Dearest Italy,

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Hoping when this letter reaches you, that you are in the best of health, and that you are enjoying your independence just as much as I certainly am. I had much time on my hands, and I was sort of feeling melancholy, and I sort of remembered with much glee and appreciation that by the time you have read this letter, that it will be March 1, 2008.

This day is not my birthday, but it is sort of an anniversary of sorts, as I wanted to give you the courtesy of this invitation in celebrating with me in the memory of how we kicked your rear end. Not only once, but twice. For some unimaginable reason, which until this day, it hasn’t been clearly explained to me, you Italy decided that you will come and invade my precious land and tried to make it your own.

You looked over the horizons, and saw that your European brothers were carving up Africa like mad, so you decided in your “Roman” way of thinking, that My land, the land of Ethiopia was good for the taking. You looked at us and perceived that we are Black, not advanced, divided into groups, difference with languages and fighting amongst ourselves. So in your “Colonial” way of thinking, you decided to take advantage of the situation, because you had a modern Army at the time, and we Ethiopians only had rocks, spears and swords.

Let me point out Italy, the mistakes that you made was that the difference amongst us is really our business and not yours, as it is until this day. We are a family, just like any other, we will have differences amongst ourselves, but if an outsider touches any member of my family, than you have bitten of more than you can chew. Italy, I kind of like reading about Custer’s last stand, at “Little Big Horn”, because you and General Custer have a lot in common.

You underestimated people of color, and not to add insult to injury, it was us Africans, who taught your Greeks, how to wipe your rear ends, so your underestimation of us was quite revealing on February 29, 1896. You came to us at Adowa, with full battle regalia, with your four over confident Brigades and your then modern weapons of warfare, we had little if any. And you also had the traitorous “Askari” with you, in which after wards we cut off of their right hands and their left foot, that’s the price of treason.

We had our Emperor, the Emperor Menelik with us who offered prayers and fasting before God Almighty all night, we had our Queen, Negast Taitu, and also Ras Alula, Ras Mokennen, Ras Wale, Ras Atikem, Ras Yohannes, Ras Mikael, and “Negus” Tekle Haymanot of Gojam. Our family of Ethiopia was well represented that day. The then General Oreste Baratieri, feeling pressure from home to conquer us at once, decided in his underestimation to attack us on the morning of February 29th, 1896.

It was at the mountain of ‘Kidane Meheret’, located in a Tigray province. Your brigades marched all night and settled in an area in which you thought that you were at Kidane Meheret, but you were wrong and redirected yourselves to find the correct mountain area. It was Divine Providence, because you left yourself exposed, and now unbeknown to your army, you were completely surrounded. When word came that you were advancing in the valley and were exposed, our Emperor, Menelik gave the command to attack.

We did, but it was the women who attacked first along with Negast Taitu. I could only imagine the hordes of Ethiopian women coming at you. It must have been a “culture shock” indeed! Let that be a lesson to you, Italy, everyone in the family fights. In fairness to you, just like General Custer, you held your own for a while, but we overwhelmed you. Your historians claim that there were about one hundred and fifty thousand Ethiopians, as opposed to seventeen thousand Italians, with modern weapons of warfare.

Italy, on that most glorious victorious day, what you saw was my family, you saw a nation of people, and you saw a sea of black people never ending, just like Custer saw a sea of red faces. During the battle we cried out, “E-bal-gu-me!”, E-bal-gu-me!”, meaning, reap!, reap! And reap we did! Total annihilation! Italy, I was sort of perplexed, of why you did not read about those who came before you, the Muslims, the Greeks, the Portuguese, the Yemenites, and all of the surrounding African nations. I guess your learning curve was slow that day, as you underestimated us, and had more confidence in your then modern weaponry of warfare.

But a family united can never be defeated. And we remain undefeated until this day! Never colonized. Well, it’s been seventy-four years since you tried to invade us again. I guess the learning curve has been reinforced and taken to heart. Notwithstanding, your still invited to watch us celebrate the memory of our victory at ‘Adowa’. And if you don’t come, we will understand. It’s hard to accept the fact that not only once, but twice, we kicked your “Roman, Italian” rear ends!

Italy, it was the last time that any European power ever endeavored to try and carve out a piece of land for themselves, and to “rape” its inhabitants with your western way of living. Please look at all of Africa, and now look at us. We walk with our heads held up high. Why? Because we are Ethiopians. I will be dancing “Esketa” in your memory. Written with the deepest sincerity. Forever yours, the descendants of the warriors from ‘Adowa’. Thank you, Italy.

Sincerely yours,

Ethiopia