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Lalibela: Spiritual Genealogy Beyond Epistemic Violence in Ethiopia

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Lalibela: Spiritual Genealogy Beyond Epistemic Violence in Ethiopia genealogy Article Lalibela: Spiritual Genealogy beyond Epistemic Violence in Ethiopia Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes Centre for Human Rights Education, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia; [email protected] Received: 31 December 2018; Accepted: 26 November 2019; Published: 2 December 2019 Abstract: The rock hewn churches of Lalibela have special significance in the formation of Ethiopia’s consciousness as a sacred land of God’s covenant. Numerous local stories express the sanctity of Lalibela as a Heavenly Jerusalem on earth and the faithful use holy soil from the churches to cure the sick. Every year, thousands of Tewahido believers travel to receive blessings. Local scholars who studied decades in the indigenous education system serve as intermediaries between the sanctity of the place and the people, and transmit their knowledge to the younger generation. This paper traces this spiritual genealogy to the creation story in the Kebra Nagast regarding the Ark of the Covenant (Tabot) and relates it to Lalibela’s famous churches. It demonstrates the existence of enduring spiritual genealogy that considers place as alive and powerful. The paper also reflects on how the loss of indigenous sources of knowledges, particularly through the stealing or taking of manuscripts by foreign collectors, and the rise of a Eurocentric interpretation of the history of Lalibela challenges this millennial spiritual tradition. It argues that this has resulted in epistemic violence, the practice of interpreting local knowledge with a foreign lens in a way that reinforces colonial Eurocentric views that are then internalised within Africans themselves. Despite such challenges, it shows how the genealogy continues through the very identity and practice of local communities and individuals. Keywords: Lalibela; Ethiopia; heritage; conservation; indigenous knowledge; tourism 1. Introduction In Ethiopia, Lalibela’s ancient rock-hewn churches are connected by a series of underground tunnels and caves. I spent my childhood in the late 1970s and 1980s running through this labyrinth. One day, while I was playing with my friends in the tunnels, a man appeared from one of the small caves. He had very long hair, large prayer beads made of wood, and shabby clothes. He was one of the many hermits who lived, often in complete silence, in the church compound. My friends and I froze as he approached us. He bent down to our level and pointed towards the church, asking what we saw. We replied, “We see the church”. He asked if we were able to see anything else. We replied no. Then he said: You may not see them, but there are angels right there. They worked with Lalibela when he built the churches. They don’t die or go hungry. They live here because this is heaven. Their large wings are stretching towards the sky. They hover surrounding the churches; they sing. They are everywhere. If you come during Kidassie (Ethiopian liturgical Mass), you would feel them falling before the Tabot (Ark of the Covenant). They’re guardians of this entire area. They do not like much noise. They want you to be like them. To come here, to listen, and gain blessings. The hermit’s story changed how my friends and I related to Lalibela, which was created as a New Jerusalem, a heaven on earth, during King Lalibela’s time (1181–1221 AD). During his reign, eleven Genealogy 2019, 3, 66; doi:10.3390/genealogy3040066 www.mdpi.com/journal/genealogy Genealogy 2019,, 3,, xx FORFOR PEERPEER REVIEWREVIEW 3 of 23 Genealogy 2019, 3, 66 2 of 24 The hermit’s story changed how my friends and I related Genealogyto Lalibela, 2019, 3which, x FOR wasPEERGenealogy created REVIEW 2019 as , a3 , x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 23 3 of 23 New Jerusalem,Genealogy a heaven 2019, 3, x onFOR earth, PEERGenealogy REVIEWduring 2019, 3King, x FOR Lalibela’s PEER REVIEW time (1181–1221 AD). During his reign, 3 of 23 3 of 23 churcheseleven churches were carved were carved out of theout mountainsof the mountain at Roha.s at Roha. The surrounding The surrounding mountains, mountains, gorges gorges and other and placesother places were givenwere given biblical biblical names names such assuchዘይት as ወይራ ዘይት (Mountወይራ (Mount Olive), Olive),ዮርዳኖስ ዮርዳኖስ (River (River Jordan), Jordan),ደብረ ታቦርደብረ (Mountታቦር (Mount Tabor), Tabor),ቢታንአምባ ቢታንአምባ(Bethany), (Bethany),ጎለጎታ ጎለጎታ(Golgotha). (Golgotha). My friendsMy friends and I and did I not did realise not realise that we that were we livingwere living in a city in thata city was that considered was considered one of theone holiest of the placesholiest in places the entire in the country. entire country. But from But that from moment, that wemoment, began we to pay began attention. to pay Wheneverattention. weWhenever came close we tocame the churches,close to the we churches, knew we we were knew walking we were with thewalking hordes with of heaven.the hordes See of