The aim of the article is to present the importance of building dams and water reservoirs in the politics of the last Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Sillasie I. The article concentrates on the propaganda aspect of this activity. The article presents the problem in a broader historical context, also referring to the periods after the fall of the Empire, thus trying to prove the continuity of the importance of the problem of water in Ethiopian politics. The main source used is ‟Ethiopian Observer”, published during Haile Sillasie’s reign, which promoted a positive image of the changes taking place in Ethiopia during this period.
In one of the most important churches in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) there is a panel containing several paintings. Part of the paintings represent scenes from the lives of saints, while exact copies of photographs showing Emperor Haile Sillasie during the war against Italy (1935–1941) constitute another part. The subject of the paintings, as well as the form, are deeply rooted in the tradition of Ethiopian church paintings. At the same time, both the subject and the form reveal several modern influences. The paintings were copied from frequently published, and thus well-known, photographs. This fact stresses the importance of the scenes chosen to be represented on the church walls. The panel from St. George Church serves as a good example of methods used in Ethiopia under Haile Sillasie to transmit a message about power and history, and to present the intended picture of the Emperor.
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