So many people, that I had met on several occasions, described the beauty of this part of the country as some kind of earthly heaven with too much eye-catching greenery and water resources. Whenever they talk about the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples (SNNPs) State of Ethiopia, they reflect the scenery with eccentric landscapes make observers go wild with an emotion that ripples signs of joy on their faces.
I had been to the South for some couple of occasions and seen only few parts of it. I feel the same wild emotion in the best way that makes me adore the beauty of nature.
I am about to leave Addis Ababa to feast my eyes on the natural wonders in Taking the driver’s seat through the train of imagination I will take you all along there sharing all my experience of this trip.
It may be natural to miss the city that you are living in for years. But the moment one steps into the wide open doors of the countryside of Ethiopia in every direction, nature would welcome one with its diversified gifts of many colors.
The rainy season is almost ending and the dry but bright season of the New Year of Ethiopia 2012 is approaching. Every place where one sets eyes on is green. Vast farming fields are covered with crops, cereals and several agricultural plantations including the growing tree seedlings of the Green Legacy Initiative.
Wondering and admiring this whole beauty, we arrived at Hawasa, the Capital of the SNNPs. Hawassa welcomes everyone with its fresh air that comes from its beautiful lake Hawassa. Yet, there is still a long way to go for the particular adventure in the South.
We will be crossing through Jimma the land of the great king Aba Jifar, the land that is well known for its vast forests of Coffee Arabica. But first we have to travel and pass through several
Barta Waterfall
rural villages with magnificent natural forests, mountains and the green fields of hard working farmers. We shall make a stop at Wolkite, the capital of Gurage Zone of SNNPs.
The Gurage people are well known for their passion for hard work and making big business by starting from a scratch. Since we made a stop for lunch, it is necessary to mention how the Gurage people are very much recognized for their delicious traditional meal that is known as Kitfo. It is a favorite dish that is made with red meat, which is chopped to the minutest bit to be mixed with a bit boiled butter having chilly powder and some spices. It is served with a clay bowl. The meat is not usually fried. If one drops in at the restaurants in Wolkite, one will be served with this delicious meal with the traditional bread called Kocho. Kocho, is made from the Inset (false banana). The process of making Kocho could be a little tough job, but the Gurage ladies are past masters in the task.
Meanwhile, you will also find different types of traditional foods, which are commonly served in the whole Country.
We have regained our energy form the Kitfo and Kocho as well as the Jebena Coffee. So it is time to leave Wlkitte and make our way for Jimma town. Traveling through the vast green lands, we cross through the hot green valley of the Gibbe River. This place is usually called ‘The Green Desert’.
As we finished our journey through the green desert, we are welcomed by the road full of zigzags until we arrive at Jimma. It has been three years since I have seen the Old City. From my observation during that time, Jimma was almost on a deep sleep for it did not grow that much as an ancient historical town. Even though it requires time and good investment, it seems that Jimma is awaking with some ongoing infrastructures.
Still, we have a long way to go for our main destination is the Keffa zone of the SNNPs, which is110 kilo meters away from Jimma and 735 km from Hawasa. Its capital town is Bonga. It is 468 km from Addis.
Keffa is also the home for coffee Arabica, which Ethiopians call ‘The Green Gold’. It is a place famous for natural, historical and cultural heritages. There are three native ethnic groups; the Kaficho, Chara and Nao. The three of them still have their own unique traditional songs and dances that lends a stranger’s soul peace.
Here, you could also find the same delicious Kocho and bufe of other traditional meals. When you are enjoying your meal in the traditional way of the people, you may find some kind of leaf on your plate and you might mistake it for a food. But it is not food. It is a napkin to clean your hands after dining.
Now it is time to make our journey on foot and the first place you may want to see is the Tunna Edegele coffee forest. Stepping on coffee beans that dropped from the trees and grabbing the branches while you are walking on sloppy landscapes, you will continue to admire the magnificence of nature in that forest.
Endless coffee forests and rolling fields will catch your eyes for too long and if you keep wondering, you continue walking on the narrow roads that are made with only natural human footprints; you will not resist the excitement and then will find the beautiful water fall of the mighty Barta.
The water fall of Barta has seventy meters length and twenty meters width. The beauty of Barta fall makes anyone forget not only of those busy days of making money but also those stressful days you keep yourselves busy digging for recreational places and wondering about where to go to spend that time. But you already have it right here in Ethiopia; green nature, hot spring water where you can swim on or a place to hike and searching for undiscovered ancient human ways of lives that made so many centuries and are still being discovered. The green beauty will await you and the hot spring waters will be your relief but the adventure through the South west will continue.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday September 8/2019
BY HENOK TIBEBU
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday September 8/2019
BY HENOK TIBEBU
