Minase Hailu, guitarist, fled Ethiopia during the dictatorship of Mengistu Haile-Mariam. He now lives in Germany. His family, having its farms confiscated, paid a high price for supporting the opposition. A brother and nephew were killed, a sister tortured and jailed for four years. Minase spent six months in prison for taking part in a demonstration when he was 14. By then, he was playing the guitar and passionate about music.
Minase managed to leave Ethiopia with a grant to study in East Germany. As things got worse in Ethiopia, Minase crossed the border to West Berlin and requested asylum.
His guitar skills landed him a job in a music shop, and he played in various bands. Soon he was touring Europe with Ethiopia’s best artists. He does not forgive those who ”killed people just to stay in power”, but has decided to go forward and “make the best out of life”.
Discography:
Refugee Voices (UNHCR/Stern’s)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
