Outrageous Falsehood on Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia) Rejected: Solomonic Dynasty, Kingdom Do Not Exist
Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis
July 26, 2010
Primarily, there is no Biblical reference to the state that today is fallaciously and mendaciously named ´Ethiopia´; similarly, the Bible does not mention anything about the Axumite Abyssinians, the ancestors of today´s Amhara and Tigray who tyrannically rule Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia) and therein imprisoned subjugated nations.
All Biblical references to Kush (Ethiopia) concern Ancient Sudan, and the people who have been related with Napata and Meroe, the two capitals of the Ancient and true, Ethiopia. Descendants of these people are today the Arabic-speaking Sudanese, and the Kushitic nations that have been subjugated by the Abyssinains, namely the Oromos, the Sidamas, the Hadiyas, the Kaffas and the Kambatas.
Secondly, there has never been any connection of the Biblical and Quranic Yemenite Queen of Sheba with any African territory, let alone Axum whereby excavations have been highly propagandized as revealing connections that are hypothetical, preposterous, and – worse – premeditated.
Thirdly, there is no proof and no evidence that the historical kings of Pre-Christian and Christian Axum had any connection with the Ancient Hebrews and, after the elimination of the Ancient Israelites (10 tribes), the Judeans (2 tribes). The material record offers substantive proof that there is no chance that any Axumite king ever pretended to be descendant of Solomon or any Hebrew royal family.
Fourthly, there is no proof and no evidence that the Christian kings of the Agaw nation considered themselves as descendants of either the Axumite Abyssinian kings or Solomon and any other Hebrew royal family.
Fifthly, the monstrous falsification of the Ancient History of the Orient by the mentally defective author of Kebra Negast, involving the fallacious fabrication of otherwise inexistent mythical "persons" (such as Ethiopis), is a late literary product impossible to be substantiated by any earlier textual, epigraphic or archeological evidence. Any claims, assumptions and efforts of contextualization therein included with respect to earlier historical developments are totally invalid, if not corroborated by earlier developments. It is essential therefore to conclude that Kebra Negast does not confirm the existence of a Solomonic dynastical line up to the moment when that text was written; it merely hypothesizes it in a derisory manner.
There has never been any post-Agaw Abyssinian ´Kingdom´.
In the light of the aforementioned, one must consider the following point for which I intend to herewith publish further evidence. The Abyssinian social practice makes it impossible for a king, a dynasty, and a royalty to truly exist. In fact, the expression "Abyssinian kingdom", referring to practices attested after the fall the Kushitic Agaw political power, is the world´s most obnoxious joke.
Not a single noble man, king or emperor has ever existed in the coarse and incestuous Abyssinian society. From Yekuno Amlak (the lewd, filthy, barefoot murderer of the last Agaw Chritian king Yetbarak) to Haile Selassie there has never been any emperor, any king, and – more critically – any nobleman in Abyssinia.
The entire history of post-Agaw Abyssinia is a succession of uncivilized gangsters of incestuous origin, who were peremptorily called ´noble men´, ´kings´ or ´emperors´; they were imposed as such to all the peoples and nations that, with Anglo-French permission and support, the Abyssinians invaded and subjugated.
Of course, all the subjugated nations preserved their noble character and rejected the Amhara fallacy, fornication and barbarism. The memory of their noble past is still alive among them. They remember that as late as the mid 19th century, the Hadiya King rejected to meet the filthy trash that impersonated the Abyssinian "king". Fornication, incest and prostitution are totally out of nobility and royalty.
This is something the Abyssinians will never understand.
It is essential now to explain why there cannot be any ´noble men´, ´kings´ or ´emperors´ among the Abyssinians.
Due to the absolute lack of family in the Amhara society, as I already exposed in an earlier article (see below), there is no chance for a noblesse to come to existence.
The Abyssinian ´noble men´ are rubbish collectors called ´noble men´. Nothing more!
The Abyssinian ´kings´ are filthy barefoot beggars called ´kings´. Nothing more!
The Abyssinian ´emperors´ are dirty beasts called ´emperors´. Nothing more!
