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We have introduced this new section in March 2010 in which we provide brief answers to some of your questions about Ethiopia, its people, culture and history. So be encouraged to send us any questions you might have using our contact us page and we will endeavour to give answers to them. Please let us know if you don’t want us to publish your name.
- 01.I saw the Ethiopian flag at the Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver and it looked different to me. When did it change and why?
Mesfin Kassahun, Vancouver, Canada
The Ethiopian national flag has always been a combination of green, yellow and red horizontal stripes respectively. Green represents the Ethiopian land and its fertility; yellow symbolises peace and harmony among Ethiopians and red signifies the struggles and sacrifices that have been and will be made in defence of the Ethiopian land. The tricolour flag has its origins in the Ethiopian Solomonic Dynasty dating back thousands of years and as the only African nation that has never been colonised, Ethiopia is the first African nation to have a flag.
The current Ethiopian flag was adopted in 1996 and it was the first time in the country's history since the creation of the flag that it has been altered. The emblem on the flag is what has altered the flag and it was imposed on the people of Ethiopia by the current regime without any public discussion or debate whatsoever. Prior to being recycled to make up the national flag in 1996, the emblem was long used ato represent the governing EPRDF party. Many Ethiopians believe that while a ruling party can make changes to some aspects of the country if needed, objects of common national identity such as a flag should be off-limits and should always serve and represent the people as opposed to a single political party.
Although it is reasonable to assume that the people of Ethiopia would be asked to have their say and be part of the decision-making process when such a change of great national significance takes place, there is no record of referendum, public discussion or debate held in Ethiopia before the decision was made to change the national flag. The unilateral action taken by the government reveals the very nature of the regime as dictatorial of great proportions.
- 02.What is the story of Ethiopia and the Queen of Sheba?
Martha Getahun, Kampala, Uganda
Prior to Ethiopia’s Solomonic Dynasty, Ethiopia had a beautiful queen known as Queen Makida or the Queen of Sheba. She once went to Israel to visit Jerusalem and met the wise and powerful King Solomon. The queen was greeted with great hospitality in Jerusalem and King Solomon enjoyed her company. The meeting of the queen and the king eventually resulted in an affectionate relationship and the Queen of Sheba went back to Ethiopia pregnant with Solomon’s son.
The son was Minilik the first who became the first king of Ethiopia as anointed by his father, launching Ethiopia’s long line of Solomonic Dynasty. All of Ethiopia’s emperors and empresses are descendants of Minilik I – the first-born of King Solomon. The Solomonic dynasty was founded in 1268, with Yekuno Amlak becoming the first emperor.
The last emperor of Ethiopia’s Solomonic Dynasty was Emperor Haile Selassie who died aged 85 in 1975. The dynasty ended in 1974 after emperor Haile Selassie was deposed and socialism introduced in Ethiopia.
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