Things, people and stuff we think are cool.
It used to be that we at SELEDA were notorious arbiters of bad taste and champions of cheese. We often look back fondly at the days when we did not think that polyester and testosterone should be regulated by the FDA, and we think, wow, no wonder we were held back more than a few years in finishing school.
Well, no more. Sure we still enjoy the occasional injera inna peanut butter fr-fr, but that don’t mean that we don’t recognize people who have forced us to recalibrate our cool-o-meter by achieving goals that, well, mekegels our insecurities to initiate a gb-gb with our inferiority complexes while our low self esteem looks down from Katanga!
The point is, ke dehna yatewelede ke dehna y’Tega, and in that spirit we humbly salute the people who make us proud.
Branna Magazine
Once upon a time, in pre-Ring Road days, when mussina was still a non-word, a few well-intentioned editors (we had those in those days) at SELEDA thought that we had the potential to morph into a nontoxic vessel for intellectual dialogue and literary exploits. Oh, yes, SELEDochachin, we medebabessed the idea of being a beacon of cerebral inkiya selamtiya… an agelgil brimming full of ideas and thoughts that would bring forth civil discourse amongst Diasporic ETs.
Until, of course, we discovered that all that required sustained and rational thought processes, being at least 90% wefefE-free-inet and, er, sobriety longer than the time it takes to open free another bottle of XO.
Tadiya mn yaregal?
Well, thank God the gods brought us Branna Magazine. What can we say about Branna that we have not said to past and present therapists at odd and oddly inappropriate moments? It is an ambitious, superbly written publication that should be made into little blue pills and overdosed with regularity. Beqa!
Branna settled into a fantastic groove in its second issue with the scoop of all scoops: Guenet Ayele writing about talking to Mengistu Haile Mariam. Peppered with thought provoking articles from stalwart writers from the Ethiopian Diaspora such as Yemane Demissie and Aida Edemariam, as well as straight from Ethiopia – innE Indrias Getachew and Heruy Arefe-Aine-, Branna is one hip, exhilarating, unapologetically cool endeavor that has made our toes curl at, again, oddly inappropriate times.
Branna is not prissy about stepping on toes and making waves via salient critiques, nor is it coquettish about poking at our sacred cows with the sharpest of pens. Wendata! “… [W]e're going to find those untold stories and write them on the pages that have so far been blank. We'll try and represent the Ethiopian experience with a mix of essays, reportage and photography; with reviews of books, music, theatre and art.”
Moresh!
We are delighted to learn that the third issue is about to hit the newsstands and will be sporting a new design and will also be presented on glossy paper. (Love anything printed on glossy paper; reminds us of them gussied up “WeTatinet inna Soshalizim” pamphlets that we were forced to read pre-something called “Medeb Nqate Hlinna” at qebellE meetings. … Good times.)
Among the features in the new issue we hear, will be: Yohannes Edemariam following a coffee bean from rural Ethiopia to Starbucks; Shiferaw Bekele (SELEDA’s favorite Historian and potential wushimma-in-waiting) pontificating on Guenet Ayele's book; Fassil Giorghis on Addis Ababa's old homes; and, speaking of knee-slapping fun that is sure to conjure up fond memories, Meskerem Assegeud on Ethiopian "socialist realism".
Oh yeaaah, bring it on, baby!
These are new times in the Ethiopian Diaspora. These are the Enlightenment Years on so many levels. These are days of hope and realization that the we in the Diaspora have a stake in Ethiopia, and Branna is unabashedly at the forefront of the march towards changing Ethiopia as we know her.
To Subscribe to Branna go to: http://www.branna.ca/subscription.html
Ethioindex.com
There are portals, and there are portals. But then there is a phenomenon called Ethioindex. In what seems to be a relatively short time, Ethioindex, or as it is known around the SELEDA corridors, Esatu Ethioindex, has soared to heights of excellence that leaves us dazed with veneration.
First there was the news portal thingy, which pools news about Ethiopia from sources as wide and varied as Upper Management’s neurosis. Not in Lagos thumbing through Nigeria’s Daily Champion? (Wui besmeab! Mn boTachiu!) Not to worry. Ethioindex ferrets out the most obscure publication that writes about Ethiopia. It is the most comprehensive outlet for ET news. We’ve noticed that they’ve partnered with the revered Ethiopian News Headlines and have started to include publications from back home, although ENH is still the unrivaled mesafint of brilliant selections from the Ethiopian press.
So already, we are smitten by Ethioindex and want to be its love child. Then, then it added its Directory feature that sports Ethiopian links that are neatly indexed and categorized. Did you know, for example, that there is an “African and Ethiopian Studies” at Warsaw University? No, you did not. You know why? ‘Coz who knew they had a university in Warsaw? The Ethioindex directory is thorough, genuinely informative and better than the YeteregageTe Kitfo at Lidet Restaurant. Now, that, our friends, is good.
We, the easily spooked, can take only so much, but not the people behind Ethioindex. Then came Medrek—their discussion board that is full of characters who call themselves Medrekians. Medrek if full of ruminations on everything from who-did-what-to-whom in the 14th century, to why we ETs lie about our ages, to banter about find a wife/husband. There are different categories, and for those of you gun shy about politics, enjoy the postings in the “Humor” or “General Interest and Articles” rooms. For those of you who dabble in politics… yerassachiu gudai!
Ethioindexoch, ymechachihu!
But there is more.
Soaring to heights unknown, Ethioindex introduced its remarkable Live Webcasts. This is what revolution should be, dear SELEDAwiyan, unlike the assiduously dbrtinet that was medeb tgl this, meseretawi qranE that of the 70s. Ethioindex hosts occasional live Webcasts with call-in opportunities for listeners. Recent discussions included such timely subjects such as “Ethiopians & Mental Health: Illness, Stigma and Services” and “Status & Performance of Ethiopian Community Associations in North America”. One word: besmeabbweweldwemenfessqidus!
Everything in Ethioindex is archived efficiently, and the entire site is easily accessible and intuitive. This is perfection. This is the 21st century, and Ethioindex is a definite fashion “Do”. You pioneers, we salute you.
Visit Ethioindex daily at: http://www.ethioindex.com
TsegayE Gabre-Medhin’s “Abren Zm Inibel”
Several of your veins should involuntarily shudder to rapt attention when you hear Ato TsegayE’s bravura voice booming through your speakers as he reads some of his works on his new CD, Abren Zim Inibel”.
Listening to this brilliant compilation of poetry in Amharic, OromiNa and English is one of those experiences that will leave your spine a little weaker, you mind a little less foggy and your spirit ever so sublimely reinvigorated. By the time you reach the Awash reading you will genuflect compulsively with every utterance of “EskemechE Y’hon Awash…”
The CD is designed superbly. It reeks class all the way, and you can follow Ato Tsegaye’s words in the handy little booklet that carries the words to all the tracks. What a genius approach to introducing the next generation to Kibur Ato TsgayE’s work!
It is a veritable start and we hope that there is a Part Two coming up, with, ehem, Esat Wei Abeba, Bchawn New Wend Miyaleqiss, Ye Tewodros Sinibit Ke Meqdela, and of course, Wa Yachi Adwa… but, we ain’t pushy or nuthin’.
It is true that there is healing in poetry, and “Abren Zim Inibel” faithfully proves that idiom.
Abren Zim Inibel is produced by C-Side Entertainment. It is available at most Ethiopian retail outlets. To purchase on line, please send email to info@csideentertainment.com.
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