LinkUp Addis August 2021

August 2021

ADDIS ABABA

21 "I was a storyteller from a young age."

Zelalem Woldemariam Creative Entrepreneur, Filmmaker & Storyteller

FollowUp

CatchUp

DressUp

Enter Marketers’ Meet, a driver of a growing ecosystem

La Nouvelle Vague: The French New Wave in Cinema

Tsi Bridal & Cosmo-berry: Boldness seasoned with elegance

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Editor’s Letter

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Brief

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Pride & Prejudice

Zelalem Woldemariam:

Creative Entrepreneur, Filmmaker & Storyteller

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Linkup

Dressup

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Followup Marketers' Meet Episode Three: How to Freelance

Followup+ Neo Adwa

Eatup Malaika African Cuisine: A Home Away from Home

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Catchup

La Nouvelle Vague

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Thumbsup

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35

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Linkup

Whatsup

Reelup

Info Dive

Listenup Fela Kuti and The Origins of Afrobeat

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KAO Jiu Jitsu

Readup

Book Reviews

Movie Reviews

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Linkup

City Guide

Remember the long eventless spell of days? They have come to pass, and despite the rain, blisters, hail and fog, the highland summer cold hasn’t prevented many from socializing. The event scene is picking up pace and returning to the pre-pandemic groove, at least July seemed to indicate that; confidence and momentum are building up.

This month we salute home-grown achievements and global influences. Where The French new wave and a Jiu Jitsu class (Brazilian sport) here in Addis are highlighted. Have you heard of the latest networking event for marketers? Ever wondered about the story behind one of the most successful advertising firms in town?

We have all that and even more in this issue, so read on and enjoy. Expect new and exciting things brought to you by LinkUp Addis the coming month. See you next month with new updates heading into the new-year.

Until then take care and stay safe.

Kidus Assefa Editor-in-Chief

Managing Director:

Photographers:

Thanks to:

Eyob Workineh eyob@linkupaddis.com

Abenezer Geleta Amanuel Asfaw Nathan Seyoum Simon Halefom Behailu Alemayehu

KAO Jiu Jitsu Malaika Restaurant Utio Connect Zeleman

Editor in chief: Kidus Assefa kiduslinkup@gmail.com Marketing Director:

Contributors

Mathias Aklilu mathias@linkupaddis.com

Alula Abadi Amanu Teriessa Ephrata Kibru Eyasu A. Ashenafi Haben Woldu Hasset Tsegabirhan Kidus Tamiru Surafel Solomon Yegeta Tsegaye Telilla

Partnerships Director: Eyasu Abdella eyasu@linkupaddis.com Graphic Designer: Abenezer Samuel bensamuel189@gmail.com

Cover photo: Simon Halefom

LinkUp Brief Amanu Teriessa

July 2021

Jubilation African-themed parties – along with afro-music and the continent’s cuisine – have been on the rise in recent years. In Ethiopia, it has grown to a point where it has become the norm. The event titled Jubilation was an epitaph of this. On Saturday 17 July 2021, starting from 4:00 pm., live music and a great display of authentic art ensued. It was hosted at Umoja House (where else?), and the night saw great performances by Cassiopeia – the up-and-coming young band.

Zoya: Winter Edition Zoya’s rise to being crowned the best monthly party is not surprising. With unmatched service, DJ lineups, creative events, and great venues, more often than not, it is easy to admit that it is the one unmissable party not only for party-goers but also for those looking to explore. The first winter edition in the series was off to a great start. The numbers flocking to be part keep increasing as each edition comes to pass, and this was not an exception. Good music and good vibes have now become nothing short of a necessity when one comes to Zoya.

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Tech a Chill Techno is another genre seeing a huge rise in the city. Tech a Chill, held on 02 July 2021, has shifted its venue to a more appropriate location: Min Yitebes. The first thing everyone noticed was, of course, the mellow vibes Min Yitebes was giving. To many, it was their first time seeing the place. Having an indoor and an outdoor section, apart from offering the participants shelter from the rain also gave the option for people to choose as they pleased. The DJ lineup was loyal to its name and genre: Djs Rec, Budget, and Terra along with ARMEGHEDION.

Joro Acoustics Brickhouse has been on the events scene for the past couple of months now. Featuring DJs and festive/ music night up until the end of July, it is now dabbling at live music performances. Joro Acoustics have kicked off this venture. On 29 July 2021, the band had a performance that was so good and even made better in that it was unprecedented. The number of the people that showed up was not as large, and the night took a cozy, mellow vibe because of that. It was not how skilled the musicians were, or that the around-the-hearth-like feel the night had, nor was it that the songs being performed played at our heartstrings that made the night especially remarkable, it was the smiles worn by the singers that screamed at how much even they were enjoying the night.

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FollowUp

Marketers’ Meet How to Freelance Episode Three Amanu Teriessa

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n Thursday, July 8 2020, the third episode of Marketers’ Meet was held at BlueSpace, Grace Plaza organized by Utio Connect. Under the title How to Survive as a Freelancer in the Creative World, the Meet tried to address numerous questions and concerns that can be potentially raised by professionals and/or students who were present at the panel discussion. This was the third installment of the project that is aimed to connect as well as inspire young freelancers or those who plan to join the market.

The episode was focused on how freelancing is to go hand-in-hand for the creatives of the city.

Photo by: Behailu Alemayehu

For this episode, the invited panelists represented the theme of the day: they were young peo-

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ple engaged in the profession of freelancing and have been so for such a long time that they know the ins and outs of the business.

Seminas Hadera – founder of Gerar (The Creative Hub) and branding and communications strategist at Mado Communication; Zeamanuel Abera – co-founder and Creative Director at SimplaTec; Abinet Teshome – founder of Crowd 251, were the speakers.

The discussion was started with the general opening question addressing what the term ‘Freelance’ even means to begin with. After agreeing that its meaning is highly subjective, each of the speakers gave his own definition. Abinet defined ‘Freelance’ as a job where the person is his/her own boss.

Zeamanuel wanted to focus on

how what makes freelancers different from any other types of workers is that the schedule and rules are up to them. It is a commitment done for oneself, stated Seminas Hadera. He said that it is all about making one’s skill sellable.

Once definitions were clarified and out of the way, the discus-

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The episode was focused on how freelancing is to go hand-in-hand for the creatives of the city.

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Photo by: Behailu Alemayehu

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What defines how successful you are in the market is how able you are at selling your skills

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sion went straight to the core of the matter: what it is like to be a freelance creative in the city at this day and age. “Currently, of all the jobs available in the city, the one with the lowest entry level is the creative sector,” starts Seminas Hadera. He then goes on to explain how that is why it is in the creative sector that the most numerous freelancers are currently available. “What defines how successful you are in the market is how able you are at selling your skills,” he explains, when asked what the defining factor in terms of a freelancer demanding price for their work in regards to how skillful they are and the risk of instability is. “Of course, your skills as a creative individual can either be naturally gifted to you or you get them through rigorous training. But at the end of the day, what matters is how well you can market those skills and how much you can grow as a business.”

“There are three stages to freelancing in my opinion,” says Zeamanuel, to the same question. “There is the entry phase, where freelancers are just discovering that there is a market in which they can sell their skills; there is the surviving phase, where they try to stay afloat by first (maybe) doing work for free in hopes of growing the network reach and experience; and depending on how well they do on the second phase, the third stage would be thriving, where their business’s growth esca-

lates.” Abinet tries to take a different approach: “The risks of losing one’s jobs are always there, be it in freelance or employment. While that is true, it still remains that it is a calculated risk.”

The other major topic that was addressed is how freelancing influences their rules of engagement in terms of professionalism.

“The first thing I do is research my potential clients,” starts Abinet. “I make sure that their values and morals match mine, because I believe that good clients that I can get along with bring other good clients, but the opposite is true, too.” He then stressed the necessity of a well written contract. “It isn’t like we tend to commonly believe; contracts are actually legally binding and make things much easier.” Zeamanuel proceeds, “There isn’t really a standard or guidance for freelance work. But I believe, from my own experience, it’ll be better to classify what we will gain from each new project in terms of financial gains and portfolio building. We have to understand that one is not more valuable than the other, but, rather, each has its own place and time.”

“What worries me is that it is extremely easy to exploit freelance creatives in this country,” Seminas warns. “Major steps need to

Photo by: Behailu Alemayehu

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Not only did the Meet execute its goal perfectly, it also helped push the creation of a community for freelancers a little bit further

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be taken so that we can organize this sector. It is through forming centralizations that we can begin the process of standardizing creative freelancing in this country.”

