The more I read on Emperor Tewodros the more difficult it became to present his story in a simplified way to the younger generation of Ethiopia. Most books on Tewodros depict him as a barbarian and a cruel man. He was a character who lived in turbulent times. He was a victim of circumstances and did what he did when he was pushed. Especially the poor knew him for his generosity. He was a man of vision and sincerely wanted to modernize Ethiopia but things did not go his way. To understand Tewodros you have to put yourself in his shoes and visualize the events. I have attempted to trace Tewodros' life as a man, with both his strength and his weaknesses. He was a man who was happy with simple things and did not care for luxury. I had the urge to visit Tewodros' citadel, Maqda/a, to get the feel of the place and trace back the history. I went by public bus to Dessre-Northern Ethiopia (400 Kilometers from Addis Ababa) spent the night there and the next morning proceeded to Tenta again by bus (another seven hour journey). You can see Maqda/a from Tenta (17 kilometers as the crow flies) but you have to traverse five mountains and hills to reach there. I hired a guide and a mule, which almost killed me! Not his fault but the inhospitable terrain. The guide Shewangizaw Tilahun had been to MaqdaJa almost thirty times and the mule seven times. So I was in safe hands and also legs.I started the following morning at 6:00 and descended the almost 1000 feet drop of rocky path at a 45 degrees angle. On the way you don't see anyone for many kilometers but if you come across anybody he or she politely nods and greets you. I could hear the frequent piercing sound of the crack of whips echoing in the mountains. This was made by the shepherd boys to scare the birds in the fields. I was riding like a lone ranger and was caught in torrential rain twice. The climb was so grueling that many times I was tempted to abort the trip and go back. I would have done that had it not been for my objective to see Sebastopol and the Maqda/a plateau . After five hours of riding, trekking, ascending and descending, and traversing the precarious cliffs which would scare a cat, I reached the Se/amgle plateau, the place where fewodros had placed his famous cannon, Sebastopol. From this place you can view the Aroge plateau and plains, the site of the main battle with the British. The great Maqda/a fortress is adjacent to Se/amgie. It takes an hour to execute the steep climb, a path lJetween boulders leading to the only entranoe to MaqcJala. My lungs were ursting and I was sweating profusely in spite of the chilling weather. I reached the top at last and was rewarded with a panoramic view, A little away from the entrance is the area where Tewodros committed suicide. I laid some wild flowers on the spot and murmured "Aaizoh". You can see the remnants of the palace, an area where the church existed and a stone enclosure where Tewodros was buried. His body was later exhumed by his son Meshesha and re-buried near Qwara. If anyone wishes to make a film on Tewodros he will find the place, the people, and the huts exactly as it looked one and half-centuries ago.There is no motorway, but construction work is going on to make one. The only easy approach would be by helicopter. Maqda/a is still inaccessible to ordinary visitors and few people ever venture to go there. After an hour of meditating in supreme tranquility on Maqda/a and my mind pregnant with thoughts I started my return trip in solemn peace. It took me totally ten hours, round trip. On arrival at Tenta I collapsed on my bed and slept like a log. PS. The above experience is about 10 years back. Thanks to the Amhara Region Administration there is now an all weather road by which you can drive by 4WD from Tenta to the top of Maqdala fortress. After another 20 minutes walk you arrive at the entrance gate. On Maqdala all the vital places are identified and named. Another one hour drive down hill of the Falah plateau will take you to Fitawari Gebreye's grave. Joseph Francis |
