyptian system whereby the year was divided into twelve months of thirty days each plus one additional month of five days (six days in leap years). Ethiopian dates therefore, fall 7- 8 years behind western dates and have done so since early Christian times. This discrepancy results from differences between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Churchas to the date of the creation of the world.

Each Ethiopian year is dedicated to one of the four Evangelists according to the cycle: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The year of St. Luke is Leap Year, and therefore always has six days in the thirteenth month of the Ethiopian calendar.

Source: ethiopianmillenium.com

This site will convert Julian to Gregorian and vice versa.

Upcoming summer fun...

Family Journeys Camp is hosted by IAN but open to all families regardless of agency. It is a week long camp (August 2-6, 2010) for kids 3-18 years old adopted from Ethiopia and their parents and siblings. The schedule has just been posted and includes music and dance, crafts and Amharic, cooking and hair styling, adjustment and incorporating Ethiopian culture into daily American life. It is guaranteed to be a rewarding experience...and registration is a steal. See the links below to find out more:

Click here for the camp schedule.

Click here for further details and to register.

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Also a quick note to save the date...the 2010 IAN families picnic will be held in Centennial, CO the day after the Family Journeys Camp on Sunday, August 8. As more info becomes available it will be on the News and Updates blog.

Thanks!

SNNPR and Sidama

SNNPR stands for Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region. It is located in the southwestern corner of Ethiopia. Awasa (also spelled Awassa or Hawassa) is the capital. This link is for the SNNPR's tourism bureau.

the SNNPR flag

SNNPR in red

Sidama is one of the zones within SNNPR and where many IAN children come from. Awasa is also the capital of Sidama.

the Sidama flag

I recently found this website specifically about Sidama. There are beautiful pictures and interesting info like the fact that those in Sidama have a unique New Years festival called Fiche. I highly recommend reading (or printing and reading) the magazine at the bottom of the homepage.

This site has some information about Sidama's religion, politics, economy, etc.

This blog post has some interesting folklore about the Sidama region.

The map below details the SNNPR area of Ethiopia. Sidama is the light grey area on the right side of the map.

Twins in Ethiopia

Around the world, twins can be seen as a double blessing. Unfortunately, in developing countries, twins are also often seen as a double burden.

Ethiopia has twice as many twin births as Europe. Many twins are born prematurely and are unable to receive sufficient breastmilk if their mothers are malnourished. With not enough food, an astonishing 1 in 3 twins, in Ethiopia, will die before they turn 1 year old.

The Gemini Trust is an NGO dedicated to helping families in Addis with twins. Click here for more information.

If anyone has any more twin (or multiple) facts, please leave a comment. Thank you.

Addis - The Capital

Addis Ababa is the capital and the largest city of Ethiopia and is currently home to nearly 3 million people. It is located on a well-watered plateau surrounded by hills and mountains, in the geographic center of the country. Only since the late 19th century has Addis been the capital of the Ethiopian state. Its immediate predecessor, Entoto, was situated on a high tableland and was found to be unsatisfactory because of extreme cold and an acute shortage of firewood.

Empress Taitu, wife of Emperor Menilek II (reigned 1889-1913), persuaded the emperor to build a house near the hot springs at the foot of the tableland and to grant land in the area to members of the nobility. The city was thus founded in 1889 and was named Addis Ababa meaning 'New Flower' by the empress. In its first years the city was more like a military encampment than a town. The central focus was the emperor's palace, which was surrounded by the dwellings of his troops and of his innumerable retainers. As the population increased, firewood became scarce. In 1905 a large number of eucalyptus trees were imported from Australia; the trees spread and provided a forest cover for the city.

Addis Ababa was the capital of Italian East Africa from 1935 to 1941. Modern stone houses were built during this period, particularly in the areas of European residence, and many roads were paved. Other innovations included the establishment of a water reservoir at Gefarsa to the west and the building of a hydroelectric station at Akaki to the south. There were only limited changes in Addis between 1941 and 1960, but development has been impressive since then.

Addis is the site of the country's most prestigious university - Addis Ababa University - and contains several teacher-training colleges and technical schools. Also located in the city are the Museum of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies (operated by the university), the National School of Music, the National Library and Archives, palaces of former emperors, and governmental ministries. Several international organizations have their headquarters in the city; the most important are the Organization of African Unity, which is now moved to South Africa, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, both located in Africa Hall.

Addis Ababa's manufactures include textiles, shoes, food, beverages, wood products, plastics, and chemical products. Most of Ethiopia's service industries are also located in the city. Banking and insurance services are concentrated in Addis Ababa, and the nation's major newspapers are published there.

Mercato - located in the western part of the city - is one of the largest open-air markets in Africa. And Piazza - in the central city - contains the more elegant shopping centers, boutiques, trendy cafés and restaurants. In Amharic it's called Arada, meaning a place where the hip and trendy congregate. It's where most people especially youngsters hangout for many social reasons. There, one can get a hold of what the Ethiopian capital has to offer ranging from theater and cinemas, food and beverage, clothing and cosmetics, to different luxurious services for the extravagant.

Source: ethiopianmillenium.com

Family Journeys Cultural Camp

International Adoption Net (IAN) is hosting it's first ever cultural camp, Family Journeys. It will take place August 2-6, 2010 in Centennial, CO. Read below for more details:

Celebrate our children’s heritage by joining us for our first annual summer camp for families of Ethiopia adoption. This week long camp will focus on cultural adjustment and support for youth ages 3-18 as well as parents and siblings.

This is a great opportunity for families and youth to hear about others adoption journeys, challenges and rewards. The camp is open to all families.

Who:	All families and youth of Ethiopian adoption
Where:	Joyous Chinese Cultural Center
	6940 S. Holly Circle, Centennial, CO 80122
	Map
When:	Monday thru Friday. August 2 - 6, 2010 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Cost:	$100 for first child, $50 for each additional child.

Activities will include:

• Ethiopian arts classes including dance, drumming and mask making

• Ethiopian cooking classes

• Amharic language classes

• Hair styling including a hair braiding demonstration by Mona Lisa salon

• Ethiopian games and activities

• Mommy/Daddy and me class

• Adjustment groups and lessons for children, teens and parents

• How to incorporate Ethiopian culture into American life

• Ethiopian celebration!!

• Guest speakers: To Be Announced.

If you would like to join us, please click on the “Camp Pre-Registration” button .

We hope to see you all soon!

For more information, contact Liz Bogetveit at International Adoption Net:

303-691-0808

or

elizabeth@adoptioninternational.net

Patriot's Victory Day

Today is a public holiday in Ethiopia commemorating the liberation from Italian occupation by the Allies during the East African Campaign of 1941.

Read more about the East African Campaign of World War II on Wikipedia.

ESFNA 2010 Event

ESFNA stands for Ethiopia Sports Federation of North America. It was founded in 1984 and promotes soccer and cultural events to the Ethiopian communities within the US.

Every year, ESFNA hosts a week-long event that draws more than 20,000 participants. For 2010, the event will take place in San Jose, California, June 27-July 3. In addition to soccer (men's, women's and children's), I believe there are also concerts, table tennis tournaments, vendors, golf tournaments and cultural activities.

For more information about this summer's event or ESFNA in general, visit their website.

And if you've attended one of these annual events, please leave a comment letting us know more about it and your experience. Thank you...