After these, the guest speakers were urged to delve into their personal work experiences and challenges.

Each of them gave very enlightening, relatable, and oftentimes entertaining accounts of the myriad of challenges they had to go through to get to where they are. Through these, they also tried to dispel many misconceptions about the life of a freelancer in the creative sector.

With that, before the Marketers’ Meet was concluded, a couple of questions were raised by those attending, and they were answered satisfactorily by the speakers.

The event was organized in hopes of showing what it means to be a creative freelancer to those who are just testing the waters from the perspectives of those who have experience.

Not only did the Meet execute its goal perfectly, it also helped push the creation of a community for freelancers a little bit further – which goes a long way for a job sector that is normally assumed to be alienating.

To see part of this and previous episodes of Marketers’ Meet, go to the Instagram Live page of LinkUp Addis.

FollowUp+

NeoAdwa Yegeta Tsegaye Telila

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thiopians are no strangers to facing seemingly insurmountable odds. Our history is dotted with various foes from near and far that seek to take away our pride and make us captive to our wishes.

Today, we herald the heroes of the past that overcame these challenges to create the country that we love. However, now, we are faced with an enemy that, while invisible, has the potential to wreak havoc on everything that our ancestors stood and fought for; this enemy is stagnation.

Photo by: Courtesy of 1888 EC

1888 E.C. is a startup studio that fully recognizes our past victories and the challenges of today that

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threaten not only our past but also our future.

The studio was established by Solomon Kassa, one of Ethiopia’s leading personalities in technology and host of EBS’s ‘Tech Talk’, a show dedicated to analyzing and understanding the modern technological landscape. As such, he is no stranger to the uphill battle the country faces in developing its technology sector and cementing Ethiopia as a competitive force in the modern global ecosystem.

He affirmed this much at the launch of 1888 E.C., on July 17th at a ceremony held at their studio’s new headquarters in front of Savor Addis Restaurant. The ceremony

was attended by the likes of the Minister for Innovation and Technology, Dr. Abraham Belay; Ministry of Innovation and Technology’s ICT Director, Ahmedin Ahmed; CEO and Chief Creative Director of Zeleman Productions, Zelalem Woldemariam; and many other influential figures currently working towards the realiza-

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1888 E.C. is a startup studio that fully recognizes our past victories and the challenges of today

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tion of the country’s digitization and development goals.

As the name indicates, the studio aims to restore the determination and singular focus of our forefathers. Solomon and Co. recognize that mentality is crucial to tackling our current problems, not just in terms of determination, but in terms of unity.

It is no secret that the country is divided not just politically but also culturally and economically. Although current situations seem like never-ending nights to many, it is important to note that this division was also present during the years preceding Adwa or the Italian occupation. Many of the country’s leaders were openly hostile to each other, and trust was minimum.

Photo by: Courtesy of 1888 EC

Despite these differences, however, they recognized a bigger enemy that was bearing down on them.

Sure, we can look back on this time and split hairs and identify flaws in the union that the victors of Adwa had; that is characteristic of any historical event. One thing that none of us can deny, however, is that they were able to get the job done.

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1888 E.C. is already ahead of itself as its launch was accompanied by the launch of its first work, Triopia Travel. It is fitting that the studio’s first venture is a tourism platform that uses modern tools and resources to create an integrated, fulfilling tour experience. Perhaps the platform will serve to showcase the history of the country (with all the good, the bad, and the ugly) and remind us of how much we are capable of.

To overcome the challenges that we currently face as a country, we need efforts like 1888 E.C. that channel the spirit of that time and look adversity in the eye and tell it “not today”. We all recognize the dire position we have found ourselves in; that much is clear, but no feat of greatness was achieved in comfort – we would do well to remember that.

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the studio aims to restore the determination and singular focus of our forefathers.

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CatchUp

La Nouvelle

Vague

Nathan Seyoum

Photo from:cinematheque.fr

Francois Truffaut’s Le Quatre Cents Coups starts frolickingly with the architectural marvels of 1950’s Paris. Accompanied with the music of Jean Constantin, it feels as if the whole film is setting up to be a romantic drama. The very idea of Paris in the 50’s calls for some form of a grand Hollywood romance saga where two actors tussle for time on a scene. However, as the bowels of Paris’ buildings fade away, the film cuts to black. A slow cacophony is heard. And then the camera rests on a pupil drawing something on a poster. We are introduced to a public school classroom full of 8th grad-

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ers collectively struggling to write something their instructor had assigned them to do. From then onwards, the film takes a sharp turn on our preconceived clichéd notions of what the film might be and shows us something we have not seen before; an avant garde piece ensues. And it goes on to change the whole game. « Je compte jusqu’à trois. » (I will count to three.) » says the instructor in the classroom. He stalls a bit and then proceeds to count. As soon as he says three, he releases all but

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an avant garde piece ensues, and it goes on to change the whole game.

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Photo from:quelemondeestpetit.com

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Such mastery in film making was only possible and doable due to the bravery of a select few willing to forego the norm.

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one student for recess - Antoine, the protagonist. Antoine is on a timeout for causing a disturbance in the class. In a while, we will learn that his character in the film is that of a troublesome child always encountering some misfortunes his way.

By counting to three, the instructor also releases this main character upfront to the audience thereby anchoring the story on Antoine.

Such mastery in film making was only possible and doable due to the bravery of a select few willing to forego the norm. The cascade of films that followed only resembled the nuance that these French auteurs tried to achieve; cinema is birthed as a piece of art instead of a commercial consumption piece.

Photo from:https://resize-parismatch.lanmedia.fr

The French called it « La Nouvelle Vague » or the New Wave. It is a movement that was first pioneered by the Young Turks – a group of French directors who were cooped up in the Cinémathèque

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Française (a big cinema library), scouring through thousands of film archives. As ardent cinephiles, Francios Truffaut, Jean Luc Goddard, Claude Chabrol, and Jacques Rivette were obsessed with making a motion picture. Obsession did not meet action, however. The issue was not creativity but money.

Films those days required large studio backings for being green lit and realized. This bothered them. And the creative control of a select few did not sit well with them.

By this point, the French film industry had been declining. Only a modicum of its expressive and rich qualities remained. The country was also in a hot political and cultural climate where conflicts in France were rising and tensions in the country were at an all-time high. Thus, few audiences went to the cinemas creating a sinking hole for anyone who sat on the director’s chair.

For Truffaut and Goddard this was a time for self-reflection. They decided to make their voices heard.

Under the publication, Cahiers du Cinéma, they wrote and critiqued the films they saw whilst writing engaging pieces on creative control and expression. They were critics echoing the needs of the French audience.

“Chacun voit midi à sa porte.” (Everyone sees things their own way).

By 1959, Truffaut had followed in the footsteps of Agnes Varda and Claude Chabrol with his first full length feature film “Le Quatre Cents Coups” (literally but poorly translated to The 400 blows).

Although the former two auteurs had preceded him, Truffaut’s film was received with wide acclaim, garnering a Palme d’Or nomination and eventually the best director statue at the Cannes Film Festival at the same year. Jean Luc Goddard followed with “A bout de

Souffle” (Breathless) in 1960 and the movement was born. Cinema would never be the same again.

Photo from:eparisien.fr

The characteristics behind the New Wave are put expressively by Alissa Mano from Studio Binder as follows. It is filled with jump cuts, deemphasized plot, long takes, location shooting, and usually with direct sound and lighting which made the whole work more of a live theatre rather than a controlled set.

During those times, these methods were highly unusual. Sound was particularly recorded off location on mainstream films due to the fear that the actors would not be heard on location.

The whole point of the movement was to give the director creative freedom in telling his/her own stories. It was personal and felt familiar. It reflected a society that film usually did not depict in post-war France. With the help of L’Express (a French based popular magazine which officially gave the label to the

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movement), the French New Wave was an international phenomenon.

New Waves broke out in Germany, Italy, England and other European countries. Fast forward to 21st century, prolific auteurs of the generation like Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Nicolas Winding Refn, Christopher Nolan, etc. – who skip the lines of both mainstream and auteur – are all influenced by the films that Truffaut and the Young Turks innovated.

Truffaut in particular was an overnight success. Steven Spielberg was such a big fan he cast him in a role for his film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

New Wave films like “Hiroshima Mon Amour”, “Shoot the Piano Player”, “Lola”, “Vivre sa vie”, “Les Cousins”, and “La Bonheur” are a marvel to watch. The Wave managed to change the culture of French cinema and the whole world. It truly gave a whole new meaning to the word “auteur.”

