Ethiopians now make up one of Tasmania's largest African communities, and their numbers have grown noticably in recent years. But how much do Tasmanians know about Ethiopia and Ethiopian culture ? My guess is not that much, and yet Ethiopia is not only one of the larger and more significant countries in Africa, it has a complex history and culture, which is reflected in the different peoples of Ethiopian origin settling in Tasmania.
Although many Ethiopians have settled here through Australia's Humanitarian visa program, Nizam arrived on a scholarship to study his Ph.D at the University of Tasmania, and he has just recently submitted his thesis realting to Resource Management.
He is also part of the Oromo people, one of several major groups in Ethiopia, with their own language and traditions. In our conversation, Nizam painted a vivid picture of daily life in rural Ethiopia growing up and describe how his father single him out to be the one in the family to get a proper education and taking him away from the farm life that his siblings were destined for and would eventually lead to tertiary studies in Ethiopia, Germany and now Tasmania.
He also explains the unique Gadaa System, recognised by UNESCO, a traditional democratic system of making important decisions and regulating life amongst the Oromo community. Amongst other things, Ethiopia is claimed to be the origin place of coffee, and Nizam explains its great significance in the life and culture of Ethiopians.
