Review Article on the Nature of Ethiopian Historiography
By Belay Beyene Chekole
Lecturer of History PhD Candidate, Jimma University, Ethiopia
Key Words: Semitization, Ethiopia, Historiography, Eurocentrism, legitimacy
Abstract
Writers like Bahru Zewde,Messay Kebede and Pietro Toggia show how Ethiopian historiography
looks like and analyze its discourse by providing historical examples though the focus of the
writers might not be the same.Ethiopia is a landlocked country located in the horn of Africa
having more than 100 million population at this time.The objective of this article review is to
show the nature of Ethiopian history writing to readers. For instance, Bahru’s article: A Century
of Ethiopian Historiography aimed to brief the nature of Ethiopian historiography that covers a
one hundred year trend of historical writing although he touch the trend of Ethiopian indigenous
tradition of history writing since the fourteenth century and appreciated the pioneers of the late
nineteenth and the beginning of the twentheenth century, Ethiopian history writers. As
background part of his article, Bahru treats the global trend and the experience of African
historiography as well. Messay Kebede and Pietro Toggia focused mainly on
Eurocentrism,writing history on the perspectives of Europeans and unidirectional trend of
History writing, focusing merely on military and political dominant group respectively. Mesay’s
article; Eurocentrism and Ethiopian Historiography:Deconstructing Semitization shows us how
European perspective of history writing loaded on Ethiopian history associating historical
writing concerning Ethiopian history began in Europe and Messay linked the name Job Ludolf
as the founder of Ethiopian Studies in Europe.Pietro Toggia’s article criticized the domination of
Ethiopia’s political history over social history, economic history, ethnic history and other fields.
According to Pietro Toggia, there is no doubt for such reason that the state used history writing
to legitimatize its power and also served it as foundation knowledge for the nation.
Analysis, Evaluation and Review
In terms of drawing comparison among Bahru,Messay and Pietro Toggia,Bahru appreciated the
early Ethiopian intellectuals called as pioneers in their contribution of producing a written
history of Ethiopia. But when we see the focus of Messay Kebede, he criticized Orientalist
scholars who wrote the history of Ethiopia in the European fashion and noted that the history of
Ethiopia is written based on European view.Petro Toggia’s article is focused on deconstructing
Semitization that outlined: every history in Ethiopia was influenced by Semitic element that
history and culture in Ethiopia was the reflection of some northern elements that was shaped by
the legendary history of the queen of Sheba and her association with king Solomon of
Israel.What is so ever, let us discuss the role of Bahru,Messay and Pietro Toggia regarding the
how of Ethiopia’s historical writing.
Bahru in his article: A Century of Ethiopian Historiography tried his best to show the
development of World, Africa and Ethiopian historical writing trends. In fact, as the title of his
article tell us; his mission is to show the how of Ethiopian one hundred years history writing. But
as background part of his work, he touched the experience of ancient Greeks and raised the
contribution of Herodotus; Thucydides and others in the world historiography. Bahru also
mentioned the contribution of the Chinese historians in writing, organizing and analyzing
history. He also appreciated the role of Leopold Von Ranke in the professionalization of history
and discussed the challenge that faced the Rankean paradigm in the twentieth century.1
Bahru in his article also tell us the nature and forms of historical writing before and after the
nineteenth century. According to Bahru, the nineteenth century form of historical writing was
narrative and the content was highly political. Bahru noted the change experiencing after the
nineteenth century in relation with history writing by briefing the emergence of Marxist
Peter Burke, “Overture: The New History its past and its future,” in Idem.,ed. New Perespectives in Historical
writing,Cambridge,1991,pp.1-23
1
historiography and Annals Schools of thought which replaced the narrative form by analytical
discourse and indicated the usage of new oral sources by historians.2
Bahru indicated that the influence of politics is very great in the course of Ethiopian
historiography and he raised many cases as a factor. For example, he outlined the influence of
Menelik II (r.1889-1913) in Ethiopian history writing that Aleqa Taye was commissioned by the
emperor to write the history of Ethiopia.3
In the other case, Bahru’s view of expressing the nature of Ethiopian historiography is similar
with the work of Pietro Toggia that both of them share the same idea of Solomonic legitimacy,
Shewan hegemony and political oriented nature of Ethiopian history writing that Ethiopian
history could only be the story of Semitic North with the people of the South became subjects
than objects of the subject history up to the early 1970s.4
Bahru tried his best to indicate the changes in Ethiopia in 1974 and 1991 that the former
dismantled the legitimacy case and the later broke the hegemony. But the two turning points in
Ethiopian history had their own impact in the development of Ethiopian historiography that the
1974 case for instance associated all thoughts and activities under the strait jackets of Marxism.
