List of famous writers from Ethiopia, listed alphabetically with photos when available. Ethiopia is home to many prolific writers, including those who write fiction, non-fiction, poetry, biographies and more. These are some of the best Ethiopian writers that have ever lived, so if you're a native of Ethiopia and an aspiring writer then use this list as inspiration to achieve your own writing goals.
List features writers like Mengistu Lemma, Nikos Papatakis and more!
This list answers the questions, "Who are popular Ethiopian writers?" and "Which writers are from Ethiopia?"
You can click on the names of these renowned writers of Ethiopia in order to get more information about each one. Some of these historic writers may no longer be living in Ethiopia, but they're all of Ethiopia descent.1
Nikos Papatakis
Dec. at 92 (1918-2010)Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality: Greece, Ethiopia
Works: The Photograph
Nico Papatakis (Greek: Νίκος Παπατάκης; 5 July 1918 – 17 December 2010) was a Greek-... more on Wikipedia2
Haile Gerima
Age: 73Birthplace: Gondar, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Works: Morning Dew, Bush Mama, Ashes and Embers, Imperfect Journey, After Winter: Sterling Brown
Haile Gerima (born March 4, 1946) is an Ethiopian filmmaker who lives and works in the United... more on Wikipedia3
Nega Mezlekia
Age: 61Birthplace: Jijiga, Ethiopia
Nationality: Canada, Ethiopia
Works: The god who begat a jackal, Notes from the Hyena's Belly, Dans le ventre d'une hyène
Nega Mezlekia (Amharic: ነጋ መዝለቂያ; born 1958) is an Ethiopian writer who writes in English. His... more on Wikipedia4
Dinaw Mengestu
Age: 41Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Works: Children of the Revolution, The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears
Dinaw Mengestu (born 30 June 1978) is an Ethiopian-American novelist and writer. In addition... more on Wikipedia5
Mengistu Haile Mariam
Age: 82Birthplace: Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Works: Shaping the constitution, Founding congress of the Workers' Party of Ethiopia
Mengistu Haile Mariam (Amharic: መንግስቱ ኃይለ ማርያም, pronounced [mənɡɨstu haɪlə marjam]; born 21... more on Wikipedia6
Hama Tuma
Age: 69Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Works: Democratic Cannibalism, Give Me a Dog's Life Any Day, The case of the socialist witchdoctor and other stories
Hama Tuma (born 1949) is an Ethiopian poet and writer in the Amharic and English languages.7
Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin
Dec. at 70 (1936-2006)Birthplace: Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Works: Collision of altars, Oda oak oracle
Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin (17 August 1936 – 25 February 2006) was an Ethiopian poet, playwright,... more on Wikipedia8
Sahle Sellassie
Age: 83Nationality: Ethiopia
Works: Shinega's village, The Afersata [an Ethiopian novel
Sahle Sellassie Berhane Mariam (Amharic: ሳህለ ሰልላስሴ በርሃነ ማርአም ; born 1936) is an Ethiopian... more on Wikipedia9
Haddis Alemayehu
Dec. at 93 (1910-2003)Birthplace: Debre Marqos, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Haddis Alemayehu (Amharic: ሀዲስ ዓለማየሁ; haddis alämayähu, 15 October 1910 – 6 December 2003),... more on Wikipedia10
Asfa-Wossen Asserate
Age: 71Birthplace: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Nationality: Germany, Ethiopia
Le'ul Ras (Prince) Dr Asfa-Wossen Asserate (Amharic: አስፋ ወሰን ዓሥራተ) (born 31 October 1948,... more on Wikipedia
11'Eleni Zaude Gabre-Madhin,' an Ethiopian economist with Swiss nationality, is a former Chief... more on WikipediaEleni Zaude Gabre-Madhin
- 12Dirbdil Assefa Akriso is an Ethiopian film director and screenwriter.
Dirbdil Assefa Akriso
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Kebede Bekere
Age: 49Birthplace: Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Kebede Bekere is an Ethiopian non-fiction writer. He was born in western part of Ethiopia from... more on Wikipedia 14
Mengistu Lemma
Dec. at 64 (1924-1988)Birthplace: Harar, Ethiopia
Nationality: Ethiopia
Mengistu Lemma (1924–1988) was an Ethiopian playwright and poet.- 15
Afevork Ghevre Jesus
Dec. at 79 (1868-1947)Nationality: Ethiopia
Afäwarq Gäbrä Iyäsus (Amharic: አፈ ፡ ወርቅ ፡ ገብረ ፡ ኢየሱስ; misspelled in Italian: Afevork... more on Wikipedia 16
Moges Kebede, sometimes credited as Moges Kebede Damte or Moges Damte, (Amharic: ሞገስ ከበደ) is... more on WikipediaMoges Kebede
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- 18Demese Tesege is an Ethiopian author and journalist. He works for the Addis Zemen newspaper.... more on Wikipedia
Demese Tsege
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