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period of their working here with special emphasis on ance and language. The identical, dark skinned complexion8 Ethiopia. The paper looks at the changes that have taken place of south Indians and Ethiopians, the similarities of food such during the last few years, in terms of composition, coverage as the Ethiopian staple of enjera with the south Indian dosa, the and the process of acculturation among Indians and the local spices used for cooking Ethiopian dorowat and the Indian chicken curry are some of the examples that point towards the people. The paper will also attempt to unfold an interesting aspect fact that, at some point of time, there was a very close and regof the relationship that India has had with the Horn of Africa ular interaction between the two old nations. Historian for more than half a century and, thus, enable us to look at this Mutthuna cites several similarities between Amharic, the relationship in a new perspective in the context of the chang- Ethiopian national language, and Dravidian, the southern Indian language script. ing global socio-economic environment. The relationship was further strengthened during the coloThe source of information for this article is from primary data gathered through conversations, interviews and observa- nial period when the British drafted many Ethiopians as tion. In spite of the long-standing presence of Indians in the labourers to India while a large numbers of Indians were region, there has hardly been any research in this area with lit- recruited as soldiers and sent to Ethiopia to fight the Ethiopian tle or no literature on the subject. Owing to this fact, I have Emperor, Theodore-II, during the 19th century9. In the 20th century this age-old bond was mostly relied on information It is not easy to pinpoint the reinforced and strengthened by collected from first-hand priIndians who came to Ethiopia as mary sources. exact period when Indian India’s relations with the teachers arrived in Ethiopia for teachers. For want of proper records, it is North Eastern Africa, or the want of proper records. But not easy to pinpoint the exact Horn of Africa, is age-old and has comprehensive social, with the help of available literature, period when Indian teachers first in Ethiopia. But with the cultural, political, educationand conversations with Indians arrived help of available literature, and al and economic dimensions. As Emperor Haile Selassie-I living in Ethiopia, it is understood conversations with Indians living in Ethiopia, it is understood that once remarked, “There are that the first Indian expatriate first Indian expatriate teachers many bonds which bind teachers arrived in East Africa, the arrived in East Africa (Ethiopia) in India and Ethiopia.”6 (Ethiopia) in the 1940s. Edward the 1940s. Edward Ullendorf10, in Geographically, the two regions are nce divided by the Ullendorf, in his book, Ethiopia: his book, Ethiopia: The Land and Indian Ocean. In fact, early the People, says that during the The land and the People, says geographers believed that 1960s there were many foreigners that during the 1960s there were who were teaching in schools. East Africa was once a part of the Indian subcontinent;7 but Among them there were many many foreigners who were during the changes that He says that unlike expateaching in schools. Among them Indians. occurred to the land masses triates from other countries, who there were many Indians. down millennia, the region come as volunteer workers, drifted away from India and Indians came to Ethiopia in came to exist as a separate continent. It was perhaps owing to search of jobs and most of them sought them out in schools. this reason that historians believe there was regular interaction One could ask, what were the reasons that led many edubetween the people of the Horn and India through trade and cated Indians to come to Ethiopia as teachers at that point of commerce. time in history? Was it economically profitable to work in the country despite Ethiopia being one of the poorer African counCultural Affinities tries? It is also pertinent to enquire what were the social-cultural changes that have taken place among the Indians over the India exported cotton, spices and red pepper whereas last several decades of interaction with the native people. Ethiopia exported hides, coffee and ivory. During the Mughal To understand and answer these questions in proper perperiod, people from the Horn came to India as slaves and sol- spective, it is necessary to look at the history of India and diers, and later became members of royal families. In course Ethiopia. One of the landmark differences in the history of the of time, a few of these slave descendants were elevated to high two nations was the entry of Europeans during the last part of positions in the emperors’ courts. In fact, some writers go to the 18th century in Africa and Asia. India came under the the extent of saying that Ethiopians were Indians, or Ethiopians domination of the British that continued for almost 200 years, were Indians in ancient times. There is evidence that proves whereas none of the European powers ruled over Ethiopia, this theory when we see the socio-cultural affinities that have except for a brief intervention by Italy. existed between the two regions. Today, we can find many British rule was a blessing in disguise for India — especialsocial and cultural similarities between the people of India ly in the field of education. The British introduced Western and Ethiopia in terms of food habits, music, physical appear- education in the country. Besides, Christian missionaries also
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February-April 2008