Mota, Ethiopia
Encyclopedia
Mota is a town in south west Ethiopia
. Located in the Misraq Gojjam Zone
of the Amhara Region
, and on the secondary road that links Dejen
with Bahir Dar
overlooking the Abay River, this town has a latitude and longitude of 11°5′N 37°52′E with an elevation of 2,487 meters above sea level.
One local landmark is Sebara Deldiy or "the Broken Bridge", a stone footbridge built by foreign stoneworkers during the reign of Emperor Fasilides
. C.T. Beke
was told that the central arch of this bridge was removed at the orders of Ras Fasil as a defensive measure. Despite the damage, Beke reports that it was still used by native merchants, who "by means of ropes stretched across the open space, they manage to pass with their merchandize from the one side to the other, without entering, the stream." Another landmark is the church of Weyzazirt Kidhane Mihret, which was constructed by Woizero Seble Wengel, the daughter of Emperor Fasilides. She and her husband are buried there.
; it attracted merchants from as far away as Begemder
, Gondar
and Tigray
. To reinstate the commerce prior to the bridge being broken, Bridges to Prosperity is building a 100-meter suspended pedestrian bridge to provide safe access Those crossing the river are able to obtain cotton
cloth, cattle, and horses. Likewise, Mota was the seat of an important royal fiefdom during the Gondarine period, and a notable place for asylum in the early 19th century.
The artist Aleqa
Elyas Hailu, believed to be Ethiopia's first foreign-trained artist, was born in Mota around 1861. He worked mostly in Shewa
where he decorated manuscripts and many churches, although he also decorated one in his native town. His son Aleqa Gebre Ezgziabher Elyas was a man of literature, writing the Royal Chronicle of Lij Iyasu and the Empress Zewditu.
During the 1930s, its market day was on Thursday. During the East African Campaign
, units of Gideon Force
managed to bluff the Italian garrison into surrendering 24 April 1941. After the war, Mota was the administrative center of the Mota awraja or district, which was one of the hotspots of the Gojjam peasant revolt in 1968.
In October 2009, zonal officials announced that construction of 47-km road connecting Mota and Digua Tsion had begun, with a budget of over 147 million Birr
and completion expected by September 2010.
in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 31,483, of whom 15,619 are men and 15,864 are women. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 18,160 of whom 8,218 were men and 9,942 were women. It is the largest of three settlements in Hulet Ej Enese
woreda
.
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. Located in the Misraq Gojjam Zone
Misraq Gojjam Zone
Misraq Gojjam is a Zone in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Misraq Gojjam is named after the former province of Gojjam.Misraq Gojjam is bordered on the south by the Oromia Region, on the west by Mirab Gojjam, on the north by Debub Gondar, and on the east by Debub Wollo; the bend of the Abay River...
of the Amhara Region
Amhara Region
Amhara is one of the nine ethnic divisions of Ethiopia, containing the homeland of the Amhara people. Previously known as Region 3, its capital is Bahir Dar....
, and on the secondary road that links Dejen
Dejen
Dejen is a town in west-central Ethiopia. Located in the Misraq Gojjam Zone of the Amhara Region on the edge of the canyon of the Abay, it has a latitude and longitude of and an elevation between 2421 and 2490 meters above sea level. It is the administrative center of Dejen woreda.Between 1954...
with Bahir Dar
Bahir Dar
Bahir Dar is a city in north western Ethiopia. It is the capital of the Amhara Region .Administratively, Bahir Dar is considered a Special Zone, placing it midway between Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa which are organized as chartered cities , and cities like Debre Marqos and Dessie, which are...
overlooking the Abay River, this town has a latitude and longitude of 11°5′N 37°52′E with an elevation of 2,487 meters above sea level.
One local landmark is Sebara Deldiy or "the Broken Bridge", a stone footbridge built by foreign stoneworkers during the reign of Emperor Fasilides
Fasilides of Ethiopia
Fasilides was of Ethiopia, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty...
. C.T. Beke
Charles Tilstone Beke
Charles Tilstone Beke was an English traveller, geographer and Biblical critic. Born in Stepney, London, the son of a merchant in the City of London, for a few years Beke engaged in mercantile pursuits...
was told that the central arch of this bridge was removed at the orders of Ras Fasil as a defensive measure. Despite the damage, Beke reports that it was still used by native merchants, who "by means of ropes stretched across the open space, they manage to pass with their merchandize from the one side to the other, without entering, the stream." Another landmark is the church of Weyzazirt Kidhane Mihret, which was constructed by Woizero Seble Wengel, the daughter of Emperor Fasilides. She and her husband are buried there.