Any incestuous ruler does not make a noble man, let alone king and emperor. In Ancient Assyria and Babylonia, these people were called "son of nobody", and this exactly what all the anti-Christian, incestuous Abyssinian pseudo-kings have been.
And wherever there is no noblesse, there cannot be any kingdom.
The history of a country whereby incestuous rulers are shamelessly called "kings" and/or "emperors" is not the history of a kingdom or an empire; it´s the history of an incestuous society ruled tyrannically by barbarous and blasphemous rulers.
The history of the Abyssinian states over the past 700 years is therefore the sub-history of an ignoble and monstrous society plunged in incest and fornication.
Abyssinia is nothing more than blasphemy and sacrilege; at a later stage, they added genocide.
In fact, anyone could make an ´emperor´ out of the lewdest gangster, who knows no father and no mother due to the prevailing fornication – suffice it that they have the power to do so, and the inhumanity to trust a devious and iniquitous authority of this sort. This use of power for an evil purpose - that they are genuinely incapacitated to perceive as such - is precisely what makes them absolutely Satanic of nature.
It sounds incredible and exaggerated but it is not; this is exactly what Bulatovich narrates, in spite of his perfect diplomatic relations with the Abyssinian rulers whom he encountered in the blasphemous country. He even says worse than the aforementioned:
"In Abyssinia there is no hereditary nobility, and it would even be unthinkable given the country's family structure. There are some families which lead their kin from afar. There are some who consider themselves descendants of kings and at this time are in the lowest position. In the Abyssinian language, there isn't even a word to express "nobility." Sometimes in an argument they say, that "I am bale abat," which means "one who has a father"."
Please, note the words "even" in the first line and "sometimes" one line before the last of the above paragraph.
Of this fornication the disreputable website of Wikipedia makes a ´kingdom´, a ´dynasty´, and an ´empire´ in their ridiculously false articles about Abyssinia (fake Ethiopia). The refutation of this trash, which is written by idiotic and ignorant employees of the secret services of the blasphemous and sacrilegious state of fake Ethiopia, will be the subject of another series of articles. Herewith I republish further excerpts from Bulatovich´s ´From Entotto to the River Baro´, after a brief recapitulation of the earlier parts of the series.
Recapitulation
Earlier articles of the present series can be found here:
1st Article
The Oromo Genocide Solemnly Confessed by Official Russian Explorer in Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia) (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/169749)
Selected and highlighted excerpts from a book – report published by a Russian explorer, military officer and monk, Alexander Bulatovich, who spent three years in Abyssinia, during the last decade of the 19th century. These excerpts undeniably testify to the Oromo genocide perpetrated by the invading Amhara and Tigray Abyssinian armies, and have therefore to be brought to the surface of political debate by the Oromo political and intellectual leaders at the local, regional and international levels.
2nd Article
Russia, the Oromos, Egypt, Sudan, Abyssinia (Fake Ethiopia), Somalia, Islam & Orthodox Christianity (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/169937)
Republishing further excerpts from Bulatovich´s book, I focused on the possible reasons for Russia´s failure as colonial power in the region. As reasons I identified an inherent Russian quantitative approach to the colonial process and an overall misperception of the past and the present of Asia and Africa, which is due to the Russian academic, intellectual and ideological acceptance of the Anglo-French Orientalism, a bunch of disciplines elaborated by the French and the English academia in order to mainly promote and diffuse an interpretation of data that would suit the interests of the Anglo-French Freemasonry, namely the driving force of the Paris and London regimes.
3rd Article
Abyssinian Colonization of Oromia, Sidama and Kaffa in Bogus Ethiopia. An Early Witness from Russia (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/169997)
Another, longer, excerpt from Bulatovich´s ´From Entotto to the River Baro´ which bears witness to the evil Amhara and Tigray plans of illegal occupation of the annexed lands and of tyrannical consolidation of the Abyssinian colonialism by means of settlements peremptorily implemented among the subjugated nations.
