Ethiopia is a country rich in cultural heritage and profound wealth of literature due to her own written language which has developed through centuries of being in the custody of the Orthodox Church. Many writers of the country, having gone through church education, have attained the excellence of literary work among which today’s Herald’s guest of honor happens to be the one. Our guest has climbed up the royal road of literary eminence relentlessly. Herald appreciates his absolute consent to give interview.
Herald: I appreciate your consent to give Herald interview. Could you kindly tell us your name?
Ato Ayalneh: My name is Ayalneh Mulatu Abeje.
Herald: What are you doing currently?
Ato Ayalneh: Now, I am a lecturer at Addis Ababa University in Theatrical Arts Department. On top of this, I have other job pertaining to literary work.
Herald: What is your responsibility in your present field of work apart from lecturing?
Ato Ayalneh: Now, I am engaged in provisional job. The Ministry of Culture has designed a music drama project program that can transform the current Ethiopia’s image locally and internationally; it is actually similar to that of People-for-People musical drama during the time of Derg.akin to that, the Ministry of Culture assigned Honorable Dr, Mulatu Astatke and me to carryout activities related to the project and because of that we are given this office here at Cultural Assembly Hall. Here we are now.
Herald: How long have you been working with this responsibility?
Ato Ayalneh: It is about six months now. I am the chairman of the committees. We have been engaged in assessing the nature of the different documents, the composition of the musical drama, the expenses, the places where we are going to and our activities inside the country. In this business, it is not only the two of us, but there are committees comprising people from Addis Ababa University and from other different institutions that are organized to be involved in the work. Regarding this musical drama, we are now through with the paper work and ready to translate it to practice in accordance with the guidance and instructions from Ministry of Culture.
Herald: How is your present occupation related to the former one?
Ato Ayalneh: For your information, my life career is totally chained to literature, and I believe that I have done a lot related to that. Let alone my former job, even while I was a student, I was engaged in writing. I have been in it the whole of my life, and neither have I tried anything else. I have been developing it since my childhood; apart from this, I don’t have any other job at all.
Herald: It is known that you are a play write. Could you please brief Herald on that?
Ato Ayalneh: Yes, I am a play write. Play writing is not something casually done. It has a big role in any part of the world, and the person fully engaged in it is a professional who writes dramas shown on the stage. Based on his writings, actors, painters, editors and others are all involved in developing it until it is shown on the stage. Play writing is not something done by chance; it is a profession that requires a lot of care. The natural gift of the person has to be developed through learning and training. Nevertheless, many local and international writers are not trained in this profession; they develop their writing gift through experience. Play write in Ethiopia like Tsegaye G.Medhin, Mengistu Lemma and many others did not graduate in play write. Even myself, I didn’t graduate in that profession. Natural gift alone doesn’t amounts to anything; but the natural gift, coupled with a long time experience, reading and techniques, enrich the work and make the person a professional writer.
The great play write Shakespeare, the creator of play write, had only a grade four education; during his time there were no school of theatrical arts. Yet, he adequately developing and using his God-given gifts, to the wonder of all in the world, has become a famous play write. A true play write is not a person who copies or translates other’s work from English to Amharic or French to Amharic, in an attempt to give it Ethiopian tone. But one has to write his play based on the objective realities of the country, its joys, pains and sorrows. Such a play write tremendously contributes to the growth of the art of the country. He alerts the people and criticizes the government. In general he serves as a bridge between the government and the people. Such a writer is essential for the country. As I previously mentioned, I am not referring to literal translators. Many of translated writings have a remarkable role and have remarkably contributed to the development of the art and literature.
Shakespeare himself is among those who contributed to the development of literature worldwide. The translations of Tsegaye G.Medhin and Kebede Michael are categorized in the same line.
Herald: What are the social and political contents of your dramas?
Ato Ayalneh: There are a lot to be mentioned. I have composed quite a number of play scripts; yet, most of them are based on the objective realities of the country; it laments the sorrow and sings joy of the people. And because of that fact, many people think my writings are politically tuned. But this is not true. Apparently, in this world, nobody is free from politics while writing. Someone is called politician only if he belongs to one political party and promotes the program and the strategy of that party. Yet, if you expect an author to write politics-free issues, what can he write? He cannot do it, as there is nothing he can write without the touch of politics. During the era of Decadence, as capitalism was frustrated and intensified its corruption more than any time, groups known as Artsfor-Arts Sake, were confused as to which ideology to support. If they were to support capitalism, it was submerged in the mire of embezzlement, and socialism, on the other hand, was so tender that it was not strong enough to be followed.
Thus, they came up with the motto art-for-art sake; we write art for art sake and wisdom for wisdom sake and nothing else. They found themselves in a big problem. With such a firm position, they could not identify themselves with any of the two systems and remained suspended in mid-air. They could have come down to earth. It is utterly impossible to think that an author can write anything devoid of politics. Yet, the politics should take into consideration the balanced conditions of the country and should listens to the grievances of the people and expose the government for its injustice. Equally, it should also reveal and promote the good sides of the government. Such dramas that can create awareness and agitate the people for a high level struggle should be written; and my dramas are of such quality contextually.
Herald: Have the changes in political ideologies the country follows ever affected your political theories?
Ato Ayalneh: Not at all! I have worked in three governments: Haile Selassie’s Constitutional monarchy, the military junta and the EPRDF. I had problem with each one of them. During Haile Selassie’s era, I was beaten up and hospitalized in Police Hospital for two or so months simply because I was involved in students’ movement that was struggling for the right of the farmer in the feudal land system, and political issues alike. Later, as the king was deposed, the socialist military junta took over the power, all people and those of us who came from abroad, too, rallied behind the new government with the firm belief that scientific socialism had really prevailed in Ethiopia. Prior to that, I was in Russia and Tsgaye G. Medhin came and said, “The socialism you have been crying for has come. So, you have to come and we should work together to realize our dreams.” Thus, he brought me to Ethiopia with him. The tragedy of it was that the socialism I knew and the one I saw in Ethiopia were diametrically opposite. The job I was assigned to was not suitable for me either and I continued with my usual ideology.
Owing to this fact, Ato Tsegaye and I, due to our belief, were imprisoned. Therefore, I believe that my ideological line is still right and that’s why Haile Selassie and the Mengistu imprisoned me. Afterwards, Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), chased me out of the university and this is a clear indication that the third government similarly did not accept the ideology I pursued. The conclusion is such that ideology is not that keeps changing, but it can develop. It is not something in which one , like a chameleon keep changing one’s color to assimilate oneself to the new system. What I want you to realize is that some people, even those who were working with us, were awarded medals for their commitment to support Haile Selassie’s rule. Many authors and play write, including our colleagues, were also awarded. Soon, the anti-feudal government that propagates and proclaims socialism emerged.
These very award winners were again recognized and awarded by the Dergue for their staunch supports of its government in furthering its policies and strategies. The position of these people is rather intriguing. Sometimes it would occur to me whether or not Mengistu’s socialism was an extension of Haile Selassie’s feudal system. Even today, if those people are still alive, EPRDF would award them. I just want you to know that I was not awarded by any of the governments; rather I was imprisoned by the Dergue and was chased out of the university by the EPRDF and I don’t know what will happen in the future. Thus, ideology is something that one should cling to, and keep developing it. One should not keep shifting from one ideology to the other. …to be continued
