Theories of indigenous learning theory of

EOTC.

Submitted to Dr. Getachew Kass

Birhanu Abegaz
 April 2011
Chapter one
Interoduction
Ethiopia is an ancient country which has an independent and ageold
national educational system which can merit a serious study on its
own.
Our country accepted the laws of the old testament before the
birth of Christ and the Gospel after the birth of Christ. In that same
span of time, it was known for its literary works and the civilization of
the people , their gallantry , beliefs and culture was able to be known
through the obelisks , carved stones and potteries, and later through
the writings and drawing on the parchments which came down from
generation to generation this demonstrates that the Ethiopian
Orthodox Tewahido Church has for a very long time been serving the
country and people as a Centre of education and this has been one of
the characteristic contributions to the civilization of the country . There
are many evidences which indicate that education and the art of
writing started in Ethiopia since a very long time .
 Chapter two
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church has been the leader
education in Ethiopia since its establishment as a National Church in
330 A.D. in particular , since frementius , was appointed as bishop of
Ethiopia, and who was later known as kesate berhan selama, had
Caused the ancient Ge’eez script to be reformed. Through the initiative
taken by him many books had been alos translated from Greek and
Hebrew into Ge’ez.
It is clear that the people responsible for giving a new form and
shape to the Ge’ez script were the Church scholars who had lived in
the early days of the Azumite Empire. The steady spread of the
improved and reformed script was the product of their untiring efforts
directed towards the enlightenment of the people. For this reason it
can be safely said that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has made
tremendous contributions towards enabling the country to be the
master of its own destiny in the possession of a written language. The
people should be proud of this great blessing brought about so
peacefully through the instrumentality of the Church.
The Foundation of education, literature and language happens to
be a script. A language can only be called historical when it is based on
a written script for the meaningful development of literature. It is only
then that one would be in a strong position to transmit knowledge from
generation to generation. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is
indisputably the source of Ethiopian history, and , as such, it has given
form and shape to the Ge’ez script for the development of literature ad
the recording of historical events. This shows to what extent the
government, the country and the people in general owe to the Ethiopia
Orthodox Church for the for contributions it has made in this respect.
All these things were taking place at a time when most of world was
groping in intellectual darkness. When there were no papers at all in
the world, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church was perfecting the
technology of preparing parchment from the skins of sheep and goats
for the expansion of education and the development of literature ,
indigenous ink and pen for the realization of this objective.
Religious , historical and literary books are written by hand by
trained scribes. What is thus written on parchment then takes the form
of books prepared from manuscripts in a way that is not interior to
modern forms of printing. The contributions of these works to Ethiopian
civilization in advancing education and art in general in immense.
Ancient books have their covers prepared from wood and the
inside pages from parchment. They are, therefore, so durably made
that they have been known to have been preserved for thousands of
years. Because many of these holy books are plentifully available in
monasteries on can judge for oneself both their durability and the
development of writing by examining them in these natural museums.
Ethiopia is today the proud inheritor of a rich tradition of maintaining
various historical relics of antiquity for the simple reason that the
Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahido Church has made considerable efforts to
convert it into the repository of ancient literature and art for which
achievement it deserves due credit.
In fact, the Ethiopian people, as creative actors in this vast field
of art, are being provided with a unique opportunity to be
pardonably proud of their country, religion, culture and history
because of these. Achievements. Ethiopia Church scholars have
been undergoing insufferable pains in the preparations of crude
parchments, ink and pen at the expense of even losing their
precious eye sights for achieving their sacred tasks. Yet , the
number of books prepared in this way are to be found today in
large numbers in various churches and monasteries.
The expansion of literature is one of the most effective ways where by
the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church has been fighting
illiteracy for centuries on end. It has been doing this by making
churches and monasteries the centres of learning where spiritual
enlightenment was going hand-in hand with temporal education
in the form of acquiring the knowledge of reading and writing.
This is not only an idle account of what was happening in the
past, it is a practical reality that is taking place even today. Over
the past 3,000 years- that is long before the establishment of the
ministry of education was, without interruption, in the able hands
of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Church scholars and priests
were not also confined merely to the administration of education
in the church. They were also serving their country
competently in various capacities ranging from political leaders
to the lowliest public functionaries.