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The whole point of the movement was to give the director creative freedom in telling his/ her own stories.

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DressUp

Pride and

Photo by: Mekbib Tadesse

Prejudice Tsi Bridle’s pieces take us back to an age of elegance and change, of new ideas and bold looks, like the afro and frizzy of our ladies. Cosmo-berry makeup accentuates the dreaminess of these times; how full of adventure and wonder and intrigue. Like Elizabeth and Darcy, two characters that typify the conflict between nature and humanity at the time, the two brands remind us that beauty and passion are not so straightforward.

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Photo by: Mekbib Tadesse

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Photo by: Mekbib Tadesse

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Photo by: Mekbib Tadesse

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EatUp

Malaika A Home Away from Home

African Cuisine

Ephratha Kibru

A

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

lthough I wouldn’t consider the road from Sarbet to Mekanissa ideal for a walk, if you somehow find yourself on a stroll around Vatican, keep your eyes open for a curious little one-story house. Once you make it past the Indonesian Embassy, be on the lookout for the sizzle and scent of grilled meat. If you remain vigilant, you will soon lay eyes on a man and his ever-active barbeque grill.

Congratulations! You’ve found Malaika African Grill & Cuisine. This interesting restaurant is one of the best spots to have African[West and East] meals. Yet you will not find a single banner, sign, or even poster displaying its name. The people who dine here came because their friends brought them.

Today, I am your friend. Malaika is my little secret, but soon it will be yours too.

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I walked inside and was greeted with a myriad of photos and pictures of beautiful black women lined on both sides of the room. A mini-bar was situated at the front, hosting a few different selections of wine. I settled in my seat then the waitress, Helen, came to take orders. At that moment, I found out that Malaika did not have a menu. The grill is constantly available, and for the other dishes, the chef decides what to make for the day, and that short-list is uploaded to Malaika’s socials every morning. Among the meals listed that day, we picked a fish stew with a side of Ugali, and grilled chicken with a side of French fries.

Lunch arrived after a bit, and I was ready to dig in. I never had Ugali before, so I was dying to try it. It’s made from cornstarch and boiling water. Although Ugali is the popular term in Kenya, this simple cornflour dish was a staple of sub-Saharan cuisine, hence taking many names as it crosses borders. I tore

a chunk with my hands and tried to get a better feel of the texture. It had a slightly jelly-ish feel to it, almost akin to Genfo but not quite. Ugali,

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Malaika is my little secret, but soon it will be yours, too.

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Grilled chicken is just a different beast altogether, isn't it?

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

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although yielding to a mold, was firmer than Genfo. It stood more upright. I took a bite from the Ugali I had in my hand to assess its bare taste – it had none. That is not to say its tastelessness was a bad thing, no.

Ugali is supposed to accompany stews and other spicy dishes; it was supposed to have its bland taste. I tore off another lump and dipped it into the stew before having a bite.

The Ugali provided a necessary chunk to munch on while its neutral flavor allowed me to taste the stew.

And what a stew it was! The meat of the fish slid off of the skeleton with remarkable ease. It was incredibly tender while the stew was spicy, sharp, and simply brimming with umami. I couldn’t get enough.

Next, I cut a piece from the chicken. The skin was browned to perfection – grilled enough to get that nice outer crunchiness while the core remained succulent. It was a mouthwatering site. I took a bite and basked in its smoky and savory glory. Grilled chicken is just a different beast altogether, isn’t it? The fries that came with it were also pretty good. I loved how thick and crispy they were.

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

Both meals soon disappeared from their plates. Once the table cleared, Yordanos Goushe, the owner of Malaika, came to tell me a little more about her little establishment.

“We first started by doing grills at events or at restaurants, and, you know, people would always ask where they could find us afterward.

After two years of being unable to answer back, we finally opened up this place.” They waited so long to have a physical destination because they couldn’t find a spot that they deemed fit.

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“We wanted to be close to our target audience (African ex-pats), and we also wanted to have a place that feels like home. We wanted to bring the ‘Chop Bar’ concept – popular in West Africa – here (A ‘Chop Bar’ is a local eatery serving local food and pointed out almost exclusively via word of mouth).” She says, “We’ve only been open for two months, but since we’ve built a solid base with our catering, we already have loyal customers and nothing but positive feedback.

It’s all been encouraging!” She smiles and continues, “We try our best to create a familiar and cozy atmosphere. I myself lived in Ghana for ten years, and my business partner and close friend, Jonathan, is Togolese, so I’d like to think we’re well equipped to bring a little bit of West Africa here.” She goes on with, “Malaika is like our baby, and we are intent on making our customers feel as comfortable as possible. All our staff is multilingual here for that reason. We don’t want someone from Francophone Africa to come here and feel like a guest.”

I finished my little chat with Yordanos and opted for ginger tea to wash it all down. It was already sweetened with some honey, so it did not need any sugar at all. The

ginger was strong, but it still went down easily, perhaps because the zing of lemon took a bit of the edge off. I was left warm and cozy, partly due to the tea, but mainly because of Malaika. This place truly did feel like home.

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We’ve only been open for two months, but since we’ve built a solid base with our catering, we already have loyal customers and nothing but positive feedback.

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Malaika is like our baby, and we are intent on making our customers feel as comfortable as possible

Photo by: Abenezer Geleta

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Thumbsup Eyasu A. Ashenafi

Pastry, Gallery & Fine Grocery Name: The Blue Hen The blue hen's bakery – championing their signature products "choux pastry" (commonly called ‘Boxegna’) with a variety of flavors, and not just custard. This place also has different cakes, tarts, cookies, and brioches all served with flavored teas from around the globe.

Starting September, an array of French and local products such as cheese, ham, pickles, patés, bread, coffee, honey, and much more will be available in their fine grocery.

The blue hen's nest (gallery) Salome's East/West African crossover stools and furniture, paintings of local artists, and antique Ethiopian silver jewelry are available.

The Blue Hen is a choux story that combines taste, art, and conviviality in a comforting atmosphere. Stay tuned for The Red Hen coming soon.

@ The-blue-hen

@the_bluehen

+251 94 597 5050

Sarbet, opposite international evangelical church behind Effoi Pizza

Dance School Name: Beyond Dance Beyond Dance Studio is the first of its kind in Ethiopia offering a wide range of classes for kids or young adults. They have programs for different dance styles from ballet, jazz, hip hop, technique improvement classes, and beyond. They, as a company, are committed to growing dancers at an accelerated rate through dedication and discipline. Beyond Dance’s vision is to introduce the joy of dance to hundreds of children across Addis Ababa.

When you decide to join, you too will be able to take advantage of their professional staff at our fully-equipped and recently renovated studio. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced dancer looking to improve your technique, they promise you’ll find it here.

The following are the dance styles they teach: Ballet, Jazz. Hip-Hop, and more

info@beyonddancers.com

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+251 96 575 7474

Boston day spa bldg, Africa Avenue

Health Center Name: Suisse Clinic The Suisse Clinic is a family clinic where you can expect personalized high-quality care for the entire family. The medical staff includes: Dr. Alan Karibian, a board-certified pediatrician, trained at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in the United States, and the London School of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene.

Dr. Silvia Okamgba, a qualified doctor from Imperial College London in 2008, completed her specialty training in Family Medicine in Cambridge, England.

Dr. Saba Lambert trained at the University of Dundee in Scotland and has 15 years of experience as a family physician.

+251 96 575 7474

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Kera, Tanzania St.

CloseUp

Zelalem Woldemariam Creative Entrepreneur, Filmmaker & Storyteller Yegeta Tsegaye Telila What inspired you to try filmmaking?

My love of storytelling got me into filmmaking. I was a storyteller from a young age. I created stories in my mind, I could vividly see the images and sounds of my stories in my head. I would even create soundtracks.

Photo by: Simon Halefom

The beautiful thing about films is the emotion that can be created. If a film is done right, it’s impossible to dismiss that emotion. It can even make ideas that are distasteful appealing, allowing reflection instead of disregarding them. Despite that, my focus was more on the message. I learned everything about filmmaking when I created my first one. That was my film school! I wanted to make an impact and the best way to accomplish this was to raise awareness on an issue. Where I grew up in my neighborhood, I experienced many things and was motivated to raise awareness on these issues.

