Images From Ethiopia: Trip to Bahir Dar

Vivid and disturbing religious paintings from the walls of Lake Tana monasteries.

In May 2005 I attended a curriculum review at Bahir Dar University, my first and only trip north of Addis.  Bahir Dar is on Lake Tana northwest of Addis and is known as one of Ethiopia’s most scenic towns.

One of Bahir Dar’s many hotels on the lake.

Trip by boat to monasteries on Lake Tana.  The monasteries are a natural draw for anyone interested in visual art, Ethiopia’s traditional Orthodox church, or just hitting one of the main stops on the historic route recommended by all the guidebooks.  I’m not really interested in any of these so it was a surprise to me when the monasteries and, especially, their religious paintings became the highlight of my trip.

Local residents and residences from nearby one of the monasteries.

Aemro outside the monastery.  Aemro is a former student of mine and took time off from his busy schedule teaching at Bahir Dar U to show me around.

More religious art from inside the monastery: a wall painting and a bible illustration.  Given my impression of Ethiopian culture as guarded and circumspect, I was surprised by the level of detail shown in representations of, say, torture.  It was as if whoever drew these had etched his powerful and literal belief in the stories portrayed directly into the parchment.

Monk with historic artifacts at the second monastery we visited, on a tiny island accessible only to men.  I only visited two monasteries, because time was short and because I took my time at each.  This man was as gentle and helpful as you could hope a monk to be.  Although he said he had been on the island for 17 years, and I believed him, he spoke surprisingly fluent English – an interesting youth?  On our way out I asked Aemro if it would be wrong to offer them some chocolate and with a small grin the monk assured me they were not fasting at this time.

Back to Bahir Dar just in time for sunset.  Local fishermen on the left, our dreadlocked boatman on the right.

Aemro’s sisters.

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