A Chat with Beyene Haile.
SOURCE: Shaebia.org
Staff , Apr 15, 2008
(A man of multiple professions, Beyene Haile had an interview with Hidri magazine. Excerpts follow)
Q: How would you describe yourself if people were to ask you tell your true identity?
I find this hard to answer because now, as ever before, I am still on the way to discover my true self. Sometimes, I have not stopped wondering if a glance at my quest could throw light on my identity. I have also asked if a show of an inventory of my interests could somehow bring forth the lurking self. There has also been a time when I asked my self if getting together my ideas and beliefs could disclose what lies in wait. Unconventional as it may turn out to be, I would have used the narration of my dreams to introduce myself. However, since I doubt its acceptance by my contemporaries, I prefer to drop the subtle and stick to a more material mode of demonstration. It is maybe possible to present evidences that proves the level of my talent, degree of my proficiency, or the amount of stored knowledge. On the other hand, I do not believe that I can explain my entire nature by showing testimonials of my writings or paintings. Nor do I believe that I can reveal myself through works conjured up with my ideas. Then who am I going to say I am? If asked to tell my identity, I would have gone for an appellation that designates the external nature of my name and profession, wishing, at the same time, to talk more with my interlocutor. Pointing at the byways and lanes of thoughts and feelings I trudged on looking for the meaning of life, I would have mentioned some of my recollections that indicate how through my art and management I roamed vast stretches of space like a nomad. I would frankly intimate without any qualm about the pinnacles of truth I have not reached and the smile of beauty I have not yet captured. Then I would draw people's attention to look at the open part of my work and let them grope for the naked half floating over my writings, paintings and talks. An English poet, John Keats had written, "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are the sweetest most." I wonder if I have to introduce myself using the heard or the unheard part of me. Who would listen to the unheard? Where are the real ears? Are there many ears that heed to the sublimated pains? If introducing me is worth the effort, I would just voice my name, 'Beyene'. This is partly because I am beginning to see beaming faces that are starting to recognize me. I find my self in constant dialogue integrating art and management to help organizations attain perfection. I am recording my diary with paintings that are never sold. And I cannot help being surprised when I discovered that those I thought intimate and at close range to see my real self were only petty intruders chasing their mischievous interests.
Q: Beyene Haile the author, playwright, sculptor, painter.on one hand and a management expert, consultant, on the other. What is your designated profession? How are you addressed?
Yes I write. Yes, I compose creative stories and plays. Using colors and symbols of assorted concepts related to administration, I introduce my world to people and interact with them to revamp their worlds. My profession and work are like the tip of an iceberg. The better part of me is lurking beneath the sea of becoming. Based on the visible part, people call me various names. Those who know me the most do not need to be told how they should address me. When I see the sound of their knowing glances, I feel like living for ever. There are times I show gratitude for the correct articulation of my true calling. On the other hand, there are some who failed to know me even after a long period of intimacy. If I can be assured that the designation of my profession and work is not, by any means, to reflect my worth as a person, I would almost tend to respond to the role calls that cast me as a management consultant, a writer, a playwright, a song-composer, and a painter. If I have to tell my present occupation, I am the director of the Eritrean Center for Organizational Excellence, Ercoe. Yet I keep on writing and painting. Although it may not be in line with prevailing conventions, I would have preferred to be known (my work) as one engaged in the search for perfect organizations, humans and life. I believe that there are some who may regard me as 'Mohamed Edris of Tisbit Bahgu' when they see me use my thoughts and feelings digging for truth in the frightening stillness of high noon. If the collection of truth and beauty was to be a legally registered occupation, it would come close to the job I desperately wish to tackle.
Q: Your writings verge on fantasy. And you, are you from our world or you have another one? And how do you regard our world?
