BY MESERET BEHAILU
Admiring the cleaver and criticizing the lazy as well as inspiring positive attitudes are the common features of Ethiopian people. Communities have been applying different methods for educating and creating responsible citizens sustainably. Art is among the various means of creating responsible citizens. And it has been playing a pivotal role in positively shaping the public’s mindset.
Here, people have experienced a sense of artistic exposure that made them fond of art for the human interest expression and memorable nature of the field. Art has been applied for many years in Ethiopia. Hence, it has been passing through different twists and turns until these days.
It has also been confronted by many influences mainly political ones. However, some people especially who have a strong passion for art have given due attention and value to the burgeoning of the field for which they have won the public’s acknowledgement in return.
Recently, various artists from literature, theater, and film, painting, and architecture sectors had obtained acknowledgement. As seen in the picture above, Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed (Ph.D.) has just offered rewards to Ethiopian artists who have exerted relentless effort to the development of art in the country.
The reward ceremony was held at Entoto Park, Addis Ababa. During the Occasion, the premier said that the classic Art Experts have been discharging a key responsibility of keeping Ethiopian dignity thereby transforming the generation. On the occasion the PM said “Ethiopia would like to thank you for your services.” He also capitalized that the current generation should protect the honorable art experts and compliment their efforts for glorious outcomes.
As seen in the picture above, one of the rewarded artists also showed his reverence to the leader bowing and taking off his hat. It shows the artists’ decency and motivation to accomplish more positive activities that serve the community.
On the other hand, the medal bears the Ethiopian flag. This carries across the honoring party’s message that any reward-winning body needs to prove mettle through offering more works. It is like ‘if you respect the country, then the country will respect you.’ That’s what the premier also remarked to the artists to be ready to devotedly accomplish tasks ahead than ever before.
On the ceremony, instrumentalist, composer and founder of Ethio Jazz, Mulatu Astatike had received a reward from Abiy. Mulatu has been exploiting his potential to modernize Ethiopian music in a way that cannot deface its features. He also educated many to protect the Ethiopian music.
He is always passionate to know the country’s culture and its traditional music instruments. He said that there is no proven document to know who invented traditional instruments in Ethiopia due to the absence of adequate research. However, the oral traditions implicate that the owners of traditional musical instruments are communities from the rural parts of the country.
Currently, many foreigners are copying these traditional musical instruments and claiming as if they were their creativities. Therefore, concerned bodies need see to their responsibilities to preserve the patent rights of the instruments and their artistic outputs. These bodies need to sensitize citizens about own identity to make music and musical instruments source of income.
The Ethiopian Herald April 14/2021
