Blog Post Circus in Ethiopia yesterday ,Today and Tomorrow

Yesterday

Let us honestly acknowledge what was. The Ethiopian circus experienced shortcomings that now serve as our teachers. We were not fully prepared for the challenges ahead, nor did we deeply understand the global circus market. Born in 1992, circus in Ethiopia does not have a long history and in those early days, the mere thought of traveling abroad felt like dreaming of paradise or heaven. The transition from the communist regime to the opening of the Western world brought confusion, as Ethiopians began to move across borders for the first time. We accept this past without judgment, and from it, we choose to learn.

Today

We now see clearly what holds us back: a lack of structure, decisions driven by ego rather than vision, reaping what has not been sown, nepotism, favoritism, and a failure to allow the circus sector the freedom to grow naturally. Smear campaigns against competitors have only slowed our progress. Brokers have suffocated artists to the point of discouragement, investing not in the art itself but only in what can be taken from it. We name these truths with courage, not to condemn, but to awaken. And in awakening, we commit to change.

Tomorrow

We affirm a new way forward. Every circus center shall have the freedom to develop the art according to its own spirit and strength. Individual investors will come to understand and embrace circus arts, and we trust that their investments will be protected by law. Occupational standards will be established in every circus institute. More and more qualified artists and coaches will lead this art to the level it truly deserves. Government recognition and awards will be given to real innovators—not to those who speak without walking the path. We respectfully call upon the government to examine every school against international circus standards, so that Ethiopia’s circus may rise with integrity, excellence, and freedom.