Family Affair 
by Henry Guyer
Uncovering the rich history of Armenians in Ethiopia is like overturning rocks in a large quarry in the search for clues to an antiquated treasure.
There is so much history to be discovered; yet most of the stones either remain unturned or have revealed only the first, thin layer of what would be much more profound findings.
In Vartkes Nerses Nalbandian, a third-generation Armenian in Ethiopia and deacon of the Armenian Apostolic Church, however, there is a man who is striving to upturn every rock. He admits that much has been lost or never even been documented and he shows me what he has been able to gather – a profuse collection of photographs and other records of Armenians that have been in Ethiopia.
“We are Ethiopian, there is no doubt about it. Of course we have kept our traditions and language as well,” Mr. Nalbadian said, regarding how he feels internally. “From my mother’s side, my roots [here] go back to 1905. My mother was born here while my father had come from Syria. She came to Ethiopia in connection with the Arba Lijoch.”
Mr. Nalbandian’s family tree is deeply rooted in Armenian-Ethiopian history. His great-uncle, Kevork Nalbandian, composed the music for the Imperial National Anthem, the Marsh Teferi, which was used from 1930 until 1974 and with lyrics written by Yoftahe Neguse. His father, Nerses Nalbandian, was also a famous composer of music and a choir here in Ethiopia during the time of Haile-Selassie. Unfortunately, most of his works has not been preserved.
The legendary story of the Arba Lijoch is perhaps Armenia’s most well-known legacy in Ethiopia. For the uninitiated, the story begins with Ras Tefari, the Crown Prince who was to become the Emperor, and a visit to Jerusalem in 1924. There he visited the Armenian Monastery and met 40 orphans who had escaped the genocidal atrocities they were subjected to in Turkey. Ras Tefari then gained permission by the Armenian Patriarch to bring them all to Ethiopia. Receiving musical instruction, the Arba Lijoch became the nations first official orchestra, with Mr. Nalbandian’s great uncle their bandleader.
The story of the Arba Lijoch is only one drop of water though, when it comes to the vast seascape that is the history of Armenia and Ethiopia; it is a relationship that spans centuries if not millennia. The beginnings can be traced back to the ancient Christian civilizations of the world, with frequent contact between the two kingdoms of Armenia and Axum around the 4th century A.D.
Since then, there has been plenty of historical contact between the two nations, the distance between them bridged by a series of explorers, merchants, and clergymen. In the 16th century, Armenian diplomats such as Matteos the Armenian were entrusted during the time of Empress Eleni and King Gelawdewos to establish ties with the Portuguese in order for Ethiopia to thwart the advancing Muslim Empire.
“Armenians were coming way back before 1915 to Ethiopia and they were not a community of exiles; they worked and served Ethiopia without religious or political pressure on the country. You know, they are of the same church, Eastern Christian Orthodox, and came under the invitation of Menelik. They introduced many skills like those of blacksmiths and also minted the first Ethiopian coins, so there has been a big contribution.”In 1632, Ethiopia began an isolationist phase in their history due to their poor relations with the outside world. All outsiders were banished from the kingdom “for ever”, yet Armenian tradesmen, merchants, and clergyman were the only ones allowed to travel freely in the country, becoming the only link between the Ethiopia and the rest of the world. European travelers were forced to dress in Armenian costume to enter Ethiopia.
1902 witnessed the signing of many diplomatic relations, according to Mr. Nalbandian. A decree proclaimed that all foreigners must return and stay at their respective embassies, except for, once again, the Armenian community, who were considered as Ethiopians. They still held much influence in Ethiopia. Yet that slowly decreased with the Italian occupation of the 1930’s.
The contemporary community of Armenians in Ethiopia is dwindling, many having left since the 1960’s for numerous reasons. “There was an exodus of Armenians in the 1960’s. Until then Armenians had always been considered Ethiopians but there were changes all of a sudden in naturalization laws and new laws for work permits that made it very tough to stay. In 1965 it changed but the exodus already began,” Mr. Nalbandian revealed.
“There has never been over 1,500 Armenians here. Now, there are only around 100,” he explained. “You know, Armenians never had their own nation. Everything we had was in Ethiopia. So when the Derg regime nationalized the extra houses, all the Armenians had to leave. The biggest blow was the nationalization of the houses because wherever Armenians go they have a house for living and some security for their old age.”
There are still signs all over Addis Ababa, and also in other cities like Dire Dawa, of the legacy Armenians have left in Ethiopia. On Adwa Avenue, past the Ras Mekonnen Bridge, the Seba and Arba Derejjas (the seventy and forty steps), the Armeninan Apostolic Holy Orthodox Church stands in contrast to the surrounding landscape. Amid a small but lush garden the church stands out as architecturally unique and historically significant, a monument to a rich and exceptional palimpsest of chance and history.
Mr. Nalbandian is now orchestrating an Armenian festival next month at the Alliance Ethio-Francaise, including a lectures as well as performances of Nerses Nalbandian’s musical composition.
How Does Family Effect Ethiopian Children?
Family Structure and Child Rearing
Chapter 3 of the Ethiopian Constitution describes the family as the basis of society and deserving of special attention from the state and society. A typical family consists of the father, mother, children, servants, and extended family members. The families are strong and tend to be large, ranging from 6-12 family members per family. The father is the authority figure, and the mother enforces the rules for the children. The family is responsible for teaching the children cultural and religious values and the skills necessary to become self-supporting adults. Rural families, more often than urban families, tend to have a division of labor. The mothers usually work at home, while the fathers work in the field or other outside jobs. If both parents work outside the home, the parents depend on servants and extended family members to look after the children. Although, parents discourage their children from using violence, the parents often use physical punishment and believe in its effectiveness. The mother is the one who chooses her children's name. This chosen name indicates what traits she wants her children to exemplify. It is a custom for children to take their father's name as their second name. Parents consider children to be dependent of them, and the children can protect the family pride by behaving well.
Different Roles of Boys and Girls
Boys and girls in Ethiopia tend to have separate roles.
Girls:
- help their mothers such as sweeping the house and fetching water
admired for their abilities in handicrafts, cooking, and cleaning - stay under family control until they get married
- no choice in choosing a husband
- can marry at age 14 (some marry as young as age 10)
- help their fathers in gardening, preparing land, planting, weeding, and caring for cattle
- father trains son for work at age 6
- admired if they are studious and have a good character
- can choose their own wives
- can marry at age 18
Even though Ethiopian children lead hard lives, they also have fun. They play games with the children of their neighborhood. These games relieve some of their stress, and it is also a way in which children express their fears. Some examples of the games Ethiopian children enjoy are hockey, breaking grounds, hide and seek, football, and soccer.
Rules Children Must Follow
At a young age, parents teach their children certain rules, and the parents expect children to follow them. If the children break these rules, their parents and society will look down on them and they will be appropriately disciplined. Some of these rules are:
- respect the elders
- be obedient
- don't question authority
- don't interrupt their parents while they are talking
- don't call adults by names
- be disciplined
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