Many people think that Ethiopia is a Christian country. But there live many Muslims as well. Over one third according to the last census. Because many Muslims are pastoralist, and therefore difficult to include in a census, some people think that their number is larger. In many places in the country, such as here in Harar, one sees mosques and shrines. Compared with the rest of Northeast Africa, Muslims and Christians in Ethiopia live together fairly peacefully.
Ethiopia competes for the Africa cup, the Netherlands for the World cup. The balls in the Netherlands are of good quality. In Ethiopia people sometimes have no more than a lump of clay with a piece of plastic or old cloth around it. But the fun is not less. Especially in remote areas life can be tough, and that is why we distribute balls with an air pump there to a club, a village elder and school director. The mere enthusiasm makes our flesh creep.
The Ballenzaak www.deballenzaak.nl has provided us with footballs for a fantastic price. Frans Snijders of All Brake Systems in the Dutch city of IJsselstein has paid that price for us, and added a number of caps and shirts as well.
This photograph was made on the outskirts of Gondar, near the palace of the 18th century Empress Mintweab. The girl has picked flowers from the field behind her, and mixed them with some red ones (dalia?) into a bouquet. The yellow flower is called Meskel flower, Meskel being the festival of the discovery of the true cross by St. Helena. When I came here for the first time, in the late 1980s, everything was barren and dry, there was famine. This time superfluous rains have given the country a new look.
Picture of the Month in the Armchair Traveller of the widely read Lonely Planet Magazine
Ethiopia has many undiscovered archaeological sites. Possibly only ten percent of these have been excavated. All the time new discoveries are made. During a recent visit to Axum I learnt that these ruins are not part of the castle of Queen Makeda of Sheba. Ethiopian and German archaeologists expect that they were part of the castle of the 16th century AD King Khaleb. They hope to find those of the Queen of Sheba underneath these ruins.
It was very early, when we walked from our lodge in the Bale Mountains to the starting place for a trek. Although we knew it, we were impressed by our ‘expedition’: 18 horses for materials (tents, mattresses, blankets, cooking materials, etc.) and attendants, and three horses for our guide, my wife Geertje and myself. It made us think of 19th and 20th century travellers through this country. During five days we went through a magnificent, empty and stilled area between 2000 and 4000 meter high. During the nights we camped in a circle, with the horses inside it. We had to watch hyenas.
Many books about Ethiopia either start about its problems or they hide them and show only nice pictures. Arjan and I did per se not want to portray Ethiopia as a problem-country, and Ethiopians as people with whom one should have pity. That is why we have asked many Ethiopians about their dream: What is your dream for your life? By asking this question, they play to their strength and it becomes visible what Ethiopians want and are able to. Without letting difficult matters underexposed.
It has come: Ethiopia Footsteps in Dust and Gold. The monumental photobook that I made together with Jos van Beurden. It has lasted long: an exercise in patience. Publishing houses in the USA and Ethiopia were enthusiastic. They promised a lot but made us wait. The book was finally not published by them, but by Stichting Kunstboek of our southern neighbors in Belgium. The long wait has also yielded something: an even stronger connection with the country, between the makers, and with the book. Extra travels with new photographs and information. We have kept working, spending much attention to the composition and design. And then at once the moment has come! And the book now is lying here in front of me and elsewhere in my home boxes filled with this wonderful product. We proudly present: Ethiopia Footsteps in Dust and Gold. It has been made in slow-motion, harmony and love.
I am super-proud!