4th Article
Ethiopia (Oromo) vs. Abyssinia (Amhara). Unbridgeable Ethnic, Cultural Gap Revealed by Bulatovich
(http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/170546)
Two more excerpts that focus on the Oromo society, namely ´Galla Clothing´ and ´Galla Family Life´. The text itself proves that Bulatovich came to get most of the details indirectly, and in this case his treatise is conditioned by the evident lack of access to the original source of information. Sometimes, Bulatovich insists on a wrong term; although he knows that the correct name of the subjugated nation is Oromo, he keeps calling them Galla. Furthermore, Arsi becomes Arussi, and Waaqo turns out to be Wak.
5th Article
Oromo National Identity Diametrically Opposed to Amhara Manner, Russian Officer Bulatovich Reveals (http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/170765)
Three chapters dealing with Oromo national identity, religion and language. All the preconceived concepts of the colonial era are herewith present, thus leading Bulatovich to erroneous interpretations. Certainly, the Russian explorer was not a linguist, historian or historian of religions; more importantly, academic exploration was not the primary interest of his travel which was kind of diplomatic reconnaissance. In fact, Bulatovich viewed the Oromos, the Sidamas, the Kaffas, the Amharas and the other nations that he encountered in his travel as the outcome of an interaction occurred at his lifetime with no past! Attempting to explain the origins and the nature of Oromo festivals like that of Borenticha, he never imagined that the closest possible parallel could be that of the Khonsu festival in Ancient Egypt, which took place in May and had a genuinely apotropaic character.
However, the chapter on the Oromo national character is greatly interesting because it demolishes the Ethiopianist myth of a supposed Ethiopian nation. There isn´t and there can´t be any Ethiopian nation other the one identified by the Ancient Greeks and Romans as located south of Egypt, which means the Ancient Kushites and Meroites of Sudan, who are the ancestors of today´s brotherly nations, the Oromos, the Sidamas and the Arabic-speaking Sudanese.
By describing the traits of the Oromos and by clearly indicating that they are diametrically opposed to those of the Amharas (discussed in another chapter of his book that I will republish in a forthcoming article), Bulatoovich destroys the myth of possible Oromo – Amhara connection and/or affinity.
No common tradition, trait, quality, attribute or interest has ever existed between Africa´s most opposite groups: the indigenous, ancient and authentically Kushitic Oromos and the alien, Yemenite, a-historical and incestuous Amharas.
6th Article
Revelation of the Amhara Fornication: Light on the Anti-Christian Blasphemy of Fake Ethiopia
(http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/171658)
Further excerpts from the same volume of Bulatovich, providing with his description of the Abyssinians. Reporting accurately and truthfully, Bulatovich offered the Orthodox tsarist Russia´s top authorities a trustful portrait of the unclean and incestuous character of the pseudo-Christian Abyssinian society.
In just few paragraphs, he revealed a well hidden reality about the abysmal reality of the Abyssinian society, namely that, despite apparent faith similarities, the Amhara Tewahedo (Monophysitic) Abyssinians are not Christians; in fact, they constitute a desecrated society rejected by all Christian believers, because they practice a generalized fornication which is incompatible with the Christian creed, faith and principles.
The true barbarous identity of the Amharas is revealed in the chapter on the Abyssinian family that Bulatovich found it necessary to elaborate and submit to the top Russian imperial authorities. In fact, there is no family in the Amhara society whereby an extensive fornication has been imposed by the pseudo-Christian monks. This filthy and barbaric practice makes of the Amhara society the outcast of the Mankind and the embodiment of the savages.
With no family, there is no Christian society. As a matter of fact, Abyssinian eschatology is a corrupt system at the very antipodes of Christianity. Their fake Jesus is the Antichrist mentioned in John´s Revelation, and their eschatological aspirations about another, fake Zion in their dirty and fake Ethiopia apply to a society deprived of marriage and forced into fornication.
It is only for the needs of the Anti-Islamic plot of the Anglo-French Freemasonry and the Zionist movement that the Abyssinians are widely but erroneously considered as Christians.
