The Third Annual East Coast Ethiopian Culture Camp (ECECC), by Amy Osenar

2010

 

Cultural summer Camp

The third annual East Coast Ethiopian Culture Camp (ECECC) was held at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, New Hampshire over the second weekend in July. Stanzie Katz, who helps her mother Jo Hannah Katz to organize the event, describes it well, “East Coast Ethiopian Culture Camp celebrates families of Ethiopian descent and families who have welcomed the loving, beautiful Ethiopian culture into their hearts and homes.” The event is organized and staffed by Ethiopian adoptive families who make it a priority to maintain their roots, and connect with others who care Families travel, from as far as California and Florida, to gather for a weekend of community building and cultural  education.  

There are opportunities for people of all ages.  For the infants there is an abundance of loving arms to welcome their arrival.  Toddlers and young children are delighted to listen to traditional Ethiopian folktales; to do arts and crafts that expose them to Ethiopian maps and flags; and to take Amharic lessons for children.  Ethiopian teenagers are available to help the younger children with hair care and conversations about what it is like to grow up Ethiopian in America.  Teens and adults also have the opportunity to learn Amharic, Ethiopian health, and about current affairs and NGO projects.

This year, the Selamta Family Project out of Hanover, NH screened a documentary about their program in Ethiopia which brings orphaned and homeless children into new family groups.  All of us enjoyed some wonderful Ethiopian food and music (including a live performance by the DEBO Band with Danny Mekonnen). Ethiopian teenagers provided dancing lessons (thankfully given with gracious smiles and much patience). I think the best way to describe the camp is to share people’s thoughts about why it is important to them. 

Jo Hannah Katz founded and organizes the camp.   She describes her reasons for pouring so much of her energy into this large volunteer effort:  For me, it has been important to do everything I can to help my kids maintain pride in their home country since they are older. It's been important to connect them with people who speak their language, who look like them, and have similar cultural beginnings and world view because they are older. It is equally important to them that they help the younger kids know their culture, have Ethiopian role models, hear their native tongue, and have time to hang out with them because they are older. They really want to give the kids a taste of what Ethiopian life would be like for them back home with older kids and younger kids playing together, singing together, dancing together. One of my greatest joys is seeing Ethiopian boys and men with the babies and toddlers.

 My son, Dawit's, face is pure rapture when holding a baby in his arms. ECC allows kids of the same ages to play together, and as importantly it gathers together children of all ages A highlight for me was seeing about 25 of the kids, most of whom were Ethiopian and a few were siblings, playing soccer. All ages and all having a great time together. Another was watching adults and kids of all ages together dancing to Ethiopian music. Something most families might not have the opportunity to do. The other piece that is so valuable for the parents who are not Ethiopian, to spend time together, to learn about their child's culture and country of origin and to hear from the older kids what their lives are and have been like both in Ethiopia and here. Over the years, the adopted kids will understand the implicit message their parents are sending by taking them to camp: We take great pride in your Ethiopian heritage, so should you. It is a culture rich in so many ways. It is part of who you are.  

I asked Amanual, my other 18-year old, why camp was important. He replied it was important so that the adopted kids "can learn about their culture and socialize with other kids who can teach them about their culture. The kids who know something, like Amharic, “can teach the kids who don't. We have to teach the next generation so they will know about their country. You have to spread your knowledge around to the yAlison Boynton Noyce, who travelled from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, said “the most significant reason our family attends ECC is so our sons, Mikias and Jemberu can be with kids like them who are in families like ours”.