2 - Circus Ethiopia: Dilemmas of a Development- oriented Entertainment NGO in Ethiopia
Corresponding Author(s) : Aklil Getachew
Africa Development,
Vol. 39 No. 4 (2014): Africa Development
Abstract
As in most other sub-Saharan African countries, the circus had no historical precedents in Ethiopia until it was introduced as a foreign art form by a Westerner in the early 1990s, recruiting children as its performers. ‘Circus Ethiopia’ gradually became adapted to and invested with ‘Ethiopian culture’. While initially conceived as a circus proper, focusing primarily on circus art and the development of circus performance as an art or cultural form in Ethiopia, it later became an NGO that also tried to engender social or community development. Accordingly, Circus Ethiopia assumed two responsibilities: an artistic (self-defined) and a civic (donor-defined) responsibility, and still functions both as an artistic medium and as an NGO by using circus arts to educate and inform its audiences on various social and health-related issues. The paper examines to what extent Circus Ethiopia has been able to maintain itself in the light of this double, possibly contradictory, mission, and in view of its institutional dependence on outside sources. In doing so, it identifies the potential of the circus, as a cultural activity, to play an important role in development work. Furthermore, it uncovers some problems Circus Ethiopia – bein a Southern NGO – faces and deals with regarding its sustainability.
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- Alemnesh, H. and Yirga Gabre, D., 2000, ‘Five Year Strategic Plan & Management, 2001-2005’, Addis Ababa: Circus in Ethiopia.
- Boeren, A. and Epskamp, K., 1992, ‘Introduction’, in Boeren, A. and Epskamp, K., eds, The Empowerment of Culture: Development Communication and Popular Media, The Hague, CESO.
- Bouissac, P., 1976, Circus and Culture: A Semiotic Approach, Bloomington, Indiana University Press.
- Circus in Ethiopia, 2002, The Hero: An Opera by Circus in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Circus in Ethiopia, 2003, Quarterly Newsletter of Circus in Ethiopia, Vol. 1, No. 1.
- Ebrahim, A., 2003, Building Analytical and Adaptive Capacity: Lessons from Northern and Southern NGOs, Denver: ARNOVA.
- Edwards, M. and Hulme, D., 1995, ‘NGO Performance and Accountability: Introduction and Overview’, in Edward, M. and Fowler, A., eds, Non- governmental Organizations: Performance and Accountability: Beyond the Magic Bullet, London, Earthscan Publishing Ltd.
- Gould, H. and Marsh, M., 2003, ‘Routemapping Culture and Development: Report on a Pilot Research Project Exploring the use of Cultural Approaches to Development within Five UK Development Agencies’, UK: Creative Exchange.
- Gould, H. and Marsh, M., 2005, Culture: Hidden Development, London: ECO Distribution.
- Hudock, A., 1999, NGOs and Civil Society: Democracy by Proxy?, Polity Press, London.
- Javanovich, H.B., 1992, ‘Introduction’, in Serageldin, I. and Taboroff, J., eds, Culture and Development in Africa, Washington DC, The World Bank.
- Lewis, D., 2001, The Management of Non-Governmental Development Organizations: An Introduction, London and New York, Routledge.
- Plastow, J., 1996, African Theatre and Politics: The Evolution of Theatre in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. A Comparative Study, Amsterdam & Atlanta: Rodopi.
- Plastow, J., 1998, ‘Uses and abuses of theatre for development. A case study focusing on the relationship between political struggle and development theatre in the Ethiopia-Eritrea war, 1961-91’, in Kamal Sahli, ed., African Theatre for Development, pp. 97-114, Exeter: Intellect Books.
- Salim, S.A., 1992, ‘Opening Remark’, in Serageldin, I. and Taboroff, J., eds, Culture and Development in Africa, Washington DC, The World Bank.
- Semenuik, R., 1997, ‘The World is a Circus’, Equinox, June/July 1997 issue. Singer, M., 1959, ‘Preface’, in Milton Singer, ed., Traditional India: Structure and Change, Philadelphia, American Folklore Society.
- Singer, M., 1972, When a Great Tradition Modernizes: An Anthropological Approach to Indian Civilization, New York, Praeger Publishers.
- Suzuki, N., 1998, ‘Inside NGOs: Managing Conflicts between Headquarters and the Field Offices in Non-governmental Organizations’, London, Intermediate Technology Publications.
- Tandon, R., 2002, ‘“Board Games”: Governance and Accountability in NGOs’, in
- Edward, M. and Fowler, A., eds, The Earthscan Reader on NGO Management, London, Earthscan Publishing Ltd.
