The Politics of Representation Anoole and Menelik II Statues in Focus

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how Anoole and Menelik II statues serve as sites for both reproduction and re-articulation of historical relations of power in the Ethiopian polity. Theory of representation is used as theoretical framework, and in-depth interview, textual and document analysis have been employed as tools to generate data. Four non-government magazines (Addis- Guday, Lomi, Inqu, and Jano), and official documents from Oromia Culture and Tourism Bureau and Addis Ababa City Government were selected and analyzed qualitatively. In-depth interview was also employed with seven participants from academic and political spheres to triangulate the textual analysis. The result of the study reveals that there is historiographical contradiction, architectural contention and political contestation over the representation of Anoole and Menelik II statues in the Ethiopian polity. There are also three dominant and competing perspectives (Ethiopianist, Correctionist, and an incumbent government view) regarding the representations of both statues as the process of political power struggle in Ethiopia. Lastly, the study makes suggestions as to how the competing and contradictory narratives about Anoole and Menelik II statues could be reconciled in a way that might reduce tensions over their representations.