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Fire on the Mountain
by Jane Kurtz
Ethiopia
Ethiopia is a country in northeastern Africa. Its name comes from the Greek word
for “burning faces” and was originally used to describe the land that lies south
of Egypt, where most of the population had darker skin. Ethiopia is one of the
oldest nations in the world. Its first emperor, Menelik I, is believed to be the
son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, both biblical figures.
The land consists mainly of mountains and plateaus. The Ethiopian Plateau
occupies two-thirds of the country and is where most Ethiopians live. It is
ideal for farming barley, corn, wheat, and teff (a native grain). The plateau is
divided into two sections by the Great Rift Valley. The part that slopes down
into lowland regions includes some of the hottest places in the world, with
extremely poor farming conditions.
There are two seasons in Ethiopia: the wet season (from June to September), and
the dry season (October through May). When the rain does not fall, parts of the
country experience drought and famine conditions, where adults, children, and
animals do not have enough food. This has occurred repeatedly in recent years.
The People
Over 80 languages are spoken in Ethiopia, however there are three main groups of
Ethiopians, as classified by its government. The Amhara are the culturally and
politically dominant group, although they are a minority of the population. They
live mainly on the central highland plateau and wear a one-piece white cotton
cloth called shamma over either cotton shirts (for men) or dresses (for women).
The Oromo, who make up 40% of the population, are the largest ethnic group in
Ethiopia. They are mainly farmers or livestock herders who live in the central
and southwestern parts of the country. The Shankella people live in the western
part of Ethiopia and make up only six percent of the population.
Most people in Ethiopia are farmers or raise livestock. The farmers’ ancient
techniques use oxen and wooden plows called maresha to till the fields. The
herders raise cattle, camels, goats, and sheep and travel with their livestock
to find food. The relatively small number of people who live in the cities work
in industries, run shops, or work for the government.
Poverty is all too common in Ethiopia. Population is increasing in the cities
due to better medical care, electric power, clean water, and education.
Agriculture is still the main industry, and droughts that devastate the economy
and cause widespread starvation. Because of the unstable environment, weak
economy, and is subject to droughts, Ethiopia is a focal point for charity
organizations such as CARE and the Red Cross.
Ethiopian Food
Teff is the staple grain of Ethiopia and the central ingredient in Ethiopian
food. It is used to make injera, which is large, sour, spongy, pancake-like
bread that is torn and used in place of utensils to eat Ethiopian food. Berbere,
a thick chili paste, is used in most Ethiopian dishes, as is Niter Kebbeh,
clarified butter combined with ginger, garlic, and spices.
The most popular dishes in Ethiopia are called wats, which are thick stew dishes
made of meat (except pork), vegetables, or beans. The stews are served with
injera on a large woven basket table and everyone shares. Kitfo, freshly ground
raw beef, often ends a traditional Ethiopian meal. Ethiopians also brew their
own barley beer, called tella, and a honey wine, called ej, and eat small fried
pastries, called dabo kolo.
Flags
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Related Activity
Solve a Wild Kingdom jigsaw puzzle
Links
History, geography & people of Ethiopia
Ethiopian food
Embassy of Ethiopia, Washington DC
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