The Azmari Tradition in Addis Ababa: Change and Continuity

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Issues in history, politics, or linguistics have been dominant themes in Ethiopian studies. Social and cultural phenomena are not given enough emphasis and attention in the academic discourse. The azmari tradition in Addis Ababa is one example of the type of experience that has been neglected in academic investigation. The existing literature and popular discussion on this topic exhibit various shortcomings, mostly stemming from a lack of a comprehensive social and historical context. The study of the azmari tradition and the socio-cultural context in which it operates provides an understanding of the ways in which azmari music and azmariwoč (pl.) adapted to the rapid urbanization process and the political, institutional, and technological changes the city has undergone. The article provides information about the origin, development, and institutionalization of the azmari tradition, shedding light on the changes and continuities of azmari music in the twentieth century. The study employs an historical approach integrated with ethnographic methods to reconstruct the story of the azmari tradition.