Literature as a Hydro-political Discourse: A Comparative Analysis of Ethiopian and Egyptian Poetry
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2012-06
Authors
Shitie, Yewulsew
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa Universiy
Abstract
The Nile is a unique river in many respecls. 11 is Ihe longesl river in Ihe world Ihal crosses
difJerenl geographical, ecological and climalic regions. 11 is also unique in Ihal ils basin is the
starting poinl of one of Ihe earliesl civilizalions of the world. Along ils longjourney it connects
and sometimes divides millions of inhabilants which olhel1vise do not have geographic
boundmy. Through this connection exists comlllllnicalion between and among the inhabitants of
the basin.
This paper focuses on the comparative analysis of the hydro-political communication of the two
riparian states of the Eastern Nile Basin. Ethiopian and Egyptian poet I)' are discussed as hydropolitical
discourse. The two countries being the source and receiver of Ihe waters of (he Nile
respeclively have long years of relationship which is reinvigoraled by (heir sl/'ong lie of
Christianity. Logical consideration of the poems of the aforementioned counlries is also justified
by the long-standing contenlion of water politics which has always been and will probably
conlinue to be the greatest paradox of Ihe basin. This paper seeks the root cause of Ihis paradox
and the key thereof Egypt, an enlirely Nile-dependent countlY, adopls a "historical right" to the
waters of the Nile which is rooted in their long hislory of dependence and which is reiterated in
the colonial treaties of 1929 and 1959. Elhiopia on the olher hand, produces over 86 percenl of
the Nile waters, but as the leasl benejicimy of the river 's bounty, depends highly on rain-fed
agriculture and is bound to be hil by recurrent draught andfamine. And linls Elhiopia adopls the
"natural right." It demands a "fair share" oflhe river.
This paradox is articulated by literature of valJ/ing nature through the years. So the objective of
this research is to jind this discourse in the poems of Ethiopian and Egyptian writers and to
make a comparalive analysis. By so doing the study aims at jilling Ihe existing gap in the
production of such li/erell)' analyses.
The method of sludy employed in this paper is interdisciplinary descriptive analysis of the
selected texts based on certain the mal ic crileria of Ihe poems to be compared. The discourses in
the literalures are also checkedfor Iheir hydro-political content.
The sludy has indicated that through a sharp (ontrasl of the perceptions of the poelS of Ihe two
countries, Ihe nalional as well as regional inlereSIS of Ihe people and Ihe nCllions are somehow
advocated by the poe tries. The long-slanding contention Ihat bases itseU' on Ihe "historical
right" of Egypt and the "natural righl" of Elhiopia is also aired. Final/v, Ihe poets have proved
to be proponenls of their national interests across the ages
Description
Keywords
A Comparative Analysis of Ethiopian and Egyptian Poetry