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Ethiopia in Western Culture

Homer – The Iliad – 1

The divine glory of Ethiopia is clearly expressed in the “Iliad” of the greatest greek poet, Homer.
In Iliad Book 1 verses 423-425 Tethis speaks with Achilles her son, and suggests him to not join the war, and to wait few days the return of Zeus, that was not available at that time and could not help him:
Ζεὺς γὰρ ἐς Ὠκεανὸν μετ᾽ἀμύμονας Αἰθιοπῆας
χθιζὸς ἔβη κατὰ δαῖτα, θεοὶ δ᾽ἅμα πάντες ἕποντο
δωδεκάτῃ δέ τοι αὖτις ἐλεύσεται Οὔλυμπον δέ
“Zeus went yesterday to Oceanus, to the blameless Ethiopians for a feast, and all the gods followed with him; but on the twelfth day he will come back again to Olympus”.
Zeus, the head of all the greek gods, had the habit to spend his holydays in Ethiopia, to join Ethiopian banquets and feasts and cut off the rest of the world business for 12 days.
The coming down of Zeus in Ethiopia is an image of incarnation and coming of Christ.
Oceanus was also a Greek Divinity, he was traditionally represented with dark complexion and recognized as an Ethiopian (attached picture), and in the same Iliad (XIV, 201), Homer said about him:
Ὠκεανόν τε θεῶν γένεσιν / Okeanòn te Teòn Gènesin
“Oceanus the Genesis of the Gods”. Therefore, Ethiopia was declared as the original motherland of life.
The Ethiopians were “blameless”, and the Gods especially loved their sacrifices, their celebrations, their company. Therefore, they were declared by Homer as Chosen People of holiness.
That’s why the goddess Iris, again in the Iliad (XXIII, 205-207), is invited to join a greek feast, but she prefers the Ethiopians:
ἣ δ᾽αὖθ᾽ ἕζεσθαι μὲν ἀνήνατο, εἶπε δὲ μῦθον:
οὐχ ἕδος: εἶμι γὰρ αὖτις ἐπ᾽ Ὠκεανοῖο ῥέεθρα
Αἰθιόπων ἐς γαῖαν, ὅθι ῥέζουσ᾽ ἑκατόμβας
ἀθανάτοις, ἵνα δὴ καὶ ἐγὼ μεταδαίσομαι ἱρῶν.
“But she refused to sit, and spake saying: ‘I may not sit, for I must go back unto the streams of Oceanus, unto the land of the Ethiopians, where they are sacrificing hecatombs to the immortals, that I too may share in the sacred feast.’ “
Categories
Haile Selassie I - Teachings

The Wicked is just a Copy

“The rebels claimed to be promising reform. But I only ask you to look at their published declarations and program. They are only copies of what we are already doing for the development of the country”.

– H.I.M. Haile Selassie I –

(“Daily Colonist” Newspaper, 15th January 1961)

 

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Cultural Shop

Photographic Posters and Prints

High Definition Photo-Posters 30×40 cm, with rare pics of HIM Haile Selassie I and Ra-Eye Original Artworks (Selam Semrete Selassie).

 

Categories
Cultural Shop

I&I T-Shirts with Original Graphic Artworks

Cotton T-shirts of high quality, S M L XL sizes available, 2 colors GRAY and DARK GREEN.

King Alpha and Queen Omega RA-EYE Artwork

 

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Haile Selassie I - Testimonies

Uk Evening Express, 17th of January 1941

“HAILE SELASSIE – PROPHET

It was a lovely night, the skies were blue and the moon shone with rare brilliance. I had the unique honour of listening to the Emperor Haile Selassie in his modestly furnished reception room in the ancient city of Bath.

How prophetic of the Black Emperor that he should choose Bath for his residence in Britain – a city made famous by the Romans for their baths.

It was in June of the last year, before Benito Mussolini, the destroyer of Abyssinia’s freedom, declared war on Britain.

The world knew nothing about the plans and intentions of the Emperor when he told me that:

‘The hour of my country’s liberation is coming and you will see me soon leaving this country.

Don’t think that I was wasting my time here pushing my bicycle on the streets of Bath all these days. My faithful rasses all over the country were carefully knitting a net of revolutionary activity, keeping the people informed about my doings here and their duty to their motherland.

I have received definitive news from Ras Kassa that my people are awaiting my arrival in the country with expectancy.

I will not rest until the last Italian is driven away from my country. I live and I die for the liberation of Ethiopia. I am confident that in less than a year I will ride on my snow-white charger at the head of my people and enter Addis Ababa.’ “

Categories
Haile Selassie I - Testimonies

Indro Montanelli – Italian Journalist and Fascist Soldier – 1982

Interview with Enzo Biagi, taken from “1935 e dintorni”, E.Biagi, Mondadori 1982.

