Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. It traces the way konso agriculture and landscape has been produced and managed in close relationship with broader changes in konso political and cultural lives. Set between skyhigh mountains on the top of africa, blistering hot deserts of the danakil depression and the fertile blue nile valley, this is the cradle of humankind, or, according to the. Auxiliary historical disciplines in studies of the history of ethiopia. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than a dozen categories.
Ethiopian authorities have arrested kaala meaning king gezahegne woldu, a prominent traditional leader of konso people in connection with the towns demand for selfadministration. Statements such as the earliest inscriptions in eritrea and ethiopia, need to be corrected. The konso, also known as the xonsita, are a lowland east cushitic speaking ethnic group primarily inhabiting southcentral ethiopia. By shifting the focus to their deeper meanings and daytoday cultural functions as memorials of war heroes and ancestors, this article argues that these works of art help the konso inculcate shared values and ideal images. This essay is about the heritagization and internationalization of the konso cultural landscape, southwestern ethiopia. The konso are renowned for carved wood sculptures and hewn stone stelae. It is an arid property of stonewalled terraces and fortified settlements. The konso have no memory of where their ancestors originated. Surface exposure of pegmatites, south of konso in western sidamo, actively producing specimengrade material since 2002. List of books and articles about ethiopian history. When it comes to history, ethiopia has a wealth of it being the only african country to have escaped european colonialism and keep most of its cultural identity. The administrative center of the konso special woreda of the southern nations, nationalities, and peoples region, this town has a latitude and longitude of coordinates and an elevation of it is also called pakawle by some of the neighboring inhabitants.
The konso of ethiopia items for prayer pray that work will move forwar d in translation, literacy, and health care. Konso is a tribe which inhabits the area of basalt hills about 85 km to the south from arba minch. Traditional leader arrested in konso ethiopia observer. Cutting for stone by abraham verghese, beneath the lions gaze by maaza mengiste, the emperor by ryszard kapuscinski, the be.
It traces the way konso agriculture and landscape has been produced and managed in close relationship with broader changes in konsopolitical and cultural lives. The konso mainly reside in ethiopia s southern nations, nationalities, and peoples region, south of lake chamo in the sagan river bend. The konso have developed their culture in a high degree of isolation for the. They assume they have always lived in the tiny hilly territory in the far southwest of ethiopia.
Watson ee, 2009, living terraces in ethiopia konso. It borders on eritrea in the north, on djibouti in the northeast, on somalia in the east and southeast, on kenya in the south, and on south sudan and sudan in the west. The konso, also known as hard working people, are a cushiticspeaking ethnic group primarily inhabiting southcentral ethiopia. A dustfilled journey of 3000km, taken twenty times, yields ten chapters of vivid encounters and tangible impressions. Colourful photographic displays of the konso people as well as an ethnographic library are housed in the konso cultural centre, a few hundred metres west of karat konso. Konso cultural landscape is an arid property of stone walled terraces and fortified settlements in the konso highlands of ethiopia. The konso cultural landscape is located in a dry, hilly environment at the edge of the rift valley in southern ethiopia. The administrative center of the konso special woreda of the southern nations, nationalities, and peoples region, this town has a latitude and longitude of coordinates and an elevation of. While the konso agriculture is a lot more sustainable than most forms of subsistence agriculture practised in ethiopia, there are some criticisms to be made of their system of land management. Apr 25, 2016 how konso peoples demand for constitutional selfdetermination was met with state violence abate seyoum, from konso undoubtedly, ethiopia is going through nervous times. Books set in ethiopia 117 books goodreads share book. The 5 best hotels in konso, ethiopia for 2020 tripadvisor.
The konso are a very ancient people not only in ethiopia but in the whole horn of. Column this article is the fourth in a series of traditional practices of the konso nationality. Concerning health, the konso, even the children, drink too much tradition beer. This is a history of the ethiopians from prehistory to the present day. The konso cultural landscape has been tentatively listed on the. Place was reasonable room fine, bed ok, but no hot water for a shower.
Konso, is a small town in southern ethiopia at 1650masl, with a population of about 5,000 souls who live primarily from cultivating and weaving cotton, beekeeping and general agriculture. The konso are one of the most important peoples of east africa, and the author was able to revisit them in 1997. Mar 14, 2016 ethiopian authorities have arrested kaala meaning king gezahegne woldu, a prominent traditional leader of konso people in connection with the towns demand for selfadministration. According to hallpike 1972, konso family traditions indicate that they are a composite people, both physically and culturally, with members originally hailing from all the surrounding areas. Situated in the horn of africa, ethiopia is bordered by eritrea to the north, sudan to the west, kenya to the south, somalia to the east and djibouti to the northeast. Place was reasonable room fine, bed ok, but no hot water for a shower this seemed to be a pattern of my journey. List of books and articles about ethiopian history online. Under the spiritual leadership of the aylo family, the founding group of the nine konso clans, they organized and developed their traditional konso culture. Their territory is adjacent to omotic, sidama and oromo communities. Konso is the first place in ethiopia to be recognized as a cultural landscape, a nod to its importance as a repository for biocultural diversity evolved over many centuries. Konso cultural landscape ethiopia african world heritage.