All the Oromos, Ogadenis, Afars, Sidamas and others, who fight for their independence, and all the neighboring countries, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt, which are threatened because of the evil, Satanic eschatological dreams of Greater Ethiopia, must diffuse these great text, which was published by the Russian explorer before 110 years, to the four corners of the universe.
Ethiopia through Russian Eyes
An eye-witness account of the end of an era, 1896-98 consisting of two books by Alexander Bulatovich
From Entotto to the River Baro (1897)
With the Armies of Menelik II (1900)
Translated by Richard Seltzer (seltzer@samizdat.com, www.samizdat.com)
From Entotto to the River Baro
http://www.samizdat.com/entotto.html
An account of a trip to the southwestern regions of the Ethiopian Empire 1896-97 by Lieutenant of His Majesty's Life-Guard Hussar Regiment Alexander Bulatovich
Originally published in St. Petersburg, 1897, Printed by V. Kirshbaum, 204 pages
Reissued in 1971 as part of the volume With the Armies of Menelik II, edited by I. S. Katsnelson of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R."Science" Publishing House Chief Editorial Staff of Oriental Literature Moscow 1971, entire book 352 pages, Entotto pp. 32-156
Translated by Richard Seltzer (from the 1971 edition)
Abyssinian Division into Classes
Some writers compare present-day Abyssinia with Europe in feudal times and identify its system with the feudal system. But is this really so? The first condition of a feudal system is the division into classes and hereditary ownership and class advantages, which Abyssinia does not have. In Abyssinia there is an aristocracy of position -- people who at the present moment are in power. There are merchants, priests, monks, soldiers, artisans, and peasants. But all of these are differences in positions or occupations, and not separate closed classes.
In Abyssinia there is no hereditary nobility, and it would even be unthinkable given the country's family structure. There are some families which lead their kin from afar. There are some who consider themselves descendants of kings and at this time are in the lowest position. In the Abyssinian language, there isn't even a word to express "nobility." Sometimes in an argument they say, that "I am bale abat," which means "one who has a father."
But this is not to determine his noble parentage, but rather in contrast to someone whose father was a slave or who himself was a slave. The concept of hereditary nobility is incompatible with the practical mind of the Abyssinian.
They admire wealth, position, and personal servants, as long as these elements of strength are evident. But if they should go away -- if the wealthy man is impoverished, if the leader had his territory taken away from him, if someone who was powerful at court falls into disgrace, or if children of a powerful and great man do not represent anything remarkable by their wealth or position -- then these people become equal with all others and the lowest soldier will talk down to them ["tutoyer" in French]. But nevertheless, when distinguishing among gentlemen, they always give preference to individuals whose fathers were in the same position.
Selection for the highest government posts is based on the principle of personal merit. And in addition to that, in order to be recognized as emperor, besides the actual power, one must have the ability to show that one is descended from Solomon.
Rases and dajazmatches are very often relations by marriage or by blood with the reigning emperor and his wife. The emperor and empress try to tie them closer to the throne by having them marry their relatives. But some of them came from the very lowest positions.
Thus we see that nobility as a class does not exist, but there is a class of those in high positions; or you could call it a service aristocracy, the membership of which is half by chance.
The concept of "mesalliance" does not exist in the upper class. They select their wife by desire, and sometimes from among the servants. Children of the upper class usually start out at a young age at the court of the emperor or of one of his principal leaders. There they carry out the responsibilities of a house servant and receive the highest Abyssinian education: they learn to play the lyre (bagana), 77 to play chess, reading, writing, theology and military exercises. Becoming personally known by the emperor or another individual at whose court they serve, and finally, winning the favor and confidence of him, they obtain some appointment. But at court are found not only the children of those in the highest posts, but also many who are there by chance. Posts are neither for life nor progressive. Each person who holds a post considers himself the direct servant of the person who gave him that assignment. The only similarity between present-day Abyssinia and Europe in feudal times is the apparently considerable independence of those who govern the territories, but was we will see later, this autonomy is very relative and the proprietorship is not hereditary.
