Part II
The ink is used to draw patterns on the forehead, neck, chin, and other areas. A razor-sharp needle pierces the skin, allowing the ink to seep in.”
Kawase recounts China’s own story of enduring the pain of tattooing. She explained that traditional Ethiopian liquor, Araqe, was used as an anesthetic to numb her skin during the process. From her beginnings as a young egg seller, China has evolved into an illegal immigrant house maid in the Arab world and finally a cafe owner in the same street where she was selling eggs as a little girl. The common Amharic proverb, Qes Be Qes Enqulal Be egru yihedal meaning little by little an egg becomes a chick and walks free is a good example for china’s transformation as noted by Kawase in the story. The author has narrated the life and fate of most urban girls through China’s story.
“She said Riyadh Saudi Arabia is really bad. She become a maid of a merchant family there. Women from numerous locations, Indoniosia philippenes, Bangladesh and Ethiopia go to Riyadh to work Employer violence against these women, unpaid wages, and various problems routinely occur… The head of the house assaulted her and even sexually harassed her. The Master’s wife sensed that her husband was turning his attention to China become jealous and began to treat her harshly With the support of her friends from the streets she managed to escape with her life, but empty handed.
Growing up in the street as a vendor, dropping out of school and maybe doing weird business with paying men and then going to the Middle East to work as a maid and coming back to Ethiopia to open a small business is the routine observed by most country girls.
Getting killed, getting raped, losing a mind, disappearing forever, etc is something that is common as an African illegal immigrant who chose the journey through the borders and the merciless seas. Kawase has captured all sufferings and horrible, tragic ends in his memoir entitled Journey.
“Hey, stop it. Stop it, stop it. This can only end badly…. From Gondar you cross Sudan and Libya and cross the ocean to Europe, that sea is not Lake Tana which can be seen from the top of Wanza in your village…. it’s a gigantic thing the likes of which you have never seen before”
Kawase writes this piece in a manner one talks/gives advice to his little brother. The story captures everything from the journey from Ethiopia to Sudan Libya and the merciless sea. The Dellalas/ intermediaries which are facilitating the journey are extremely inhuman, they are not a joke. They are demons. They don’t care as long as they get their money. They treat you bad they rape you and slash your tighs with a knife if you are not paying for the journey which might even leave you to be a dinner to the fish. Once you board that usually dilapidated, crammed boat you might get thrown out of the boat in the middle of the journey if you are heavier in weight than other travellers. The whole story narrated under the “journey” is written with a strong message of PLEASE DON’T GO!!
The memoir not only highlights the physical risks but also delves into the psychological and emotional toll of such an arduous journey. The narrative reveals the extreme exploitation and abuse faced by migrants, illustrating how the quest for a better life can quickly turn into a nightmare. Through his compelling storytelling, Kawase implores readers to understand the grim reality of these migrations and to reconsider the perilous path many are tempted to take.
By sharing these stories of suffering and loss, Journey serves as a cautionary tale, urging potential migrants to weigh the risks carefully and seek safer alternatives. It underscores the urgent need for systemic change to address the root causes of migration and to provide better support and opportunities for those who are vulnerable to such extreme measures.
“Song Pleading with the Gods” brings Tigabu’s and Yitayal’s life as an Azmari, their hopes, wishes and aspirations. Kawase has narrated the story very cleverly and with a little sense of expertise.
“Adana, your humorous stories are loved. There are no bees in your stomach, but your mouth is overflowing with honey” Tigabu is bringing all kinds of praises to get a tip from his clients. The above mentioned praise is targeted at praising Adana infront of his peers as he is a humorous person comparing his humors as good as a honey.
“Let’s make Adana laugh, so we can count among his 30 teeth the gold ones”
This is another praise talking about how Adana is a wealthy person, as gold teeth was/is considered a symbol of affluence.
“ Chaplin of the Highlands” is another story Kawase wrote with a clear, detailed and unforgettable depiction of the life of Lalibeloch through his main character Tilahun. Legend has it that if Lalibela/hamina ceases to stop singing, praising and begging for money, they will be a leper and in fear of contracting leprosy they continue to strol door to door and praise, sing and beg. Lalibeloch are in some instances mocked by peers as their source of income is coming from begging. Thus the main character in the story, Tilahun disguises as a country boy when he does his morning routines.
“When Tilahun is active in his practice, he covers his whole body with a thick cloth, loosely wraps the thick cloth around his head and walks with a wooden cane…however, around noon, Tilahun returns to the cheap hotel where he stays, changes, into jeans and a T shirt, and goes back to being a fashionable young man walking around Piazza… Of course, no one knows that this is the singer who has been roaming the streets until just a little while ago.
Kawase invokes a flashback memory that resonates closely with the story of Lalibeloch and Tilahun. It centers around Gary, a member of the indigenous Dane-Zaa people of British Columbia. Just as Lalibeloch are compelled to sing at dawn, Gary rises early each morning to perform his tribe’s ritual drumming and chanting, which Kawase finds incomprehensible.
The stories such as “Song Pleading with God,” “A Symphony,” “The Promised Land,” “Eternity,” “Mischief of the Gods,” “Qolo Temari,” “A Promise to Yohanis,” “Reacquainted,” “Journey,” “Elder Brother’s Way,” “The Crucifix,” and “The Ethiopia Hotel” narrate experiences and interactions of the writer that would be held close to the heart. This book review does not delve into each story collected in “Mischief of The Gods”; rather, it provides a bird’s-eye view of some highlights. I encourage everyone to explore Kawase’s lamentations through his characters.
Numerous tourists, historians, scholars, explorers which are both admirers and critics of Abyssinia have penned their memoirs in various languages to share their impressions. If we were to evaluate “Abyssinia: The Powder Barrel” by Prochazka as one of the poorest representations of our people, “Mischief of the Gods” stands as one of the finest portrayals of Ethiopians. Kawase writes with a profound sense of belonging to the land, its people, and the spirit of Ethiopia.
Itsushi Kawase is an Anthropologist, film maker and poet born in Gifu Japan. He has conducted research on Ethiopia’s hereditary singer-poets since 2001. He is currently an associate professor at Japan’s National Museum of Ethnology and the graduate University of Advanced Studies. He has won numerous awards for his writing and films, most recently the 2022 Umesao Tadao Literary Prize.
On Sun, Oct 6, 2024 at 10:51 PM Alemayehu Alemayehu <7alemayehu@gmail.com> wrote:
Title: Mischief of the gods
Author: Itsushi Kawase /PhD
Publisher Awai Books
By ATA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 18 OCTOBER 2024
