Tayitu Entertainment

Our First 10 Years. A Brief History

Tayitu Cultural Center (formerly known as Tayitu Entertainment Center) had its humble beginnings in the book launch and reading in August 2000.  In the ten years since Tayitu Cultural Center has become a groundbreaking non-profit (501 c 3) Arts and Culture organization based in Washington DC.  Its mission,  to conserve, renew and reinvent the rich Ethiopian cultural heritage that is our collective legacy, while simultaneously exploring new artistic forms in our new homeland of America.

Recognizing that the occasional special production, or church sponsored event was not enough to keep Ethiopian artistic expression vibrant for coming generations Tayitu Cultural Center stepped in to fill a void.  Without a doubt, keeping an immigrant arts institution afloat for 10years has been challenging, and for its efforts Tayitu Cultural Center has been recognized locally, nationally,  internationally for its work in showcasing the wealth of Ethiopian artistic expression to Ethiopian as well as increasingly diverse international audiences.

Over the last 10 years, and without one interruption, Tayitu Cultural Center has held its monthly poetry night, “YeWerru Gitm Mishit”, on the last Friday of the month.  This monthly showcase of Ethiopian literature and poetry, a place for new and emerging artistic talent, has become a home away from home for the disproportionately large number of Ethiopian performing artists residing outside of Ethiopia. This monthly gathering has become the venue of choice for Ethiopian authors, filmmakers, musicians, playwrights and visual artists to present their works, in Amharic and English, to an ever expanding audience.

In this monthly celebration of Ethiopian literary tradition Tayitu Cultural Center keeps Ethiopian poetry and verse alive for future generations, by inviting and hosting well-known Ethiopian writers from around the world to come present their works to an ever growing audience. Tayitu Cultural Center fulfills it promise to keep the rich variety of Ethiopian artistic tradition vibrant by introducing the younger audiences to classics in Ethiopian Literature that they would rarely have access to.  In order to further the dialogue with its audiences on the universality of shared human values Tayitu Cultural Center also introduces the larger Ethiopian audience to classics in Western literature.

From its home base of Washington, D.C. Tayitu has toured North America, Canada and Western Europe extensively. Through its creative and educational programs, Tayitu Cultural Center’s unique ability to capture the tastes, the needs of its community, its ability to reflect the pain and the sorrow, the achievements and the challenges of being Ethiopian in our new homeland, has captured it a loyal following, in its home base of Washington, D.C. and worldwide as well.

Tayitu’s truly diverse productions, classics in Ethiopian as well as Western literature, its plays, skits and comedy routines are routinely made available online for an even wider audience.  Through its theatrical and variety shows, books and a variety of written sources Tayitu maintains an ongoing dialogue with the community, placing special care to address the challenges facing the youth and the elderly, essentially building a bridge between preserving our age-old traditions and embracing the best about our new situation, creating a stage for the society in search for possible solutions in navigating the challenges facing the community-at-large.

Tayitu Cultural Center has endeavored tirelessly to reclaim that which is on the verge of being lost, to revive what maybe perhaps be forgotten, to encourage and motivate those amongst that that maybe faltering, and to build on positive ideals for a better tomorrow.  Testament to its growing popularity is the ever growing list of invitations Tayitu Cultural Center receives to present its works to audiences throughout the US, Canada and Europe.  These invitations come from far and wide requiring Tayitu Cultural Center to take its show on the road several times a year. (Please check the website Upcoming events/Tayitu-on-the-road)

In Washington, D.C. alone Tayitu has hosted 120 poetry gatherings, staged 29 original productions, 6 comedy skits. Tayitu has gone on the road to over 150 cities in America and Canada, as well numerous cities in Europe.  On an annual basis Tayitu Cultural Center conducts its much anticipated Literature, Poetry and Film Workshops, the educational content of these workshops is unmatched and has been recognized as one of the cornerstones that distinguishes Tayitu Cultural Center as a treasure within the Ethiopian Community.  Tayitu Cultural Center provides a home for the many veteran artists, as well as a safe haven for new and emerging artists to develop and hone their craft.  In its tenure Tayitu Cultural Center has encouraged and nurtured many a young performer, or budding poet, take to the stage or pick up a pen and is currently proud to count in its roster several young artists having come from area schools and churches that now stand shoulder to shoulder alongside veteran professional actors.

Yet another popular event is the annual “Feqer Mishet” held each February, the readings and presentations are a celebration of love in all its forms, and wisdom from couples in successful marriages culminating in a community wide recognition (and gift certificate for a night out at area restaurants) for couples in successful marriages to take to the stage and impart their secrets of love and marriage.

One of the better-attended events is the annual “YeSaq Mishet” where new comedic talent is encouraged to take the stage.  In its ranks Tayitu boasts comedians that have called Tayitu’s stage their very first home, and veteran comedians that continue to call Tayitu their stage.  Beloved comedian Tamagne Beyene taped his comeback DVD on Tayitu Cultural Center’s stage, Meskerem Bekele, taped his first and second DVD on Tayitu Cultural Center’s stage.

Over the last 10 years Tayitu Cultural Center has traveled within the U.S., Canada and Europe, forming strategic partnerships with 7 nascent arts organizations, providing the necessary support to local arts groups so they will work to ensure the preservation of Ethiopian artistic tradition wherever Ethiopians may be residing. Tayitu is grateful for the work done by local arts groups and churches to ensure we preserve Ethiopian rich cultural and artistic tradition. We hope to travel to meet our loyal following wherever they may be.

In the next 10 years Tayitu Cultural Center’s goals are to create a permanent home in Washington, D.C. for an Ethiopian Performing Arts and Cultural Center.  In honor of its namesake Etege Tayitu, (Empress of Ethiopia 1856-1918) Tayitu Cultural Center also hopes to build a monument in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to immortalize her contribution to Ethiopian history, particularly in the arena of arts and literature,  and her enduring example to Ethiopian women.

Keeping an Immigrant Arts Organization afloat for 10 years is no easy task, and continues to have its challenges, especially in the current economic climate, and Tayitu Cultural Center would like to express heartfelt gratitude to those individuals, businesses organizations that have encouraged and supported the work that we do to lay the of groundbreaking Tayitu Cultural Center. In particular we would like to recognize our loyal audiences and our partner arts organizations wherever they are, thank you for allowing us the privilege to perform our art and all that you do to guarantee its preservation, proving that our art does indeed transcend borders.