Schopenhauer speculates that the world seen with the eyes of humans is not the actual. The world, known with the weak perception of humans, is fantasy or non existent or something that resembles the real, while the authentic is revealed through the will to be. To describe the true one, art uses emotion and ideas and creates its own world. Some of the personages and characters in my creative writings do not seem to exist in the factual world. Yet we see readers loving them as if they were real. I think they help us understand and beautify the world that seems genuine through the eyes of our thinking. The likes of Mezgebe, Abdu, Guulay, Mehamed Edris, Tijar, Azamit, etc have been treated as part of the society and are coexisting with us. Those who ask Frewoini for a breakfast of 'Helbet' are quite too many. I wouldn't be surprised if I were to be told that preparations to erect the colossal statue of Hirity are underway. Art and life are in an endless dance of love one trying to imitate or change the other.
I have never come across a sweeter book than Don Quixote. Miguel de Cervantes had created a character that lives to make dreams come true. I too, always strive to realize the impossible. My wish is so intense, that expect our country to be peopled by Don Quixote's. Indeed, I would have been delighted to come face to face with a Don Quixote on Harnet Avenue. In my peculiar world, I spend much time laboring to discover more and to create with fantasy. My profession or my work is closely entwined with invention and creativity. To all the organizations I come across, I sing, 'Create! Create new things! Climb up looming towers and scan distant horizons! Embracing your young members, rise from the muddy life, and soar up to the higher plane of becoming.' I repeat the same to the entire country. I feel as if it is my profession and my work to shout, 'Launch your selves to the highest with love.' The freedom stored in my world is unique. It is true that the characters in 'Is He Mad?', 'Tiberh's Boutique', 'The Long Wait for Bahgoo', 'Heart to Heart Talk', entertain me without any reservation. Indeed they are a balm to my loneliness. My wife, Frewoini had once said, 'These are characters you created to while away your lonely spells.' Now I do not claim them as sole inhabitants of my world. If what the children of my creative writings say is true, they have made many friends and relatives who pamper them more than I do. I feel my formerly alien looking world merge with the other worlds. There is no need to prove the emergence of a young generation who is bringing life on stage and books using the ideas and feelings I ones considered only mine. Those who are ashamed to enter into my world do not invite me to theirs. They turn back after a mere step on the threshold. Those who wallow in the swampy mud of their world find it hard to cross over to the buoyant world. They invite only their fallen companions to the world of their doom. I have almost considered it my work or profession to prevent the wheel of change from stopping. However, I spend more time wishing than actually doing something.
Q: Do people understand you through your writing, talking . everything about you?
I believe that there are people who understand me. I am witnessing it happening. I am not surprised to learn of people who do not understand me because I see the fence that lies between people. It is not easy to communicate with people who are inside various types of fortresses. Some live in fortresses of fear, shame, or ignorance. However, I do not think that there are fortresses reluctant to open their gates to love. In the beginning, those who allowed 'Is He Mad?' to gates of their fortresses were few. Now there is hardly anyone who asks for a permit to let it in. I think the time for the complete downfall of fortresses of doubt is beginning to reveal its presence. Carrying the enlightening lamp of Mezgebe, the young are becoming visible inviting the supremacy of light and the need for a heart to heart talk on the elevated form of pain. Nothing has gotten on the way between the people and me trying to connect with love through all my creative works. In the areas of management and organizational excellence, concepts derived from my artistic creations are being used to dig additional meanings. I also see more people inhabiting the same world I live in. The field of management research is replete with ideas of: wala climbing, concept of the flowering stone, the meaning of the stage of infinite possibilities, the riddle of the beautiful Hirity, etc which are becoming an accepted part of dialogue forums. I am not an island in my country. This is not a country that lets you locked up to yourself. Since the number of those I understand and those who understand me are increasing, I feel I am swimming in a flood of love.
Q: You are greatly interested in the youth, you write, talk. about them. What are you asking them to do?
There is nothing I do not ask the young to do. I have set my high hopes on them. In my play, Wegi Lebi, (heart to heart talk) I have told them a lot of things. It would give me pleasure if the play has increased their courage to dare point their fingers at themselves and begin to fly high with great ideas that help them reach heights of grand identity. I am happy to be a witness when the young actors were embracing and stretching truth and beauty to assimilate the characters of Heart to Heart Talk without any external force or attraction. My hope grew high when I saw them continuously practicing and contemplating to still perfect their skills.
