As you will have all seen from instagram, Toni and I were down south for a couple weeks in May. It was glorious - my favourite part of Ethiopia so far. The people were wonderful, everything was a bit more relaxed - less tourists than the historic northern route! And the scenery was to die for. I had to share some more pictures. Do indulge me!
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| This was the view from where we stayed at Dorze, that mountain-top collection of villages we went to. We looked down onto two massive crocodile-and-hippo-filled lakes. The air was so clean and clear - ah! Heaven. |
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| Morning sunrise. |
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| Our home!! |
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| As I said on Instagram, this is the region where all the weavers are from - so when you're walking all around the mountain, people are working in various stages of creating the thread, stretching the thread, weaving... all against this gorgeous natural backdrop. |
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| Potato field! And Toni and Getu - Getu was from Dorze, showed us everything - taught us a bit of Dorzinha (local tongue), introduced us to residents and farmers. He made the experience so much better. If any of you come to Ethiopia - go local as much as possible. So much better! (Let us know and we'll set you up ;) |
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| Because Dorze is at almost 3000 meters, the whole place is literally in the clouds. Walking around up there is just surreal and utterly serene. |
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| I had to include this to illustrate what NOT to do when you want to help "develop" a country. This is an evangelical church built by World Vision in Chencha, a town 10km from Dorze. The "Christian" NGO came in and told locals they would help them with income generating opportunities - mostly giving out apple trees for people to sell the fruit (we're buying some apples right now from this lady). The catch was, to receive the aid, you had to convert to evangelical Christianity. The result? A select group of people have made tons of money by selling apples across the Ethiopian market, while those who stuck to their own Orthodox Christianity are left with nothing - no benefit whatsoever. People in Dorze for example are extremely fond of their Orthodox faith, and refused to convert. So they've received no development aid. You're punishing people for their belief, and creating artificial haves and have-nots. It was so so so frustrating to see it in person. Gah! I get so angry again just writing this. Poverty IS extreme in Ethiopia - but this is not not not the right way to "help." |
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| Last shot - happier note! Here's one of the shops set up on the side of the road to sell the locally woven goods. Gorgeous, no? (I bought out nearly the whole place :) |
4 comments:
gorgeous photos, julianne; number eight is so incredible: the green of the flora against the red of the dirt -- breathtaking. i can feel your frustration with the poverty - it must be so difficult to witness. love the brilliant colors in the hanging woven goods! also, i love your hair up in plaits like that; nearly makes me want to grow mine out again. nearly.
Love the pictures. What a beautiful place. So sad the poverty. Mike Belize (my friend)
from Ethiopia) mother and father live there.
He is the one that built a school and it now raising money for a water system. I know that if you visited his family they too would show you around.
The woven goods are so pretty and just love the bright colors. Don't blame you for buying buying nearly the whold place. Think I would too.
Love you much
Grammy
wow, what beautiful photos! it looks like a wonderful place to visit - so pretty it doesn't look real! oh, jooj, why can't all do-gooders be rational and smart like you? it must be so frustrating to see the development aid put to use in such a wrong way. love you!
These are gorge! I am so jealous and excited for all of your adventures and know that you are doing good wherever you go. (maybe unlike some other attempts at helping these good people.) kisses and misses!
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