Akmbalo-The Power of the Sun

Akmbalo is the closest spelling I can come up with of the Ethiopian word for the lid used to cover the injera, while being baked on the typical circular clay griddle, known as mitad. So, if mitad is the pan, akmbalo is the lid. As its function is to cover a round object, the akmbalo is round as well. In order to be lifted up when the injera is ready, it has one handle in the center, smooth and curved like the Chinese bridges painted on Chinese restaurant walls.

Akmbalos are displayed on a side of the intricate busy roads of Addis Abeba, one after the other, leaning against whatever happens to be behind, waiting to be bought. Being hand-made, with a mixture of soil, straws, grass and cow dung, akmbalo need to be dried in the sun before being sold. You can only buy them on a sunny day; with rain or heavy clouds the shop is closed, the akmbalo are non displayed along the roads and you can’t purchase them.

At first glance, at least mine, they look like shields, but once touched and found how delicate and breakable they are, they can’t really been imagined in a battle field.
My akmbalos are still fragile and breakable but their are also meant to be shielding and protecting women from fatigue, malice , envy and fear.