ADDIS ABABA– The actual task of restoring the historic Jimma Aba Jifar palace would begin soon this month, Jimma Town Culture and Tourism Head Abdumelik Mussa told The Ethiopian Herald.
So far a detailed research has been conducted to undertake the restoration, according to him. The study included identifying the type of wood, stone and mud needed to restore the palace.
The restoration project received a 10-million Birr from various sources. The U.S.- through Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) awarded a grant of USD 125,000 to World Monuments (WM) in late 2018 to assist in conservation at Aba Jifar Palace, while Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) and Oromia Culture and Tourism respectively allocated 5 million Birr and 2 million Birr.
The U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa told The Ethiopian Herald via email that “work is expected to commence at the Family Mosque and will include a significant training component for local craftspeople to provide working knowledge for future restoration.”
“A consultant employed by World Monuments Fund (WMF) has carried out a condition assessment of wooden elements at the palace and prepared a detailed plan for carpentry conservation, which was completed in February 2019,” the embassy said.
ARCCH Public and International Relations Director Fanta Beyene said the consultation works have also taken place to restore the palace in line with the previous shape, quality and structure.
Speaking at the launching of the Restoration of Aba Jifar Palace back in November 2018, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Michael Raynor also said in addition to the USD 125,000 provided by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, additional funds – approximately USD 220,000 – are being provided to the (ARCCH) and the Oromia Culture and Tourism Bureau.
“The palace, built in the 1880s by King Aba Jifar II, is the oldest, largest and best-preserved surviving example of traditional wooden architecture in Jimma. It’s a rare example of architecture that fuses traditional building technology from southwestern Ethiopia with the Indo- Arab architectural style that was common along the Indian Ocean. Consequently, Aba Jifar Palace is a symbol of the cultural and mercantile links between Ethiopia and the rest of the world,” he added.
The Ethiopian Herald, May 31/2019
BY MISGANAW ASNAKE
