The Political and Historical Representation of Statues in Three Ethiopian Consecutive Regimes (1889 - Present)

Mulualem Daba Tola

doi:10.11648/j.ss.20170602.11

Abstract

Statues are symbols which represent dynamic societal values. They serve as a rallying point for shared common memory and identity and, hence, are used as a collective remembrance. They also have a power to immortalize an intended ideology. Statue is an object that represents the religion, history, culture, art, socio- economic and political practices of one nation. The main purpose of this paper is to describe the political representation of iconic statues erected in three, Imperial monarchy, Derg Military Junta and Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) regimes in Ethiopia. To achieve this purpose, several documents from Culture and Tourism Bureaus and library archives are analyzed qualitatively. The study lastly summarizes the erected statues in the three Ethiopia regimes are highly tied with the political manifesto each regime. In the process of political shift, when the former regime replaced by the new one, simultaneously, the former statues are dismantled and dislocated and the new statues that represents the current political ideology are constructed and replaced. Accordingly, it concluded that, statues represent the political context of these three consecutive regimes in Ethiopian polity.

Highlights

Statues have been erected for thousands of years for different purposes, and they are often the most durable and famous symbols of ancient civilizations
Statues are symbols that represent political contexts in which the society function. Their constructions are contingent on political system of the particular regime
In Ethiopia, different statues are erected in three consecutive regimes to depict the political system of the era

Summary

Introduction

Statues have been erected for thousands of years for different purposes, and they are often the most durable and famous symbols of ancient civilizations. In ancient civilization of Egypt, Mesopotamia, Indus valley, and China, people made statues to provide spiritual activities. Egyptians erected statues for the rulers and nobles on pyramids believing that the spirit of dead could always return to these images. In the ancient Mesopotamia the colossal form of the king mighty and majesty statues were built at the entrances of their palaces as guardian monster-five legged winged bulls with human heads. In the Aegean civilization, the statue of lion served as a protector of fortified Mycenae city where the king Agamemnon supposed to live. In Rome around 12th C (early Christian age), statue served as idols (false god) that was regarded as a breach of the commandments (Harrt, 1989, Jonson, 1966, Whelan, et al, 2002)

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion