Birthplace of Haile Sellassie I - Ejarsa Goro, Harar

South of Harar is a large expanse of lush highlands.... The ridge rises rapidly, and on the day I was there disappeared fetchingly into clouds at the top. The sides were forested and graced with impressive rock formations. Horses wandered across the road from one patch of trees to another. It was nice.

Of historical interest is the jailhouse that was the final resting place for the deposed Emperor Iyassu at Girawa. This can be found 10 kilometers down the road that branches off just as you reach the spectacular corner at Garamuleta.

- from forthcoming book "Ethiopia: Off The Beaten Trail" by John Graham

Ejarso Goro, holy land of I majestic nativity To the north of Harar is a terrible road that leads to the attractive and interesting birthplace of Haile Selassie. Given the subsequent illustriousness of the prominent son of Ejarso Goro village, the place itself remains very humble. I couldn't help but be struck by the neglect of the mud walled community by their Emperor. The only exception is the church, which is quite large and elaborate but also very neglected. It was moved to this site by Haile Selassie in 1953 Ethiopian calendar (about 1960 European calendar) to put the place of his birth on holy ground. The head priest, Mamhere Mengiste Tagene, showed us the site. The church is fairly large and disconcertingly orange. There is a place on the front where the plaque commemorating the birth of Haile Selassie was unceremoniously ripped off by agents of the Dergue government.
The birth place of HIM in Ejarsa Goro, Harar	Although the grounds are neglected and overgrown, the priests can show you the main points. A circle of rocks marks the place where Haile Selassie's father, Ras Makonnen, built his country house. He picked a nice spot. The hills rise steeply from Harare, which is already at a respectable altitude. One can see how Makonnen, as a Shoan highlander, would want to find the highest and coolest place available to escape his town house in Harare. The other specialty of the grounds is a small tree stump which takes some effort to separate from the undergrowth. This, we are told, is a tree planted the day Haile Selassie was born, and which died the day he [ascended].
The church does not suffer from an excess of foreign visitors. In the previous year they had three. The year before that was big, they had five. Most of them were Jamaicans, presumably Rastafarians keen on the birthplace of the revered Haile Selassie. The small local Christian congregation of about 150 lacks the resources to maintain the church. The mosque across town is well tended by comparison. The Mamhere told us that a fund raising committee had been set up to sponsor repairs. We weren't able to see the inside of the church to assess the need ourselves. As sometimes happens in Ethiopia, the elusive fellow with the key was not to be found.
Lij Yasu's prison on the hill above Girawa, Harar	South of Harar is a large expanse of lush highlands.... The ridge rises rapidly, and on the day I was there disappeared fetchingly into clouds at the top. The sides were forested and graced with impressive rock formations. Horses wandered across the road from one patch of trees to another. It was nice. Of historical interest is the jailhouse that was the final resting place for the deposed Emperor Iyassu at Girawa. This can be found 10 kilometers down the road that branches off just as you reach the spectacular corner at Garamuleta. - from forthcoming book "Ethiopia: Off The Beaten Trail" by John Graham