New Designs in Ethiopian Dress, with a Little of the Old

I just checked the Sandford Alumni website, where I presented my Kidist Foods project at the Sandford International School in Addis Ababa, last January the 16th.

Thank goodness there are no posts, or photos, with me giving my presentation. It was a difficult day, where I had to find my way around Addis Ababa through the various transportation methods, so I was tired, and looked a little disheveled!

But, astutely, I had written my presentation, and read its entire content except for a couple of ad libs (one when someone applauded when I said I quit my PhD program...Read about why I quit here in my short written speech !). Reading my script, I was able to say exactly what I wanted, clearly and succinctly. No full content ad lib!!!

I am in a couple of group photos that are posted at the alumni website. And fortunately, I had managed to secure a few others (posted here below), with one at the beautiful, traditional, Dashen Terara Restaurant at the dinner with the alumni group the night before my presentation. I am photographed with my "admiradores," as I emailed my Mexican friend Paty, my former field research colleague in the Solis Valley.

My Admiradores 

Here below is the Sandford alumni group photo from the Sandford Alumni website with me in it, which came up only recently at the site. I am fifth from the left, of the standing group in the front row.

I bought the dress I'm wearing at a nearby store here in Kazanchis, and found it colorful and interesting. I didn't have much knowledge of its design origins, but, here is an example of the "mosaic" style embroidery that I liked about my dress (more here). It is a new, creative, way of presenting Ethiopian traditional dresses without too much change (and novelty). I like it!

With my "new design mosaic" 

embroidered dress

Some incorporate the traditional "meskel" - cross - to integrate more of the traditional with the "new" style.

For a huge selection of traditional dresses, with the beautiful, embroidered cross along the front of the dress, saleswomen advised me to go to Shiro Meda.

Shiro Meda Dresses