The life of the upper class is very simple and uniform. In this regard it differs from the life of others. This crowded court and etiquette represents in miniature the court of the emperor. Their manner of conducting themselves with subordinates is notable for remarkable restraint and dignity. In general, the upper serving class have great qualities. They are very devoted to the leaders who assigned them to their job and zealously guard the interests of their patrons.
The Abyssinian clergy consists of "white" -- priests and deacons, "black" and debtera -- scribes, who are secular individuals who live in churches. The similarity to feudal times lies in the existence of ecclesiastical lands, very large and independent properties controlled by them. Each church has its land, half worked by peasants. Each monastery also has lands, and, in addition, their bishops and ychygye (the leader of the monastic order of Saint Abun Tekla Haymanot) own extensive lands.
Each man who feels the vocation can go into the clerical ranks. But only those who have been prepared for it and who marry in a church ceremony are consecrated as priests. All deacons are children. Those who have prepared themselves for the clerical calling, but have not been consecrated as priests, not feeling this vocation, continue to live in churches and are called debtera -- scholars or scribes. They have great influence on the affairs of the church. In each church, the leader of all the clergy who live there (the clergy of a parish can reach as highas 300 men in a single church and never is less than 25) and of the church lands is appointed from among the debtera. The clergy -- especially the debtera and itinerant monks -- have great influence on the people. Each person of the upper class has a confessor, who plays a large role in his family life. In the Abyssinian clergy, many characteristics of Judaism have been preserved.
Debtera, for example, take the place of the former scribes and Levites. They sing during the church service, devote themselves to theology and copying holy books. The Abyssinians have preserved some ceremonies borrowed from the Jews. They read the Psalms of David more often than the Gospels. But, in spite of all that, Abyssinians, and especially their clergy, are ardent and sincere believers, and among their monks there are many ascetic heroes. (For more details on that see the chapter "Church and Faith.")
Military service is the favorite profession of Abyssinians, but having the full freedom of a person in the limits of the responsibilities he has taken on for himself, each enters into service by his own desire and choice. The army is very well paid and in peace time does not entail any work. (The army will be described in detail later.)
Merchants constitute a somewhat separate class and are subordinate to nagada-rases ("chief of traders" -- of which there are three). Some towns are populated exclusively by merchants and regardless of the fact that they are located among other estates, they are governed separately from the others. The merchants are distinguished by great resourcefulness and commercial abilities, which they inherit, in all probability, from their Semite ancestors. They usually buy goods from Galla merchants and take them to the sea. Some even take them to Aden.
Membership in the merchant class is as random as is membership in the other classes, and is not based either on heredity or on other positions.
Those who work the land (peasantry as a class does not exist) become such by their own desire. There are two kinds of them: those who owe a rent to whoever has title to their land, whether this is the emperor or someone else, and those who in some provinces possess their won land. Abyssinian farms have less of a many-field system than Galla ones. They do not grow roots, as the Galla do. But they work the land well enough using the same tools as the Galla. The livestock among them is the same as among the Gallas: bulls, cows, sheep, goats, horses, mules, donkeys, and in the north there is a special breed of rams with very long wool.
The artisans -- for the most part descendants of the Felasha -- are concentrated at the courts of rulers. Weavers and smiths often live separately. Among the artisans are smiths, joiners, tanners, saddle makers, weavers, goldsmiths, and gunsmiths.
Abyssinian Slavery
Continuous wars which yield many prisoners, and the necessity for a large number of workers to support the way of life of the upper class gave rise to slavery. But this slavery is only similar in name to what we are accustomed to understanding by this term. By a law issued by the Emperor Menelik, slavery has been abolished in the country; and at risk of having one's hands cut off, it is forbidden to sell or buy slaves. Nevertheless, those who were captured earlier, and recently captured Gallas and Negroes stay at the homes of their masters and continue to work for them, receiving food and clothing in return. This is a very indefinite condition, which could not be called either slavery or freedom.
