The Battle of Adwa: Ethiopia's Stand Against Empire

Hey there,

I wanted to share some thoughts with you about my recent deep dive into the story of the Battle of Adwa. I really enjoyed the research for this video – I found myself completely absorbed, and honestly, I haven't felt this excited about a topic in a while. So much so that I've included my mind map here for you to take a peek at. I thought you might find it interesting to see how all the pieces fit together, the connections I explored, and maybe even get a glimpse of how these stories come to life.

But I've got to be real with you. I really battled with how to handle the Eritrean involvement in this conflict. It was hard not to feel the weight of what it meant – African brothers fighting each other, pushed into this by European hands. I didn't want to glorify the battle because, at its core, it was still Africans against Africans. And that fact weighs heavy on my heart. How could I tell a story of victory when so much of it was about being caught in someone else's game?

The Eritrean soldiers, the askari, were in such a tough spot. They were conscripted by Italy, facing pressure and manipulation that ultimately forced them into fighting their fellow Africans. The reasons they sided with the Italians weren't about loyalty to a colonial power, but survival, coercion, and a complicated set of circumstances that made it impossible to make easy choices. This part of the story – how European meddling ended up with brother fighting brother – made it a really difficult balance for me to strike. I wanted to honour the bravery of those who stood against imperialism while acknowledging that many who fought were simply caught up in forces far beyond their control.

I hope this post resonates with you. Maybe you see a part of your own story in the complexities of this history, or maybe it just gives you a new way to think about what went down that day. Either way, I'm grateful to be on this journey with you.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Your support means the world.

Blessings,

KK

Please consider joining my Steady members platform for more like this and exclusive posts

Or my Patreon same content different platform :)