In Ethiopia, Afua Hirsch traces a proud 3,000-year history as significant as any civilisation in the west. A beacon for the black diaspora, Ethiopia’s story is one of defiant independence, of kings and communists, of a country that has survived catastrophe but bounced back, underpinned by a culture inspired by an ancient faith and devotion.
At the heart of recent Ethiopian history is the complex reign of Emperor Haile Selassie. One of the most influential world figures of the 20th century, he was the midwife to African liberation and the generator of a global culture in Rastafarianism. Yet ultimately, Haile Selassie was a tragic figure.
With renowned artist Eshetu Tiruneh, Afua explores the impact of the 1974 famine that led to the emperor’s downfall, and she talks to photographer Aida Muluneh about her return from exile to the dynamic new Ethiopia of the 21st century responding to the dark days of the past. Less
- Duration59 mins
- First shown9pm 17 Aug 2020
African Renaissance: When Art Meets Power – Ethiopia
Confirmed for BBC Four on 17 August at 9pm to 10pm
Ep 1/3
Monday 17 August
9.00pm-10.00pm
BBC FOURNEWAfrica is one of the fastest growing regions in the world and the youngest continent, where six in every ten people are under 25. With hundreds of different ethnicities, and some 2,000 languages, Africa is the most culturally diverse place on Earth.
In this series, journalist Afua Hirsch shows us the new Africa, on its own terms. Moving through spectacular locations and dynamic art and music scenes, she explores how three very different African countries are becoming 21st century cultural powerhouses.
In Ethiopia, Afua traces a story of defiant independence, of kings and communists – a country which has survived catastrophes but bounced back with a culture inspired by ancient faith and devotion. At the centre of this story is the complex and ultimately tragic reign of Haile Selassie. With renowned artist Eshetu Tiruneh, she explores the 1974 famine that led to the Emperor’s downfall. Afua talks to photographer Aida Muluneh about her return from exile to the dynamic new Ethiopia of the 21st Century.
Bringing together historical insights, cultural heroes and extraordinary art, music and dance, with African Renaissance Afua Hirsch offers us a radically new vision of Africa and its culture.
African Renaissance is accompanied by Handmade in Africa, a 3×30’ observational documentaries also produced by ClearStory for BBC Arts, which reveals the detailed creation process behind some of these countries’ most cherished crafts: a Dorze bamboo house woven in Ethiopia, a traditional kora musical instrument carved in Senegal, and a Maasai wedding necklace brought together in Kenya.
JH