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Were you not daunted by the challenges? Especially given the status of filmmaking in Ethiopia at the time?

There is an African proverb that says – “Smooth seas do not make a skilled sailor”. I recognized the unique challenges the country presented in terms of infrastructure or even culture, but they were not daunting. Like I mentioned before, I had no formal training in filmmaking.

I took this challenge head-on and I succeeded. I did all the planning, marketing, and fundraising for me to kick start my filmmaking career. I don’t make excuses for challenges.

To me, challenges present themselves as opportunities to create something significant in the country. Not only that, I believe that preparation is the best remedy to any challenge. I am not one to lament hurdles; by nature, I am solution-oriented and approach any problem wondering “How do I make this better?” From this angle, I plan accordingly and follow through. Once I believed that I was well prepared, I left

my job and began the work.

The first stage involved a monthlong intensive training program from an organization in the Netherlands. They send directors to countries like Ethiopia, where

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I learned everything about film when I created my first one.

That was my film school

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filmmaking has not developed much. They assist you with the pre-production process, especially breaking down your film into a screenplay. My team and I took the training and we learned so much, it helped immensely. We barely slept and worked 16 hour days. I found my passion and was motivated.

The movie received a great reception in Ethiopia, and was even featured at the Cannes Film Festival in the Cinema de Sud for emerging African and Latin American filmmakers.

During the event, I was able to see just how much more work was needed to bring Ethiopian films up to par. The realization was that I wasn’t near the level of these household names in cinema. This was no time for me to have an ego and say I made it. I went back to Ethiopia and got straight to work and took time to develop my next film. It was a great success and the rest of my films got recognized internationally.

Do you prefer writing, filming, or editing?

Photo by: Simon Halefom

I am a director at heart, I like being involved hands-on in the entire creative process including writing, filming, and editing.

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Truthfully, I cannot separate these things because to me they are all intertwined. My focus on details does not allow me to leave work to others knowing that they are all capable of making or breaking the final work. As a result, I am always in consultancy with all segments of the production process. I also have a passion for writing, as you first need a story in order to produce.

But writing is not just reserved to the written story, it has to be converted to express well in video or audio format, requiring attention to all the details.

Who is your favorite director or producer?

When I first got into filmmaking, my biggest inspiration was Akira Kurosawa, a Japanese filmmaker from the 1940s. Akira is considered one of the most important and influential filmmakers of all time, and for good reasons. Now, along with Akira, I find inspiration from everywhere. There are so many talents from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa that it's impossible to limit your inspiration to a few people. I think the vast majority of directors are people we can take inspiration from

because their works take you on a unique journey. The same goes for actors, producers, composers, and basically everyone that is involved in the filmmaking process.

What is your drive at work?

Creativity! That’s what ignites my drive. Even though I'm a CEO, most of my time goes to my Chief Creative Director role. I could even say I live for coming up with ideas and watching them come to life. Our company's motto "We live creativity, we deliver excellence" is a testament to this. I think the entire staff (120 people) at Zeleman embodies this concept to the fullest. That is why we are informally known as Zeleman Academy. Many come here from different backgrounds such as physics or engineering or sports science and the like with a thirst to unleash their creativity for them to become a pro. I witness this every day with my employees.

That takes us to my other drive, impact. The impact I see we have on our employees, the way they unleash their capabilities. Seeing how successful our employees become whenever they leave here and work elsewhere inspires me to do more,

"This was no time for me to have an ego and say I made it

Photo by: Simon SamuelHalefom Steward

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especially with all the untapped talent in the city.

fosters talent and allows one to work with like-minded people.

Passion and impact are ingrained in our work culture because this is not a 9 to 5 kind of place. Our work is not only done in the workplace; it is a lifestyle that requires discipline and rigor. Even a 30-second commercial is work that requires countless hours, nights, and weekends, which requires passion, drive, energy & focus. Seeing how the youth responds to this without being told is something I consider a reward all on its own, and I am there with them as I still have times where I spend the night at the office or work 16 hours a day.

W h at i s Z e le m a n ’s responsibility policy?

If you were an employee at Zeleman when you were younger what would have been your favorite part?

Having the opportunity and platform to explore my creative side through my work. Zeleman is working with big brands, and our employees are getting the opportunity to utilize their creativity on extremely impactful campaigns. This is a fun and exciting place to work at. I love the diversity of the talent we have and how vibrant the nature of our work is. I would enjoy being young here because I would have benefited a lot from that sort of workplace that

Z e le ma n’s cor p orate s o c ia l responsibility policy can be seen by the employees we hire. We are allowing people who want to express their creativity, as well as giving them employment. Zeleman is involved with numerous campaigns that give back to the community as well. I have taken behavioral science courses and traveled across Ethiopia to understand how we can make better use of our resources to drive social change.

Fifty percent of our work focuses on social impact, which is why we created a behavioral change wing called zSMART: which stand for Zeleman Social Marketing. zSMART is a division of Zeleman, specializing in social change. zSMART delivers social marketing campaigns, social and behavioral change campaigns (SBCC), and corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs.

We are engaged in everything from clean energy to sanitation, women and youth empowerment to nutrition, and other social impact campaigns. A holistic approach is also something

"

Photo by: Simon Courtesy Halefom of Mafi Mafi

A holistic approach is also something we strive for as people's lives don't happen in a vacuum

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social

we strive for as people's lives don't happen in a vacuum. Establishing a balance among all these sectors is vital, focusing too much on one could lead to deficiencies in another.

We do this not by telling people what to do, but by showing people the value that these things bring to their lives and their communities at large.

We have observed that people are willing and able to make the changes necessary to create holistic wellness; It is purely the lack of access that is standing in the way of the society many of us envision, and that can be easily facilitated.

How significant was your first film ‘The 11th Hour’ to the success of the company?

All the work we do and all the challenges we face are significant to our success; our success is a combination of all our work, which includes ‘The 11th Hour’ as one of the first projects we engaged in. In that sense, the significance of that movie is that it gave me an awareness of what needed to be done, what was lacking, and the nature of success as being a collective of many different factors. I see the success of Zeleman as a collective of so many things that are too vast to name.

Do you think advertising treads a fine line between truth and untruth?

Is being conscious of that important?

I believe the value of advertising comes from how you use it and what your intentions are. In that sense, you cannot generalize because its purpose is to give someone awareness of a brand, product or a service. The audience relies on advertisements to establish trust. So, these things should not be based on lies and exaggerations, or they will come back to bite you. Personally, I find being conscious of advertising very important. Advertisers who have to lie to spread awareness are lacking a certain competency. It means they aren’t creative enough.

Photo by: Simon Halefom

So I would say that the bar is now higher, especially, considering the

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awareness the average consumer has, and the expectations they have of companies outside of the products or services they provide.

What is unique about the Ethiopian advertising landscape?

Something unique about the Ethiopian advertising landscape is that it’s an old, yet virgin market.

The mismatch between demand and supply doesn’t force companies to do a well-crafted advertising product. That means there is not much incentive to follow rigorous advertising standards. This can lead to lackluster and low-quality work.

Recently, more companies have started to flood the market and the advertising landscape in Ethiopia is changing rapidly. Another thing making it unique is that even

without proper advertising and film school, we are making it happen with a product that can compete on a global standard. That is an amazing achievement!

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Advertisers who have to lie to spread awareness are lacking a certain competency.

It means they aren’t creative enough

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Info Dive

Top Alula Abadi

5

African Painters

Africa is known (across the world) for its natural beauty and picturesque landscapes. The continent is home to rich cultures and inspiring history, which has been serving as a limitless muse for many artists throughout centuries. It is also home to many talented artists who take great pride in the land that shaped their unique minds. It is very odd that these artists are not very well known outside the closed-off venues of the art world itself. So, for the sake of giving praise and recognition, here are five African artists who are shaking up the art world to date.

Papa Ibra Tall, Senegal Papa Ibra Tall was born in 1935 in Tivaouane, Senegal.

He is regarded to be one of the most influential figures in Senegalese and African contemporary art. In 1955, Tall studied architecture at the École Spéciale d'Architecture et les Beaux-Arts in Paris. In 1959 future President Léopold Sédar Senghor saw Tall’s drawings and encouraged him to pursue fine art. With Senghor's help, Tall obtained a scholarship to attend at the École Supérieure des BeauxArts and the École des Métiers d'A rt de Sèvres, where he studied painting, ceramics, mosaics and tapestry.

