Kati Ozanic, our site artist, is putting the finishing touches on this year’s living museum for iFest.  You may recall the replica of the Great Wall of China at last year’s iFest.  Kati and her wild-and-crazy Austrian husband, Yolle, built that much-photographed edifice.  It was extremely popular.  Right now it is in South Texas and is the featured highlight of Borderfest.

This year’s living museum will depict the three diasporas of the African people (see iFest for the explanation).  The key element of the living museum will be a replica of one of the stone churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia.  It was built in the 12th century by the Christian - yes, Christianity was in Africa long before colinization - Emperor Lalibela.

The fascinating thing about it is this: it was once a mountain.  Emperor Lalibela had his minions carve out the inside and outside of 11 mountains.  The most famous, which is still being used as an active Christian church, is the Beta Gyorgis (the church of St. George). Ethiopians cite this as the eighth wonder of the world (see this link).

Our replica will be 22 feet high and surrounded by a faux mountain. You’ll be able to walk into it and experience it as some Lalibelans do with the origional in Ethiopia today.

I don’t believe anything quite like it has been done at any event in the US before. Am I right?

Flickr Photo by Ashley England