For instance, a runaway when captured is returned to his former master and is punished for escaping, but the children of slaves are not slaves, and willingly, faithfully, by force of habit stay at home and serve their masters. To buy or sell slaves is forbidden, but you can give them. Today you can also say with certainly that that the last remnants of slavery will soon be abolished and Abyssinians will change to paid labor since the way they conduct wars has already begun to change its character, turning from the former raids to conquest of new lands and annexation of them. Since all the conquered inhabitants are attached to the land, war will not yield slaves. But the slavery there is today is a very mild of it. They treat their slaves very well, do not force them in their work and consider them as members of the family.
Abyssinian Distribution of Property
The distribution of property in the country, despite the existence of a large number of beggars, is rather even. Few are those who stand out conspicuously above the general level. The right to own land only exists in a few provinces, namely Tigre and Shoa and others at a distance from the imperial power. All land belongs to the emperor. The distribution of land in central Abyssinia took place historically. Part is owned directly by the emperor, part is granted to the church, part is given to the proprietorship of private individuals half and half or by other arrangements, and part is distributed to military leaders in the form of pay. Galla lands together with their population belong to the emperor by right of conquest. All Galla are considered obliged to pay rent, and at the present time the same process is beginning which took place in Russia at the time of Boris Godunov -- the process of turning people into serfs. Considering himself free, a Galla who is dissatisfied with the governor of the territory or with the burden of taxes abandons his home and goes to another Galla, who willingly accepts him.
This phenomenon serves, in the first place, as a curb against too greedy administrators, but then, on the other hand, it gives rise to a large number of complaints against neighbors -- a constant correspondence with demands for returning those who have left, which, of course, rarely succeed. In former times, the majority of Galla fled to the autonomous Galla lands -- Leka, Wollaga and Jimma. But now the emperor has forbidden the rulers of these lands from accepting new immigrants. This should be the first step toward finally turning the whole Galla population into serfs.
The export and import trade of Abyssinia is in the hands of Abyssinians and a few Europeans: French, Armenians, and Greeks.
For the most part, imports consist of guns (through Jibuti), cheap paper linen from India, glass vessels (small decanters), silk and velvet cloth, and small items. Exports consist of coffee, ivory, gold, musk, and skins. Both imports and exports are directed to four points -- Massawa, Jibuti, Zeila, and Berber. Massawa has now, with the shift of the political center of Abyssinia to the south, lost its former significance. Jibuti is gaining more and more importance as the sole point for import of guns, but the main part of the native trade goes by way of Zeila to Aden. Berbera serves as the port for Somali lands and the southern regions of Jimma and Kaffa. Merchants sell their wears at marketplaces which are found at each little populated point. Exchange is conducted in money. The monetary unit is the Maria Theresa taler and pieces of salt (amulye) which are six vershoks [nine inches] long, and one vershok [one and three-quarters inches] thick. They give seven pieces of salt for one taler. Now the emperor is trying popularize coins of his own mint of various values, but up until now he has been unsuccessful. 78
Abyssinian Games
It is said that how they pass their free time and games indicate the character of a people. In this regard, the Abyssinians have a wide range of games according to the time of the year and their appropriateness for big holidays. The Abyssinian sometimes does not play an unseasonable game, even though all the circumstances favor it.
In the month of September on the holidays of Maskal, Holy Cross Day, everyone who owns a horse plays guks. They prepare horses for this big game, and on the day of the holiday they all go out on the plain. This game is an imitation of actual individual cavalry combat. Dividing themselves in two groups, several dare-devils engage in battle. They fly at full career at someone on the opposite team and, not having galloped a hundred steps, sharply turn and gallop away. Those who are summoned and others with them pursue those who summoned them and throw at them a javelin without a point, which the others parry with their shield, and some who are dexterous parry with a javelin. Once started the battle becomes general: clouds of flying javelins, sometimes the dry sound of one striking a shield and a mass of riders racing forward and backward at full career.
Among the horses, servants of the gentlemen dart in and out and bring them javelins. It is rare that such a game takes place without unfortunate accidents, sometimes ending in death, since besides the force of falling of the javelin, even without a point, is so great that it pierces the shield. And I know of an incident when one Abyssinian broke his arm because a javelin pierce through his shield. (By the way, the Gallas, having adopted this game from the Abyssinians, are enthusiastic about it even more than the Abyssinians are.)
