Who is Bizunesh Atsbeha?

Bizunesh Atsbeha was born outside of Adwa and was raised in the castle like residence of Shum Agame Desta in the region of Gulo-Makeda, Tigray, Ethiopia.   Gulo-Makeda's name comes from the legendary Queen Makeda, also known as the Queen of Sheba, whose family came from the region.   Bizunesh Atsbeha was born into the aristocratic House of Agamé.

When she was just thirteen years old her family decided that she should marry a young man from another royal house in Ethiopia in order to settle bad relations between the neighboring realms.   She was greatly uncomfortable with the prospect and the night before the young man's family was to arrive, she ran away from home.   Seen as an embarrassing personal betrayal, her family disowned her. 

Family friends in Addis Ababa opened their home to her and she settled in with them.   She began working in a bar that the family owned and by the time she was 20 she owned the bar.   She became a very successful independent business woman running bars like the John F Kennedy night club in Addis Ababa and The Blue Nile in Asmara.   She was known to be savvy at opening entertainment spots where they would be most appreciated.   She built The Blue Nile in Asmara near the American military base Kagnew Station knowing it would be well appreciated.   She even became some what of a madame at one point, allowing brothel like activity to happen at some establishments.

Bizunesh had two children but never married.   A thing that was considered very progressive in the country at that time. 

When her family's influence and power began to dwindle as the country moved out of its traditional aristocratic structure, Bizunesh's family sought her out to reconnect with her.

Bizunesh Atsbeha

When life and business became very difficult for her in the 1980s because of the communist military junta called the Derg, Bizunesh followed her children to Toronto, Canada. 
When some stability had returned to the country in 1994 she returned to Ethiopia and settled back in Adigrat in the Agamé region of Ethiopia.   She set about proving that she was the only rightful heir to the several castle like residential properties her family owned in the area, a process that has taken years.

To this day you can ask most people on the streets of Adigrat about "Mama Buzu" and they'll know all about her.  There is even a region in town called "enda Buzu" meaning "of Buzu".

Bizunesh Atsbeha is also my grandmother.

In 2005 I set about to reconnect with her.   I have documented interactions I have had with her and the community in Adigrat for 8 years now.

This year I am returning to Adigrat to spend another month with her.

Her lineage
She has a very strong lineage of royal Agamé blood on both her mother and her father's side.   I will just list her father's here.

Mama Bizu's father is Atsbeha
Mama Bizu's mother is Kassa

Atsbeha's Line

Kumelit begot Shum Agame Woldu,

Shum Agame Woldu and Woizero Sabana Giyorgis begot Dej Sabagadis,

Dej Sabagadis begot Shum Agame Aregawi

Shum Agame Aregawi and Woizero Silas begot Ras Sebhat Aregawi,

Ras Sebhat Aregawi begot (daughter) Woizero Buzu Sebhat, (who married Shum Agame Desta)

Shum Agame Desta and Woizero Buzu Sebhat, begot Shum Agame Atsbeha,

Shum Agame Atsbeha and Woizero Kassa Deres begot Bizunish Atsbeha

          
It actually all goes much further back then what is listed above and you can get a glimpse of more on her father's side here: http://www.royalark.net/Ethiopia/tigray3.htm