Slavery and Slave Trade in Ethiopia and Beyond

http://slaveryroutes.com Documentary Series

SLAFNET Spring School

15-19 April 2019, Institute of Ethiopian Studies, Addis Ababa University


Monday April 15, 2019


Welcome and Kick-off

8-9am              Registration & Greetings

9-10.30am        Welcome by Prof. Ahmed Hassen, Giulia Bonacci and the Ethiopian SLAFNET team

Presentation by Marie-Pierre Ballarin, SLAFNET PI

Presentation by Jean-Luc Martineau, AEGIS representative

Presentation by Alexander Meckelburg: At the margins of empires: The legacies of slavery and the slave trade in Eastern Africa

Formal launch by Dr. Jeilu Oumer, Academic Vice President & Dr. Mitike Molla Vice President for Research & Technology Transfer and Community Service (AAU)

10.30-11am      Coffee break

11-12pm          Tour of IES and of the exhibition by Prof. Ahmed Zekaria, Messay Yohannes & Dereje Birhanu

Lectures I. Trends in the study of slavery and slave trade in Africa

2-3pm              Political and social impact of the Atlantic slave trade and of its abolition in West Africa, Jean-Luc Martineau (INALCO / Paris Diderot)

3-4pm              The Gumuz to the West of Agawmidir and their neighbors, 1898-1935, Abdussamad H. Ahmad (Addis Ababa University

4 – 4.30pm        Coffee break

4.30-5.30pm     Ethiopian abolition in the African and Global Mirror,Benedetta Rossi (University of Birmingham)


Tuesday April 16, 2019


Lectures II. Trends in the study of slavery and slave trade in Africa

9-10am            Ex-slaves’ families and citizenship: An evolving marginalization of South Sudanese in Sudan, Mohamed A. G. Bakhit (University of Khartoum)

10-11am          Slavery, heritage, marginalization and conflict on the Kenyan Coast,Samuel Nyanchoga (Catholic University of Eastern Africa),

11-11.30am      Coffee break

11.30-12.30pm Themes in the study of the Indian Ocean slave trade,Meera Venkatachalam (University of Mumbai)

Graduate workshop I. History & Memory

Chair: Giulia Bonacci (IRD/URMIS)

2-3pm              How slavery created a group ‘in between’: An ongoing study among the Omotic Mao in Western Ethiopia,Sophie Küspert-Rakotondrainy (Independent)

3-4pm              Slavery, state and missionary: Reflection on the roles of Dubala Biru (1910-1965), a former Dawuro slave and first Omotic bible translator, Southern Ethiopia,Admasu Abebe (Addis Ababa University)

4-5pm              Slavery in 19th century Harar City State: An insight in cases from court documents,Dr. Muna Abubeker (Addis Ababa University)

5-6pm              Slavery and slave trade in Ethiopia with particular reference to Gambella,Awoke Atinafu (Institute of Peace and Security Studies)


Wednesday April 17, 2019


Documenting slavery I. Visit to the National Archives of Ethiopia

9-10.30am                   Introduction to the National Archives,Abey Hailu & Mareshet Amare (National Archives and Library Agency)

10.30-11am                 Coffee break

11-12.30 pm                Unsilencing the archive: Finding slave legacies in the National Archives of Ethiopia, Lacy Noel Feigh (University of Pennsylvania) & Tigist Getachew (Independent)

Graduate workshop II.  Literature & Orality

Chair: Takele Merid (IES)

2-3pm              Representation of slavery and class in Kafa proverbs

Mesfin Wodajo (Addis Ababa University)

3-4pm              Resistance against slavery in Matigari by Ngūguī wa Thiong’o,Getnet Tibebu (Addis Ababa University)

4-5pm              I sing, so I liberate my people: an anti-oppression rhetoric in Oromo songs,Mekwanent Tilahun Desta (Addis Ababa University)

Documenting slavery II. Film screening @ Alliance Ethio-française

6.30-9pm “Slavery Routes” (Documentary screening & Debate)

Watch the Trailer :


Thursday April 18, 2019


Public roundtable. New perspectives in the study of slavery and slave trade in Ethiopia

Chair: Teferi Mekonnen (Institute of Ethiopian Studies)

9-9.30am         (Re)Interpreting Orlando Patterson’s theory of “Slavery and Social Death”,Abebe Fentahun (University of Gondar)

9.30-10am        Dwelling on the past: the Gumuz memories of the Agäw slave raids in North Western Ethiopia,Desalegn Amsalu (Institute of Ethiopian Studies)

10-10.30am      Memories of slavery and perceptions of socioeconomic statuses among the Berta people, North Western Ethiopia,Takele Merid (Institute of Ethiopian Studies)

10.30-11am      Coffee break

11-11.30am      Roots and manifestations of marginalization: an exploration of socio-economic and political condition of slave descendants in Ethiopia,Akalework Mengesha (Wolaitta Sodo University)

11.30-12pm      Dismemberment, social degradation and pessimistic future: The slave psycho-moral life along the long-distance trade routes,Ahmed Hassen (Institute of Ethiopian Studies)

12-12.30pm      Discussion

Graduate workshop III. Abolition

Chair: Benedetta Rossi (University of Birmingham)

2-3pm              The Role of the Church Missionary Society in reconstructing post-slavery identities in Frere Town and Rabai (Kenya), 1840-2010,Melvine C. Lilechi (Catholic University of Eastern Africa)

3-4pm              Slavery, abolition and aftermath developments among Omotic societies of Southwestern Ethiopia,Bosha Bombe (University of Pavia)

4-5pm              From the abolition of slavery to the integration and empowerment of former slaves and their descendants in Tegray, Northern Ethiopia,Fesseha Berhe (Mekelle University)

5-6pm              Punishing slavery: Enforcing abolition in Ethiopia post-1940, Lacy Noel Feigh (University of Pennsylvania)


Friday April 19, 2019


Graduate workshop IV. Migration & Citizenship

Chair: Alexander Meckelburg (Hiob Ludolf Centre for Ethiopian Studies/Universität Hamburg)

8-9am              Retracing the history of slave trade from Shoa to Tajoura: Ethnographic analysis, Nathan Belay (Samara University)

9-10am            The politics of modern slavery and integration of migrant workers: the case of Ruanda-Urundi migrants in the Uganda Protectorate,Faith Atuhumuze (Makerere University, Uganda & LPED, France)

10-10.30am      Coffee break

10.30-11.30am Changes and continuity in status related to slavery among the Dube minorities of Bale lowlands, Ethiopia,Kefyalew Tessema (Addis Ababa University)

11.30-12.30pm Historical slavery and current legal status: South Sudanese and citizenship right in Khartoum, Sudan,Rania Awad Madani (University of Khartoum)