Harnessing Ethiopian Manuscripts for the 21 Century

Abstract

Abstract

Harnessing Ethiopian Medicinal Manuscripts and Appropriating to the 21^st Century[1]

  Fikadu Kenenisa[2]

The research systematically presents the written heritage of Ethiopian medicinal system of knowledge preserved for centuries in Gééz and Amaharic; and the ways of harnessing them for historical, medicinal and socio-economic ends. As an interdisciplinary project, the research was based on philological, philosophical and social research methods. It explored Ethiopian manuscript collection museums in Ethiopia and the United States. In addition, it surveyed the available printed and online catalogues of Ethiopian manuscripts worldwide; and conducted key informant interview with traditional medicinal practitioners.

The findings of the study show that Ethiopians had and have hundreds of medicinal, medico-magical and magic scrolls which are claimed to have been serving the society as an instrument to fight against wide varieties of animals and human diseases. Accordingly, the research presents Ethiopians concept of healing, categories of Ethiopian traditional medicine practitioners, history of Ethiopian medicinal manuscripts and their four peculiar modes of transmission, the dispersion of Ethiopian texts all over the world, classification, number, and a long list of Ethiopian medicinal manuscripts, dating and authorship issues in Ethiopian medicinal manuscripts, as well as the challenges and prospects of Ethiopian traditional medicine.

In general, the findings of the research shows if we, Ethiopians, are committed to revalue our written heritage, the manuscripts have countless new scientific and para-scientific insights to give us in the study of: religion, linguistics, history, epistemology, botany, zoology, pharmacognosy, pharmacology and pathology. In addition, the texts have an immense potential in promoting the development of the nation via presenting an alternative medicine; and initiating business firms that can harness the potential herbs to extract crud drugs for cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

Key words: Harnessing, Appropriating, manuscript, revitalize, para-scientific, medico-magic, magic scrolls, epistemology

[1] I have presented much of the contents of this article to the conference of Haddis Alemayehu Institute of Cultural Studies, Debre Markos University, held in 2015 in Gojjam, Ethiopia.

[2] PhD candidate at the Department of Philology, Addis Ababa University; and Lecturer of Philosophy at Arsi University