“I feel a great admiration for the negus, a real man without doubts, and the abyssinians were very lovable people, they had never been our enemies, even during the conflict, everywhere we were welcomed with feasts“. (…)

“I remember Haile Selassie as a man full of dignity, I knew him when I returned there: suspicious, smart, very shrewd, surely a head fitting for his country, that never accepted our offers. As you know, we wanted to give him a huge appanage, to make him king of Rhodes or one island in the Aegean Sea, that was surely easier than going to London in exile, poor, for he didn’t own exported money. Instead, he was able to keep his rank, his style, and above all he had this high merit: once returned in Addis Abeba, he started to protect the Italian people, he never felt any rancour.“

 

Categories
Meditations

No More Naked

The Word made flesh to be abused as a Lamb. A completely naked body rested upon the cross, five nails carved it down, thousands of enemies hit His Flesh, publically exposed.

Behold the beauty and corporal integrity of the King Haile Selassie I, covered with long sleeves. Who had the privilege to see His holy body unveiled ? He is completely free and dignified, and nobody can touch Him disrespectfully, as Resurrected Christ.

I&I walk inna new glorious joy, and we see no more wounds on Jah Face.

 

Categories
Haile Selassie I - Testimonies

Daily Colonist – Canadian Newspaper – 1961

The Daily Colonist (Canada), 15th January 1961

“Weak Emperors Don’t Last – Little Haile Selassie Always Comes Out on Top”

“Weeping Ethiopians fell on their faces and kissed the ground as the imperial automobile drove past. Then they went to their churches and sang hymns of rejoicing and thanksgiving to their emperor and, incidentally, to God.” (…)

“Haile Selassie is a little man physically. He is 5 1/2 feet tall and slightly built. His jet-black beard now has a few grey hairs as he goes into his 70th year.

But he is strong, physically and morally.”

 

Categories
Haile Selassie I - Life and Works

The Grave of Lulu, Beloved Dog of God

The grave of Lulu, the beloved dog of His Majesty: He ordered to build this monument in his memory. Over it, there was written:

“Born 5 May 1959 Died 23 July 1969, beloved companion of His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, Whom he faithfully accompanied on his journeys to and within the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.”

 

Categories
Haile Selassie I - Teachings

Letter of Application for Membership to the League of Nations – 1923

“In the name of the Queen of the Kings of Ethiopia, whose seal is represented above, we have the honour to present our application for membership, and to confirm the terms of the telegram we have sent concerning this subject.

Considering that the great war raised in Europe has ended, since long time the ethiopian government wants to be listed among the States that are members of the League of Nations, whose Pact grants unity, mutual aid and peace of all the nations of the world.

As the holy books testify, since the year 1500 since Salomon, we fight against the pagans that sorround us – as the map of our country helps to recognize – for the faith in God, the observance of his laws, the safeguard of the independence of our country and our religion. The God of our faith has helped us, and we have been able to baptize thousands of pagans, that have become our brothers, and we only had rest at the time of our emperor Menelik II.

Among these facts, seeing that the heir to the throne, Lij Iyasu, was tending towards the religion against which, with much strain, we have fought, and was taking a way that could create problems with the neighbouring governments, we stopped along the way of progress, taking care of putting things back in order.

In spite of that, during this small time of rest we have attained, looking for ties of friendship, we have built a railway, we have signed the Convention of Bruxelles, we became members of the Universal Postal Union. With the powers that have assembled to found this League, we have signed treaties and always respected their commitments. As we have received the Gospel of Christ at the same time as you, we really wished to harmonize our laws with yours, despite the difficulties that hinder us. We are confident that all we have done will be a guarantee, and that you will bear witness of that.

We know that the League of Nations grants the independence and territorial integrity of the States of the world, and keeps them in peace and agreement; that it takes care to increase the friendship among the children of men; that it wants to suppress the obstacles to that friendship, provoking wars when there is an offense; that it gives honor to truth and loyalty. Those principles are well done, especially for a nation that has always remained firmly Christian. The perpetual desire of this christian government is to rule its people in peace and tranquillity, and to develop this country in prosperity. All this suited us, and we agreed to send our plenipotentiary emissaries to sit at the League, and work according to the regulations set by the independent States. We therefore have the honour to ask you to let us know, through the mission we have sent, the decision of the League of Nations, as we have requested through our telegram…

We pray to God our ardent wishes that this friendly foundation of nations will be strengthened and our application favourably accepted.”

Taken from “L’Empire des Negus, Pierre-Alype, 1935 pp. 271-273 and from “Ethiopie Fidele a la Croix“, M.Cleret, 1957, pp. 137-141