In November begin the games that lead up to the great games of guna on Christmas. The people call the holiday of Christmas also guna. The reason for this, I believe, is the same as that among us in Russia, where a holiday of a pagan cult is timed to take place with a Christian one. For example, kolyada, Shrovetide, is the celebration of John the Baptist.
The game of guna consists of two teams, armed with wide sticks that are an arshin (28 inches) in length, try to drive a small piece of wood to the enemy's side. All, old and young, play at Christmas this game that, like guks, rarely can take place without unfortunate accidents.
From the beginning of Lent begins the time for the playing of was -- a ball made of rags. One person, sitting on the shoulders of another, throws in a heap the playing balls. Whoever gets the ball sits on the shoulders of the one who threw it, and the game goes on forever.
At Easter again they play guks and the so-called giji. A thin pole is set us and they throw javelins at it from 50 paces. When someone hits the target three times, all the others lie on the ground and the winner goes past them.
In August after the rains, they play jiraf -- long whip. All, having armed themselves with a long strap, are divided into two teams and try to drive one another away. In the end, the weaker team runs away. This also doesn't happen without mutilation.
These games have great educational significance. The whole nation takes great interest in them and these games demand from the player great endurance, dexterity, and quickness of understanding and accustom them to danger.
Their household games are senterei (chess) and gebeta, a kind of backgammon.
The chess moves are the same as the way we play the game, but the circumstances are different. For example, the game is not considered lost if the king is taken. Gebeta is similar to backgammon, but dice are not thrown. Rather the game is based on calculation, so it requires very quick wits. On a board or simply on the ground, there are 12 or 18 little holes.
At the beginning of the game half the holes belong to one player and half to the other. In each little hole there are three pebbles. Shifting these pebbles in accord with known rules, they win over from their opponent his holes and pebbles. The person whose last pebble arrives at a hole where there are three pebbles takes possession of that hole.
The Ethiopian System of Government
The empire of the now-reigning Menelik II, king of kings of Ethiopia, consists of the following domains. Listing them from north to south, they are:
Ras Mengesha Yohannes -- Tigre. Ras Mengesha is a natural son of Emperor Yohannes IV. Yohannes' legitimate son and heir to the throne was Ras Area, who married the daughter of Menelik -- Woyzaro Shoareg. Ras Area died. The boundaries of Tigre once extended to the shores of the sea; but first Turks and Egyptians and, especially in recent times, Italians drove back the Abyssinians to the other side of the Mareb River. Although the Italians were defeated in the last war, in the peace treaty it is assumed that the boundaries stay at Belesa-to-Mareb. 79
Ras Wali -- the mountain province to the south of Tigre: Lasta Samyen, Eju. He is a brother of the Empress Taitu and son of the Tigrean Ras Wolda Giyorgis.
The dynasty of the Wagshums -- the provinces of Wag and Derru. There are two brothers: Wagshum Wangul and Wagshum Kabeda. They are a strong Jewish type, but in all probability theirancestors were Felasha kings, since the mountains of Samena and Wag are populated by them. (Felasha are Abyssinian Jews).
Ras Mikael -- Wollo. Ras Mikael, baptized by the Emperor Yohannes, is a Galla,formerly king of Wollo.
Negus Tekla Haymanot is king of Gojjam, Damot, Amhara, Gindeberat, Jimma, Lima, Guder and Horro. Negus Tekla Haymanot, formerly Ras Adal, is the son of Ras Gosho. He was crowned negus by Atye Yohannes in 1881 for the conquest of Kaffa.
Ras Mengesha Bituaded 80 -- Gondar and Begamedyr. The title bituaded means "favorite." It is usually given to one of the rases who is closest to the reigning emperor. He is entrusted with the government of the provinces of Gondar and Begamedyr. The city of Gondar was formerly the official capital of Abyssinia.
(Today, besides Ras Mengesha Bituaded there is a Bituaded Atnafi, an old man, ruler of a small area, and a favorite of the negus.)