Throughout his career, Tall has proven to be a multi-faceted artist with numerous dimensions. He is revered by the world for his great work.

Papa Ibra Tall's work has been offered at auction multiple times, with realized prices ranging from $22,375 up to $168,825. Since 2017 the record price for this artist at auction is $168,825 for Vin Noir, sold at Bonhams New York in 2019. Papa Ibra Tall has been featured in articles for the ArtDaily and the Contemporary. The most recent piece being the Tendances Et Confrontations written by Cédric Vincent for the Contemporary in August 2020. After years of exemplary service and dedication to the arts, Papa Ibra Tall passed away in 2015.

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Sokari Douglas Camp, Nigeria One of the first-generation female African artists to attract the attention of the international art market, Sokari Douglas Camp came from a large Kalabari town in the Niger Delta.

She had her first exhibition in 1985. Camp's work is mostly inspired by Kalabari culture and traditions. By employing modern sculptural techniques with a predominant use of steel, she created large, semi-abstract figurative works, adorned with masks and ritual clothing. It is reflective of her close relationship with her homeland despite having lived in London for many years.

Sokari Douglas Camp has had numerous solo and group shows all over the world. Permanent collections of her work can also be found in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, and the British Museum in London. On top of these formidable establishments, Douglas Camp was selected for Ichihara Art X Mix 2020 in Japan, where she created a largescale sculpture project titled "MANMADE". She was also one of the artists selected to create a column for STOA 169 in Polling, Germany; a globally unique artist-columned permanent hall that unites contemporary artistic ideas and different cultural concepts in one place.

Chéri Samba, Congo Also known as “David Samba", Chéri Samba is a well-known painter from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is a contemporary African artist best known for his bold creations that feature bright colors, cartoonEsque caricatures, and explanatory texts. The images he creates are intended to have an intense impact and reflect Samba’s ideas on politics and life. He says that he wants his work to make people stop in their tracks and think. Though he is largely inspired by his native city and the overall troubled continent of Africa, Samba aims for the universal as well. Often appearing in the middle of canvases, Samba personifies a half-innocent, half-activist observer transmitting what he considers essential messages. Among other subjects, he tackles environmental concerns (Problème d’eau), tragic events (Après le 11 septembre), corruption (Le Commun des politiciens), the ravages of AIDS, the renewal of world equilibrium (Le Monde avant les continents), and the recognition of African art by Western museums (Hommage aux anciens créateurs, 1999 and Enfin! …

Après tant d’années). Samba believes he will continue to affect the minds of his audience for many more years to come. He is an artist of all seasons and borders.

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Abdoulaye Konaté, Mali Abdoulaye Konaté’s artwork is a striking combination of installation works and paint. After pursuing a degree at the National Art Institute of Bamako, Konaté completed his painting studies in Cuba. Most of Konaté’s large-scale work is based on textiles, a cheap and widely available medium in Mali. Treating textiles as his palette, Konaté dyes, cuts, and embroiders traditional Bazin to produce his signature monumental tapestries. Konaté's major works have focused on the political tensions in the Sahel region and on the devastating impact of AIDS in Mali.

His work has been displayed in numerous international exhibitions. Major group shows include Documenta 12, Kassel, Africa Remix International Tour including the Centre Pompidou, Paris and Hayward Gallery. In 2008, Konaté was nominated for the Artes Mundi prize in Cardiff. He has received several awards, including the prestigious Leopold Senghor Prize at the Dak’Art Biennale in Dakar (1996), the Officier de l'Ordre National du Mali (2009) as well as the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres de France (2002). He is currently General Director of the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers Multimédia Balla Basseké Kouyaté in Bamako. Konaté lives and works in Bamako, Mali.

Julie Mehretu, Ethiopia One of the younger artists to come out of Africa, Julie Mehretu’s large paintings draw from the elements of aerial mapping and architecture.

With an underlying calligraphic complexity, her peppy pieces symbolize accelerated urban growth, city environments and social networks of the 21st century. Mehretu creates paintings by adding consecutive thin layers of acrylic paint on canvas and then finishing it off with delicate marks and patterns using pencil, pen, ink, and streams of paint.

She portrays a compression of time, space, and place, independent of historical significance. From constructivism to futurism, Mehretu describes her paintings as "story maps of no location". An exhibition titled "Julie Mehretu" is currently being held as a mid-career survey covering over 25 years of Julie's practice. The show's organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

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KAO Jiu Jitsu

What'sUp

Surafel Solomon

W

Photo by: Courtesy of KAO Jijitsu

hen thinking of fitness, Addis Ababa offers a wide variety of gyms and sporting facilities. However, the Jiu Jitsu center KAO (at the Juventus club, behind Meskel Square) is the only one of its kind in the whole of Ethiopia.

Run by its founder, Master Yared Nigusse, he started it mainly to stay in shape, educate others, and keep the sport alive in Ethiopia.

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Master Yared’s journey with combat sports began at an early age, sparked by his love for action movies. His passion for the sport intensified when he started training Jeet Kune Do in 2005 with Ephraim Assefa, its founder of the sport in Ethiopia. Five years later (2010), he Started Jiu Jitsu

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the center KAO is the only one of its kind in the whole of Ethiopia.

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defined as "The art of folding clothes while people still in them" the sport is a ground-based martial art.

Photo by: Simon Halefom

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Photo by: Courtesy of KAO Jijitsu

Master Yared currently focuses on Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), which focuses on ground-combat techniques. He learned the ground technique in Italy’s famed Gracie Barra training center and took part

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in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu competitions on two occasions, getting one silver and one gold medal. He also took part in three world championships in Vienna (2010), Wroclaw (2016), and Abu Dhabi (2019). He scored high points, making him the highest-ranking competitor in Africa for his weight class. Representing his country, he also competed in the African championship in Marrakesh (2019). He went with students as a team of 4 and scored one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals. Also, He was invited to South Korea as one of the best African athletes, a prestige only four people have received this year.

The KAO Jiu Jitsu club teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to beginner, amateur, intermediate, and advanced level students. Humorously defined as “The art of folding clothes while people still in them” the sport is a ground-based martial art. It focuses on taking an opponent to the ground, controlling, gaining dominance, and using techniques to force them into submission. Brazil-

ian Jiu Jitsu highlights that any smaller, weaker persons can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger, heavier opponent by using leverage and weight distributuion, and several locks and holds to defeat them.

BJJ training can be useful for sport grappling and self-defense situations.

As someone who has tried the training for some months, I can tell you it is no walk around the park. The warmup itself is a full-body workout. The morning after my first session everything (even my eyebrows) was in pain.

But strangely, it was an addictive feeling that had me going back for more. Every muscle cramp was a reminder of how hard I trained, and how smart I should train. Every time I tapped out was a lesson and a challenge. Every chokehold, armbar, kneebar, etcetera that I’ve found myself in taught me to fight with clarity and focus rather than brute force, at least to a certain degree.

Photo by: Courtesy of KAO Jijitsu

and Judo after being introduced to them by Dr. Tsegaye, who gave courses to encourage the uptake of the sport in Ethiopia. After taking the training, he started working in a school as a trainer while working to better himself. After Dr. Tsegaye left the school, it was no longer able to sustain itself financially. Master Yared stepped in to keep the school open, operating it without revenue for two years.

He taught kids ranging from age five to seventeen. When he was no longer able to continue, he started instructing judo at the Juventus Club after receiving training with Grandmaster Hans. Grandmaster Hans and other teachers come every year to train and test the teachers. With such consistent training, Yared reached 2nd Dan in both Jiu Jitsu and Judo.

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Brazilian highlights that any smaller, weaker persons can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger opponent

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This is a sport I and a lot of other more qualified individuals recommend for anyone that doesn’t have any specific medical condition keeping them from practicing such strenuous exercises. It is suitable for any age group, body type, and size.

I, for one, intend on renewing my membership. Hope to see you there!

Reel Up

N

obody follows a seemingly helpless man who turns out to be more dangerous than he seems when the Russian mob comes after him. Nobody is a survival action film, where the hero has to outsmart and defeat an adversary way more resourceful than he is.

If you’ve seen even the trailer for this movie, you may have noticed how similar it is to John Wick. In many ways, it’s basically the same film. They’re both written by the same man, who evidently doesn’t mind repeating himself. Both feature an unassuming, seemingly helpless protagonist who turns out to be a badass after a chance encounter with drunken Russians. Both films have very similar set pieces – like fighting an armed mob in a dark suburban house – and similar look and fight choreography.