In the 20 th century after the Ministry of Education was
established in the country and the advent of modern education
into Ethiopia, it was the Ethiopia Orthodox Church scholars that
played a prominent role in strengthening the foundation of the
Ministry and in promoting the general cause of education
throughout the country.
In all schools basic education, that is reading and writing,
was being provided by priests and deacons . One cannot also
qualify the invaluable services provided by church scholar in the
provision of religious, moral and patriotic education.
Even today before the recent establishment of
kindergartens for the very young , church schools for reading
and writing have been serving as feeders to the modern schools.
There are today over 35,000 parish churches in Ethiopia.
Most of these are running church schools. This it to say that
what the church has been doing is now being provided in breadth
 and depth. Teachers in charge of church schools are also
rendering their services with renewed vigour and energy.
Relentless efforts are being now made to provide modern
education in tandem with traditional ones.
In this manner we see the number of students multiplying
and we are constantly witnessing the steady growth and
development of church education In the same perspective, the
rate of illiteracy is decreasing.
In these circumstances, the society in general and the
younger generation in particular are conscious of the fact that
they owe a great deal to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that
happens to be the originator of the Ge’ez script, the foundation
of education in the country. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is at
present providing education in the following fields.
1. The Alphabet
2. Numerals
3. Reading and Writing
4. The Creation and Laws of God
5. The Five Mysteries
6. Liturgical Music
7. The Ge’ez Language and Kine ( Poetry )
8. interpretation of the Scriptures
9. Abushahir ( arithmentic )
10. Religious Art
1 ( a ) The Alphabet
There are 26 letters in the Ge’ze alphabet. All our ancient books and
works of literature have been preserved in the Ge’ez language.
Originally, the Ge’ez alphabet did not have vowel sounds but only
consonant ones. For instance, one would only write the consonants
in convey the sound of a word, with the reader guessing how o
sound it. Until the introduction of Christianity into Ethiopia, this
system of writing had been in general use, according to historical
documents . The initiative for modernizing the Ge’ez alphabet by
creating vowel sounds was taken by Abba Frementius of Kasate
berhan Selama and other Ethiopian Scholars. By dong so they won
a niche in the hall of fame in Ethiopia. The ancient Ethiopian script
was written from A to P without the addition of any signs to indicate
the vowel sounds. The revised alphabet is the one being still used in
this country and starts with H and ends with P.
The consonant sounds like Hebrew alphabet have small sings
appended to their feet or sides indicating how they should read to
provide a certain vowel sound. The Ethiopian vowel sounds are
known as kaib , salis, rabi, hamis, sadis and sabil The Ge’ez
alphabet is known as such because it was originally made up of only
consonants,
Until the 12 th century, all writing were being undertaken in
these Ge’ez consonants. However, with the expansion of Amharic,
manuscripts also began to the written in this language, since then
they were being known as Amharic alphabets because Ge’ez books,
which were rare, were beyond the comprehension of the general
reading public. The Amharic consonant has seven vowel forms.
The Ge’ez and the Amharic letters are not pure in character.
There are four sounds of alien origin in the Geéz language. In the
Amharic language, there are 18 of these.
( b ) Abughida
The abughida is a simple scheme under which children are
taught reading and writing more quickly. Under this scheme of
alphabetization, the various letter to be learned are mixed up in
such a way as to teach the various combinations with vowels with
ease. The consonants of the alphabet are read sideways and
 downwards in combination with the vowels in such a way that
children grasp the idea of reading more easily.
2. Numerals
Ethiopian numerals were devised very long ago. These
numerals have been existing contemporaneous with the
alphabet for thousands of years. Many nations in the world are
currently using the Arabic numbers. However, the Ethiopian
people have not only their own alphabet but also their own
numeral to this very day. Children learn these numbers along
with the alphabet .
3. Reading and Writing
(a) Reading
The following are the books that the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido
Church is using for teaching reading .
