"Finfinne Times: Culture and Wisdom Traditions"

Arga-Dhagetti over Inexorable

May 18, 2008

By way of summary, as new evidences emerge and the existing stories converge regarding this subject, the best thing we ought to be doing at this time is to put them in perspective to minimize confusions and misinterpretations. The concept of arga-dhagetti overrides that of inexorability in this perspective.

The Black Goat and The White Dove

November 12, 2007

While both The Black Goat and The White Dove evidently symbolize humanity’s experiences, the latter is widely known whereas the former is known little. But what they have come to stand for, peace and reconciliation, have become nearly universal.

Whose New Year, Whose Millennium?

September 12, 2007

On the eve of the beginning of Ethiopia’s third millennium according to official count, local and international media are raising various questions about it. Most, if not all, seem to lump two things together and discuss about them as if they were one, or originated from the same foundation.

A Hope for Africa, a Contribution to the World

August 19, 2007

What this seems to lead to is the fact that the balanced nature concept still prevalent in the Horn of Africa region, the information from the Gnostic gospel texts, the Gaia concept in ancient Greece, and the Native American Mother Nature philosophy aren’t totally unrelated subjects. What makes this even more interesting is the observation made back in 2002 by Jean Doresse, the famous French Egyptologist, that he couldn’t understand the Plato’s dialogues until he visited Ethiopia. That is because he was able to discern in the veins of Ethiopians Plato’s dialogue in ancient Greece. In the Bhagavad Gita, a classic of Indian spirituality, Mr. Eknath Easwaran, also discusses about the concept of the balanced universe.

Uma and the Father God

May 5, 2007

Close observation of what these scientists said shows that both of them are reading from the same scripture but give it different interpretations. It may not be unfair to assume that the starting points of “physical evidence” for Dr. Dawkins and “material signs” for Dr. Collins point to the same scripture. If that is the case, their differences in interpretation may be more of subjective reflections of each one’s understanding of the scripture than an objective reality of nature.

Daaniyaa

April 24, 2007

In its recent issue, Burqaa Magazine reported that a new religious book has been published and released in Finfinne (Addis Ababa), Ethiopia’s capital. This book is reported to be the book of Waqeffanna (Oromo religion). It may be the first of its kind from the African continent, and most probably with the oldest concepts in wisdom traditions. According to the description in Burqa, the book has 468 pages and uses its own calendar, which stands at 6400. There is another number, 07911, which the reporter indicates to be in the book. We can only speculate if this is meant to be September 11, 2007, which coincides with Ethiopia’s new millennium. There are evidences that suggest that Ethiopia’s New Year is based on Cushitic calendar. If the speculation about the number is right, there is reason to think that this Ethiopian new millennium celebration will open a new door for Ethiopia, Africa, and the world at large.