Fortunately, the John Wick series is not famous for its story, but, rather, for the well-

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made ass whooping scenes. And this delivers well in that regard as well.

What makes this different is that the action sequences are more realistic with almost none of the Gun Fu of John Wick. There’s more handto-hand combat, and the hero gets hit and damaged almost as much as the bad guys. Unlike John Wick, the protagonist is much older and has lost his edge from long retirement.

This is like American Beauty except Kevin Spacey’s character turns out to be a violent ex-hit man. Bob Odenkirk is also surprisingly good as an action star, playing the nostalgic ex-killer with the right balance of simmering rage and restraint.

Overall, if you’re a fan of the John Wick series, this comes highly recommended.

8.0/10 Directed By: Ilya Naishuller Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, RZA Genre: Action

Kidus Tamiru

S

et immediately after the events of Captain America: Civil War (2016), the film sees the titular character on the run and forced to confront a conspiracy tied to her past. After a very long wait, The MCU’s Phase Four has finally kicked off its theatrical releases with this film.

With many more new characters and storylines to be introduced for the coming movies, this film feels like the last remnant of Phase Three.

The main issue for me was that this film came pretty late. We know exactly what happens after the end of this movie and how the main character dies, so this movie was seriously low on stakes. If it had been released before Infinity War, not only would it have made this film more enjoyable but Black Widow’s death in Endgame would’ve been way more impactful as well.

Tonally, the film has many similarities to Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Both films have an espionage thriller style story, both have the hero in hiding from the authorities while trying to expose a global conspiracy, and both feature a seemingly unstoppable, mysterious assassin after them that turns out to be connected to their past.

But the former film is way better because it drives the characters’ and the overall Marvel storyline forward. That is a big reason we watch marvel films: not just

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for the characters’ arcs, but because the films push the overall MCU story forward. But this entire film is like an inconsequential side quest a main character takes before she returns to the main mission. The story is so formulaic; I think most of the scenes could’ve been written by an AI that studied Marvel films.

Another thing that annoyed me was how Black Widow, despite being a human being with no superpowers, regularly performs superhero feats. I understand a superhero film without any superhero abilities would be boring, but this is just too much. She survives so many impossible falls in this movie; it makes you wonder how the one in Endgame killed her.

But I did enjoy the performances and the chemistry of the actors, especially in the quiet, serious scenes in between all the action. Florence Pugh, who plays Natasha Romanov’s younger sister and the future Black Widow, was particularly good.

But overall, these kinds of quippy, formulaic Marvel films, despite being somewhat entertaining and watchable, belong in the pre-Infinity War era, before the stakes and quality of the MCU were raised.

6.0/10 Directed By: Cate Shortland Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour Genre: Action

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ListenUp

Fela Kuti and the origins of Afrobeat Hasset Tsegabirhan

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’ll be honest; I didn’t know much about Afrobeat music until I was assigned to write this article.

I happened to be more of a jazz, funk, and rock n roll kind of gal, so I assumed I had little business with this entirely different musical world. When I typed in the name on Google, it brought me familiar names such as Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Tiwa Savage. However, first on the list was the name Fela Kuti. It sounded familiar, mostly because the title of the article was in fact “Fela Kuti and the Origins of Afrobeat”. So I clicked on that name and lo and behold! I was introduced to the magical roots of afrobeat.

70s Jazz and funk, mixed with Yoruba sound and West African Highlife. Inspired by the Black Panther movement and Malcolm X and James Brown of the USA, Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti is the genius behind this tantalizing genre of music. It all started in 1957 when Fela Kuti joined Trinity College London to study classical music instead of joining medicine school. While in London, he came across various musical styles by playing piano in jazz and rock bands. Returning to Nigeria in the mid-1960s, he formed a band named Koola Lobitos. The Afro-beat sound emerged from that group’s experiments.

Afrobeat got its origin from the impressive grounds of the 60s and

However, the band saw success in the late sixties and seventies, after

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Fela’s visit to the USA. Kuti’s music became increasingly politicized.

Social and political commentary became interwoven between musical components. He exhorted social change and challenged the social and political system of Nigeria’s military government. Corrupt dictators were denounced and ancient Yoruban deities honored, all with the soundtrack of “Afrobeat” that Fela had distilled from the musical collision of Africa and black America.

His music made Fela a hero to the poor and suppressed, although he paid a huge price for it. The band played at his club, The Shrine, which was regularly raided by the police.

He declared himself president of

his own “Kalakuta Republic”, a compound in the suburbs of Lagos that housed his recording studio and offered sanctuary to the dispossessed. In 1977, after a record titled “Zombie” (a track mocking the army), a thousand soldiers overwhelmed Kalakuta. They burned the compound to the ground; Fela was beaten close to death and his mother was thrown from an upstairs window which became the cause of her death. In 1979, Fela formed a political party and ran unsuccessfully for the presidency of Nigeria. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Fela continued to be harassed by various authorities, jailed, and beaten various times.

Finally, turning away from active political protest and even slowly away from music, Fela passed the torch to his sons Femi and Seun Kuti, who continued to blaze the world with Afrobeat. In 1997, Fela passed away due to Aids-related illnesses.

Despite his early demise, he left behind 50 awe-inspiring albums and a musical legacy yet to be celebrated.

In 2021, Fela was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2008, the biographical musical “Fela!” became an unexpected hit on and off-Broadway, garnering rave reviews and a string of awards. Coming from a person who just became aware of his grandeur, I am certain that the world is going to know more about this icon and appreciate him in scales never seen before.

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ReadUp

Home is

where the heart is Haben Woldu

Two years ago, I took a leap of faith. I moved back to the motherland after two decades of living, studying and working in the United States. These last two years have definitely been a period of self-discovery, and I have gotten to know myself in the most incredible way. I have known love and what losing it means. I know now what it means to be surrounded by people and feel loneliness. I understand now the profound impact deep friendships have on us as human beings. I know that home is not a place but a feeling; home is not land or a destination but a state of mind.

The chaotic city-life in Addis can definitely make it hard to go on a journey of self-discovery. However, the fast urbanization and growth of the city that we all love and call home requires us to take a deep breath and take a moment to go on a journey of self-discovery.

Below are some book recommendations that have elements of self-discovery, home and taking leaps of faith into the unknown. May these book recommendations inspire you to find the courage to take a leap of faith, may they open your eyes to the importance of self-discovery, and may they help you find the meaning of home deep in your heart.

1. Americanah

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigeria Ifemelu and Obinze are young and in love when they leave Nigeria for the West. Beautiful, self-assured Ifemelu heads for America where despite her academic success she is forced to grapple with what it means to be black for the first time in her life. Quiet, thoughtful Obinze had hoped to join her, but he instead plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London. Fifteen years later, they reunite in a newly democratic Nigeria, and reignite their passion—love they had for each other and for their homeland. Home is at the center of this novel and one can’t help feel a deep tug at the heart for both the characters and the places they call home. This book deserves a read and multiple rereads.

Musical Pairing: Juice” by YCEE is the perfect accompaniment for this juicy book. So much juice, so much sauce in this book!

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2. Exit West

by Mohsin Hamid, Pakistan As an avid reader, I follow Obama’s yearly book recommendations closely. Exit West is one of his favorite books and one can certainly understand why. Exit west is an unforgettable story of love, loyalty, and courage that is both completely of our time and for all time. Close your eyes and picture a reality where migration didn’t involve a journey, and instead you could simply walk through a door and be in another country.

Exit West tells the story of two characters — Saeed and Nadia — who meet and fall in love as their country breaks out in a civil war. After discovering that magic doors are popping up throughout their city that could transport them to a different country, the couple decides to leave their home and forge a new life together in an unknown place. The book follows these characters as they emerge into an uncertain future, struggling to hold on to each other, to their past, and to the very sense of who they are.

Musical Pairing: It only makes sense to pair up this book with a song that is from that part of the world. From the soundtrack of the movie “Dil Bole Hadippa”, the song “Discowale Khisko” will help you feel the essence of the book and the true bond between the main characters.

3. Homecoming

by Yaa Gyasi, Ghana Yaa Gyasi’s first novel sets the fate of the individual against the obliterating movements of time, delivering unforgettable characters with emotional power. You will love this book for its exceptional language, exquisite beauty, and deep raw emotions. You will love it for how it portraits family and home in monumental ways.

In the book, two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. One is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. The other will be captured in a raid in her village and imprisoned in the very same castle.

