A visit to Axum
I'm
interested very much by religious history, and over the years have travelled
widely in the Middle East, Iran, the islamic sites in Central Asia (Samarkand,
Bukhara etc) and China. I attempted to visit Ethiopia in 1996, but due
to the situation with Eritrea I was refused a visa. Circumstances allowed
me a spare few weeks this year (I'm training to be a solicitor) so I
took the opportunity to go.
No doubt you're familiar with the history of Axum, and particularly
the claims regarding the Ark. For those of us interested in such things,
the myth is very compelling. Certainly, you won't find any Ethiopians
who doubt it's existence in St Mary of Tsion. I spent a week visiting
the compound, and met many of the priests. I was able to bring back
holy water from the chapel, and found my time there very rewarding.
The town is as Sue has described, dusty, very basic in amenities, and
little choice of accommodation. The Africa Hotel is recommended. To
fly there from Addis would cost approx $80, and the airline is very
efficient. The population of Axum is a mixture of Tigrayans and Ethiopians,
and both are equally good, honest peoples. I liked them very much. Not
much goes on in Axum, and as a consequence any foreigner will not find
his time there hassle-free. Everyone appears to offer their services
as a guide, driver, etc etc. You will be unable to finish a meal without
being approached and joined by various people, who are remarkably unshy
about selling their services. You must be prepared for the constant
attention and requests for 'gifts' etc. No doubt you get my drift! However,
all attention is curious and honest, never threatening.
The poor and destitute in Ethiopia are perfectly ubiquitous, especially
in Addis. Prepare yourself for a profound assault on your preconceptions.
Learn to allow the harrowing scenes you shall regularly see to become
part of the background; stop to concentrate and think, and you'll be
lost. The country is truly worlds apart from what you may know, or think
you know. You simply cannot help everyone, and you will be asked for
something - not always money - a dozen or more times a day. Remember
that many Ethiopians have a very unrealistic conception of your relative
wealth, and will make their requests on that basis. What I want to convey
is that what may appear mercenary behaviour is largely only naivete.
The more time you spend in Ethiopian society, the more you realise how
principles of courtesy, honesty, manners and concern for the people
around you permeate the culture. who is the more civilised? The country
is far and away one of the safest I've ever visited. The infra-structure
is however very poor, and travelling can be hard. There are very few
tarmac roads for example. Fifty percent of appliances (showers, lights
etc) won't work, and I did not stay in a single place outside the capital
that you may describe as 'comfortable'. The people make up for it though!
Lastly, be prepared to meet a people whose aspirations are likely to
be in direct contrast to your own, if I judge your aims correctly from
the material on your website. Naturally, and in common with virtually
all third-world peoples in my experience, the Ethiopians place great
store in wealth, significant by it's absence. I mean to say that they
aspire to a society like our own, and have no experience of a truly
secular existence. They cannot see the faults in our way of life, and
believe it superior to their own. A mistake caused by material aspirations
which are only natural of course, and again, naivete.
Andrew Fairley
