The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, situated on the Horn of Africa, is the most heavily-populated country in the world without a coastline. It is also the second most populous country on the entire African continent. The Oromia region is one of Ethiopia's nine regional states. Now, you can get Oromia news.
The history of Oromo, as it is sometimes called, is very interesting. This is as true for recent history as it is for ancient times. Until the beginning of the 21st century, Oromia's capital was Addis Ababa, also known as Finfinne. At this time, the government moved the capital to Adama. The rationale behind this change was that it was more suitable for the cultural growth of the region. Opponents of the switch blamed it on the government wanting to diminish the influence of Addis Ababa. By 2005, the capital was moved back to Finfinne by the People's Democratic Organization of Oromo.
It is no small feat that we are now able to read about Oromia. Until very recently, the ruling body was rather bashful about the goings on in the country. Our new-found ability to read about the region is a triumph of democracy and freedom.
In the Finfinne Tribune, it is possible to read about the mythical origin of the Abyssinian Solomonic dynasty. The Judeo-Christian Bible tells the story of a visit to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba. What the Bible does not mention is a child born to the Queen months after the historic meeting. This baby allegedly grew up to become King Minilik I.
It is not necessarily weird that the Bible doesn't mention Minilik. The Bible is a story of Creation, of God's promise to Abraham and about the world's long road to salvation via Jesus Christ, a direct descendant of King David. King Solomon himself was illegitimate in conventional eyes, the product of an adulterous union between his father, King David, and Bathsheba, the wife of one of the king's soldiers. So, while Minilik certainly has a very prestigious nth cousin, he himself was not part of the main story line and his omission does not rule out his provenance.
Now, rulers back in those days made a habit of claiming a mystical heritage, if only to distances themselves from their subjects. These lofty roots were used as justification to exercise limitless power over the ordinary mortals over whom they reigned.
The notion that kings were demigods persisted right up until the overthrow of Emperor Haile Sillaasee in 1974. Sillaasee, too, was a member of the Solomonic dynasty. Born Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael, he served as regent of Ethiopia between 1916 and 1930 before taking over as Emperor until 1974.
It is exciting to be exposed to new stories about old countries that never seem to have a big role on the world stage, at least from a western point of view. It is unfortunate that records of the Solomonic Dynasty, kept by the Christian monks of the Ethiopian orthodoxy, were demolished when Judith I destroyed the monasteries. Following the revolution in 1974, most of the Ethiopian royal family were put in prison, later to be released and entered into exile. Today, many members of the royal family have been allowed to come back and life in Ethiopia.
The history of Oromo, as it is sometimes called, is very interesting. This is as true for recent history as it is for ancient times. Until the beginning of the 21st century, Oromia's capital was Addis Ababa, also known as Finfinne. At this time, the government moved the capital to Adama. The rationale behind this change was that it was more suitable for the cultural growth of the region. Opponents of the switch blamed it on the government wanting to diminish the influence of Addis Ababa. By 2005, the capital was moved back to Finfinne by the People's Democratic Organization of Oromo.
It is no small feat that we are now able to read about Oromia. Until very recently, the ruling body was rather bashful about the goings on in the country. Our new-found ability to read about the region is a triumph of democracy and freedom.
In the Finfinne Tribune, it is possible to read about the mythical origin of the Abyssinian Solomonic dynasty. The Judeo-Christian Bible tells the story of a visit to King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba. What the Bible does not mention is a child born to the Queen months after the historic meeting. This baby allegedly grew up to become King Minilik I.
It is not necessarily weird that the Bible doesn't mention Minilik. The Bible is a story of Creation, of God's promise to Abraham and about the world's long road to salvation via Jesus Christ, a direct descendant of King David. King Solomon himself was illegitimate in conventional eyes, the product of an adulterous union between his father, King David, and Bathsheba, the wife of one of the king's soldiers. So, while Minilik certainly has a very prestigious nth cousin, he himself was not part of the main story line and his omission does not rule out his provenance.
Now, rulers back in those days made a habit of claiming a mystical heritage, if only to distances themselves from their subjects. These lofty roots were used as justification to exercise limitless power over the ordinary mortals over whom they reigned.
The notion that kings were demigods persisted right up until the overthrow of Emperor Haile Sillaasee in 1974. Sillaasee, too, was a member of the Solomonic dynasty. Born Tafari Makonnen Woldemikael, he served as regent of Ethiopia between 1916 and 1930 before taking over as Emperor until 1974.
It is exciting to be exposed to new stories about old countries that never seem to have a big role on the world stage, at least from a western point of view. It is unfortunate that records of the Solomonic Dynasty, kept by the Christian monks of the Ethiopian orthodoxy, were demolished when Judith I destroyed the monasteries. Following the revolution in 1974, most of the Ethiopian royal family were put in prison, later to be released and entered into exile. Today, many members of the royal family have been allowed to come back and life in Ethiopia.
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