The second turning point, 1991 disturbed the nature of Ethiopian history writing because the
northern insurgents used the value of history to their legitimacy and the issue of ethnicity
affected the day to day activity of teaching and researching history.5
Unlike Messay’s view, which shows European influence in Ethiopian historiography, Bahru’s
article entitled “A Century of Ethiopian Historiography” indicated that Ethiopia has its own
indigenous tradition of history writing that at least from fourteenth century to the twenteenth
century. According to Bahru, this was possible because of the role of chronicles and Tarike
Negest which could be served as sources to construct the history of the country even though it
2
Ibid
Bahru
Zewdie,“A
Century
of
Ethiopian
Historiography“,in
Journal
of
Ethiopian
Studies,Vol.XXXIII,No.2,2000,p.4
4
Ibid,p.10,Pietro Toggia, “History writing as A
State Ideological Project in Ethiopia” in African
Identities,Vol.6,No.4,November,2008,pp.319-224.
5
Bahru,pp.4-5
3
had its own limitation.6 But, Bahru failed to show the weakness of the above sources which
depicts political, religious bias and supernatural explanations of historical phenomena.
Bahru did not treat the contribution of Arab writers who used to write the medieval Ethiopian
history, geography of the country and other aspects. Historians like Ali Akubia and Almakrizi
were very famous in their writing of the Medieval Ethiopian history. Though Bahru is an
Emeritus Professor of history, doing homework on the question of having Historical Association
in Ethiopia is still a concern.
Unlike Bahru,Messay Kebede’s focus is not explaining about the development of total history of
Ethiopia and appreciating the indigenous writing ,rather make the focus on Eurocentrism, the
influence European writers put on Ethiopian historiography. Messay explained that Ethiopian
study was founded in Europe and he associated names like Job Ludolf and Augustus Dillma for
such job. Messay criticized the western scholars and their work on Ethiopian history as
Eurocentric and representation of European scholarship. His justification for such case is that
many of the European writers had never come to Ethiopia to study the country history that it is
difficult to write objective history without knowing the geography, the culture and other aspects
of a certain country.7On the contrary, the European wrote Ethiopian history based on the
information they obtained from travelers account, secondary sources and collecting oral
information from Ethiopians who went abroad.8
Messay raised the case of Ludolf’s writing about Ethiopia that was possible by getting
information from Ethiopian monk lived in Rome called Abba Gregory. But someone can easily
understand that there could be communication barrier between Ludolf and Abba Gregory that the
Ethiopian monk was not acquainted with either Latin or related Italian Languages.9
Messay also listed a number of Ethiopian Professional historians who accept the influence of
European writers on the historiography of Ethiopia.Thus,Messay mention Tadesse Tamirat’s
Ibid,”Ethiopian Historiography:Retrospect and Prospect” in Richard Pankhrust and Tadesse Beyene eds.,Silver
Jubile Aniversary of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies.Proceedings of the Symposium:Addis Ababa,November 2426,1988,Addis Ababa ,1990,p.89
7
Edward Ullendorff, The Ethiopians,London,Oxford University Press,1967,p.9
8
Ibid,pp.9-12
9
Messay Kebede, “Eurocentrism and Ethiopian Historiography: Deconstructing Semitization” in the International
Journal of Ethiopian Studies, Tsehay Publisher, 2003,pp.1-2.
6
argument as ; “…many Ethiopian Scholars have got the knowledge of their country history from
western scholarship.”10
So, Messay forward that Ethiopian studies in the medieval and early modern period was largely
viewed from the west and taken as a center there. In fact, he did not deny the contribution of
some European writers on the development of Ethiopian historiography. But he underscores that
the research methodology, theoretical construction and western method of writing could not be
fitted to the reality and nature of Ethiopian history. 11
Unlike Bahru Zewde and Pietro Toggia,Messay Kebede show us how the European writers like
Wallis Budge circulated the flattering idea and deliberately corrupted the name Ethiopia. For
such case, Messay present the reality written in Kibre Negest that does not refer South Arabian
origin of Queen Sheba rather the translator of Kibre Negest to English,Wallis Budge prefer to
say her home was in the Southwest of Arabia and deliberately omitted the name Ethiopia.12
Pietro Toggia’s view on the nature of Ethiopian historiography could be expressed by the title of
his article: “History writing in Ethiopia as a State Project..,” that aimed to give greater focus to
military and political dominant groups which exclude the history of marginalized population and
other ethnic history. Infact, Bahru also shares the idea of Pietro Toggia and expressed the same
problem in his article. Messay Kebede’s Objective while writing his article: “Eurocentrism and
Ethiopian historiography, deconstructing Semitization” is to show the European critics towards
the general history of Africa that define Black Africa as a stateless society, absence of written
script and paganism which is the characteristics of primitiveness. Thus, to disprove the biased
and Eurocentric oriented writing of the Europeans, Messay explained the unique feature of
Ethiopian history in Africa by listing the presence of historic monuments of Axum, existence of
indigenous written script, introduction of Christianity as early as the fourth century, the nature of
Ethiopia’s state formation and related aspects in detail.13Messay reflected such Ethiopian
anomality in African historiography and got much appreciation from Africanist scholars
10
Tadesse Tamirat, Church and State in Ethiopia,Oxford,Oxford University Press,1972,p.7
Messay,pp.2-3
12
Sir E.Wallis Budge,The Queen of Sheba and her only son Menyeleke,London,Kegan,Paul,2001,p.Xlii.
