A False Sense of Independence Ethiopia’s Self-Colonisation
Ka’at Ibi: A False Sense of Independence
Ethiopia’s Self-Colonisation
In the 1800s, European powers initiated what is known as, “the scramble for Africa”. Due to disagreements in how the territories would be divided, Prime Minister Otto Von Bismarck of Germany called the Berlin Conference of 1884. This conference was to decide how Africa would be carved up. The Berlin Conference was Africa’s undoing in more ways than one. It drastically altered the destiny of Africa’s entirety. However, there are some countries that believe that they withstood the forces of imperialism, Ethiopia being one of them. The Berlin Conference gave Ethiopia a false sense of independence in three ways: religious alliance, a political model and self colonisation.
RELIGIOUS ALLIANCE
Historically, the people of Ethiopia were part of Kemet and revered the same Divinities within the Kemetic culture, (the traditions and spirituality of the first civilised humans on Earth). Kemet is organised into Kingships across the upper and lower hemispheres of the planet, all of who recognise the Pharaoh as the planet’s spiritual authority. In 400 BCE, the territory of Babylon rebelled against the Kemetic civilisation. The governing bodies of Babylon wanted to be their own spiritual authority. A war ensued and Babylon was destroyed. On the basis of the destruction of their kingdom, Babylon developed new Gods and new rules for governing the people, which is known today as the Bible. This event is known in Kemetic history as the first cultural revolution of the religious anti-spiritual movements that would continue over the next millennia.
Ethiopia would be the first Kemetic territory in Meritah (Africa) to turn its back on the Kemetic spiritual traditions. This alliance between Ethiopia and the authors of the anti-spiritual movement was long in the making. In 330 AD, the Abyssinian (Ethiopian) Kingdom of Aksum (or Axum) was declared a Christian Nation. This declaration came under Aksumite emperor Ezana. It is suggested that though Ezana’s primary goal was to unify the many diverse ethnic and linguistic people of the Aksumite Kingdom, his decision to adopt Christianity was most likely also influenced by the desire to solidify his trading relationships with the Roman Empire. Aksum was one of the first kingdoms to develop a coin system to support its prosperous economy, making emperor Ezana the first world leader to put the cross on coins. The coins are the earliest examples of Christian material culture from Ethiopia.
In 1306 AD, a group of thirty Ethiopian (Abyssinian) ambassadors travelled to meet Pope Clement V to discuss diplomacy. Historian Matteo Salvadore states, “If this group is accepted as an embassy, they would be the first recorded African Embassy to a European sovereign”. This was the first of a series of attempts by the Ethiopian empire to make contact with Christian nations based on their common religious identity. While it is of little moral solace, it should be understood that in those ages people were divided based on religion rather than race. Salvadore makes a great case for Ethiopians being welcomed as Christian allies.
In 1402, the Ethiopian emperor Dawit I (Solomonic Dynasty) commissioned an Italian trader. He was to lead a group of men back to Italy on a diplomatic mission. The main aim of the mission was said to be religious, returning back with chalices, crosses, holy relics and other sacred objects. They were even said to have recovered a piece of the true cross that Jesus died on. In addition, with these pious findings there were also more pragmatic ones – the acquisition of artisans and technologies to help aid in the expansion and development of the empire. This is one example of a long history of Ethiopian religious alliances that shaped their political model.
POLITICAL MODEL
Simply put, the goal of politics is power. Embedded in the power structure is the concept of the hero or heroism, which is needed to fuel the political sys- tem. The people who make up the nation feed their energy towards a perceived independent nation.
