The Migration Journey by Stephen Miller

Author:Stephen Miller [Miller, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General, Social Science, Emigration & Immigration
ISBN: 9781351479493
Google: kRwuDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2017-07-12T01:30:27+00:00

Courage and heroism

On their journey towards Sudan the Ethiopian Jews experienced themselves as being courageous and hardy, at times even heroic. This was especially true when they stood up to attackers en route, whether these were Ethiopian soldiers or shifta. This courage was expressed, among other ways, in a refusal to obey the Ethiopian soldiers, at times even to the point of defiance. Brehanu, for example, recounts his conduct when soldiers captured him and his group:

They confiscated everything, and, of course, took our weapons. The soldier ordered me: ‘Bring your rifle over here!’ I saw a big stone near me so I lifted it up and brought it down on the rifle. I broke it. The soldier then slapped me on the face. My father also shouted at me then: ‘Why did you break the rifle?’ I said: ‘They will take yours as well, so instead of letting them have it, why not destroy it?’

Others relate their steadfastness and boldness in facing up to interrogations without revealing the secret of their final destination. When they were captured, the Ethiopian soldiers interrogated them harshly about their destination, sometimes under the threat of the gun. The wayfarers insisted that they were just heading somewhere nearby, or towards a place which was close to the Sudanese border (such as Humara). If in fact they were already past such a place, they would claim unwaveringly that apparently they had lost their way. They would stand firm against humiliation and torture and deny any possibility that they were Jews on their way to Israel.

In keeping their goal confidential against all odds, they felt that they were not only defending their own fate but protecting the secret of the entire Jewish community. Their courage and daring was then perceived as playing a role in the service of the group. This in turn strengthened their perception of the journey as a communal as well as a personal experience.10

Some were also ready to confront the shifta stout-heartedly and even to challenge them. Thus, for example, when one of the groups was suddenly faced with the shifta threatening to shoot if they did not submit, the Jews presented them, as one of the youngsters tells, with a daring challenge: ‘Shoot, if you have the guts! Let’s see if you dare!’ The shifta then retreated, and the youngster explains: ‘They thought that since we were with women and children we wouldn’t fight. But the people were intent not to give in.’

As can be seen in the examples above, part of the experience of courage and bravery in these contexts was that of fearlessness. Brehanu dauntlessly broke his gun; many faced up to their interrogators and defended their secret destination without consternation; others boldly challenged the shifta. When they reacted to a situation with no fear or trepidation, they lived through an experience of personal powerfulness and inner strength while at the same time acting in accord with the value of gobez.

In fact, the wayfarers frequently identified standing up fearlessly and defiantly against their aggressors with manliness.

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