It is often hard to decide what is the best section to post a new thread in... because most threads could be "appropriate" for more than one section.
So much of my appreciation for the Ethiopian nation has come from the conversations in this section (Oriental Orthodox Discussion). I know that Ethiopians regularly post in this section, but not so much in others. When I found a video of someone trying to use scripture to condemn the entire Ethiopian nation, I didn't want to post about it in some "general" section... because Ethiopians seem to mostly post in the OO section.
Sorry if my decision to post this thread here has caused anyone grief.
Salpy worded it very well:
Good intentioned.
But I very uncomfortable with this subject in this forum.
The people in the video are very very ignorant. They need help in more ways than this forum can provide.
I have heard this kind of talk before...many times.
Ethiopians are by race 'black".
The bible uses the term Ethiopia based on the ancient empire which was huge.
Known locally and among all eastern powers as Kush; its capitals have been in Nubia, Khartoum, Napata, Axum and now Addis Abebe.
'Ethiopia' as ancient Kush was called by the ancient Greeks at one time extended even through Egypt to the Ganges of India; included Yemen and the southern tip of Arabia.
No wonder that Ethiopia (Kush, Kushi) held the fascination and imagination of all ancient nations for centuries. Ethiopia is written about all through the old testament and new testament. Homer, Strabo and many ancient Greek writers wrote extensively about the "wonderful Ethiopians" (as we are referred to in the Iliad)
The Ethiopian Empire varied in scope and influence at different times.
The borders of modern Ethiopia includes areas added at the south, east and west by Emperor Menelik in the mid 19th century.
However; the empire always had its capital in the heart of Africa among he varied tribes and peoples of the African world. The Greeks used the term Ethiopia to 'describe' the vast and 'diverse' African nations albeit particularly the east African tribes and nations. "Abyssinia" of Arabic origin by my best research means "diverse" or "mixed" and is used in various ways by Ethiopians today.
The Word Ethiopia includes diversity, ancient history, distant and without a doubt 'blackness' of the people it was applied to. It did not simply mean a color or any particular physical trait like a big nose or long torso or kinky hair and so on. Quite the contrary it included ALL of these differences found among the black race worldwide.
The ancient Greeks would not have associated with the ignorants that created such terms like 'negro' and 'black'.
These words are very crude having little real connection with the human experience. These are simple minded words void of culture and connection to the human condition. These words just to say 'color' and or isolate physical traits like "big nose" and big lips" with "kinky hair" and "black" skin. These traits do not describe people at all.
Thus the word "Ethiopia" is a very powerful and intelligent word which embraces the whole human condition, nature and experience which fairly assess the people it is describing "blacks" in general while at the same time defines the modern Ethiopia and Ethiopians specifically of today. There is enough integrity and meaning to also include the whole "black" world when such a term is needed when no distinction of tribe or hair type or skin tone is needed. Of course it rare today that anyone would want to be so "inclusive" in our divided world today.
Modern Ethiopia today is still an amalgamation of tribes and cultures and languages but is ordered with a nationalistic identity verses an "empire" due to a long period of power and influence of one or two prominent tribes which dominated the cultural mainstream. Like How in America the English language and culture still dominates although many different peoples and languages are an inherent natural part of American nationhood and society.
When we factor in the huge impact of western colonialism on the continent and the fact that such colonialism did not impact the tribes and people of East Africa that were situated within the cultural influence and power of these two or three tribes we get in modern terms "Ethiopia". This modern 'nation' / empire has NEVER been colonialised, Arabised or Muslimised....This today is Ethiopia. IT is an Orthodox Country. Toady's Ethiopia is the last remaining true part of the ancient empire that was vastly, vastly larger.
I am not a scholar on the subject. But it is quite interesting albeit complex. I have drotted down more than I intended but felt it necessary to say this:
Within a scholarly and biblical aspect these people are talking about themselves. But they do not know that.
It is a sad level of outright, utter ignorance that these people are suffering from.
I do not expect all black people to look at themselves as Ethiopians. This is not my point.
The fact that the term Ethiopia is at the very lease is symbolically-metaphorically a symbol for the black world; it is ridiculous for people like them to talk about how Ethiopia is going to be destroyed as if it absolutely excludes them if such were the case.
