The Dorze Weavers of Ethiopia

Abstract

Ethiopia is a country with an ancient history and a rich tradition of crafts, still to be discovered by mainstream tourism. Whilst traveling here, I was impressed by the beautiful artisan work and the truly original craftsmanship I found, untouched by mass markets and fashion trends. These ranged from the unique leather clad baskets of the north and beautiful silver jewelry of Tigray to the highly skilled basketwork of the women of Harar and the extraordinary skills of the South Omo Valley tribespeople. However, it is the weaving tradition, which particularly interested me. Whether in the capital, Addis Ababa, or walking in the remote Simien mountains, simple textiles made with the most basic equipment are worn and used everywhere; unlike in many other parts of Africa, traditional handwoven fabrics have remained a part of everyday life. It is the Dorze people who are renowned throughout Ethiopia for their weaving tradition and skills, and I went back to find out more about them, their history and craft, traveling to their homeland in the southern highlands of Ethiopia.

Keywords:

• Ethiopia
• Addis Ababa
• weavers
• Dorze
• artisan
• tradition