.Briefing
on November 18th and 19th, 2008 Harar Trod Reasonings
Greetings
in the name of Haile Selassie The First and Empress Menen,
I’ve
just returned from DC to Black Mountain North Carolina and can now
document the three progressive meetings that occurred around the Harar
Trod. Prince Ermias has helped to edit this report and has sanctioned
it to be sent to the Global Rastafari Family.
Tuesday
Nov. 18th: The
meeting was attended by: Ras Ravin I, Ras Bush-I, Ras Amlak, Ras
Carlton, Brother Roy, Elias Zeleke, Ras Sela, Ras Yhwhdah, Dejazmach
Kwesi, Tikher Teferra, Ras Asher, Mama Farika, and I-self.
It was held at Queen Makeda Ethiopian Restraint in DC.
The meeting was to share with those in attendance information
about the proposed trod to Harar and to seek input from the greater
Rastafari Community.
After
introductions the Harar Nine Point Agenda and Itinerary was reasoned
on. Similar to the MC’s
respectful feed forward ones voiced the need to narrow the intention
of the Trod. At this point I explained that this nine point plan
was an initial groundation of the varied challenges and opportunities
facing Rastafari and that originally it was a document for Ras Sela
and I to have a structure from which to refine and define the Harar
Journey. Putting
the nine items on the agenda was not to say that I and Ras Sela could
address these items but rather to invite cooperation with other ones
whose official duties align with the stated objectives in an effort to
strategize and manifest effective use of resources and skill within
this trod.
Notes from the Tuesday night
meeting:
·
The Ethiopian Orthodox
Church built a Church where H.I.M was born in Harar
·
In 2006 Monks in Harar
requested ongoing financial support from the Shashemene Rastafari
Community. We are not sure
if the request has ever been fulfilled and this could be looked into
with a view to fulfilling it.
·
The birth place of H.I.M
is a national treasure for all of Africa and the world
·
The Film “Man Of The
Millennium”, reveals that the remains of Haile Selassie’s Mother,
Yeshimabet, are laid to rest near the birthplace of HIM.
It is suggested a visit to this site should be an agenda item
of this trod with a view to connecting with those responsible for the
site in order to determine potential and appropriate support action
·
Sustain and build
bridges through I-plomacy with the Ethiopian Government, Church, and
Embassy toward an inclusive fact finding mission
·
It was felt and
suggested that the subject of Intellectual Property Rights should be
left for those charged with dealing with it
·
Tikher Teferra, producer
of the most excellent film Man Of The Millennium, reminded the group
of Haile Selassie’s focus on making his gifts to the world public
domain
·
The overwhelming
consensus of the meeting was to scale the intentions, scope, and
expectations back to one of simply trodding to Harar to visit HIM
birthplace and Yeshimabet’s interment site with a view to connecting
with and supporting those responsible for the maintenance and upkeep
of the fore-mentioned sites
The
meeting sealed in harmony and Dejazmach Kwasi is to be commended for
chairing an Illaful gathering of Rastafari Ingels.
It was suggested that the agenda for the next day’s meeting
reflect the input of this meeting.
Tuesday
Evening Ras Sela and I created the attached agenda for our meeting
with the Prince the next day based on the feed forward of the MC and
the DC Community.
The
I-text for being the one called by Ras Sela to pull together a meeting
with the President of the Ethiopian Crown Council is that Last
November 2, 2007 at the opening of the Smithsonian Exhibit I met
several members of the Crown Council after Ras Michael’s concert and
contact information and good will was exchanged.
My Queen, Sister Debra, and I run a non-profit organization
focused on sustainable development in Africa through educational
service programs to Ethiopia and Ghana.
This is the information that the Crown Council was interested
in, as they have recently declared a new focus of the Council being
Cultural Education and Eradication of Poverty.
Similar packets of information were also given to Ras Junior
Manning, Ras Stephen Goulding, Ras IVI Tafari, Congo Irice, Queen
Mother Moses, and Ras Michael. Furthermore
Prince Ermias was glad to see pictures of his cousin Prince Zere Yacob
from my two meetings with the Crown Prince in his Addis Ababa home on
past trods to Ethiopia.
Over
the last year I kept in contact with one specific member of the Crown
Council who is working on affordable housing in Ethiopia.
I was asked to set up a phone connection for Ras E.S.P MC
Pherson through my role in the RNCI (Rastafari National Council For
Inity). This was after
both RNCI and MC teleconferences.
I connected Prince Ermias and Ras E.S.P MC Pherson so they
could communicate about the matters at hand around the Jamaica Trod
that Prince Ermias was soon to embark on.
When
Ras Sela requested an audience with the Crown Council to share about
the Harar Trod it was in relation to the biblical quotation of Psalm
87: “With
Ethiopia-‘This one was born there,’ they say.
And of Zion it shall be said, ‘This one and that one were
born in her”. I consulted with Brother Karl Philpotts on the vision
for the trod and the protocol of setting up such a meeting.
Brother Karl voiced the view that any trip to Ethiopia should
also include Shashemene and support for the Rastafari Family,
especially the Elders, there on the ground.
