& Christianity
The cultural history that theatre emerged in Ethiopia is multifaceted. As a result, and not unlike other societies in Africa, there are countless theatre traditions with distinct origins. Therefore, we will explore theatre in sacred arenas namely Christian theatre.
The First Christians
Before 50 CE, Aksum had been in control of an area that included modern day Eritrea and Northern Ethiopia. By the 300s CE, Aksum had grown to also include parts of the Middle East. It became a hub for international trade. Christianity was introduced to Aksum by Christian merchants in the 300s CE.
The port city of Aksum was Adulis and many Christian merchants funneled their goods through it. As a result, by the 4 th century (300s CE) King Ezana, Aksum s ruler, had converted to Christianity. He was the first king to do so. Aksum remained a powerful centralized state until roughly the 700s CE.
In the 12 th century (1100s CE), the Zagwe dynasty emerged. It was a Christian society located in Ethiopia. The new kings sought legitimacy by becoming Christians.
Zagwe kings most famous accomplishments were building the magnificent rock churches of the Lasta region in Ethiopia. King Lalibela was the most famous of the Zagwe kings. A town was named after him which became famous because of the exquisite rock churches built there.
Ethiopian indigenous religious elements were incorporated into the Christianity practiced in Ethiopia. This was most evident in theatre practices. The blending of two or more cultures is called syncretism.
The church became the primary patron of the arts. It suppressed any practice of the arts when practitioners did not obtain approval from the church. For example, in the 16 th century (1500s) a prohibitive law was passed by Bishop Grigentius.
The law prohibited public actors (as well as singers, musicians, and dancers). The penalty for breaking the law was a whipping and one year of harsh labor. In other words, practice and performance of the arts was only allowed if it was produced by or otherwise complied with ordinances of the church.
The national dance of Ethiopia is Eskista. Eskista means dancing shoulders. It is practiced in Northern Ethiopia by the Amhara, Wollo, Gondar, and other ethnic groups. The song leads the dance and dictates its meaning. As a result, the motives and characteristics of the dance are interchanged during the dance by the performers.
For example, there are war songs, work songs, hunting songs, shepherd songs, ritualistic songs, love songs, etc., which will influence the nuances of the dance. Eskista can be performed for secular or sacred purposes depending on the song. Men and women perform Eskista. The best dancer is appointed the leader of the group.
Sacred Theatre, Secula Theatre
In Sierra Leone, as in the rest of Africa and other parts of the ancient world, theatre evolved from religion and its accompanying rituals. Storytelling, trance and possession, music, song and dance are all part of the religious ceremonies. In Sierra Leone, these elements became the basis of their theatre practice.
The Soko performer in the Poro secret society is a prime example. In front of an audience, the Soko performers slash their tongues and bodies with razor-blades and/or sharp knives. They pluck their eyeballs in and out of their sockets. They drive swords into their stomachs and out through their backs.
An audience member reported that they witnessed a Soko performer being shot dead and buried in public. All performers, including those stabbed, cut, shot to death, etc., appeared after the performance back stage very much alive.
In another of these Soko performances, a little girl was witnessed being cut in two. Her body was placed in a tub and carried back stage. Later in the performance, the little girl would be seen dancing amidst a cheering crowd.
In the previous examples, religious ritualistic ceremonies became the foundation for theatrical magic shows performed in front of audiences. However, the authentic religious practices of the Poro Secret societies was/is continued and practiced in private. Only initiates were/are allowed to witness them.
Other secret societies in Sierra Leone and the surrounding areas, have also allowed portions of their ceremonies to become theatrical displays for public entertainment. The Kru ethnic group, for example, performs a theatrical production, called the Kru Dance of Death, at funerals.
In this drama, death is personified and celebrated as being invincible. A person plays the role of Death, and other actors are characters who are attempting to escape death. The Dance of Death concludes when death prevails. This play is performed to remind the audience of the invincibility of death.
The practice of secularizing portions of sacred ceremonies are not limited to Sierra Leone. Masquerade societies such as the Gelede in Nigeria, have also allowed portions of their sacred ceremonies to become secular.