Yohannes IV was the emperor of Ethiopia from 1872 – 89. He is remembered as one of the leading architects of the modern state of Ethiopia. Yohannes IV had inherited Ethiopia’s biggest challenge in maintaining its proposed independence. For him, The acquisition of weapons became necessary to withstand imperialism. Thirty-three years prior to Yohannes, becoming emperor King, Sahle Selassie showed little interest in obtaining modern weapons of war until 1840, when a French envoy led by Rochet d’Héricourt had brought Sahle Selassie a mill for the manufacture of gunpowder and ingratiated himself with the monarch by offers of further military aid. This French man told the King that if he wished to become ruler of whole Abyssinia (Modern day Ethiopia) it was indispensably necessary to obtain “better materials of war”. Sahle Selassie was in agreement with the French man Rochet d’Héricourt’s ideals. He commissioned him to approach France and Britain with the goal of acquiring the military aid and assistance. As a result of the historical groundwork laid for arms trade with the British and the French, Yohannes was in a far better position than his predecessors. Yohannes VI began his reign well-armed in return for giving the British sup- port in their conflict with Emperor Tewodros II (or Theodore II). In 1884, Ethiopia signed an agreement between Britain and Egypt. This agreement is known as the Hewett Treaty also called the Treaty of Adwa. It should be noted here that at the first presentation of the treaty, Emperor Yohannes IV of Ethiopia demanded a seaport for Ethiopia, but later compromised. The treaty consisted of six articles:
1) Ethiopia would have free transit of all goods, including arms, through the port of Massawa. Britain undertook to protect this right.
2) Egypt protect Bogos, occupied since 1868, to Ethiopian control.
3) Ethiopia assist in the evacuation of Egyptian troops from Kassala, Amadid and Senheit.
4) Egypt agreed to permit the passage of newly appointed Abunas. Note: The Abuna is the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahedo Church and was appointed by Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria.
5) Egypt and Ethiopia agreed to extradition of criminals.
6) Ethiopia agreed to accept British arbitration in any case of disagreement with Egypt over terms of the treaty. Note: Technically Ethiopia is a province of the Ottoman emperor of Turkey.
Egypt had been under British occupation it was de facto, an autonomous state under British protection.
This treaty points to the fact that the European politics were an integral part of Ethiopian perceived independence. Therefore, from a European standpoint, why would there be any need to fully engage in colonising Ethiopia? Ethiopia had already agreed to sit at the table of negotiations, which was the cost of Ethiopian “independence”.
Writer Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes suggests that the 1868 British expedition to Ethiopia, which resulted in the British looting of many of the national treasures and intellectual resources that emperor Tewdros II had accumulated over time, was a turning point in Ethiopians perception of power. Although the emperors defeat of Italy in Magdala did not result in the country’s colonisation, it brought about a new outward-looking consciousness. This reaction to the European gaze created the desire to acquire European weapons in order to defend the country from Europe.
SELF-COLONISATION
Successive Ethiopian rulers maintained contradictory relationships with Europe – between friendship and enmity – until Emperor Haile Selassie, who ruled up to 1974, initiated a period of westernisation post WW2. In that process Haile Selassie entrusted certain elites to establish Ethiopia’s modern educ tion system. This group was educated in Western languages and teachings. They embraced European epistemology as a singular, objective basis of knowledge, seeing it synonymous with “modernity” and naturally superior to the locals. Woldeye author of Education and Economy of Violence Against Traditions in Ethiopia defines this process as “native colonisation”. He says a system of education was introduced into Ethiopia that mimicked Western educational institutions. Therefore, contributors from tradition Ethiopian educators such elders where squeezed out. (4) This resulting in Ethiopia’s Education system lacking a meaningful connection with culture and traditions of communities in which they are located. Instead students were prepared in the skill of imitation using copied curricula and foreign languages. With European focusing on the unlearning of local traditions as it is about learning the art of imitation. Woldeye proposes an interesting perspective as a solution. He states “Before the rise of western knowledge as the source of scientific truth, ones political and social status in Ethiopia was justified on the basis of traditional beliefs and practises.” He goes on to associate the traditions to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. He says that education was not a means to an end, but part of an “Endless Journey of Knowledge” seeking. This quest was grounded in two core values of wisdom and humility. As we see in a valiant effort to provide solutions to escape colonisation, we continue to colonise ourselves. It must be understood that following the wisdom and logic of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tawahido Church would represent a turning away from that which is indigenous and accepting that which is foreign because the traditions of Judaism and Christianity as they are known to the modern world, do not follow the pattern of traditional spirituality.
In closing, despite the fact that no colonial power managed to conquer Ethiopia, the country did not escape being colonised in other ways. We learn in the Kemetic School of Philosophy and Spirituality that corruption is dynamic and can take on many forms. It is most effective when it is disguised and unassuming. As initiates we learn that evil has a right to its domain on Earth and is always looking to expand its territory. There is an internal territory of goodness that must be protected from the expansion by each individual using traditional logic passed down by our Ancestors. The Berlin Conference elevated Ethiopia as a national heroic model for the seeker.