1. Alphabet of the apostles ( in praise of the John )
2. Epistle of the Apostles ( in praise of the Lord )
3. The Gospel of john
4. The book of Solomon
5. The book of Sirak
6. The psalms of David
The Alphabet of the Apostles and the Epistle of the Apostles are
learned by children after completing the Abughida. These are used
as media of instruction following the completing of the alphabet in
its various forms. The Alphabet of the Apostles and the Epistle of
the Apostles are both self-sufficient books for teaching literacy.
School-children are instructed in differentiating between the various
forms and shapes of the letters of the alphabet . This is followed
with the normal reading of books. According to the instructions of
Yohannis afework, one should teach children first the books of
Solomon and Sirak and the Paslms of David.
(b) Learning Writing
The art of calligraphy is a great profession among Ethiopians. As
soon as children learn the alphabet, they also receive instructions in
calligraphy.
Handwriting is one instructions given by teachers in church
schools. These teachers take particular care in providing these
instructions in such a way that the artistic forms of the letters of the
alphabet are preserved.
The system of writing is as listed hereunder :-
1. Arist : This is open space on top of the page
2. HIdag: these are the margins of books
3. Ghilet : This is the empty space at the end of the book
4. Hilef : This is the middle of the page
5. Hawult : This is the space between columns
6. Amd: This is the column
7. Sirak : This is the binding ling
8. Mismak : This is the edge of the book
9. Mahisen : This is the space between letters.
10. Hisin: This is the space within a letter
11. Mesmer : This is the ling of wiring
12. Colour : This is the shape
13. Lik Reading : This is the word in the writing
There are also several others.
At the same time also writing must obey certain etymological
dictates. There are for instance, three h’s , two s’s , two explosive
t’s and others. These have all their proper uses according to the
original sound of the Ge’ez language now lost in Amharic. If these
are not carefully used they can change the content and thus
teachers give proper attention in their instructions.
4. Church Music ( Zema )
Definition : Music ( Zema ) can be defined as pleasant sound that is
mellifluous. In other words, music is the art of combining vocal and
instrumental sounds to produce beauty of form, harmony and
expression of feeling. There is a tonal expression between two high-
pitched and low-pitched sounds . If the tone is clear, this could be
written down and indicated with a sing or a musical notation .
Generally speaking, therefore, a church musical in cantation is a
song of praise and voice of joy. Music was created
contemporaneously with the angles. That is why Yared-the father of
Ethiopia church music-gives priority to music above everything else
in his book entitled Ariam.
Music is not only of pre – eminent importance bur it is also great
in the depth of feeling it expresses. This has been adequately
explained by St.Yared by saying that all the angles of heaven sang
the songs of praise to his resurrection
Church music became a subject being taught in religious schools
beginning from the sixth century of the Christian era. This first
happened in 550 A.D . during the reign of Emperor Gabr-Meskel and
the composer of the music was St Yared himself.
Music is a divine gift that both humans and animals achieve for
expressing their feelings. Human beings in particular have been
constantly improving their musical expression both for joy ad
sorrow with the assistance of various instruments. Music is
inextricably bound up with nature. For this reason, it is only true to
say that there are no people on earth who possess no music of their
own. Besides going to the service of the church in song of praise,
music expresses a gamut of human feelings for joy and sorrow on
various occasions. There are spiritual and temporal forms of music
in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. They are not only
different in name but also in the services they render. Spiritual
music is the one being staged by the clergy both inside and outside
churches on various religious occasions and church anniversaries.
These musical performances are in praise of God in imitation of the
angels who render their own devotional services to the almighty. St
Atnatewos the evangelist had put this more succinctly by saying
that there are those who sing in praise of the Lord in this book
( number 5 )
This shows to what extent music is of great significance not only
among people on earth but also among angles in high heaven.
There is also what is known as secular or popular music. This sort
of music is being performed on special occasions in different places.
For example, there are wedding music, harvest music, threshing
music and others. The instruments being used for playing both
spiritual and temporal music are the following .
