The KIN Ethiopia’s Cultural Troupe toured Russia as part of the Ethiopia’s Culture Rising programme. Concerts were held at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and at the Moscow Philharmonic Hall named after S. V. Rachmaninoff.
The ensemble, comprising 77 musicians, dancers and singers, presented the rich cultural heritage of Ethiopia to the audience. The programme included songs and dances from more than 80 ethnic groups in the country.
According to Programme Director Lale Kamuzi Kassa, the group carefully prepared to showcase Ethiopia’s diversity to Russian audiences. Alongside the performances, the troupe brought national costumes, traditional instruments and even the Ethiopian coffee ceremony to give a full sense of the country’s culture.
Kassa also highlighted the importance of this debut tour for many members of the ensemble and stressed the support they received: “We are very thankful to the Ministry of Culture of Russia for the warm welcome and the opportunity to present our traditions here.”
Choreographer Mauded Kebru added that the performance was based on authentic dances and rituals of Ethiopia’s many ethnic groups. The artists grew up in these traditions, and to prepare the show he travelled to rural areas to study local songs and dances performed at weddings, birthdays, and hunting ceremonies. He later combined these authentic movements with a modern stage presentation, creating one unified performance. According to him, the repertoire includes styles from peoples such as the Yem, Welayta, Afar, Tigray, Gurage, Menja, Bench, and others. The opening act presented in Russia was a large-scale composition traditionally performed on the eve of the Ethiopian New Year (the holiday falls on 11 or 12 September).
As noted Genet Teshome Jirru, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ethiopia to Russia, culture is one of the three key pillars of cooperation within BRICS. According to him, such initiatives not only demonstrate the unique diversity of Ethiopian traditions, but also contribute to the formation of mutual understanding between peoples: “This is very important for creating common understanding with each other and to support, respect, as well as coexist in harmony.”
The organisers of the Ethiopia’s Culture Rising programme emphasise that the ensemble’s tour has become not only a vibrant cultural event, but also an important symbol of the strengthening humanitarian cooperation between Ethiopia and Russia.
Photo: TV BRICS
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