Once upon a time, after Mantiti read a couple of tributes I had written about Gashaw and other loved ones, she jokingly had told me “You write beautiful tributes. Will you write one for me when I die?” And I had responded “Of course, I will write one for you” not knowing it would be this soon! So Mantitiye, here is my tribute to you!
Mantiti was like a mother to me.
The first memory I have of Mantiti was when I was probably about 2 years old. She often used to come for lunch at our house in Gulele. She always brought bread for lunch and some sort of goodies for me and Jowet every time she came (like chocolates, candies, balloons). One day, the adults (aka my parents and Mantiti) were busy talking. I got so impatient that I went in hiding to search in her purse for the goodies I was sure she had for us. Oh boy…you can imagine the scolding I got from my parents when I got caught! But sure enough she had something for us!!
When Abby, my mom, went in exile and Gashaw, my dad, got imprisoned, I was staying with my maternal Grandmother while Mantiti took Jowet to their house. However, every weekend, she would pick me up from my Grandmother’s and take me to their house so I can spend time with Jowet and the rest of the family. I enjoyed my time there so much that, during one of these visits, I asked her if I could live with them indefinitely. She told me to ask Mama Shashwork for permission first, and sure enough Mama Shashwork said yes (to whom I am always grateful for). Since then Mantiti became my “adoptive” mother and continued to raise me and Jowet even after everyone else left the country.
After Gashaw was released and we went back to live with him after 3 years of living with her and Aboy (Aboy Kidane), Mantiti remained our mother-figure. We would still spend every weekend and every school break at Mantiti’s. I don’t think Gashaw could have raised us alone if Mantiti wasn’t around. She was the best thing that happened to me, Jowet and Gashaw. If a sheep or a calf was slaughtered at her house, it was equally divided between “ላይ ቤተ” and “ታች ቤት”. When ጤፍ በርበሬ or ሽሮ was prepared, it was equally shared too. When we needed “ቅቤ” at our house, Mantiti came to the rescue. Gashaw and Mantiti kept an accounting book to keep track of our household expenses so that they can pay each other. It was mainly Gashaw owing her money though…lol. It was so funny to watch them balance the book…down to the penny :) I am so glad Gashaw chose to build our house so close to “ታች ቤት” that allowed us to live in close proximity!
She was the one who enrolled me to my first real school and provided all the motherly needs I had. When I finished high school, she is the one who took me to the US embassy to get my visa, making sure we stopped at San Salvator first to do our customary prayer to Sant Antonio. She also convinced me to stay in the US at least for one year when I had second thoughts about staying in America, telling me that I deserve the opportunity and my freedom to build my own life (the rest is history and I have been in US for over 30 years now).
While Gashaw was still in prison, she made sure to take us to “ካርቸሌ” to visit him every Sunday without fail, and then to my Grandmother, Mama Kidist’s house, so we can visit her and my cousins (even after Gashaw was released she made sure I continued to have a relationship and connection with my mother’s side of the family). She took us to Sodore regularly too so we can grow up knowing the pleasure of Sodore, just like her parents did for her growing up. The funny thing is whenever she took us to Sodore, she made sure to pack groceries, Amboha (አምቦሀ) and soft drinks to take with us on the trip. But since there was no refrigeration in the rooms of Sodore, she would “cool” the drinks in the bathtub filled with water. However, if you know the weather and the tap water of Sodore, the drinks would never really cool down. We used to complain and beg for some really ice cold ሚሪንዳ from the restaurants, which she almost never agreed to. When I became an adult, and while reminiscing about our childhood, I complained about the fact that she never bought us the cold drinks from the restaurants. She told me she barely had enough money as she was making about 450 birr per month and that was the only way she could afford to take us all (by then she was raising and/or taking care of Yoni, Betty, Jowet and me!!) And Martha joined us in Sodore as well. That is when I understood how much she sacrificed to raise us all, to take care of Aboy and a whole household in a big house! She still gave us all the best life she could! I am forever grateful for everything she has done for me/us!
As a child, I used to think she was an “old” lady/adult, but when I realized that she was only 29 years old when she first took us in, I couldn’t fathom how she managed to be so adult-like and take care of all the added responsibilities, including raising us! I don’t think I could have done what she did in my 40s or 50s let alone in my early 30s! Mantiti was a gift from God and such an important person in my life!
I am so blessed that I was able to spend the last 3 weeks of her life with her surrounded by a loving family. I am forever grateful that I was able to thank her, to tell her I loved her and to have kissed her goodbye.
In her last few days before she stopped talking, she told me that “Hanna was in her room” and she talked a lot about doing things with Gashaw (i.e., “I ate lunch with Gashaw already”). That’s when I knew the end was near, but I find solace knowing she was/is surrounded by her loved ones, who passed before her, as she transitioned to her final resting place and eternal home.
Mantitiye - Thank you! Rest in eternal peace forever. I love you!!
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