No doubt that heritages are the spinal cords carrying the beingness history of a whole nation in which a certain people belongs to. Their relevance builds up ones’ society in terms of psychological privilege, economic development, and of course, great source of norms and ethical codes with in society. Seemingly blurry disadvantages, derived from the absence of these heritages are indeed the missing puzzles that needs to be navigated.
In the case of our continent Africa, it’s a hard work required for reclaiming the lost African heritages due to invasions during pre and post-colonial periods, smuggling and other historical coincidences. Ethiopia, as the oldest nation in the continent and the globe, lost too many heritages residing in different parts of the world, gained through smuggling and invasions most importantly.
For instance, Britain, the Mekdela Heritages, around 150 years ago, took bunch of looted bounty which consumed about 200 mules and 15 elephants to transport, setting fire to the rest they couldn’t take along and God knows what else. in addition to those, about 350 manuscripts were taken by Richard Holmes alone, of course!
Germany, on the other hands obtained hundreds of manuscripts and scrolls, another wealth of knowledge written before the rest of the world didn’t, dating back to the glorious and enchanting times of this nation, collected by Enno Littman and Johannes Flemming. French also took 350 indigenous Ethiopian manuscripts due to the sponsorship of Dakar Djibouti mission.
Now I know there are too many abundant sites and article talking about the lost heritages of African Nations and how difficult it would be to restore them so. But I don’t think no one, including the nations who claims their treasure ownership, gave emphasis to the fact that the manuscripts stolen, the monuments lost, the clothing’s that are missing and inscriptions misplaced means more than pride and image to a continent with the lowest of every standards. Be it Economical development, living standards, GDP, and other social sectors.
Looking back to most of western countries greatness antiquity, it is crystal clear to see that their descendant generations kept learning from what their forefathers placed them. They got the chance to explore that and enhance their present survival at its best optimal pace. In Africa the whole game is different. I mean apart from the fact that we are not able to be ourselves due to various reasons, it’s very hard to believe what parents and society tells about who we are, while our museum who were supposedly responsible to give us the evidence to the latter dictations, are almost empty.
If one is not to learn from the fingerprints and footsteps of its forefathers, then what’s the use of everything?! Shouldn’t we be the ones to pay a visit for our own heritages in our own land? Wouldn’t the identity and history of those posts representing us, behind the mirrors gives us the validity to claim what is rightfully ours! I mean ask yourself, what could possibly be worse than traveling across the ocean in search of your own history?! Nothing!
Meron's pitch 