Not Like Other Africans

Ethiopia is unique among African nations in that it has never been colonized by Europeans. The Italians occupied twice and the British invaded, but no one successfully established a colony. Ethiopia has a very strong national identity that they trace back to the Queen of Sheba who they say gave birth to King Solomon’s son and brought him back from Israel and established a Jewish kingdom in Ethiopia. Many other African “nations” are based on European borders that are meaningless to the peoples that live there.

They claim that Christianity came here from Egypt in the first century. Probably it was really several hundred years later, but still way earlier than the European colonizers and Arab conquerors whose fundamentally evil missionaries eradicated the indigenous religions in the rest of Africa in recent centuries. In any case, Christianity is the native religion of Ethiopia as opposed to a recent add-on. There are Muslims here, and in the south are tribes that still follow their indigenous beliefs. But no colonial masters.

At least here in the north, the people have a distinctive look, different than anyone else in black Africa, much more semitic.

Other miscellaneous fun facts: several people have remarked that Somalia and Eretria are regions of Ethiopia. They used to be…

Wednesdays and Fridays are fasting days, which means they eat no animal products. Vegan fare only, very delicious with beans and chickpeas in spicy sauces, rice and vegetables.