Azzajs -- those who rule lands of Emperor Menelik, are generals of his own army. They rule parts of the kingdom of Shoa, of the hereditary domain of Emperor Menelik. Shoa consists of the provinces of Tegulet, Ifat, Menjar, Bulga and Ankober.
Ras Makonnen -- Harar, Chercher, Itu, Erer, Ogaden. Ras Makonnen is a nephew of the emperor on his mother's side.
Dajazmatch Wolda Gabriel -- Bali and part of Arussi.
Ras Dargi -- Arussi, the homeland of the Galla people. Ras Dargi is the son of Atye Sahle Selassie, the grandfather of Menelik. Besides this recently conquered province, he also rules a small region near Gondar. He is very dear to the emperor and has great influence.
Dajazmatch Balachio -- Sidamo. Formerly Lyj, Balachio is a son of Dajazmatch Beshakha. Balachio was in Petersburg with the embassy of Damto. This year on the occasion of the death of his father, killed at Adowa, the emperor gave him the government of his father's former lands. The other half of Sidamo is ruled by Dajazmatch Mul Saged.
Fitaurari Abto Giyorgis -- Gurage and Sodo.
Dajazmatch Haile Maryam -- Chobo, Bocho and Tikur.
Dajazmatch Haile Maryam is a nephew of the emperor, the oldest brother of Ras Makonnen.
Dajazmatch Ubye -- Mecha, Ejir-Salafu, and Nonno. Ubye is married to Woyzaro Zawditu, the second daughter of Emperor Menelik.
Dajazmatch Demissew -- Gera, Guma, Gomo, Buna, Leka and Wollaga. He is the son of Afa-negus Nasibu, the chief judge. He has the main supervision of the autonomous Galla provinces of Leka, under Dajazmatch Gebra Egziabeer and Wollaga, under Dajazmatch Joti.
Likamakos Abata -- Chalea, Tibye, Wobo, and Sibu. Likamakos is a court rank equivalent to Adjutant General.
Dajazmatch Tesemma -- Ilu-Babur, Buna, Burye, Alye, and all the southwestern areas of Abyssinia.
Tessema, the son of Dajazmatch Nadou, is married to the god-daughter of Empress Taitu, the daughter of the Galla king of Guma.
Ras Wolda Giyorgis -- Botor-Limu, Kulo, Kosho, Konta-Shiro. He also has main supervision over the kingdom of Jimma of Aba-Jefar. (Negus Aba-Jefar is a Mohammedan.)
The recently conquered province of Walamo is directly under the command of Menelik. These days, Abdurakhman, the king of Beni-Shangul has submitted to the Emperor.
All these domains are not hereditary, but rather are bestowed by the Emperor (with the exception of the domains of Negus Tekla Haymanot, Tigre, the kingdom of Jimma, Leka, and Wollaga). The size of each domain depends purely on personal factors -- on the relationship of the Emperor to the proprietor and on his personal merit, and consists of one or several provinces. The connection between these provinces is not permanent and can always be broken either by one of them being taken away or by the addition of a new area. All these "polymarchs," as these rulers of regions can be called, are completely independent in internal affairs, justice, the distribution of lands and jobs. But in all else they are absolutely under the command of the Emperor. They recognize his power and pay him tribute in the form of taxes or presents.
In general, Ethiopia represents a single state, divided for government among the main military leaders, under the absolute imperial power of the king of kings, all the strength of whom rests in the army and in the love of the people.
A necessary condition to becoming Emperor is belonging to the house of Solomon and Menelik I. (The exception to this was the dynasty of Zagye and the Emperors Tewodros and Yohannes.)
From this we see that the Ethiopian Empire is a purely military state. It became this historically, having earlier experienced many other phases.
It is not within the limits of my work to describe the history of Ethiopia, but I consider it necessary to indicate some of its prominent moments.
Note
Picture: Rich Abyssinian woman, picture taken by Bulatovic; the Russian explorer forgot however to add how many husbands she had had until the moment the picture was taken, and whose children were hers.
From: http://www.samizdat.com/bulatovichphotos/plates/Rich%20Abyssinian%20woman.jpg