- Turner, V., 1957, Schism and Continuity in an African Society: A Study of Ndembu Village Life, Manchester, Manchester University Press.
- Turner, V., 1967, The Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual, Ithaca, New York, Cornell University Press.
- Turner, V., 1969, The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure, London, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd.
- Turner, V., 1977, ‘Variation on a Theme of Liminality’, in Moore, F.S. and Myerhoff, G.B., eds, Secular Ritual, Assen, Van Gorcum.
- Turner, V., 1984, ‘Liminality and the Performative Genres’, in MacAloon, J.J., ed., Rite, Drama, Festival, Spectacle: Rehearsal Toward a Theory of Cultural Performance, Philadelphia, Institute for the Study of Human Issues.
References
Alemnesh, H. and Yirga Gabre, D., 2000, ‘Five Year Strategic Plan & Management, 2001-2005’, Addis Ababa: Circus in Ethiopia.
Boeren, A. and Epskamp, K., 1992, ‘Introduction’, in Boeren, A. and Epskamp, K., eds, The Empowerment of Culture: Development Communication and Popular Media, The Hague, CESO.
Bouissac, P., 1976, Circus and Culture: A Semiotic Approach, Bloomington, Indiana University Press.
Circus in Ethiopia, 2002, The Hero: An Opera by Circus in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Circus in Ethiopia, 2003, Quarterly Newsletter of Circus in Ethiopia, Vol. 1, No. 1.
Ebrahim, A., 2003, Building Analytical and Adaptive Capacity: Lessons from Northern and Southern NGOs, Denver: ARNOVA.
Edwards, M. and Hulme, D., 1995, ‘NGO Performance and Accountability: Introduction and Overview’, in Edward, M. and Fowler, A., eds, Non- governmental Organizations: Performance and Accountability: Beyond the Magic Bullet, London, Earthscan Publishing Ltd.
Gould, H. and Marsh, M., 2003, ‘Routemapping Culture and Development: Report on a Pilot Research Project Exploring the use of Cultural Approaches to Development within Five UK Development Agencies’, UK: Creative Exchange.
Gould, H. and Marsh, M., 2005, Culture: Hidden Development, London: ECO Distribution.
Hudock, A., 1999, NGOs and Civil Society: Democracy by Proxy?, Polity Press, London.
Javanovich, H.B., 1992, ‘Introduction’, in Serageldin, I. and Taboroff, J., eds, Culture and Development in Africa, Washington DC, The World Bank.
Lewis, D., 2001, The Management of Non-Governmental Development Organizations: An Introduction, London and New York, Routledge.
Plastow, J., 1996, African Theatre and Politics: The Evolution of Theatre in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. A Comparative Study, Amsterdam & Atlanta: Rodopi.
Plastow, J., 1998, ‘Uses and abuses of theatre for development. A case study focusing on the relationship between political struggle and development theatre in the Ethiopia-Eritrea war, 1961-91’, in Kamal Sahli, ed., African Theatre for Development, pp. 97-114, Exeter: Intellect Books.
Salim, S.A., 1992, ‘Opening Remark’, in Serageldin, I. and Taboroff, J., eds, Culture and Development in Africa, Washington DC, The World Bank.
Semenuik, R., 1997, ‘The World is a Circus’, Equinox, June/July 1997 issue. Singer, M., 1959, ‘Preface’, in Milton Singer, ed., Traditional India: Structure and Change, Philadelphia, American Folklore Society.
Singer, M., 1972, When a Great Tradition Modernizes: An Anthropological Approach to Indian Civilization, New York, Praeger Publishers.
Suzuki, N., 1998, ‘Inside NGOs: Managing Conflicts between Headquarters and the Field Offices in Non-governmental Organizations’, London, Intermediate Technology Publications.
Tandon, R., 2002, ‘“Board Games”: Governance and Accountability in NGOs’, in
Edward, M. and Fowler, A., eds, The Earthscan Reader on NGO Management, London, Earthscan Publishing Ltd.
Turner, V., 1957, Schism and Continuity in an African Society: A Study of Ndembu Village Life, Manchester, Manchester University Press.
Turner, V., 1967, The Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual, Ithaca, New York, Cornell University Press.
Turner, V., 1969, The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure, London, Routledge and Kegan Paul Ltd.
Turner, V., 1977, ‘Variation on a Theme of Liminality’, in Moore, F.S. and Myerhoff, G.B., eds, Secular Ritual, Assen, Van Gorcum.
Turner, V., 1984, ‘Liminality and the Performative Genres’, in MacAloon, J.J., ed., Rite, Drama, Festival, Spectacle: Rehearsal Toward a Theory of Cultural Performance, Philadelphia, Institute for the Study of Human Issues.