William Hay, Writer: Ethiopia

Gashaw Workle

Gashawworkie3@ gmail.com

Gashaw Workle was my boat man for Lake Tana. I was visitting the monasteries on the Zege Peninsula as well as the islands. The boat was very similiar to the “Panga’ seen on the west coast of Mexico. Powered by a two stroke 9.9 Yamaha outboard it was stable and surprising steady in pace. I asked if there were storms on Lake Tana and Gashawa said there weren’t to speak of. He’d grown up on the Zege Peninsula and been a fisherman before getting into driving a boat for tourists. He was a truly delightful, competent, friendly gentleman with a good sense of humor and interesting observations. The monks liked him too.

I’d covered myself in DEET, wore hiking boots and long sleeved shirts, had a mosquito net hat on, which I wore only as a hat. I never saw a mosquito at all. I had a complete mosquito netting body suit which didn’t leave my bag.

I’d said I wanted to visit the monasteries but if I could see a hippopotamus I’d be mighty pleased. I’ve never seen a hippotamus. And seeing them truly made my day if not my week. We drifted close along side them for the longest time. The little ones fell away from their parents then pushed in close. It was really sweet. A couple of times the big one reared up.

Gashaw pointed out a great eagle, the African Fish Eagle, much like a bald headed. It was nesting in a tree. Peter Rimmer wrote a brilliant African novel, called the Fish Eagle. Now I’ve seen one in person.

Then we came upon the famed Great White Pelicans and they were big. Beautiful like a swan with the chin of a toff. Very regal indeed.

At the mouth of the Blue Nile Gashawa pointed out the hippotamus which at first appeared to be some debris on the surface of the lake. As we got closer they obviously were hippotamus, a whole family with the little ones moving about and the bigger one roaring up a couple of times. I was totally thrilled. I now understand a bit what joy my brother Ron and his son Graeme had when they came to Africa on a photography safari. I love hippopotamus now. Yesterday it was burros and mules but today it’s hippopotami.

A traditional boat was being paddled on the lake. This reed construction is thought evidence of the Egyptians who made similiar craft, being on Lake Tana in prehistoric times. There are monasteries which date long before Jesus indicating the very early presence of beta Israeli. Not only was the Queen of Sheba from Ethiopia but at least one of the Magi who followed the star to the birth of Jesus in the manager."

There are two monasteries on small islands out from the Zege Peninsula. One is for men only and the other is for women. After visitting the famed monastery of Azusa Maryam with murals from the 14th century.

We visited the school they have there, grass huts with 2 to 4 students per hut and a large bamboo class room structure. I even saw a little monkey which is called a vervet monkey. Naturally he began to masturbate as soon as he saw I was filming him.

There’s a regular gauntlet of vendors on the path too and from the monastery. My guide, Gashaw, who had lived on the peninsula with his family explained that there was little industry for the people there. Some 10, 000 live on the Peninsula. Coffee is the main agriculture but is harvested and sold only once a year. Then there’s fishing and finally tourism. I liked that all of them were respectful and non intrusive. I bought several items at prices inflated from what I’d seen of similar items in Addis. It didn’t matter to me as it was supporting the locals that contribute and support the amazing monasteries. I did make a contribution there too. It’s unbelievable to see such rare works of art, and such historical spiritual communication being maintained simply with curtains. It reminded me of the story book gospels and testaments. For those who couldn’t read the whole story of Jesus was there on display. Each mural had it’s own set of symbols and signs in addition to the main themes. Monks could meditate on this mural and reflect on the importance of that story in the life of Jesus and the saints.

The church and monastery are still working today. There’s a great sense of sanctity there. The Zege Peninsula Guide explained most of the important murals taking me around the structure with a student from the school lifting back the curtains and returning them after they’d been viewed. I have trouble hearing and regretting leaving my hearing aids at home but getting by with an amplifier which helped as accents couple with my growing deafness means I miss a bit. I smiled hopefully when it was appropriate to smile.

The Christian School was interesting. 2 to 4 sleeping in the little huts and a bigger bamboo structure used as classroom.

I loved the coffee. There is a traditional way of making coffee, much like Turkish, and serving it in little cups with possibility for adding sugar. I’ve never tasted such fine coffee as that which I had on Zege Peninsula. I saw the beans too. I was glad to buy some rosemary incense and a Coptic silver cross and paintings on goat skin along with a little framed painting.

We drove onto the men’s monastery, Kebran Gabriel. I actually got a t shirt though haven’t a clue what it says. There was a wonderful magpie type bird with the longest white tail that resisted being photographed. I liked the monks especially. Women are not allowed at this monastery. The women’s monastery is on an adjacent island. I liked the stone bell outside the church which was like the one at the monastery before. Amazing sound and quite hard to believe someone came upon these ‘natural bells’. While the church wasn’t open a delightful monk, full of grace and joy, showed us the religious manuscripts and crosses and murals kept in the museum. These were from the 17 th century.

I’d hurt my knee a couple of days before and because I was walking so much it wasn’t resolving. I was thankful for a knee brace I picked up in the morning on the way to Lake Tana. The path to the top of the mountain was rocky and somewhat steep. Gashaw offered to carry my bag, being a gentleman and respectful of his elders. I had to stop a few times to get my breath. Some of it’s altitude, some being out of shape but also it was hot. Worth the little truck. I watched two elderly monks making their way to the church. The very very old monk was carrying a wooden cross he was rubbing as he walked very slowly up the slight incline between the church and residences. The other , also old monk, approached the first and kissed the cross and his side. Another man came over and did the same. As did Gashwan. I watched with some reference, this great old man being revered.

We headed back to Bahir Dar with a fair winds and following seas. I loved being on the water, it being far too long since I was in my sailboat. This was a lovely taste and remembrance of the joy of being aboard a boat.

Back on land we stopped at the public pool where an out door cafe served traditional cafe and an injerah side. I was really quite tired and surprised to see it was 3 pm. We’d headed out at 8 am and it simply didn’t seem possible that 5 hours had gone by. Time flies when you are having fun.

It was a truly unforgettable experience, a mix of National Geographic and the History Channel with Jesus and spirituality surrounding all. I was very thankful for Goshaw’s company. At the first monastery another resident guide took over while Gashaw showed me around the men’s monastery where the Monks so enjoyed seeing him. I felt blessed to be present there.

Thank you God for a wonderful day in Ethiopia.