Journal of Exclusive Management Science August 2017 - Vol 6 Issue 08 ISSN 2277-5684

North Gondar Zone Diocese Museum: The First Officially Opened Church Museum in Gondar
City
* Engdu Gebrewold Weldesenbet
University of Gondar, P.o.Box 196 Gondar, Ethiopia
Abstract
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is a unique church in Africa that has developed its own religious traditions
in which much of Ethiopian history, social life and ethics deeply rooted. Each of its monasteries and
churches has been not only a place of worship but also a museum or repository of the countrys rich
heritage.The objective of this article is to describe the objects in the museum, history of the museum, its
collection and acquisition, documentation, interpretation and issues related to conservation. To achieve the
objective, qualitative research approach is used, and the study is descriptive in design. It has used
primary source of information collected through semi structured interview and personal observation by the
researcher. The findings indicate that the museum is the first officially inaugurated church museum in
Gondar city, the museum has no clear acquisition policy and most of the objects are acquired from
Archbishop Petros. The documentation is in two ways: one through the registration mechanism of the
North Gondar zone culture and tourism office and two, record kept in the dioceses. But, there are objects
which are not yet documented. Most of them are displayed in a showcase and understanding is difficult
without the curators interpretation. The objects are not preserved, loaded in a small non ventilated room.
For the better function of the museum, it should be organized with a clear policy, hire a curator with a
skill, promote to attract visitors, and government and donors should provide the necessary assistance.
Key words: Acquisition, collection, conservation, documentation, interpretation, Museum
Introduction
History testifies that the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the oldest Christian church in sub-Saharan
Africa. It is a unique church in Africa that it has developed its own religious traditions in which much of
Ethiopian history, social life and ethics deeply rooted. The church has been the repository of the coun-
trys rich heritage. Each of its monasteries and churches has been not only a place of worship but also
a museum (Mengistu, 2010). In this regard, North Gondar zone diocese/ Hagere sibket /museum is the
first museum officially functioning in Gondar city.
Research Method
This article was entirely qualitative in its research approach. It used often used when the focus of the
study is on the current situation (Yin, 2002).
This paper perhaps attempts to describe the general condition of the North Gondar diocese museum.
Specifically it includes, elements of the museum, collection, acquisition, documentation, presentation
and interpretation and conservation related issues. Informations regarding the museum throughout
the paper is based on physical observation by the researcher and information obtained through inter-
viewing the museum administrator, guide, the treasurer and officers from North Gondar Zone Culture
and Tourism Office.
Historical Development of the Museum
Most the objects in the museum belong to Abune Petros, who was the archbishop of North Begemder in
1960s. The Archbishop was believed to be educated and multilingual; he was a scholar of scholars
/Liqe liqawint/ inside the county. He traveled to Russia, Greek and other European countries. In one of
the days he offered church education to the people of Russia in their own language, as a result, he had
received gifts. The gifts include chalice/yewerk tsiwa/, Paten/sin/, Cross spoon/Erfe meskel/, medal,
Tsinha and other clothes of honor. The Holy Father also collected different parchments (Brana books) of
old age. Because of his sickness this Holy Father passed away July 11, 1969 in Jerusalem where he
was receiving medical care and buried also there. Consequently, all his properties kept closed in one
room. On December 06, 1970 His Holiness Abune Tewoflos, the then patriarch of Ethiopia, with differ-
ent government officials undertook inventory of the properties, arranged a new shelf and kept them in
it.

1
www.jems.net.in
 Journal Of Exclusive Management Science August 2017 - Vol 6 Issue 08 ISSN 2277-5684

Plate 1: the old shelf (made in 1970 E.C), arranged by his Holiness Abune Tewoflos, where the objects
were kept for more than 42 years now found at the house of Aba Mulu.
Then, the properties were kept under the custody of Melake Mihiret Aba Mulu Shitaneh. This father, Aba
Mulu, kept these precious objects for more than 42 years. In 2010/11 Abune Elisas, the archbishop of
North Gondar Zone, kindness and assistance from American Scope a none governmental organization
brought the museum into existence, as the first officially opened museum in Gondar City. The museum
is recently a formally established museum in the city of Gondar.