History
Due to the presence of Sebara Deldel, one of only two bridges across the Abay River until the late 19th century, Mota became a major commercial center, which was described by at least one group of European travellers as "the most considerable market" in GojjamGojjam
Gojjam was a kingdom in the north-western part of Ethiopia, with its capital city at Debre Marqos. This region is distinctive for lying entirely within the bend of the Abbay River from its outflow from Lake Tana to the Sudan...
; it attracted merchants from as far away as Begemder
Begemder
Begemder was a province in the northwestern part of Ethiopia. There are several proposed etymologies for this name...
, Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
and Tigray
Tigray Province
Tigray was a province of Ethiopia. The Tigray Region superseded the province with the adoption of the new constitution in 1995. The province of Tigre merged with its neighboring provinces, including Semien, Tembien, Agame and the prominent Enderta province and towards the end of 19th century it...
. To reinstate the commerce prior to the bridge being broken, Bridges to Prosperity is building a 100-meter suspended pedestrian bridge to provide safe access Those crossing the river are able to obtain cotton
Cotton production in Ethiopia
Cotton is grown throughout Ethiopia at elevations above 1000 meters and below 1400 meters. Because most of the lowlands lack adequate rainfall, cotton cultivation depends largely on irrigation.-History:...
cloth, cattle, and horses. Likewise, Mota was the seat of an important royal fiefdom during the Gondarine period, and a notable place for asylum in the early 19th century.
The artist Aleqa
Aleqa
The title Aleqa is used in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It is used as the title of a chief priest, the head of a monastery, as well as being an honorific for a highly educated member of the church, especially in the case of dabtaras.-Sources:* by Zelealem Tefera Ashenafi and N...
Elyas Hailu, believed to be Ethiopia's first foreign-trained artist, was born in Mota around 1861. He worked mostly in Shewa
Shewa
Shewa is a historical region of Ethiopia, formerly an autonomous kingdom within the Ethiopian Empire...
where he decorated manuscripts and many churches, although he also decorated one in his native town. His son Aleqa Gebre Ezgziabher Elyas was a man of literature, writing the Royal Chronicle of Lij Iyasu and the Empress Zewditu.
During the 1930s, its market day was on Thursday. During the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
, units of Gideon Force
Gideon Force
The Gideon Force was a small British-led African regular force which acted as a Corps d'Elite amongst the irregular Ethiopian forces fighting the Italian occupation forces in Ethiopia during the East African Campaign of World War II...
managed to bluff the Italian garrison into surrendering 24 April 1941. After the war, Mota was the administrative center of the Mota awraja or district, which was one of the hotspots of the Gojjam peasant revolt in 1968.
In October 2009, zonal officials announced that construction of 47-km road connecting Mota and Digua Tsion had begun, with a budget of over 147 million Birr
Ethiopian birr
The birr is the unit of currency in Ethiopia. Before 1976, dollar was the official English translation of birr. Today, it is officially birr in English as well....
and completion expected by September 2010.
Demographics
Based on figures from the Central Statistical AgencyCentral Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)
The Central Statistical Agency is an agency of the government of Ethiopia designated to provide all surveys and censuses for that country used to monitor economic and social growth, as well as to act as an official training center in that field. It is part of the Ethiopian Ministry of Finance and...
in 2005, this town has an estimated total population of 31,483, of whom 15,619 are men and 15,864 are women. The 1994 census reported this town had a total population of 18,160 of whom 8,218 were men and 9,942 were women. It is the largest of three settlements in Hulet Ej Enese
Hulet Ej Enese
Hulet Ej Enese is one of the 105 woredas in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Part of the Misraq Gojjam Zone, Hulet Ej Enese is bordered on the south by Debay Telatgen, on the southwest by Bibugn, on the northwest by the Mirab Gojjam Zone, on the north by the Abay River which separates it from the...
woreda
Woreda
Woreda is an administrative division of Ethiopia , equivalent to a district . Woredas are composed of a number of Kebele, or neighborhood associations, which are the smallest unit of local government in Ethiopia...
.