Why are the stories in Tarik mostly told from women’s point of view?

History particularly African history is usually narrated from a hero’s point of view.  The hero not being the victor, but the protagonist, a prominent figure that moves and shakes the story. In Ethiopia this would usually mean, the king, the prince, the general, the priest, the man.

As the stories in Tarik are of historical fiction, it gave me a leeway to do the opposite, that is narrate the historical events from someone who had an obscure status in history. Instead of lamenting the subservient role of women however, the stories show their strength and wisdom in a patriarchal society.

In “The Scroll of Azeb”,  a history of 6th century Axumite court life is told, not from King Kaleb’s point of view but his illiterate cousin.  A cousin who is so obscure that she remains unnamed through out the story.  In a household where the prince shone, and she was kept in the shadows, she still salvaged knowledge and wisdom. As a grown woman she remained subtle in her role as a loving and nurturing wife, mother, and sister who enabled her family to leave a significant mark in history.

       As mentioned in the preface of my book ‘Tarik’, Ethiopia has a written script that dates back to 2nd BC, making the country a treasure trove for those who are interested in history and literature.  However most of this treasure remains unknown to the rest of the world mainly because of language barriers.  The aim of this website is to introduce and promote books written in English about Ethiopia. It also hopefully serves as a networking space between writers, editors and those in the publishing industry.  Your recommendations are highly appreciated.