Plate 2: the museum building

Who is Aba Mulu?
Aba Mulu Shitaneh, or Melake Mihret Aba Mulu Shitaneh, was reverend/ priest of the archbishop, from
abune Endrias the first /kedamawi/ till abune Elisa, from 1972 to 2010. He also worked in different
affaires of the diocese/Hegere Sibket/, fund raising committee member in the city and perhaps as a
teacher in church education.
On top of these, he was administrator/Gebez/ of Abun bet St. Gabriel Church from 1974-1998. He
played a leadership role in the construction of Gotonial ras agez building aimed at helping/ support
church scholars (Ye abinet Memihran). Related to the museum, this father hosed an age-old cross, par-
chments, golden objects and others with care and at most trust for more than 42 years, till the official
opening of the museum in 2010.

2
www.jems.net.in
 Journal Of Exclusive Management Science August 2017 - Vol 6 Issue 08 ISSN 2277-5684

Plate 3: the founder of the museum, Melake Mihret Aba Mulu Shitaneh, with two of the objects, the replica
of Fasil castle and Kuraterisu (2 of the 3 gifts presented to Abune Petros in the inauguration ceremony of
his Bishop ship)
Location of the Museum
The museum is located at Kebele 14 on the road from the hospital to Biliko /Asmara road. Visitors can
arrive at the museum either by private car as there is no taxi service, preferably Bajaj or on foot. For
those who wants to use car or Bajaj there are ways or options to arrive, one upward via the new asphalt
road near the city stadium, locally also known as Mesert Timihirt Bet (which is an elementary school),
and two via down Landmark international hotel. Those who want to go on foot in addition to the men-
tioned two ways there is a third way up hill side walk starting near a place locally called Hawaria Paw-
los. The compound is at the right side of the road. In the compound, there are two different offices one
in the diocese (hageresibket) and two development and aid organization. The museum is also in this
compound being under the diocese. The museum is easily identifiable being located on the left-hand
side right on entering the compound gate of the diocese (Hageresibket Tsihifetbet).
Acquisition
The question of how the museum objects were acquired and who decides what is to be displayed and
why is an important aspect in museum (Mengistu, 2010). As a result, according to the museum guide
and the prominent role player in establishment of the museum Abba Mulu Shitaneh, many of the ob-
jects in the museum were taken from where they were kept for more than 42 years at the house of Abba
Mulu, which originally were the property of Abune Petros, the then archbishop of north Begemider
Awraja (a former name of the province now called North Gondar) and the founder of the parish in 1960.
Some of the objects (Crosses and Parchments manuscripts (Brana Books)) are acquired from North
Gondar zone police returned while going out of the country via Metema to Sudan (because of illicit traf-
ficking), considering the fact that they belong to the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. But the problem here
is the newly acquired objects relevance for the purpose and activity of the museum should be/were not
/checked.
Thus, the researcher has found out the museum has no collection policies, but the objects are clearly
documented and registered through the cooperation of North Gondar zone culture and tourism office
and the dioceses office. The culture and tourism office also provides technical advice and does supervi-
sion.
Collection
Collections in the north Gondar zone dioceses museum can be categorized depending on the nature of
the objects, their purpose and relationships to each other. All exhibits are related to the Ethiopian Or-
thodox Tewahido Church and includes vestments, church music instruments, ecclesiastical (sacred
utensils), crosses, and religious manuscripts and other objects.
There are many religious codices displayed in the museum. Most of them have wooden covers and
leather dcor. The parchment manuscripts pages are decorated by careful hand lettering and other illu-
strations. The religious manuscripts include: Senkesar (Synaxar) a liturgical book that contains the
lives of saints, which are read up on their respective days written in Geez, Tamere Mariam (a book of
miracles of marry), Wengel (Gospel) in Geez, Zemarie Mewasit (Book of Chant) or (Book of anthems) in
Geez and Tsoma Diggwa (Book of Hymns chanted in fast) religious songs believed to have been com-
posed by the popular figure of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido church, St. Yared,Tamere Mariam
3
www.jems.net.in
 Journal Of Exclusive Management Science August 2017 - Vol 6 Issue 08 ISSN 2277-5684

