April 10, 2007
Shaft in Ethiopia
Just yesterday a friend was saying that I had to see Shaft in Africa, the 1973 blaxploitation film starring Richard Roundtree as "the black private dick that's a sex machine to all the chicks".
There were two reasons why it was a must-see. First the setting - groovy Haile Selassie-era Addis Ababa. Second the actors. Many of the bright young things strutting around on screen in various states of undress back then have grown up to be some of the city's most respectable and well-known citizens today.
Most prominent among the Ethiopian actors was none other than Debebe Eshetu. Back then he was playing the part of the Emir's right hand man Wassa - sample dialogue:
Wassa: Where did you study stick fighting, Mr. Shaft?
Shaft: Conducting the New York Philharmonica.
Wassa: The Emir will be pleased. Also by the fact that you're already circumcised.
These days Debebe Eshetu is in Addis Ababa's Kaliti Prison alongside around 50 leading opposition politicians facing life imprisonment - or even the death penalty - for a range of charges including "outrages against the constitution".
So that was yesterday. This morning Afrigator pointed me to a new blog by an Ethiopian journalist called Menyelenal. "I was researching movies about Ethiopia," he wrote.
I ran across this Blacula movie, a name of a fictional character that appeared in two blaxploitation horror films produced for American International Pictures in 1972 and 1973, respectively...Both films deal with the character of Mamuwalde [does this sound familiar?], an African prince vampirized and imprisoned in a sealed coffin by Count Dracula, who finds himself released in the 1970s.There is also another character that makes you go hm??? Rasulala strange character names?
Could this be a new field of study? Ethiopia and the blaxploitation genre.
Posted by aheavens at April 10, 2007 5:18 AM
Comments
trial
Posted by: Andrew at April 10, 2007 7:25 AM
There used to be "Ethiopianism Studies" [?] a while ago, as I recall. In the early 90's, I almost applied to Oberlin because they claimed to have such a focus in their AfAm program -- I think that's the name African-American Studies goes by these days... perhaps to get rid of the confusions the various nomenclatura diaspora studies present: Africana, Black, Africanist, Ethiopianst[?], African-American Studies.. As I understand it, I think Ethiopianism was a field of inquiry devoted to study the imagination of blacks in the diaspora who yearned for symbolic remedies of their subjugation... things like Abyssinia Baptist Church, "'Ras'-ta" emerged therefore...
and you add another awesome observation... perhaps the field may never go away, but twists will continue, i suppose.
Posted by: Yonathan at April 10, 2007 7:27 PM
Most prominent among the Ethiopian actors was none other than Debebe Eshetu. Back then he was playing the part of the Emir's right hand man Wassa - sample dialogue:
Wassa: Where did you study stick fighting, Mr. Shaft?
Shaft: Conducting the New York Philharmonica.
Wassa: The Emir will be pleased. Also by the fact that you're already circumcised.
These days Debebe Eshetu is in Addis Ababa's Kaliti Prison alongside around 50 leading opposition politicians facing life imprisonment - or even the death penalty - for a range of charges including "outrages against the constitution".
What can I say but ONLY IN AFRICA THAT YOU WOULD FIND PEOPLE THAT HAVE WORKED HARD TO DO SOMETHING WITH THEIR LIVES IN PRISON.
Posted by: Mamitu at April 16, 2007 4:33 AM
Dear sir, or Mrs.
The other day I input my post but I didn't see it now.. you might be busy or you might have so many other reason...
but one thing for sure when someone posted about Mr. Debebe Eshetu being in jail for doing nothing... then you have to back it up or let other respond free otherwise you are giveing the other side a free ride and that is not a free speech when you deny the ohter side to speak.
If you deny me to speek then what is the different betwen you and the Ethiopian govt?
I don't know mr. Debebe Eshetu personily but he look like he always drunk his face is burn out he might have drinking problem... we have to inviestget all this because we can't put a drunk person in power only to cause us more hurm...
As I said Mr. Debebe Eshetu backgroud must be investgeted I don't know him but for sure I want to know if he have a wife and kids and how he treat his wife and his kids I just want to know because his behaver is show best how he treat his family not how many drama he paly... drama is a drama...
we shoudl not truse anyone who say he hate Meles for being good Ethiopian hating Meles is not being good Ethiopian good Ethiopian is how you behave... if you ask me I strongly doesn't trust Mr. Debebe Eshetu maybe we have to go back and see where he spend his time after work.. as you know most star spend their time in bar and night club I want to go and investgate how Mr. Debebe Eshetu handale himself in night club did he buy sex or did you fight with hooker or did he have any police record? all this must be investageted
Just because some one stand up and said he hate Ethiopia we can't put him in our head... just look Mr. Debebe Eshetu face and his teath... this guy is burn out... he did few film here and there in Ameican beside that he is very old man one leg in his death and one leg in his hospotial we can't afored this old furt to take has for ride..
we just can't afford another sick leader... million of youth in Ethiopia died for luck of simple treatment and now we are forced to care of a sick leaders.. look how much we spend on Eng. Shower? 100,000 birr just for one visit we were forced to fly a doctor from South Afirca.... while million of youth dying for luck of simple treatment...
If you ask me cud member should pay the bill for Eng.Shower medical bill ethiopian can't affored antoher sick leader... look those dying so called persident he is flying in and out of Ethioia for medical reason.... can you imgine how much we would spend if Eng. Shower become Ethiopian PM... I know you don't care because you are cud and you want cud to come to power at any cost....
as I told you I don't know Mr. Debebe Eshetu but he could be more then 79 years old as far as I am this guy is finished but this guy figure it out he can become a rock star if he open his mouth at 79 years instead of dying quitly now he is somebody... his fading star is rising agan... since he is very augly man no woman will teach him but since his star rising he might be lucky who doesn't want this at age 79 years... as far as I go this in not a crime wanting all the woman at age 79 years old but I must be fool to follow this old furt... to his death.. at age 79 years old he have nothing to lose but eveything to gain... so he marching the cud tune... but he is not a better Ethiopian then me or Meles he is jut equal Ethiopian just like the rest of us therefore I will ask kindly the artist know prince to come down from his high horse and join the poor people..
I know you will not post this but I want you to know that the cudlist can't and will not fool all the people all of the time...
Posted by: Shaft at April 18, 2007 5:04 PM