13
Messay,pp.5-7.
11
Messay has to be appreciated because he criticized Hegel’s construction of the framework of
universal history that naturally ranked Europe as the most advanced continent and driving engine
of universal history.Thus,Messay explained that there was a civilization in Black Africa that
violates Eurocentric paradigm. Such indigenous African civilization became a serious of
anomality. So that, the paradigm of Eurocentrism must be either abandoned or altered in a way
that such anomality could be resolved.14
Messay Kebede also exposed the biased writing of Ullendorff who criticized the Oromo as if
they did not have contribution for the civilization of Ethiopia forgetting at least the Geda System,
indigenous democratic institution of the Oromo socio –political organization.15
Messay’s writing is by far analytical and full of comparison. To give example for this
justification, someone can see the comparative analysis of the Black civilization of Egyptian with
the Civilization of Axum. Messay raised the case of Chikh Anta Diop’s justification of the
Egyptian Civilization as the work of the Black people and his reservation to mention Axumite
civilization in the same context because of the fact that Anta Diope had been affected by the
flattering idea of European writers who forwarded the view that Axumite civilization was the
result of the influence of Semitic people of South Arabia.16
Messay further explained the influence of Semitization that deteriorated the Axumite civilization
as “…On the Negro Ethiopian sub stratum a white element was grafted consisting of immigrants
from western Asia…”17 Messay’s reason of doubt about the authenticity of Axumite civilization
as deliberately worked out by Eurocentric affiliated writers like Wallis Budge.
Messay is also appreciated in his case of assessing the damage of Semitic thesis that create
opportunity to the Oromo Nationalist writers who claimed the Southern expansion of Ethiopia
during the reign of Emperor Menelik II(r.1889-1913) as nothing less but equal to a colonial
conquest that some scholars defined the expansion as dependent colonialism.18This indicates that
14
Ibid
Ullendorf, The Ethiopians, p.76
16
Taddesse Tamrat, Church and State in Ethiopia ,Oxford: Oxford University, Press, 1972, p.13
17
Cheikh An ta Diop, The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality ,Chicago:Lawrence Hill Books, 1974,
p.50
18
Asafa Jalata, Oromia & Ethiopia: State Formation and Ethnonational Conflict,1868-1992 ,Boulder: Lyn ne
Rienner Publishers, 1993,, p. 31.
15
unlike the work of Bahru and Pietro Toggia,Messay’s work is rich with different views which
could lead researchers to assess variety of views up on the nature of Ethiopian historiography.