Love and home is the glue that binds these life stories together. The attempt of the characters to survive, fight for their mere existence and rise up for a better life is truly inspiring.

Musical Pairing: The album “Coming Home” by Leon Bridges will get you through the whole book and help you feel every emotion that the author invokes in the book deeply. A lyrical journey fused by great music and a great read is what you will get!

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4. Cutting for Stone

by Abraham Verghese, Ethiopia Set mostly in Addis Ababa, this is an epic saga of twin brothers, who are orphaned at birth as the mother dies due to post-childbirth complications, and the father abandons them. The story combines elements of two cultures, political revolution, foreign travel, and, of course, emotional and complex family drama. I’ll admit this book starts off slowly, and I had to push through the first couple of chapters. I am so glad I pushed through as this was a remarkable book and reading experience.

The author aptly describes the city of Addis as, “Overnight, in that hushed silence, the Meskel flowers bloomed, turning the hillsides of Addis Ababa into gold." The vivid imagery of the city is captured artfully by the author through words and prose, making the reader fall in love with this city over and over again.

Musical Pairing: “Peponi” by Yamu Mola ft. Dibekulu is an obvious musical choice here. “Peponi” is a Swahili word meaning Paradise and the book’s backdrop is the city of Addis which is a paradise of sorts with its vibrancy, amazing weather, great cuisine, and humans from every walk of life.

5. The Elena Ferrante Series

by Elena Ferrante, Italy My first friend in college – Noah Smith – in my opinion, is the best at recommending great books. On one of my trips to visit him, he recommended these Italian 4-part series novels and, as usual, he was right on the money. Elena Ferrante tells the story of a sixty-year friendship between the brilliant and bookish. While the story seems to be about friendship on the surface, it is about so much more. It is about the inexplicable bonds to places and faces; it is about how our ancestors live within us; it is about human connections and the complexity of human emotions. You will devour this series; as it is funny, heartfelt, and sophisticated. You will long for more books by Elena Ferrante, and you will think of these characters long after you have finished the book. Elena Ferrante is a master of creating stories and characters that stay with us long after the end of the book!

Musical Pairing: “Fly me to the moon” by Frank Sinatra is a classy song to go with this delightful series. For that matter, any of Frank Sinatra’s epic songs will do. Like the author, Frank Sinatra makes you feel things long after you have listened to his music.

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My Brilliant Friend The Story of a New Name Those Who Leave and Those Who Stay The Story of the Lost Child

City Guide

Hotels in Addis Hyatt Regency Addis Ababa

Ethiopian Skylight Hotel Location: Taytu Street

Location: Meskel Square Contact No: +251 11 517 1234 Website: www.hyatt.com Star:

Email: reservation@ ethiopianskylighthotel.com Contact No: +251 11 6818181 or +251 11 6176389 Star:

Hilton Hotel: Addis Ababa

Best Western Hotel

Location: Minilik II Street Contact No: +251 11 517 0000 Website: addisababa.hilton.com Star:

Location: Namibia Street (Next to Edna Mall) Contact No: +251 11 667 1414 Website: www. bwplusaddisababa.com Star:

Intercontinental Hotel Location: Kazanchis Contact No: +251 11 518 0444 Website: http://intercontinentaladdis. com/

Location: Africa Street Contact No: +251 11 639 3131 Website: https://www. ramadaaddis.com/

Star:

Star:

Golden Tulip

Capital Hotel and Spa

Location: Bole Road Contact No: +251 116 18 33 33 Website: https://addisababa.goldentulip.com/

Location: Haile G/silassie Avenue Contact No: +251 116 19 2000 Website: https://capitalhotelandspa. com/ Star:

Star:

Sheraton Addis: Luxury Collection Location: Taytu Street Contact No: +251 11 517 1717 Website: https://www. marriott.com/hotels/travel/ addlc-sheraton-addis-aluxury-collection-hotel-addisababa/ Star:

47 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Ramada Hotel

Sapphire Addis Location: Namibia Street Contact No: +251 639 3907 Website: https://www. sapphireaddishotel.com/ Star:

Cafe & Pastries Tomocca

Your choices for the best Ethiopian Coffee Experience

Cascara Coffee & Cocktails

Location: Namibia Street (Next to Bole Medhanialem), Piassa Across Eliana Hotel

Location: Meskel Square (Inside Hyatt Regency)

Contact No: +251 93 007 8086

Contact No: +251 11 517 1234

Closes at: 8:00PM

Closes at: 12:00AM

Customer Rating: 4.8/5

Customer Rating: 5.0/5

Garden of Coffee

Bilos Cafe & Pastry

Location: Namibia Street

Location: Next to Millennium Hall

Contact No: +251 93 036 2308

Contact No: +251 93 003 3177

Closes at: 9:00PM

Closes at: 8:30PM

Customer Rating: 4.6/5

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Chaka Coffee

Bake and Brew Location: Bole, infront of Tele next to Rungo liquor store

Location: Africa Avenue Contact No: +251 91 120 2888 Closes at: 9:00PM Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Closes at: 8:00PM Website: bakeandbrewaddis.com Customer Rating: 4.3/5

Tryst Addis

YA Coffee Roasters

Location: Olympia (on the way from Dembel City Center to Bambis)

Location: CMC Road, Next to Gesund Cardiac Hospital

Contact No: +251 94 406 1818

Contact No: +251 92 795 7171

Closes at: 7:00PM

Closes at: -

Customer Rating: 4.4/5

Customer Rating: 4.9/5

Dumerso Coffee

Feresula Coffee

Location: South Africa Street (Bisrate Gabriel)

Location: Africa Street

Contact No: +251 320 3973

Contact No: +251 96 641 1151 Closes at: 6:00pm

Closes at: 8:30PM

Customer Rating: 5.0/5

Customer Rating: 4.8/5

48 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Contact No: +251 11 835 9698 +251 91 015 1248

Coworking Spaces

Affordable spaces for startups looking for spaces to work and for business people in Addis for a short or long-term stay

iceaddis

Blue Space

Location: Bole, Near Hayat Hospital, Zewdu Bldg. 5th floor

Location: Namibia Street, Grace Plaza 4th Floor, near Atlas Hotel

Contact: www.iceaddis.com contact@iceaddis.com +251 11 667 4804

Contact: www.bluespace.work info@bluspace.work

Services: High speed wifi, standing desks, been bags, printer, scanner, projector, microphone, kitchen, free parking

Services: High speed wifi, working desks, printer, scanner, projector, relax zone, kitchen Starting Rates : 350ETB/day

Starting Rates : 380ETB/day

Abro Coworking Space

Xhub Addis Location: Cameroon Street, Morning Star Mall 5th Floor Contact: http://xhubaddis.com/ working/ info@xhubaddis.com +251 91 170 1361

Location: Namibia Street

Services: Wifi, free photocopy/ print (30 pages)

Services: Wifi, photocopy/print, desk, chair

Contact: https://abro-co-workingspace.business.site/ +251 911 11 0742

Starting Rates : 250ETB/day

Restaurants

Starting Rates : 250ETB/day

If you are thinking to explore international and cultural cuisine Addis has to offer, here are a few you may consider.

Italian restaurants

Agnese Restaurant

Mama Mia Italian Restaurant

Location: Old Airport Contact: +251 98 048 3824

Castelli Italian Restaurant

Location: Piassa, Mahatama-Gandhi Street, in front of Mohamud Music Shop Contact: +251 11 557 1757

Location: Next to Mele Zenawi Foundation, DAR Sahara Street Contact: +251 92 900 2218

49 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Bella Pizza & Pasta

Location: Bole Medhanialem, Near Abyssinia Mall Contact: +251 94 141 5422

Gusto Restaurant

Dok Restaurant

Location: Churchill Road, Tracon Tower 3rd Floor Contact: +251 934 49 7861

Location: Next to Bole Medhane Alem Church on Cameroon Street between Zemen Bank &Abyssinia Bank Contact: +25195 399 2126 Working Hours: Mon - Sun: 08:00 am - 12:00 pm Website: www.dokrestaurantaddis. com/ Email: dokrestaurant1@gmail.com

Ethiopian Cultural restaurants

Yod Abyssinia Cultural Restaurant

Desalech Kitfo

Location: Carl Square, Sar Bet Contact: +2516612985 Known for: Ethiopian food, cultural performances

Location: Africa Avenue, behind Skylight Hotel Contact: +251 91 123 1859 Known for: Ethiopian traditional kitfo (minced meat)

