Ethiopian-born British author publishes memoir on diaspora life and ageing, Capital reports
An Ethiopian-born British author has published a memoir about life in the diaspora and the experience of ageing, according to a report by the Addis Ababa-based weekly Capital.
The report, as available to Addis Gazette, did not include the author's name, the book's title, the publisher or a release date. It also did not describe the memoir's specific content or structure, how it has been received, or whether it will be available in Ethiopia or in Amharic or other Ethiopian languages. Addis Gazette has not independently confirmed these details.
A generation growing older abroad
The book's reported subject reflects a broader demographic shift. Many Ethiopians who emigrated in earlier decades are now reaching later life. Large numbers left during the upheaval that followed the 1974 revolution and during the years of the Derg military government. Others left in later periods for education, work or family reunification. The United Kingdom, particularly London, has an established Ethiopian community with its own churches, community organisations and businesses.
For first-generation migrants, growing older abroad can raise practical and emotional questions, including:
- whether to retire in the adopted country or return to Ethiopia;
- how to arrange care where extended-family support may be less available than at home;
- how to maintain language and cultural ties with children and grandchildren raised abroad;
- how to cope with distance from relatives and from the places of one's youth.
Older migrants in Europe can also face isolation, language barriers when using health and social services, and uncertainty about where they ultimately belong.
Diaspora voices in print
Writers of Ethiopian heritage have published English-language fiction and non-fiction exploring history, war, migration and identity. A memoir centred on ageing would focus on the later chapters of the migrant story, rather than on departure or settling in a new country.
Source: Capital