translated in English, religious book in Hebrew written in 1965 and many other.
Several crosses of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that differs in shape, size and style are also part of
the exhibition. Processional Cross with long wooden hands used during ceremonies. Hand cross held by
priests to bless and be kissed by the faithful. The crosses have Aksumaite, Lalibela, and Gonderian
style and dated during the time of Emperor Zera Yaekob. Most of the crosses are made of silver or met-
al. There are also crosses hanged around neck or a neck cross made of gold, silver and metal. Several
medals made of gold are also housed in the museum.
Ecclesiastical objects of the North Gondar zone dioceses museum are those objects which the priests
administered rituals of the church. They were mainly used for the celebration of the Holy Communion
during liturgical service. The major collections include Tsuwa or Zuwae (Chalice, the cup which the
wine is consecrated in mass made of gold), Erfe Meskel (cross spoon, made of gold) spoon used during
the administration of holly communion, Tsehal (Zachel) paten, up on which bread to be consecrated
during mass is placed; washing vessel and Tseniha (Censer) incense vessel made of gold, Sen (holly wa-
ter kettle) made of Gold.
There are several vestments associated with Abune Petros. Vestments are clothes worn by priests and
deacons during the performance of mass and other church rituals. There are communal cloths of Abune
Petros and cloths of honor. There are cloths of Abune Petros other than the vestments.
Medium sized Golden Umbrella and gold painted replica of Fasiledes Castle, presented as a gift to his
Holiness Abune Petros during his archbishop ship from Emperor Hailesselasie are among objects in the
display panel. The museum is also house for church musical instruments including staff, and sistrum.
There are icons of Jesus Christ with a thorn on his head (Kuraterisu) and basalt (Emnebered) made sta-
tues of St. Marry. Other objects like clock, ostrich egg (considered sign of strength in the Ethiopian Or-
thodox Tewahido Church), binocular, Betre Muse, Golden Chair.
Documentation
Museum collections lose much of their value if they are not properly recorded. As soon as a work of art,
or historical object enters a museum, it should be identified immediately and recorded accurately and
permanently. The museum every object should have its own individual number painted on or attached
to it. Most museums keep at least three important records. The permanent accession record shows
source, date of receipt, brief description, origin, and remarks. The second record is the catalogue card
for each object. The third record will be a folder containing all correspondence, legal documents, news-
paper clippings, and other miscellaneous records concerning the object (Alexander, 1996).
The objects in this museum are documented in two ways: one through the registration mechanism of
the North Gondar zone culture and tourism office and two, record kept in the dioceses itself. The record
in the office of the dioceses not only includes the objects which were in the hands of Aba Mulu but also
the newly introduced objects obtained from North Gondar police station.
The documentation of the objects are taken with photo and video camera, measured with balance, the
golden objects measured with gram and the length and high of the objects are measured. The parch-
ments are differentiated based on the age and their contents.
Presentation and Interpretation
Most of the museum objects are displayed in a showcase. There are several closed display panel; the
panels are arranged by North Gondar zone culture and tourism office. There are also some objects in an
open showcase which includes gold painted chair, and the replica of Fasiledes castle.
The curator or guide in the museum interprets the objects in the museum. The visit takes an average
25-30 minutes.
Since there is only one door to the museum the guide starts interpretation from the object near the en-
trance. The problem here is visiting without a curator is impossible because the captions are not de-
scriptive and are only in Amharic language.
Interpretation in a museum is very important to construct meaning to the objects also the value of the
objects are communicated. Tilden in 1957 as quoted in Alexander (1996) interpretation is an educa-
tional activity which aims to reveal meaning and relationships through the use of original objects, by
firsthand experience, and by illustrative media, rather than simply to communicate factual information.

