Ises
Well, let me put it that way. I do not have any real insight in house-runnings. All I know of Shashe is as Visitor, I have never lived there and my opinion might be that of an outsider. I point that out so clearly, because many won't like to hear what I say. Nobody shall say I tell lies because I do not know anything from inside being not a resident there.
So let it be said, YES I DO NOT HAVE ANY INSIDE KNOWLEDGE. Meaning, not first hand. I know many stories from residents which were told to me, but because I did not witness these things myself I have no right to spread them.
But what I do know, is what I experienced myself. The pure disrespect, anger, hostility, and sometimes even hate with which the oromo people approach everybody with dreadlocks. Maybe you are lucky and you are able to explain to them that NO I AM NOT JAMAICAN, AND NO I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING TODO WITH THOSE JAMAICANS!!
The hostile look in the eyes of the oromo against every Rasta is something I did not experience in the whole of Ethiopia! The anger and hate in the eyes of the people who pass you is the mirror of years of Rasta presence in Shashamane. It speaks judgement against Rastafari in Shashamane!
And when you ask the Rasses, of course the Oromo are the problem. But I tell you one thing, even if those people are naturally hostile (which is a very european kind of thinking), they would love Rasta if Rasta had come to bring betterness.
If Rasta was the "creator which Ethiopia awaits" there would be love for I n I in the eyes of the inhabitants. But it is pure hate that these people have for I n I.
The very first thing I experienced in Shashe was an old oromo man who wanted to kick us out of "his land" with his stick when we were on the trod to I brethren's house.
I give you one example.
There is a german man by the name Karl Heinz Boem. He is well known in Ethiopia because of his self-help organisation called Menschen fuer Menschen. When he comes into a village the people love him so much they carry him on their sholders. I heard much of him while being in ethiopia.
And now see the difference. If Rasta had come to do good, they would love us like they love that german man. But now see how they really think of us.
To get things clear.
I have not experienced similar hate and hostility against I n I in any other part of Ethiopia where I have been. First, that says a lot about Rasta presence in Shashe.
Second, there is still a widespread opinion of ethiopians about Rasta that finds I n I ridiculous and laughs about I n I.
Don't get me wrong, they do not laugh about I n I because of His Majesty (in fact the national awareness about His Majesty grows and the people love HIM again), no it is because before I n I is associated with HIM, I n I is associated with Jamaica.
I loved to be in Ethiopia, I loved the people and the vibes. The one thing I did not like in Ethiopia was Rasta (meaning the image of Rasta which the ethiopians got about the jamaican bizness).
It's no joke, there are people coming who say, WHAT? You are Rasta? But you are so nice! How can you be Rasta? You are not kicking and slapping and cheating your ethiopian wife, you don't defend yourself with a kalashnikov against the "dirty ethiopians", and you don't live big on donations while the ethiopians around you have nothing............ etc etc etc.
A tip to Injoy Ithiopia?
Try to make clear that you are Rasta (means loving His Majesty, and the people understand that) BUT NOT JAMAICAN. And no matter if you black or white, european or american..... when you are Rasta for Ethiopians you are automatically JAMAICAN (with ALL the negative which they associate with it). And when they ask you if you already were in Jamaica, they mean Shashamane. Or more exactly Malkauda, the 2km northern small town where most Rasses live.
I am sorry that I have to say so many negative things. I am sure many don't wanna hear that and won't like me for saying that. But this is how I experienced it and all those serious Rasses who avoid Shashamane because of that or those who think about leaving Shashe because their son gets beaten blody everytime, their daughter is in risk of getting raped, and every faranji neighbor around has already been threatened, staped, shot, throatcut, thiefed etc etc.
If you want that, you don't have to go to Ithiopia. Just stay in LA, NY or Kingston.
Yes there are the holy places, but they are only found by those who are worthy.
Selah
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