Intro

On Nationalism

Surprise Still Pending

Speechism

Ethiopianism

Arif Wear

NYU Habeshas

Amadou's Reminiscing

Kimo's Korner

A Hazardous Peace Of Mind

Hi My name is...

Aman Mchugh

Poetry: Rahel Hailu

In your AREA

Photo of the Month

Artwork

Webpage

Have you ever walked into an Ethiopian Restaurant and the waitress acknowledged you as an African- American rather than an Ethiopian and you were in fact Ethiopian? Have you ever showed your driver's license to a gas station attendant just to prove that your name was Ethiopian and you were of Ethiopian descent? Your answers to both of these questions are probably no, but I am one of those rare cases that people hear about. I am half African-American, half Ethiopian and being that I have never had a relationship with my father, I consider myself a pure Ethiopian male. Hearing Amharic day in and day out and being exposed to the food at such an early age forced me to understand that I was truly Ethiopian. I mostly grew up in Toronto seeing the Ethiopian garments worn by my family and until I permanently moved to the United States I never thought about being perceived as "half." It's funny, when people don't believe me I say to myself "who cares" but I often wonder how they simply can't see it after I tell them that I am ABESHA.

Although I have never been back home, I have a grandmother, two aunts and a few cousins currently residing in Addis. Within our society we tend to prejudge people without even becoming aware of our misconceptions. I am not insisting that people are wrong for thinking I am not Ethiopian; my only beef is the fact that they do not believe me. Don't look at me crazy and try to figure me out or give me some attitude, as if you are better than I am just because both of your parents are Abesha. I guess people really don't know what it's like until you take a walk in my shoes for day. Walk into a convenience store, say "tadias" and watch them automatically assume that you learned how to speak the language from a friend or something. Their defense is, "he dresses like he is a typical American, he couldn't be Abesha." The majority of the people that come from foreign countries end up wearing Nikes, Timberlands, Starter hats and adapt to the culture anyway. I just want them to look at their kids and themselves and see how Americanized their family has become.

I don't want you to think that I am being really defensive and I care about what these people think. I just want people to become aware of what takes place all around us. I only want you to see it through my eyes and to see where I am coming from. Most of you are probably wondering why I care about their perception of me or the questions they ask. It has only come to my attention because it has occurred so frequently. Maybe I shouldn't be so friendly; after all I shouldn't have to prove anything. I just like greeting my fellow Abesha people when I see them. Its just like when we as Black people say "wsup" to people we don't even know on the streets. It's the culture and the love of our skin color. I am really proud of my roots and the entire heritage linked to it. People should think that its great that I am proud and that I flaunt it like everyone else. We are all the same one-way or another whether we like it or not. Let's appreciate one another for who really are rather than prejudging each other due to appearance. Life is entirely too short, let's stick together instead of pushing one away for being different.

Holla at ya boy, Azage

A Long Walk In My Shoes
By: Azage

Take a walk in my shoes, for the entirety of the path/
For just 20-quatre hours, see how long you last/
An Ethio-Candadian may not be considered equal/
Don't knock me for being DOWN and representing my people/
Not speaking to all of ya'll only the chosen few? /
That look at us like we're green with shaded spots of blue/
To the people that look past appearance, keep doing what you do/
It's too much pride in ABESHA for us not to stay true/
To ourselves, and each other, we're different sisters and brothers from different mothers/
Our skin color will always remain like no other/
Cannot fight ignorance, so many will get shoulder shrugs/
On behalf of the people like me who can't speak it, but its deeply embedded in our blood/
They better respect me for who I am I'm well passed paying my dues/
It's just a lesson well learned through a walk in my shoes/
One.