Generally, Messay’s view on challenging the Semitic thesis is acceptable that put language factor
as important input because of the fact that Semitic language itself is originated in East Africa
which placed the region as the cradle of humanity and ancient indigenous civilization as well. In
addition, before having contact with South Arabia, a class society had been established in
Ethiopia and people practiced plough to supplement their living. Generally, the presence of state
formation, the existence of well class stratification, the usage of advanced agricultural
techniques, the presence of written language, and the existence of grandiose agricultural designs
were some cases that disprove South Arabian superimposition to the native Ethiopian
Civilization.19
When someone assesses the influence of the state on history writing, particularly on the
Ethiopian case,Pietro Toggia’s article: “History Writing as a state ideological project in
Ethiopia” tells us more about how the state influenced history writing based on its interest. Bahru
shares the idea of Pietro Toggia that the state in Ethiopia used history writing to legitimatize the
state power and to reconstruct a national identity. Pietro Toggia in his material indicated how
political history is more privileged than any social economic or other aspects of history. The idea
of deconstructing such a unicentric and totalized Ethiopian history is criticized by Pietro Toggia
as total denunciation or ergeman.Pietro Toggia argue with the idea of Foucault that one should
expect to be condemned for ‘murdering history.’20
Pietro Toggia further clarified how the state influences history writing. For instance, those
writers who could be influenced by the state deliberately select archives which could be fitted for
their purpose but contradicts the living openness of history. Such phenomena, history writing as
a state ideological project in Ethiopia was criticized by Pietro Toggia as historical plot and has to
be corrected. The means to correct such a plot could be lain on the shoulder of historians,
because, historical facts do not speak for themselves until historians make the interpretation and
19
20
Messay,p.16
Foucault, M., The Archaeology of Knowledge and the discourse of language,Newyork:Pantheon,1972,p.14
determination of their findings based on selection and arrangements which need a prior
decision.21
Pietro Toggia mentioned how the history of Ethiopia was written from Axumit time to the
coming power of the Northern insurgents in 1991.Almost all Ethiopian and non Ethiopian writers
mentioned the documentary source of Ethiopian State history associated with royal chronicles,
hagiographical literature, Greek epics, Arab and European traveler accounts and other. When
someone closely evaluate and examine the sources, the sources are unreliable, incomplete and
less transparent to reconstruct the history of the country.22From such unicentric form of state
historiography, we can understand that a historian should be alert and devoted to reconstruct the
history of the country free from the influence of politicians and Ethiopian historians should have
given care for the history of their country and expected to reconstruct history by maintaining
objectivity and give focus for Ethiopian anomality free from the influence of European writers
who advocated Eurocentric view.
21
22
Carr,E.H.,What is History? New York:Vintage Books,1961,p.9
Pietro Toggia, History writing…,pp.321-322
Concluding Remarks
Generally, the three writers have shown us the trend and nature of Ethiopian historiography,
utilization of sources, challenges of Ethiopian history writing and what has to be done by
professional historians to resolve the existing challenges. For instance, Pietro Togia
recommended that Ethiopian state historiography both in long and short periods could not give
focus for social, economic and other aspect of Ethiopian history rather it glossed over the role of
the Emperors in the history of the country because of the fact that the emperors commissioned
historians and history writing became ideological project of the state. Thus, it is the role of
historians to do more homework so as to reconstruct balanced and inclusive history of the
country. Messay Kebede’s critics of Eurocentrism, applying European form of writing and
theories up on Ethiopian history could provide an opportunity to other interested professional
historians that a paradigm shift is needed which provided a new door to reconstruct Ethiopian
history based on new source utilization. Bahru Zewde shows us the development of Ethiopian
historiography within one hundred year, though he explores the trend of Ethiopian history
writing since the fourteenth century, and indicated the gap in thematic and temporal scope which
further provides an opportunity to interested researchers on the issue of exploring new but
researchable topics in a wider scope. Bahru appreciated the role played by the early Ethiopian
writers of the late nineteenth and twentieth century as pioneers in Ethiopian history writing but
as an emeritus professor of history the issue of establishing Ethiopian historical association is
still homework.
Selected Bibliography
Asafa Jalata.1993. Oromia & Ethiopia: State Formation and Ethnonational Conflict,1868-1992,
Boulder: Lyn ne Rienner Publishers.
An ta Diop ,Cheikh.1974. The African Origin of Civilization: Myth or Reality,
Chicago:Lawrence Hill Books,
Bahru Zewdie.2000.“A Century of Ethiopian Historiography“, in Journal of Ethiopian
Studies,Vol.XXXIII,No.2.
Budge, Sir E.Wallis.2001.The Queen of Sheba and her only son Menyeleke, London,
Kegan,Paul.
Burke, Peter. 1991. “Overture: The New History its past and its future,” in Idem.,ed. New
Perespectives in Historical writing, Cambridge.
Carr,E.H.1961.What is History? New York:Vintage Books.
Foucault,M.1972.The Archaeology of Knowledge and the discourse of
language,Newyork:Pantheon.
Messay Kebede.2003.“Eurocentrism and Ethiopian Historiography: Deconstructing
Semitization” in the International Journal of Ethiopian Studies, Tsehay Publisher
Tadesse Tamirat.1972. Church and State in Ethiopia, Oxford, Oxford University Press.
Pietro Toggia.2008. “History writing as A State Ideological Project in Ethiopia” in African
Identities,Vol.6,No.4.
---------------.1990.Ethiopian Historiography: Retrospect and Prospect” in Richard Pankhrust and
Tadesse Beyene eds.,Silver Jubile Aniversary of the Institute of Ethiopian
Studies.Proceedings of the Symposium:Addis Ababa,November 24-26,1988,Addis Ababa.
Ullendorff, Edward .1967.The Ethiopians,London,Oxford University Press.