4
www.jems.net.in
 Journal Of Exclusive Management Science August 2017 - Vol 6 Issue 08 ISSN 2277-5684

The interpretation in this museum is made using two Medias English and Amharic when used a cura-
tor. The captions which help the interpretation are only in Amharic. Even the Amharic captions are not
descriptive they only put the name of the object. The problem here is the history attached to some of the
objects are not known. On top of this, the English meaning of some of the objects is not provided.
Who are the visitors?
The museum is open from Monday through Friday. Entrance fee for an Ethiopian is 5 birr and 25 birr
for the foreign visitor. Mostly the museum receives domestic visitors who are Ethiopian Orthodox
Church associates also foreigners although few in number. Being functional for more than one year the
museum is not getting the needed number of visitors due to lack of promotion from the diocese and the
North Gondar zone culture and tourism office as a tourist spot.
Summary of Problems observed
The organizational structure of the museum is not clearly stated
Not well displayed (one object displayed over another)
The room/the house is small in size. It has a problem of lighting and ventilation.
There are nearly 260 objects, according to the inventory of 1969, but this much number of the objects
are placed in four small sized transparent glass panel.
It does not host a collection representative of North Gondar churches/ churches in the 23 Woredas
(districts) of the zone.
Most of the cloths (vestments) (belonging to Abune Petros the then archbishop of the Diocese) are fad-
ing and tired.
There are crosses different in size and shape displayed in one showcase which poses questions like
who owns them? Who made them? When? Where are they from? But, there is no answer from the cura-
tor.
The objects have no English or any other foreign language subtitle as it lacks one of museum function
i.e. interpretation,
The captions in Amharic, even, are not clear to identify for which object they stand for. Because many
objects are displayed in small space in crowdedness.
Objects of the same nature are displayed in different glass panels, example parchments.
The parchments age, page number and weight not indicated in the caption, and they are not included
in the documentation of the diocese or of the record of the North Gondar zone culture and tourism of-
fice.
Staff or standing sticks used by bishops are kept as a simple tool just kept to allocat them a place not
for the proper presentation of the objects.
The museum is inaccessible; there is no direction sign in any of the three ways that lead to the mu-
seum except one at the gate.
Conservation Issues: - the objects are full of dust, and tired.
Conclusion and Recommendations
North Gondar Zone diocese Museum being the first officially opened museum has many valuable ob-
jects. The museum is under the administration of the North Gondar zone dioceses office and North
Gondar zone culture and tourism office has helped the establishment by providing show cases and also
provides technical assistance. The museum is not a new building it is a converted museum. Though the
museum is believed to diocese museum the objects are not representative of the zone churches rather
most of the objects are associated with Abune Peteros the first archbishop of the northern Begemidir
Awraja (district). Because of its inaccessibility and lack of promotion the museum receives less number
of visitors. It is because of the absence of the visiting culture and lack of awareness of the x museum
and its display.
Visiting North Gondar zone dioceses museum can help visitors understand the role of the Ethiopian Or-
thodox Tewahido Church in keeping and preserving the cultural heritages of the country.
Due to their age and lack of care the objects are on the verge of damage. There is a conservation prob-
lem.
For the problems listed above (under summary of problems) the following could be among the solutions.

5
www.jems.net.in
 Journal Of Exclusive Management Science August 2017 - Vol 6 Issue 08 ISSN 2277-5684

The museum needs to have a new building designed in a way to accommodate substantial number of
visitors and to be properly ventilated.
The museum should have a collection policy and its collections should be representative of the whole
zone. It should collect more objects than the existing. In order to solve the problem of representation
and make the place worth to visit further collection should be made.
The existing objects need additional shelves; the culture and tourism office of the zone should take
the responsibility of providing the shelves, as office did with the existing four.
A curator with the skill must be hired.
Conservation work should be done
The caption should be descriptive and with at least English and Amharic languages.
Form link with other donor organizations to assist the museum activities finically and technically.
The museum should be promoted to increase the number of the visitors. In other words, there is
pressing need of awareness creation and promotion that would tell the people why and how the mu-
seum is important for them. It should also be able to communicate to the public how the objects were
collected and the meaning that they have had for makers and users, and how they retain for the society
today. Besides promotion, organizing domestic tourism and enhance the number of public visitors in
the museum.
Reference
Alexander P. E. (1996). Museums in Motion: An Introduction to the History and. Functions of Museum. Al-
tamira Press, United States of America.
Mengistu Gobezie (August 2010). Entoto St. Mary Museum: the oldest Ethiopian church museum. Journal
of Ethiopian Churhc Studies, JESC, no_1.
Yin, R. K. (2002). Case Study Research. Design and Methods. 3rd ed. Newbury Park. Sage Publications.

6
www.jems.net.in