November 15, 2015
Reputed to be the source of the Blue Nile River which along with the White Nile River makes up the longest river in the world, Lake Tana has for centuries played a significant role in the evolution of Nile civilisations. Demola Ojo writes from its shores…
Thirteenth century unaltered Ethiopian monastery…
Landlocked Ethiopia is defined by high altitude, rocks and hills. The city of Bahir Dar has all these features, but with an additional attribute. Loosely translated to mean “waterside city”, Bahir Dar is blessed with Ethiopia’s largest lake, Lake Tana.
Situated in a volcanic trough formed by an eruption millions of years ago, Lake Tana has long held economic and cultural significance for the people of Ethiopia and beyond. For centuries, fishing has been a commercial activity in the region. The lake has also been an important means of transportation.
In recent times, it has helped in attracting tourists with many hospitality outlets taking advantage of the calming, scenic views it offers. The sight of the sun rising from behind the surrounding hills and reflecting off the lake which sits at an altitude of 1,800 metres above sea level is one to savour.
And the calm waters of the lake means boat cruises and watersports are an attractive proposition for both visitors and locals to indulge in.
Lake Tana serves as a bridge between classical and modern Ethiopia. The lake has 37 islands which due to their inaccessibility in times past, now serve as repositories for Ethiopian Orthodox Christian tradition.
Twenty of the islands are churches and monasteries, some dating as far back as the 13th century. These islands are storehouses for Ethiopian church art, religious parchments, crosses, crowns and royal regalia which have been preserved over the years.
To understand how Lake Tana attained its prominence over the centuries, it is important to mention its relationship to the Blue Nile. Lake Tana flows into the Blue Nile which along with the White Nile (which has its source in Lake Victoria), forms the famous River Nile.
The Blue Nile is a source of pride for Ethiopians; it is one of the rivers mentioned in the bible where it was referred to as Gihon in the book of Genesis. The Blue Nile has been very important to the Nile civilizations of Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan and because of this, many people over the years have sought its source. In the process, they find Lake Tana.
As a sanctuary of faith for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, many adherents have embarked on pilgrimages to Lake Tana, its many islands and the adjoining landforms including the Zegie Peninsula which is home to the Azewa Mariam, a 13th century Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church. The Azewa Mariam is referred to as the “Painting House” of Lake Tana churches.
The journey from say, the Grand Hotel Bahir Dar to Zegie Peninsula takes between 30 minutes to an hour depending on the speed of your watercraft.
It is normal to see different birds, including swans which bob gracefully on the lake without betraying how furiously they’re paddling to stay afloat. Hippos can be seen too. They look like black rocks jutting out of the water and only when they submerge, then surface do you realise what they are living.
The ferry captain that conveyed us (media personnel and tour operators from Nigeria) wore his dreadlocks with pride. He was keen to share memories of his previous passengers including members of Bob Marley’s family. Despite excited cries of Ras Tafari and Haile Selassie at a point, it turned out he was Orthodox Christian.
There is little at the jetty of Zegie Peninsula to suggest how historic the location is. There is a simple signpost pointing pilgrims and tourists towards Azewa Mariam.
The presence of solar panels was one of the few modern signs at this location which in many ways is a throwback to hundreds of years ago.
Source http://ethioexplorer.com/