ABYSSINIA— A LAND OF STRANGE RACES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 170, 20 July 1935, Page 2 (Supplement)

ABYSSINIA— A LAND OF STRANGE RACES.

LITTLE is known of the origin of the Hamitic race which occupies the mountainous plateau now known as Abyssinia. Of old this country was included in the vague region known as Ethiopia, and the natives still speak of themselves as "Itiopiyavan," much resenting the term Abyssinian, which means "mongrel" or "mixed race." And in truth

there is hardly on earth a more mixed population. The types range from the blackest negro-looking faces to the regular features of the Arab kind, scarcely duskier than those of Eurasians, and to handsome, light-

The eyes of the world are turned to-day on Abyssinia, where the clouds of bitter warfare are gathering between the strange races of that country and Italy. Signor Mussolini has stated that his country's policy is to eliminate Abyssinia, not only as a sovereign state, but also as a protectorate, and that fighting will commence at the end of the rainy season in September. Mussolini further intends to demand Abyssinia's expulsion from the League of Nations on the grounds that she has failed to fulfil any of her engagements, notably her pledge to abolish slavery.

skinned representatives of certain branches of the Mediterranean race. Abyssinia is North-east African country lying between British East Africa and the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, and occupying an area of about 35,000 square miles. Its population is estimated at about 8,000,000, of whom Shoans are the ruling race, and number about 1,500,000. All Shoans are soldiers and disdain any other occupation.

With the exception of a "golden age" of literature and higher culture round about the thirteenth century, the history of Abyssinia may generally be said to consist of a gloomy record of wars, barbaric deeds, slavery and government chaos. The country has usually been broken up into provinces, generally at war with each other and allegiance to a single monarch has been almost unknown.

Italy first appeared in the history of Abyssinia in the year 1870, when an Italian steamship company purchased a site for a port in Asab Bay. As the years passed by the territory •was extended and taken over by the Italian Government, who developed the colony on the Red Sea known as Eritrea. To this King John (the Abyssinian King) strongly objected, and severe fighting took place, in which the Italians lost heavily. Italy continued to encroach on the north, and relations became strained between the two countries. Eventually war broke out, and the new Abyssinian King, Menelek, issued a patriotic proclamation which brought together a great national army of over 100,000 men, all burning to evict the hated foreigner. In that wild mountainous country so |

well known to the Abyssinians —so strange and barbarous to the Italian soldiers, the chances of victory were

small, and the ultimate defeat surely predestined. Hordes of Abyssinians swept down from the mountains, and

the Italians were overwhelmed piecemeal, suffering appalling losses. There was nothing then left for Italy to do but to recognise the independence of Abyssinia. This, then, is the country over which, after a period of comparative quiet, the clouds of war are once more gathering. We give but an introductory glimpse of the country and the peoples who inhabit it. Next week we shall tell of their strange creeds and customs. There, remains but to say that with her virgin soil and her vast natural resources, it would be hard to fix the limit to the power, wealth and influence of a reorganised Abyssinia. Can the Abyssinians, with their internal warfare and class prejudices, reorganise themselves? Of is it to be left to a territory-seeking country such as Italy to step in and become the masters of the destiny of this strange land? The future alone can tell.