Figures heaven.1– 3See. Figures 1–3. Figure 1. A passage way through Bete Mariam (House of Mary), one of the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela. Photograph by Martijn Munneke, courtesy of Creative Commons Attribution. Figure 2. Shoes are left on the steps of Bete Abba LibanosLibanos (House of Abbot Libanos). (Photograph by Bernard Gagnon, courtesy ofof thethe GNUGNU FreeFree DocumentationDocumentation License).License). Genealogy 2019, 3, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/genealogy Genealogy 2019, 3, 66 3 of 24 Genealogy 2019, 3, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 23 Figure 3.3. The House of Amanuel has undergroundunderground tunnels,tunnels, storiesstories andand detaileddetailed structures.structures. It is regarded asas thethe mostmost beautifulbeautiful ofof allall the churches. It is also the most affected affected by harmful conservation methods. (Photograph by Giovanni Lami 2007). As a child,child, mymy firstfirst languagelanguage waswas Amharic.Amharic. I learned parts of Ge’ez, the ancientancient holyholy languagelanguage of Ethiopia when I attended the traditional schoolschool system, and learned English through the western school system in Ethiopia,Ethiopia, which is inin EnglishEnglish fromfrom highhigh schoolschool onwards.onwards. I also picked up Ge’ezGe’ez attending SundayGenealogy school and2019, from3, x FOR listening PEER REVIEW to the stories of thethe hermits,hermits, monks,monks, nuns, priests and 3 of 23 spiritual scholars who lived lived in in communion communion with with the the church church and and our our community. community. At At the the age age of of 16, 16, I Istarted started to to attendattend KidassieKidassie on on the the monthly monthly commemoration commemoration of the ofTabots the Tabotsin each in of theeach Lalibela of the churches.Lalibela Tabotchurches.is understood Tabot is understood as ማደርያ , or as “dwelling ማደርያ, or place”,“dwelling and place”, they are and foundational they are foundational to Orthodox to TewahidoOrthodox Christianity.Tewahido Christianity. A church is A not church recognised is not asrecognised a church unlessas a church it has unless a Tabot —ait has replica a Tabot of—a the replica Biblical of “Ark the ofBiblical the Covenant”—at “Ark of the Covenant”—at its sanctum sanctorum its sanctum(the innersanctorum centre). (the Every inner replica centre). of Every the Ark replica of the of Covenant the Ark isof asthe sacred Covenant as the is original as sacred brought as the fromoriginal Israel. brought During fromKidassie Israel., heavenly During Kidassie angels, are heavenly said to angels fall on theare floorsaid to of fall the on church the floor whenever of the thechurch priest when placesever the the Eucharist priest places on the theTabot Eucharist. on the Tabot. Other times, my friends and I gathered in the compound of Bete Medhanialem and in the caves of Amanuel and Bete Mariam (See Figure4 4)) churcheschurches toto studystudy scripturescripture withwith thethe monk-scholarmonk-scholar AbaAba Zekarias. He He was referred to as Arat Ayina , Four Eyed—someoneEyed—someone with the ability to see the pastpast asas well as the future. Arat Ayina knew infiniteinfinite stories, verses and fables.fables. He read from the ancient books written inin Ge’ez,Ge’ez, and and used used Amharic Amharic to to educate educate us inus thein 81the books 81 books of the of Ethiopian the Ethiopian Bible. Bible. He said He Ge’ez said wasGe’ez the was language the language Adam andAdam Eve and spoke Eve inspoke the Garden in the Garden of Eden. of After Eden. the After Great the Flood, Great Noah Flood, divided Noah thedivided world the for world his children for his and children Ham (Kam) and Ham brought (Kam) the languagebrought tothe Ethiopia. language All to other Ethiopia. languages All other were createdlanguages when wereEgziabher created(God) when destroyedEgziabher (God) the Tower destroyed of Babel the 551 Tower years of afterBabel the 551 Great years Flood after1 the. Great FloodAba1. Zekarias explained that in Lalibela, the healing power of Egziabher is mixed with the soil of theAba rock Zekarias churches. explained Especially that in theLalibela, House the of healing Golegota-Selassie, power of Egziabher where is King mixed Lalibela with the is buried, soil of prieststhe rock give churches. red soil Especially from the insanctum the House sanctorum of Golegoas medicineta-Selassie, for where the sick. King PeopleLalibela eat is buried, a pinch priests of the holygive red soil soil or paint from the the sick sanctum part ofsanctorum their body as withmedicine it. We for also the learned sick. People ancient eat songs a pinch from of the melodistholy soil Rieseor paint Debir the Gebrasick part Maskal of their Amagnu. body with We it. lived We withalso learned angels andancient God. songs The from rocks the we melodist walked onRiese in andDebir around Gebra Maskal the churches Amagnu. were We holier lived thanwith us.angels Every and timeGod. weThe came, rocks we walked bowed andon in kissed and around them the churches were holier than us.
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