Brother Karl also voiced his general support of venturing into
the Motherland. When asked
about the meeting with the Crown Council, Brother Karl shared that it
would be cordial and inclusive to seek advise from the Council.
MEETING WITH PRINCE ERMIAS:
In
attendance were: Prince Ermias, Dejazmach Kwasi, Tikher Teferra, Ras
Sela, and I. It lasted
about an hour and half. I
set an altar of artifacts from Axum, The Ethiopian Flag, a Traditional
Ethiopian Cross, Frankincense, and pictures of Empress Menen and
Emperor Haile Selassie The First at the head of the table where Prince
Ermias sat. Dejazmach
Kwasi opened the meeting with a prayer and the agenda was followed
with some tangential reasonings:
·
Prince Ermias expressed
his support for the trod and encouraged stepping beyond the spectrum
of the Rastafari movement to incorporate Pan African cooperation
around the birth place of the Father Of African Unity
·
Prince Ermias said it
was essential to document this historic trod and deemed future
pilgrimage’s to Ethiopia and Harar as “A Journey Of A Lifetime”
·
Tikher Teferra, an
Ethiopian Ras who has documented Harar, shared his hope that InI can
put Haile Selassie’s birthplace on the Map as it is similar to Mecca
for Muslims and should be seen as where “Freedom For Africa Was
Born”
·
Dejazmach Kwasi
encouraged InI to consider how the Ethiopian Government will gain
economically from a Heritage Site and to under promise so that
realistic attainment of goals can occur on this first trod
·
Prince Ermias expressed
the need to Refocus the Movement of Rastafari around Pan African
Organizing and correcting the historical propaganda and distortion
that has occurred around Haile Selassie The First’s legacy
·
Prince Ermias also
suggested galvanizing support from Europe and South Africa as
searching for resources in the U.S toward Africa is currently at its
beginning
·
Support and cooperation
for this journey must be invited by Rastafari Communities worldwide
·
Prince Ermias is giving
an official endorsement of the Journey on behalf of the Ethiopian
Crown Council (A document that Dejazmach Kwasi will work in
collaboration with the Crown’s Lawyer on). This endorsement needs to
be conveyed wisely so as to not hinder any other official endorsements
that InI seek from the Ethiopian Government and Orthodox Church
·
The Prince expressed
good will between officials in Jamaica and Ethiopia and is concerned
that there is not government-to-government diplomatic relations at the
moment. He would like to
see broader cooperation between the people of Jamaica and Ethiopia to
include sports, arts, and trade etc.
·
Prince Ermias fervently
supported the call to address the burial place of his Great
Grandmother
·
Prince Ermias suggested
contacting his beloved cousin Crown Prince Zere Yacob as he needs to
be aware of the journey and to receive his astute guidance
·
The trod to Ethiopia
should include a visit to Shashemene and augmenting and rendering
further tangible services there
·
A monthly report will be
provided to the Prince as progress is made toward Harar
After
the meeting sealed the Prince received our invitation for a
traditional Ethiopian meal. On
the way to the restaurant the Prince and I rode together and I had the
opportunity to ask his wisemind on how best to seek the Ethiopian
Orthodox Church’s support and he said to go straight to Abuna Paulos.
Once at Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant Prince Ermias was
interviewed by Rastafari Rising Productionist Ras Amlak and Ras Bush
I. The vibration was Royal
and Familial.
Later in the afternoon ones gathered
at Congo Irice’s gates to reason futher.
Rastafari Rising documented many of these reasonings, which
included:
·
A fund
raising event in Harar for the Earth strong of HIM in 2010. Utilizing
the dynamics of a global radio thon for cultural, educational, health
related programs including the beautification of the birth place of
HIM and HIS Mother’s resting place, establishing an organic training
center in Harar, Health Clinics for Shashemene & Harar, pension
program for InI ELDERS and other social programs that can reflect InI
CREED. These are long-term goals.
·
Operation
Reggae Funding is a viable means of supporting infrastructure nation
building of the Rastafari Family
InI
are still in the early stages of cultivating this Trod. There is more
work to do, including revisions of the Harar Itinerary, formulating
new agenda items, and envisioning what is needed to make this Trod a
“success” for the Rastafari and Pan African family. As the trod
becomes more focused as a fact-finding and relationship-building trip,
it is our hope that it can become an annual journey-pilgrimage for
HIM’s Earth Strong to support momentum toward Africa’s Appropriate
Creation. The intention to
keep the works transparent with invitations for input is key.
InI give thanks for the Ethio-Africa Diaspora Union Millennium Council
and for its work toward becoming the Global Rastafari Secretariat that
receives the Rastafari Family’s input, trust, and blessings toward
equal rights, justice, and the guaranteed return of dismembered
Africans to the precious Mother of all.
May petty differences be dashed away while reasoning and
prayers strengthen InI together toward the victory of good over evil.
This is assured through rising in organized and centralized
cooperation; elements essential in the nation building tasks at hand
that Haile Selassie The First mandated.
In Service To The Throne Of Haile Selassie The First and Empress
Menen,
Christopher
Liontree
