BY SOLOMON DIBABA
On my recent trip to Sekota, I managed to make a stopover at Lalibela town which is a destination to one of UNESCO registered world heritages registered in 1978 – the Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela located on 645kms in the highlands of Ethiopia.
It was a Christmas season in Ethiopia, popularly known as Genna and I was thrilled by what I saw in the heart of the highlands of Ethiopia.
Moreover, having looked at one of the 11 churches chiseled out of a single block of rock, Bete Giorgis or the House of Saint George, I had a mixed felling of delight and concern on what I saw.
Imagine, these churches were believed to have been constructed in the 13th century by or under the daily supervision of Emperor Lalibela whose birth day coincided with the Ethiopian Christmas day, Tahisas 29 or January 7.
Someone in town told me that Lalibela literally means eater of honey. I could not verify why the town and its king were named after honey. I have seen that both Laibela and Sekota area are well known for the production of white and tazema mar which is a special honey used traditionally for relief against asthmatics – a disease related to upper respiratory infections.
These medieval monolithic cave churches built in 13th-century also known as ‘New Jerusalem’ serve as a place of devotion and pilgrimage. As we arrived at Lalibela late in the evening, I observed thousands of older persons, the youth, women and even disabled persons trekking on foot to Lalibela with food for the pilgrims whom they expected to meet and serve as part of their religious benediction.
The pilgrims were traveling on foot from far away around the zones and districts around Agew-Awi Zone in Amhara Regional State. They were traveling in groups by moon light with no torch or any means of light.
They have been traveling to Lalibela at Ethiopian Christmas season and such travels on foot were taken as normal religious obligations expected of them.
I am personally impressed by the conviction, dedication and strength that the faithful of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church had displayed during the holiday of the Ethiopian Christmas.
The Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela are kept in their natural settings. The mix between the rock-hewn churches and the traditional circular houses in the vicinity of the churches, depict the ancient village layout.
The original function of the site as a pilgrimage place still persists and provides evidence of the continuity of social practices. The intangible heritages associated with church practices are still preserved.
King Lalibela who started the construction in the 12th century as ‘New Jerusalem’, after Muslim conquests halted Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Lalibela flourished after the decline of the Aksum Empire.
For hundreds of years, the Church and State have been jointly responsible for the holy site of Lalibela.
The town is inhabited by a large community of priests and monks; it is a living site which draws many pilgrims to celebrate the great feasts of the Ethiopian Christian calendar. This active and energetic perspective is central to the management of the site.
Lack of specific legal framework to protect the Rock-Hewn Churches except for a more general law, Proclamation No. 209/2000, which has also established, the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) which is partnering with the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has not done enough to coordinate the activities and projects that were geared towards the protection of the churches.
The property is administered under the regional and the Lasta district culture and tourism office. To prevent the property from the impact of development, a draft proclamation has been prepared but this is not yet ratified. A management plan has not yet been established. A four-year Conservation Plan was established in 2006 but this has yet to be fully implemented.
The boundary for the property has not yet been clearly delineated and a buffer zone has not yet been provided.
Observers who monitored the general condition of the churches note that here is a need for stronger planning controls for the setting of the churches that address housing, land-use tourism and for a management plan to be developed that integrates the Conservation action plan, and addresses the overall sustainable development of the area, with the involvement of the local population.
Besides, in spite of the fact that the rock hewn churches have generated billions of dollars from visits by tourists over the last 50 years, this important world heritage lacks basic facilities and promotional materials that could be used for marketing and for informing incoming tourists on the scope and content of the heritages. For instance, there were no pavements and well-constructed steps that lead to the sites.
The administrators of these historical sites seem to totally neglect availing special facilities for older and disabled tourists and local visitors. For instance, there are no adequate lavatories and supply of potable or bottled water that the tourists may need.
It is good that the churches are kept in their natural conditions but it is also very important to put in place all the facilities that visitors need during their stays at the sites. The sites need to be kept tidy and attractive for tourists and casual visitors like me.
Nonetheless, there are no precautionary notices or instructions that visitors should keep in mind as they pay visit to the area.
Besides, I have not seen any material or press kit prepared in various languages that could clearly explain the historical background of the churches. This is important because local and foreign tourists may take picture but they need some written materials that they can take home for future reference or to show them to their friends.
What I saw at Lalibela generated some critical issues concerning the preservation of the country’s tangible cultural heritages. Now, what is the status of partnership programs that kicked off with the Government of France and Italy regarding the renovation and protection of our tangible historical heritages?
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has time and again reported that it has prepared a comprehensive strategy to develop and promote the world class heritages of the country but how are these strategies put into practice to generate foreign currency that the country needs?
Ethiopia is indeed endowed with tourist attraction sites that could be developed further for the development of the sector but tourism in Ethiopia needs to be a cross cutting activity in which all concerned stakeholders should render measurable contributions.
The Ethiopian Herald January 28/2021
