Eliyata Daniel, 10, is a talented kid in photography. He is also famous among his family members, relatives, neighbors and schoolmates for his curiosity to know something new. Of course, this curiosity dates back to his early childhood. He used to examine the cell phone of his father while he was six month old. When he became a year and three months old, he had developed the habit of communicating with his parents via sign language.
One day, Eliyata’s mother saw a photograph on her husband’s cell phone when she came back from work. It was a shadow reflection of water in a dish. The picture was taken by Eliyata. At that time, he was only two years old. Then the parents asked Eliyata to take a picture and demonstrate to them his capability. Of course, he did it! He took a picture of their garden. He was also active enough to take pictures and play music to manage his fathers’ phone.
His father Daniel took the photographs to the media. Accordingly, the Ethiopian Television invited Eliyata to take picture of staffers in order to confirm his talent. Next year, the media celebrated Eliyata’s third year birthday at his parents’ home. In connection with his birthday, his parents bought a four thousand Birr Bond to the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Then Eliyata met with the then prime minister Hailemariam Dessalegn and former president Girma Woldegiorgis in an occasion organized at the parliament where talented Ethiopian kids received awards. In the same event, Eliyata had received a dish, mug and scarf gifts from the hand of the premier. At that time he was a three year and seven month old. At the same age, Eliyata had exhibited his photographs in an event organized to celebrate the global hand-washing day of children held at the Addis Ababa Exhibition Center.
Since the age of four, Eliyata has been taking a picture at the 19th, 21th and 28th AU summits. Consequently, he has a permit to partake in the AU summit as the youngest photographer out to unfurl and develop his talent. Prior to that, his father Daniel had bought for him a professional camera at a cost of 22,000 Birr.
Bit by bit, following suit, his young sister also started taking pictures while three. Both of them were talented in a similar art. Three years back, Addis TV had made a program related to the talent of the children including the third one that had a similar talent with her siblings.
Daniel Tefera, father of the three talented kids, [Eliyata, Mariamawit and Sipara] is always amazed by the skill of his children. Surprisingly, all of the children have deep passion for photography. The family has been working to stage a photography exhibition so that the three of them could present their art pieces together.
Daniel has submitted a photograph proposal to the office of the prime minister requesting for cooperation so that the three youngest photographers can take pictures of the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed along with his cabinets. He also plans to organize a photography exhibition where the income from it can be fully donated to the GERD project. “Even we have a plan to submit 15 million Birr collected from photography exhibition that tour across the country. I want my children to make history at their earlier ages.”
This can help a lot to inspire the people to support the GERD and enable the talented children to be part of the history of the biggest national project, Daniel stressed. He believes that the children can participate in international photography exhibitions. They have an amazing talent of capturing pictures almost equal to trained professionals if not better. On their way to school, they usually take pictures picking special angles. Daniel also posts their photographs on Facebook where they get appreciative comments from viewers.
Currently, Eliyata is fifth grader and his young sister Mariamawit is a third grader. The coming academic year, the third one, Sipara will join first grade. The siblings gifted in photography are academically sharp. “Sometimes, they monitor my speeches, while I speak something wrong to them or to others.”
“We do not direct them anything about how to take a picture. Their mother and I have different backgrounds. For example, I am a businessperson. I do not have such verve for photography. But the children have developed it by themselves. They do things of their volition. But they always show us what they come up with. It was amazing,” Daniel underscored.
According to Photographer Abate Damte, Eliyata’s photographs almost fulfill some photography elements of contrast, composition, and line among others. The photos reflect daily routines, generational lifecycle and some abstract features of life, he once told to local media. Eliyata conveys message in photography in a better manner than in verbal communication.
When asked about his works, he is not good at articulating things as expected but he is more relaxed while taking a picture. This was the leading factor that enabled the youngest photographer to take more than 1000 photographs while 10.
They are learning at School of Tomorrow. However, regarding the photography they do not need the support of the school because they have been applying it before joining the school. In the future I would like to help them get the needed training in photography, Daniel said.
The parents are from different walks of life. Therefore, the kids need support in the area to pursue their passion. Their mother Aida Solomon noted that the children are talented enough in the art of photography with no special training. She further noted that the country should have an institute that can permanently provide the needed support to such talented generation. She also called on interested and pertinent bodies to facilitate assistances to children that have special talent similar to that of her children .
Betelhem Hussien is Operation Manager at the Addis Foto Fest. She runs a photo festival which is organized every two year by Desta for Africa Creative Consulting (DFA) plc. For the time being, the company has no workshop. But the children can send their works and get the comment of the Foto Fest experts, she noted. This would help them to know more about their ability and to improve their talent based on the experts’ recommendations, she said.
As to Betelhem, the company has enabled various photographers to get especial expertise comment, workshop and exhibition opportunities. “We have helped many talented citizens in this regard. The workshop enabled them to develop their talent and get an opportunity to present their art pieces to viwers at national and international photo festivals.
Therefore, these children (Eliyata and his sisters) can submit their photographs to our company so that they can get professional comments that can help them to reexamine things or develop their talents.”
Every tendency or talent sends roots at home. Then it develops with the support of the society. Through time, the schools and other institutions specializing in the area will put their print on the talent and might develop it to a higher level where it can serve beyond the innovator.
Supporting these talented kids would help to satisfy their passion, develop their gift and capture memorable moments of country’s history. Or it can help them to come up with a shot that the globe could treasure it in the future.
This would help both the gifted individuals and fans of art works. It could also help promote the nation in the long run. However, all stakeholders must play their due role to see to the fulfillment of Eliyata’s dream and also, that of his siblings and others that have such a gift.
The Ethiopian Herald, June 2/2019
BY YOHANES JEMANEH
