Nega Mezlekia facts for kids
Nega Mezlekia is a talented writer from Ethiopia who writes his books in English. He was born in 1958. Even though his first language is Amharic, he has lived in Canada since the 1980s, so he speaks and writes in English.
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Who is Nega Mezlekia?
Nega Mezlekia was born in Jijiga, a city in Ethiopia. He was the oldest son of Mezlekia, who worked for the government. When he was young, Nega supported the big changes happening in his country. However, he soon became very critical of the new government led by Mengistu Haile Mariam.
His Journey to Canada
As a teenager, Nega left his family and went with his best friend to join a rebel group. Later, in 1983, he left his job at Haramaya University. He received a scholarship to study engineering at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. After two years there, he still couldn't go back home to Ethiopia. So, he moved to Canada instead. He has not returned to Ethiopia since then.
His Amazing Books
Nega Mezlekia shared his life story in his first book, Notes from the Hyena's Belly. This book was published in 2000. It was a big success and won the Governor General's Award for English language non-fiction in the same year. This award is one of Canada's most important literary prizes.
After his first book, Mezlekia wrote a novel called The God Who Begat a Jackal. This story is based on an old Ethiopian myth. In 2006, his third book came out. It was titled The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades.
The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades
The Unfortunate Marriage of Azeb Yitades tells a story set between 1960 and 1990. It is about a small village in eastern Ethiopia. The village tries to keep its unique way of life and traditions. This happens even as the modern world starts to change its quiet isolation. This book was also recognized for its quality. It was shortlisted as a Best Book for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize in 2007.
References
See also
In Spanish: Nega Mezlekia para niños