Dashen Traditional Restaurant

Totot

Location: DAR Sahara Street, Near Swedish Community School Contact: +251 91 120 1723 Known for: Cozy atmosphere, cultural performances

Location: Africa Avenue Contact: +251 646 0718 Known for: Ring Road, on the way to Gerji, in front of Anbessa Garage

Fendika Cultural Center

Location: Kazanchis Contact: +251 91 154 7577 Known for: Exceptional jazz and Ethiopian Azmaris

2000 Habesha Cultural Restaurant

Location: Africa Avenue Contact: +251 91 151 2590 Known for: Ring Road, on the way to Gerji, in front of Anbessa Garage Website: 2000habesha.com

The Kitchen

Location: Meskel Square, Inside Hyatt Regency Contact: +251 11 517 1234 Known for: Mediterranean Cuisine

Middle Eastern & Mediterranean restaurants

Fusion Bistro

Aladdin Restaurant

Location: Cameroon Street, Across Monarch Hotel Contact: +251 91 000 5151 Known for: Arabian cuisine

Location: Off Bole Road, near Japanese Embassy Residence Contact: +251 11 6614109 Known for: Arabian Cuisine

50 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Bait Al Mandi

Istanbul Restaurant

Location: Mickey Leland/ EU Street Contact: +251 91 151 8903 Known for: Middle Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine

Location: Cameroon Street, across Ukranian Embassy Contact: +251 910 17 4728 Known for: Turkish cuisine

Marketing Companies in Addis Proofit Marketing Solutions Location: Cameroon Street, Gulf Aziz Building, 2nd Floor Contact No: +251 953 42 77 97 info@proofit.com

251 Communications Location: Gabon Street, Aster Plaza, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 116 63 0182 info@251communications.com https://251communications.com

Zeleman Communications Location: Africa Avenue, Snap Plaza, Snap Plaza, 10th floor Contact No: +251 116 63 2800 info@zeleman.com htttps://zeleman.com

Berry Advertising Location: Cameroon Street, Gulf Aziz Building, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 930 07 8086 www.berryethiopia.com

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Ttree Advertising Location: Cape Verde Street, KT Building, 3rd Floor Contact No: +251 118 21 2112 info@ttreeadvertising.com ttreeadvertising.com

Spotlight Ethiopia Location: Africa Avenue, DH Geda Tower, 7th Floor Contact No: +251 913 98 6445 https://spotlightplc.com

Cactus Communications Location: Africa Avenue, Bedesta Building, 4th floor Contact No: +251 115 54 4901 info@cactusethiopia.com http:// cactusethiopia.com/

Eternal Media & Communication Location: Gabon Street, Aster Plaza Contact No: +251 114 70 3039 info@eternalmedia.com https://eternal-media.com

Parks & Museums in Addis Zoma Museum Location: Mekanisa, Near Abo Church Contact No: https://www. zomamuseum.org/ Feature: Landscaping, gardens, antique shop

Addis Ababa Museum Location: Meskel Square Contact No: http://www. addisababa.gov.et/de/web/guest/ museums#3 Feature: Museum, Restaurant, Panoramic View of Meskel Square

Unity Park

African Unbound

Location: Inside Ethiopian National Palace

Location: Off Churchill Road (On the way to National Palace)

Contact No: Unitypark.et

Contact No: https:// africaunboundmuseum.com/

Feature: Historical palaces, Zoo, cultural museum, restaurants

Feature: African Arts

Entoto Park Location: Entoto Hills Contact No: Feature: Bicycle and track, reading benches, camping site, restaurants, panoramic view of Addis Ababa

Leather shops in Addis Kuncho Design Website: https://www. kunchodesign.com/ Contact: kunchodesign@gmail.com +251 96 799 5384

52 I Linkup Addis Ababa

The leather industry in Addis is thriving with countless local and international leather lines. Here are a few.

Undkǝn- Made in Ethiopia Website: http://www.undken.com/ Contact: +251 912 75 2524

Meron Addis Ababa

Zaaf Collection

Website: https://www. meronaddisababa.com/

Website: https://www. zaafcollection.com/

Contact: info@meronaddisababa.com +251 911 12 2108

Contact: +251 910 14 9965

Electronics stores HEY Online market Known for: Phones, computers, cameras and other electronic devices retail Location: Bole Medehanealem, Hidmona Bulding Ground floor #12

Ramanet Computer Solutions Known for: electronics retail, accessories, maintenance Location: Bole Road DH Geda Tower G Floor, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and DH Geda Mezanine floor Office #2

Contact No: +251 95 396 4175

Contact No: +251 92 234 3536, +251 91 121 3566

Bino Tech Store

Yonas Mobile

Known for: electronics retail, accessories, maintenance

Known for: mobile maintenance and Unlocking service provider in Ethiopia. loaded with dedicated mobile engineers.

Location: Bole Medehanealem, Berhane Adere Building 1st floor #119floor #12 Contact No: +251 91 181 1446

Location: Awlo Buisness center First floor office #102 Contact No: +251 91 191 1111

Medical Centers Washington Medical Center Location: Bole, In front of Rwanda Embassy Contact No: +251939515151/+251939525252

Addis Cardiac Hospital Location: Bole Ring Road in front of Ethiopian Airlines Head Quarters Contact No: +25116634720/40/41 Email: info@addiscardiac.com

Email: frontdesk@wmcethiopia.com

Nordic Medical Centre (NMC) Location: Around Rwanda Embassy, in front of Tizeze hotel Contact No: 8901 or +251929105653 Email: reception@ nordicmedicalcentre.com

53 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Bethzatha General Hospital Location: Next to Addis Ababa Stadium Contact No: 7477 or +251115514141

MCM General Hospital

Landmark General Hospital

Location: Wereda 14, Gerji, Bole Sub-City

Location: Mozambique St, Kirkos Subcity Contact No: +251115525463

Contact No: (Ethiopia) +251116292963 (S.Korea) +82269309555

Email: contact@landmarkhospital.et

Email: msmcmet@gmail.com

Droga Physiotherapy Specialty Clinic Bole Branch: Next to Japan Embassy Contact No: +251116687006 +251974959595 Email: info@drogaphysiotherapy.com

Cinemas Vamdas Entertainment Location: Megenagna, next to Panorama hotel Contact No: +251910878248 +251118678098

Edna Mall Location: In front of Bole Medhanealem Church Contact No: +251116616278 (Cinema Reservation) | +251116616880 (Cinema Head) Email: www.ednamall.com

Gast Cinema Location: CMC, in front of St. Michael Church Contact No: +251930113388 Email: www.cinema.gastmall.com

54 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Alem Cinema Location: Africa Avenue Contact No: +251986959595 Website: www.alemcinema.com

Century Cinema Location: Gurd Shola Contact No: +251987202020 Website: www.centurymalladdis.com

Ride Hailing Apps ZayRide

Seregela

Location: Bole Mafi Mall #602, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Location: Merkeb Plaza, 5th Floor, Bole, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Call Center: 6303 Telephone: +251 116 721 052 Website: www.zayride.com/ Email: info@zayride.com

Call Center: 7878 Telephone: +251 11 557 3640/43/44 Website: www.seregelagroup.com/ services/ Email: hello@seregelagroup.com

Ride

Feres

Location: Shekinah Bldg 4th floor, Bole, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Location: Getu Commercial Business Center, Airport Road, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Call Center: 8294 Website: www.ride8294.com Email: Support@ride8294.com

(All Women Drivers)

Telephone: +25190 704 0404 Call Center: 6090 Website: www.feres.et Email: info@feres.et

Catch Location: 301, Beza Building, Bole Sub City Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Telephone: +251 94 406 7050

Apartments La villa Apartments Location: Around Urael Church, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Telephone: +251 97 289 8989

55 I Linkup Addis Ababa

Red Door Apartments Location: Wello sefer Ethio-China friendship road, KADCO Group No.2 Building 1st floor Line Number: +251 11 443 0597 Phone number: +251 98 396 9696 3640/43/44 Email: info@Reddoor.et

Zen Apartments

Noah Real Estate

Location: Olympia/KasanchisKirkos Wereda01 House Nb 200 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Location: Abyssinia Plaza, 12th Floor in Bole Right beside Bole Medhanialem Church

Telephone: +251 980 193313 +251 91 140 2093 Website: http://www. zenapartmentsaddis.com/ Email: zenaparts@gmail.com

Telephone: 6100 +25194 911 1111 Website: http://www. noahrealestateplc.com/