1. Drums
2. Sistra
3. Staff ( prayer stick )
4. Masenko ( form of violin )
5. Bugle ( melekot )
6. Pipe ( embilta )
7. Krar ( form of guitar )
8. Harp ( bagana )
9. Flute
10. Lute ( inzira )
11. cymbal ( arganon )
All the musical instruments enumerated above have been created
and /or modified by scholars of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. This
is therefore a matter of pride both to the Church and the society at
large.
Musical Notations
There Are Pentatomic notations at the disposal of Ethiopia church
music.
 Fundamentally speaking, a symbol is utilized for typifying,
representing and recalling something, in accordance with the
dictionary definition.
That is to say that they are being used not only in Ethiopian
Orthodox Tewahido Church Schools but also in many parts of the
world . One is talking here of symbols in terms of music,
interpretation, reading and others . in accordance with the system
existent under the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, there are
symbols of music, symbols of interpretation and symbols of reading.
For this reason, there are self-sufficient musical notations for
religious chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church in
praise of God no matter whether this be for expressing joy or
sorrow. This national heritage can be considered to be the
quintessence of art developed locally.

Forms of Church Music

There are three types of Ethiopian church music. These are known
as Ge’ez , lzil and lraray. Ge’ez music is named after the farther. lzil
after the Son and lraray after the Holy spirit.
Ge’ez conveys the meaning of strength. It is being named after
the father to show his spiritual strength.
Lzil means invulnerable. It is named after the Son because of his
spiritual under supreme trials and tribulations.
Iraray conveys the meaning of kindness. It is the Holy sprit that
mollifies the heart of man .
Varieties of Church Music
These are five in number
1. Digua Tsoma Digua
2. miiraf
3. zimare ( chanting )
4. mewasit
5. musical liturgy
Aquaquam
Something different form pure liturgical music is aquaquam
conduted with the assistance of staffs ( prayer sticks ), sistra and
drums. This form of religious musical performance is known as
music of Mahlet, which is of ancient origin handed down to us as a
heritage of St Yared, who is the originator of the form. There are
historical and graphical illustrations of the fact that he was
practicing it for praising God.
(b) Qine ( poetry )
Qine is a potent figure of speech for expressing feelings. There are
different kinds of kine for example:- Qine Debtera, Qine Mahlet and
Musho. Through there forms of Qine one can express religious
sentiments of joy or grief.
Ancient people, particularly jews, were praising their Lord
through the mysterious words provided by the poetry of Qine . In
particular, this was being practiced by the prophet David who was
imploring others to do also likewise. Later, the outstanding
Ethiopian scholar, St Yared; had said much the same thing with
respect to addressing a song of praise in Qine to the Lord.
The originator of Qine is, undoubtedly, St. Yared. However,
beginning in the 14 th century . Scholars like Hawira, Menkera,
Iskindir, Piskandra, abidira, Deke-Estifa Tewaney and Yohannis
Gebilawi had been the masters of the various poetic forms of Qine
like ‘Wax and Gold ’ All of these were an expression of divine
mystery in a hidden language.
The poetry , mystery and linguistic excellence of kine are so
popular in the country that many Ethiopians learn them and become
proficient in the art. History tells us that Ethiopian rulers, including
the late Emperor Haile-Selasssie. Were some of the students of
kine.
 Art in Ethiopia
What we say Ethiopian are include creative works like painting and
sculpture. Ethiopian artistic achievements. In the field of painting
and sculpture, which have been systematically developing over the
years , are ampletribute to the cultural development of the
Ethiopian people and the ancient history of the country and below
some of the achievements in this field are listed .
 Chapter three
Conclusion and recommendation
Reference

Sources
1. Amharic Dictionary, by Aleka Kidane-wold klfle.
2. Ancient education in Ethiopia , by Like –Siltant Abba Habte-
mariam.
3. Yared and his Music, by Archpriest Timue-Lissan Kassa.
4. History of post-Axum Ethiopia, by Tekele-Tsadik makuria.
5. Ethiopian Civilization, by belay Ghidey.
6. Contributions made by the literature of the Ethiopian Orthodox
Church for the progress of the Ethiopian people, by Archprist
Berhanu Gabre-Amanuel.