ETHIOPIAN

LITERATURE
RIMBERIO CO

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
discuss briefly the geography, explain the origin of the appreciate the importance of the
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system of Ethiopian literature; Ethiopian
government and culture of and authors and their literary pieces.
Ethiopia.
 Geography of Ethiopia
• Ethiopia is located in the horn of Africa and
its bordered on the north and northeast by
Eritrea, on the east of Djibouti, and Somalia,
on the south by Kenya and on the west of
Sudan.

According to latest United Nations
Data, the current population of
Ethiopia in 2022 is 121,185,981.
Status & System of
Government
• The government of Ethiopia is structured in
the form of a federal parliamentary republic. •
Ethiopia is the only country in Africa neverto
have been fully colonized.
• Ethiopia is a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic
country. Religion is a major influence in
Ethiopian life.
 • • Safety & Security144th
The World Ranking • • Personal Freedom126th
• • Governance117th
• Overall prosperity
• • Social Capital80th
• • Ethiopia is 145th in the overall
• • Investment Environment148th
• Prosperity Index rankings.
• • Enterprise Conditions140th
• Pillar of rankings
• • Infrastructure & Market Access148th
• • Ethiopia performs most
• • Economic Quality108th
strongly
• • Living Conditions149th
• in Social Capital and Economic
• • Health128th
• Quality but is weakest in
• • Education151st
• Education.
• • Natural Environment113th
• Capital: Addis Ababa Culture & People of
• Major languages: Amharic,
Oromo, Tigrinya, Somali Ethiopia
• English is the most widely spoken
foreign language.
• The official language of Ethiopia is
Amharic which is Semitic language
spoken by about 27 million people.
• The other language that is widely
spoken in this country is the
Oromo language. Its is spoken by
30% of the
population.
• Land of thirteen months of sunshine
to land of origins.
• 62.8 percent of Ethiopians are
Christian, 33.9 percent Muslim, and Culture & People of
2.6 percent traditional faiths.
• Ethiopia is famous for being the Ethiopia
place where the coffee bean
originated.
• It is also known for its gold medalists
and its rockhewn churches.
• Ethiopia is the top honey and coffee
producer in Africa and has the largest
livestock population in
Africa.
 • Ethiopian literature dates from Ancient
Ethiopian literature (around 300 AD) up until
modern Ethiopian literature.
• Most of the literature in Ethiopia has been in
Ge’ez (the classical literary language) and
Amharic (more common spoken language)
• The Kebra nagast (Glory of the King) – written
in Ge’ez language from 1314 – 1322, relates the
birth of Menelik - the son of Solomon and

THE ETHIOPIAN Makada, the queen of Sheba – who became the

King of Ethiopia.
LITERATURE
 Early Ethiopian Literature

The Kebra Nagast Ta’amra Maryam Mist’ire Sellasie

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(Glory of the King) (The Miracles of Mary) (The Mystery of Trinity)
 Early Ethiopian Literature

Afeworq Gabre-Eyesus Heruy Welde Sellase

“Hades Alem (The New World)”
“Libb – waled tarek

(An Imagined story)”

 Famous Ethiopian
Authors and their works
Yemodish Bekele
Maaza Mengiste
Dinaw Mengestu
Aide Edemariam
 Summary
Ethiopia is Africa's oldest independent country and is the second most
populous. Throughout the continent's colonial history, it functioned as a
symbol of African independence. Ethiopian literature, such as poetry and
novels, contains one of the many unique and fascinating secrets held dear by
the Ethiopian people. Other Ethiopian literary pieces could prove to be
modest but laudable contributor towards enlightening the masses. It is also
almost impossible to get the proper translation of the many Ethiopian
literatures composed throughout the country's long and culturally rich
history.
 REFERENCE
Bogale, T. (2002). Major themes in Ethiopian Poetry in English. AAU Institutional Repository. Retrieved
September 8, 2022 from http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/3091

Wright, S.G. (2019). Ethiopian Literature. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved September 8, 2022 from
https://www.britannica.com/art/Ethiopian-literature.

N.A. (2007). Ethiopia. Slideshare. Net. Retrieved September 8, 2022 from

https://www.slideshare.net/headfaceperson/ethiopia

N.A. (N.D.). 20 Best poets and poems of Ethiopia. All AboutEthio. Com. Retrieved September 8, 2022 from
https://allaboutethio.com/20-must-read-poems-of-ethiopiabest-ethiopian-poetry.html
Thank you for listening!

Don't hesitate to ask any questions!

DISCUSSANT: BASAGAN, ODETH S. BSED ENGLISH 3A