During this second part of my trip to Addis Ababa, I learned more about Ethiopian history, visited the largest market in Africa and enjoyed delicious Ethiopian cuisine. Let's get started.
Monuments
After leaving the National Museum of Ethiopia (which is where we left off in my last post), we embarked on a driving tour of Addis Ababa, stopping briefly at various, meaningful monuments. The first monument we saw was this ancient cannon that stands in the middle of Tewodros Square, to honor Tewodros II, who reigned in Ethiopia during the 19th century.
Menelik II Statue
The second monument we came upon, was this statue of Menelik II. Menelik II was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1889, until his death in 1913. This statue was erected in 1930 to celebrate his role in the 1896 Ethiopian victory over the Italian army, at the Battle of Adwa.
Adwa Victory Memorial
Elsewhere in Addis Ababa is this monument, which is a vivid representation of the same victory (mentioned above) that ended the Italian occupation of Ethiopia. The map of Africa atop the monument, highlights the spirit of pan-Africanism and the black community's global fight for freedom.
Yekatit 12 / February 19 Monument
During the second Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935-1937, Ethiopians made an assassination attempt on Italian Viceroy Rodolfo Graziani, who was dubbed "the Butcher of Fezzan" for his brutality in Libya, including the murder, and erection of both concentration and slave labor camps for Libyans of color.
In retaliation for the assassination attempt, Italian fascists indiscriminately slaughtered Ethiopian civilians and burned homes. The Yekatit "February" 19th monument honors those more than 30,000 civilians that perished on February 19, 1937, or Yekatit 12, on the Ethiopian calendar.
Tiglachin Monument
The Tiglachin monument was erected in honor of soldiers who were involved in the Ogaden War that took place between 1977-1978. The Ogaden War was an Ethiopian-Somali conflict over the Ogaden territory, situated between both countries.
Mercato
Next, we took a trip to Mercato, a sprawling, open-air market in Addis Ababa, that was alive with activity. There was a continual flow of people, cars, motorcycles, and livestock, coming from all directions.
Mercato is considered Africa's largest market, with over 7,000 businesses situated across streets that span many kilometers.
When goods are not being transported by vehicles, they are being carried by people, in many cases, on their heads. This is a practice I have seen from India to Ghana, but never have I seen this volume of people, engaging in this practice at one time. Most impressive to me was the amount of weight they were able to balance, and their steady clip as they weaved in, out and around all the chaos. This gentleman, for example, was carrying eight mattresses on his head as he whizzed by me.
Food
Beyaynetu (Vegetarian Combination Plate)
Ethiopian food is one of my favorite cuisines and one reason I was very excited to visit Ethiopia. The traditional way to eat Ethiopian food is to serve scoops of a variety of vegetables, meats and stews, on top of a large piece of injera, as seen above.
Accoutrements Used to Make Injera
Injera is the national bread of Ethiopia. It is made of the grain, teff. The word "teff" is believed to have originated from the Amharic word "tefa" which means "lost," because a grain of teff is so small, that if dropped, it will be difficult to ever retrieve again.
Once the grain is ground into flour, it is mixed with water and yeast and fermented, giving the bread that slightly sour flavor that it is so famous for.
Injera
The end product looks like a very large, thin pancake with a spongy texture. In addition to the round, intact piece of injera upon which the variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are placed, pieces are cut from the bread and rolled in individual portions.
From top to bottom: Doro Wat, Kik Alicha, Gomen and Shiro
The items I enjoyed on the plate above are: doro wat (chicken and egg stew), kik alicha (yellow split pea stew), gomen (collard greens) and shiro (dried chickpea stew). To partake of this delightful cuisine, tear off a piece of injera, and scoop up a bit of whichever vegetable, meat or stew you would like.
Incidentally, there isn't an Ethiopian dish I have disliked, as the food is so flavorful and satisfying. Like Indian food, Ethiopian dishes use a variety of spices. The most common is berbere, which is the Indian equivalent of a masala, or spice mix. The blend incorporates chile powder, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, cardamom and cinnamon.
Lamb Tibs
During another meal, I enjoyed tibs, a very popular dish that can be made of various meats which are chopped in bite sized pieces and pan-fried in clarified butter, with garlic and onion, and the occasional addition of jalapeño.
Special Kitfo
Kitfo, an Ethiopian speciality, is my favorite dish. Kitfo is made of minced meat, mixed with mitmita (a blend of spices and salt) and niter kibbeh, which is a warm, spiced, clarified butter. It can be ordered slightly cooked (leb leb) or raw. The dish uses the highest quality meat, so if you are a fan of steak tartare and/or an adventurous eater, I recommend trying it raw. In this form, the truest flavor and texture of the meat really shines, and will melt in your mouth. Special kitfo, seen in the video above, combines the beef tartare with a serving of Ethiopian cottage cheese (ayib) and collard greens (gomen). I usually ask for some extra mitmita for a little added spice.
Mesob (Woven Basket Table)
When done according to custom, partaking in Ethiopian cuisine is a highly communal experience. Everything is served on one dish that people gather around and share. Though there may be more, I have only personally encountered one other culture, in a small town close to the Ghana-Togo border, where multiple people share a meal from one single bowl or plate.
In addition to sharing one plate, I am moved by the Ethiopian custom called "gursha" originating from the Amharic word for "mouthful." Gursha is performed as an act of generosity and respect whereby one person, hand-feeds a small bite, composed of the best portions, to another. This gesture goes beyond eating, and creates connection and belonging, as well as symbolizing love and gratitude. Gursha is most often offered to elders, leaders and guests. I once received gursha when I was a guest in the home of an Ethiopian friend, and the intimate act was very moving.
Coffee
No visit to Ethiopia is complete without participating in a coffee ceremony. You won't have to search long, because coffee is ubiquitous in Ethiopia. In fact, its heritage can be traced back to the Ethiopian plateau.
Legend has it that a goat herder noticed his goats devouring berries from a certain tree. Upon consumption, they had an abundance of energy. The goat herder experimented with turning the berries into a drink at his local monastery, and found that the beverage kept him alert. He shared the drink with the monks, and with that, the coffee industry was birthed. Today, it is estimated that 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide, daily.
The Ethiopian buna (coffee) ceremony takes place in three parts. After the coffee is brewed in the jabena (coffee pot), it is served in small cups called "cini." The first serving is called "abol." Thereafter, more water is added to the pot and it is reheated for the second serving, which is called "tona." Water is again added and the third serving, "bereka," which produces a very weak coffee, is prepared and served.
Like food in Ethiopia, consuming coffee is also a communal experience. In fact, the common phrase used for getting together is "buna tetu" which translates to "drinking coffee." Another popular phrase is "buna dabo naw" which means "Coffee is our bread."
That concludes my trip to Ethiopia. Next up, I am writing about my visit to a U.S. city with gorgeous beaches, a vibrant restaurant scene, and quite the nightlife.
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