Mr. W. Robert Moore, staff photographer from the National Geographic Magazine, journeyed from his home in Bangkok, Siam (Thailand) to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to photograph the coronation of King Haile Selassie. He took the same train from Djibouti, French Somali, that Mr. Southard, author of the last article rode. "Coronation Days in Addis Ababa," June, 1931, is his account of that trip.
Mr. Moore wanted to rent a mule to get around the city but found he would also have to hire a gun-bearer. He wisely decided to walk most places to avoid taxis because their fees were so exorbitant, they "had such a keen desire to let the coronation visitors cover the last payments and the last year's overhead expenses on their cars" that the Emperor eventually had to set rates" (p.738). Hotel prices were also creative.
The city of Addis Ababa was in a festive mood. The Emperor and Empress spent the entire night preceding the coronation "in prayer and meditation with the priests in St. George's (Coptic Christian) Cathedral" (p. 740).
The coronation ceremony was performed in Arabic with various church and monastery priests and bishops officiating and Ethiopian princes and foreign delegations in attendance as well as many citizen of the country. "The Emperor gave his sacred pledge to uphold the orthodox religion of the Alexandrian Church, to support and administer the laws of the country for the betterment of the people, to maintain the integrity of Ethiopia, and to found schools for developing the spiritual and material welfare of his subjects." Then he was given the royal insignia (p. 742).
He was anointed with oil, following the ancient custom as when Samuel anointed David, and then crowned. The author had the feeling that "the centuries seemed to have slipped suddenly backward into Biblical ritual" (p. 742).
Following the 101-gun salute, the Empress took her throne and was presented with a diamond ring to symbolize faith. Then Empress Manen was also crowned. After this, the Emperor and Empress attended a private Mass.
There was a mile-long procession through the city streets and a week of various festivities. The Emperor reviewed his troops "dressed in a scarlet and gold military uniform, with a tall lion-mane busby on his head, (and) presented a magnificent appearance, as he sat on his red throne in the richly carpeted pavilion" (p. 745).
Mr. Moore concluded that within the new government "are the seeds of progress and enlightenment, which should grow and flourish in the long-fallow land of Ethiopia" (p. 746).
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