In each town, one finds not just individual homesteads and wards, but also well. Traditional konso culture and the missionary impact persee. Elizabeth e watson terraced agricultural landscapes in africa are remarkable feats of human engineering and social organization, enabling the conservation of soil and water and the cultivation of food. Konso cultural centre 2020 all you need to know before. The major one is that it is extremely labour intensive, and, as usual, most of this labour burden falls on the women. The konso people have staged peaceful protests for more than a year now. There is a market on mondays and thursdays just out of town along the road towards jinka. This cultural tradition has been around for over 21 generations over 400 years in ethiopia.
History, photography, and power by jaime baird a thesis presented to the graduate school of the university of florida in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of. Discover librarianselected research resources on ethiopian history from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Ask the lord to give health and grace for translators in the office. Ethiopias other unesco heritage sites include the rock churches of lalibela and the obelisks of axum. Discover the best ethiopia history in best sellers. Yet until this book, there have been few accounts of how such landscapes in africa are produced and maintained over time. Module for history of ethiopia and the horn of africa. Konso cultural landscape unesco world heritage centre. You may know these peoples as belonging to the socalled burjikonso group. The capital is addis ababa new flower, located almost at the centre of the country. Conceptual and historical context of cultural landscape 2. Local sources in konso karat, 600 kilometres southwest of addis ababa, said kala gezahegne was picked up by a contingent of police officers a week ago, from his compound where he was staying and he was taken to. Explore ethiopian historical route like lalibela, axum, gondar, and bahir dar, lake tana monasteries and more.
The konso have developed their culture in a high degree of isolation for the many centuries they have inhabited their land. Nov 29, 2019 konso cultural landscape 2011 this is another cultural site on the list of unesco world heritage sites in ethiopia. Tourism insures the protection of the konso cultural landscape and all. Artistic elements depicted in these unique objects are described in early accounts of konso society. Konso typically live in large towns, each governed by a council of elders. We recommend booking konso cultural centre tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Konso cultural centre 2020 all you need to know before you. Book konso cultural landscape tour packages online today. Eritrea as a country independent of ethiopia, is known only since the 20 th century. This book examines the ways traditional konso values gave coherence to their social institutions and religious rituals.
The country lies completely within the tropical latitudes and is relatively compact, with similar northsouth and eastwest dimensions. The much publicized massive antigovernment protests by the oromo, the countrys largest ethnic group, since the last five months reveal the depth and length of. These unique villages are a unesco world heritage site. Colourful photographic displays of the konso people as well as an ethnographic library are housed in the konso cultural centre, a.
Taking a period of approximately a hundred years, living terraces is both an ethnography and history of the terraces of konso in southern ethiopia. Emphasis on the values of communal life and masculinity led to the continuity of a unique settlement pattern consisting of compact, stone walled towns situated atop extensively terraced hills. Konso live in villages usually located on a top of a hill and surrounded by a 2 m stone wall. Drawing on research in archeology, anthropology, linguistics and on recent historiography, the book charts the development of ethiopian peoples and their society, placing emphasis on the african origins of ethiopian civilization. Local sources in konso karat, 600 kilometres southwest of addis ababa, said kala gezahegne was picked up by a contingent of police officers a week ago, from his compound where he was staying and he was.
Konso, southern nations nationalities and peoples region, ethiopia. Feb 14, 2001 this is a history of the ethiopians from prehistory to the present day. When the konso of ethiopia was first published in 1972, the american anthropologist described it as a work which is destined to become a classic. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Dec 22, 2010 while the konso agriculture is a lot more sustainable than most forms of subsistence agriculture practised in ethiopia, there are some criticisms to be made of their system of land management. Their sharply delimited traditional territory is surrounded by lands of oromo peoples, to whom the konso are culturally and linguistically related. The large konso tribe in ethiopia is confined to a homeland of considerably less than square kilometers.
Conference of ethiopian studies, kyoto, shakodo book sellers. Konso, southern nations nationalities and peoples region. In the far southwest of ethiopia at latitude of 5o30 n, and a longitude of 37o30 e. As mentioned above, this step included documentation in note books. It is based on an interview with kutaye kusiya, mp. Ethiopia history, east african history, books barnes. Aug 01, 2012 konso is the first place in ethiopia to be recognized as a cultural landscape, a nod to its importance as a repository for biocultural diversity evolved over many centuries. It has always been a relatively isolated area of the country, where life has remained largely unchanged for at least 400 years. Incorrect book the list contains an incorrect book please specify the title of the book. Konso, ethnolinguistic group located in the arid highlands of southwestern ethiopia. At very early time, they began their social life at a place called aylotta in kommayti part of present konso district. Konso, ethiopia the permaculture research institute. Dr liz watsons twin interests in development issues and in the history, culture and politics of africa have come together in an indepth, ethnographic study of the landscape and people of konso, in southern ethiopia.
It constitutes a spectacular example of a living cultural tradition stretching back 21 generations more than 400 years adapted to its dry hostile environment. Living terraces is both an ethnography and history of the terraces of konso in southern ethiopia. Konso also known as karati is a town on the sagan river in southwestern ethiopia. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. Konso village in the omo valley, ethiopia awaze tours of. Currently konso is in trouble due to the request of constitutional selfdetermination. How konso peoples demand for constitutional selfdetermination was met with state violence abate seyoum, from konso undoubtedly, ethiopia is going through nervous times. The konso mainly reside in ethiopias southern nations, nationalities, and peoples region, south of lake chamo in the sagan river bend.