This is a collection of books and movies about Ethiopia.
This is not an affiliate store, just links.
Culture:
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Ethiopia – Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture
Self-explanatory. It’s a culture book by a publisher that makes these for almost every country. These books are good to have on hand and peruse before a trip. Some of what you encounter in Ethiopia will make sense of what you have already read in Culture Smart beforehand.
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The Lure of the Honeybird: The Storytellers of Ethiopia
The Lure of the Honeybird is a thoroughly enjoyable read by a British woman who taught in Addis Ababa in the 1960’s. Having experienced the richness of Ethiopia’s oral culture, the author worried that, as the culture modernized, they would lose the oral richness and traditions passed down by means of story. The book traces Elizabeth Laird’s journey from one end of the country to the other to capture and record the stories of Ethiopia’s culture and history for future generations. A very light and bright read.
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Most Dangerous Ways To School | ETHIOPIA
When the schoolchildren wake up to the first rays of sunshine, the temperature is already over 30 degrees Celsius. Their route to school, which is many kilometers long, takes these children of the Afar tribe over jagged earth, over seemingly endless lengths, and every day they are confronted with much more than just the astounding heat. Not one shadow offers coolness; water is a rare and expensive commodity. But there is still plenty of danger to come. After school they have to head home in unbelievable temperatures, beyond 50 degrees Celsius. Even the youngest schoolchildren have to help dig wells, while the older children – like 14 year Mohammed – work in the salt mines, to aid their family’s survival.
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Deadliest Journeys | Ethiopia
Ethiopia is among the hardest-hit countries in terms of deadly traffic accidents. Trains and trucks circulate along infrastructure from another age. This last known working train is no stranger to derailments and breaks down on a regular basis. It is the oldest but also the most dangerous train in the world! From the Danakil desert to the rainy summits of the Kaffa region, welcome to Ethiopia!
History:
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Ethiopia Rising – Movie
Ethiopia Rising is a one-hour documentary. It is the story of a man who, over thirty years, planted over one million trees in his native province after the environment was ravaged by the civil war.
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Shashamane – Movie
It centers in the city of one of TLI’s training sites, Shashamane. As the preview says, Shashamane is significant because Emperor Haile Selassie dedicated a portion of it to those of African descent more commonly referred to as Rastafarians.
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The Emperor: Downfall of an Autocrat
Haile Selassie’s reign spanned over five decades and is rather difficult to wrap your mind around. He sought to modernize yet controlled aspects of the country like an ancient emperor. This book is the collection of first-hand accounts of the Selassie years by those who worked closely with him and his regime. It gives a helpful glimpse into some of the most formative years in Ethiopia’s long history.
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Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia’s Victory over Mussolini’s Invasion, 1935-1941
For any who enjoy military history, particularly WWII, this book is incredible. This book captures the history of the Italian invasion and occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930’s battle by battle and gives close-up glimpses into the decision-making processes of both sides. More importantly, it exemplifies the faith and resolve of Ethiopians, prevailing over the well-equipped Italian army while barefoot with spears.
Christianity:
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Ethiopian Christianity: History, Theology, Practice
This book presents a rich and comprehensive history of Ethiopia’s Christianity. Esler is ever careful to situate this growth in the context of Ethiopia’s politics and culture. He begins with ancient accounts of Christianity’s introduction to Ethiopia by St. Frumentius and King Ezana in the early 300s CE. Esler traces how the church and the monarchy closely coexisted, a reality that persisted until the death of Haile Selassie in 1974.
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Unknown Empire: The True Story of Mysterious Ethiopia and the Future Ark of Civilization
Read this book for a glimpse into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and its bold claims. Aside from an undercurrent of politics that grows more prominent toward the end, the book is engaging.
Ethiopia claims a succession of kings that were descendants of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, as well as the keepers of the lost Ark of the Covenant. The author traces those claims and positions Ethiopia as the leaders of Africa’s future.
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Kebra Nagast: The Glory of Kings
Fascinating book that captures the deep and prevalent tradition behind Ethiopia’s conversion to Christianity, its connection to Solomon (through the Queen of Sheba, how the ark of the covenant came to Ethiopia, and their succession of kings from Solomon. It is well worth the read, though Fikadu says the far majority of Ethiopians do not believe the historical validity of the stories any longer, including the Orthodox.
Evangelicalism:
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The Evangelical Movement in Ethiopia: Resistance and Resilience
A go-to book for church history in Ethiopia. Eshete writes church history in the context of Ethiopia’s cultural and political history, and does so remarkably well. You will learn a lot about church history in Ethiopia from this volume. Highly recommended.
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Onesimus Nesib
This is a short biographical sketch of one of the few Ethiopian missionaries about whom anything is accessible. Nesib was an ex-Oromo slave converted through the work of the Swedish Evangelical Mission, a Lutheran ministry. He spent his life evangelizing the Oromo people and translating the Bible into Oromo for the first time.
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Fire on the Mountain: The Story of a Miracle—The Church in Ethiopia
This first-hand account was published in the 1960’s and centers on the Sudan Interior Mission’s work among the Wallamo tribe. When the missionaries were expelled from the country under the Derg, the church exploded from 45 believers to over 10,000. There are stylistic and cultural downsides to the book, but the account of God’s work among the Wallamo is amazing. It is also one of the few first hand accounts of evangelical mission work in Ethiopia available.
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The Widow and the Wizard
The Baptist General Conference planted its first church in Ethiopia in the 1950’s in Ambo. The book is more autobiographical than historical. The author’s husband was murdered just outside of Ambo, so the book narrates that story as well as her struggles following. To be honest, it is somewhat strange, but the significance of their work in Ambo makes it worth the read.
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Perception and Identity
This is another great book on the church in Ethiopia. The subtitle captures the book well: “A Study of the Relationship between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Evangelical Churches in Ethiopia.” If you are going to read on evangelicalism, choose between The Evangelical Movement in Ethiopia and this one. Both do a good job highlighting evangelicalism as it has developed in Ethiopia. Both do a good job interacting with evangelicalism in the context of Orthodoxy. If you feel less familiar with Ethiopian Orthodoxy, read this one. If you’d like to be more informed on evangelicalism, read the other.
Language:
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Afan Oromo: A Guide to Speaking the Language of Oromo People in Ethiopia
Self-explanatory. What makes this book distinct is in the subtitle; it focuses on teaching to speak Afaan Oromo.
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Oromo-English Dictionary
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Amharic-English Dictionary
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