There are still things I would like the young to do and to show. I want them gathered and organized from the four corners of the world and build the stage of infinite possibilities. I want them to first agree on the initial architectural design followed by an agreement on building styles, creativity, and degree of technological quality. Having done these, I expect them to translate the ideas in the book into a reality guided by the concept of the flowering stone and using the training methodology of Video. There is no doubt that the tower of their thinking will reach the sky when they undertake this task.
Q: Using all your works, are there messages or reservations that you wish to express?
As I have mentioned before, I am passing my messages to a considerable degree. The greater part of the message I would like to communicate is still buried within me. It is not yet released. Nor is it an easy task. The giant in me is yet to emerge. The message that is to be communicated to the world has to conduct a dialogue with the sender to be meaningful. The channel of communication could be creative writing, play, poetry, painting, conversation or song. I would have used dirges and chants if I were to master the art. However, I do not like messages channeled through cries and groans. The messages I have so far passed have dropped into attentive ears. I am happy to learn that people with a sense of honor give honor to their members. Since I have great expectation to see the fulfillment of my messages, I would proudly depart if I were to see in my life time, the construction and operation of the stage of infinite possibilities.
Q: As a management expert, how would you respond to what some say regarding the skill demonstrated in the administration of the government? Some say, "You maybe dashing heroes, but hardly so when it comes to management."
Those who say so may have seen only the colonial without having any knowledge of real administration. Such people have also come my way. It seems that their understanding is mostly based on the colonial. Small talks about misadministration are prevalent. Yet we do not see people coming forth with ideas to change the source of the problem which is the wrongly embedded perception of administration. I think that concepts raised in the play, 'Heart to Heart Talk' can play a part in changing the prevailing mode of administrative thinking.
Of course, one does not see an impeccable style of administration. The organization I lead claims to inspire organizations to reach heights of perfection by providing them a road map to distinction. I wish to see excellent and competent organizations. Since change of thinking is the key, the old form of thinking should be burned and turned into ashes to give way to the best.
Q: As a citizen, how do you envision future Eritrea?
Future Eritrea seems like the stage of infinite possibilities. I see many like Guulay, Abdu, Wedi Emni, Jabre, Melashu, Wedi Sesere, Tiberhe, Azamit, Wedi Dengola, Flasfa Hindi, Mehamed Edriss, Milena, Habte, Tijar, and their friends leisurely strolling on Harinet Street. I see a looming statue of Hiriti, with all her graceful beauty, guarding a gate at the heart of Bahti Meskerem. Musing on how in height and in beauty it excelled the statue of liberty, I feel proud.
© Copyright 2001-2007 Shaebia.org
Staff , Apr 15, 2008
(A man of multiple professions, Beyene Haile had an interview with Hidri magazine. Excerpts follow)
Q: How would you describe yourself if people were to ask you tell your true identity?
I find this hard to answer because now, as ever before, I am still on the way to discover my true self. Sometimes, I have not stopped wondering if a glance at my quest could throw light on my identity. I have also asked if a show of an inventory of my interests could somehow bring forth the lurking self. There has also been a time when I asked my self if getting together my ideas and beliefs could disclose what lies in wait. Unconventional as it may turn out to be, I would have used the narration of my dreams to introduce myself. However, since I doubt its acceptance by my contemporaries, I prefer to drop the subtle and stick to a more material mode of demonstration. It is maybe possible to present evidences that proves the level of my talent, degree of my proficiency, or the amount of stored knowledge. On the other hand, I do not believe that I can explain my entire nature by showing testimonials of my writings or paintings. Nor do I believe that I can reveal myself through works conjured up with my ideas. Then who am I going to say I am? If asked to tell my identity, I would have gone for an appellation that designates the external nature of my name and profession, wishing, at the same time, to talk more with my interlocutor. Pointing at the byways and lanes of thoughts and feelings I trudged on looking for the meaning of life, I would have mentioned some of my recollections that indicate how through my art and management I roamed vast stretches of space like a nomad. I would frankly intimate without any qualm about the pinnacles of truth I have not reached and the smile of beauty I have not yet captured. Then I would draw people's attention to look at the open part of my work and let them grope for the naked half floating over my writings, paintings and talks. An English poet, John Keats had written, "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are the sweetest most." I wonder if I have to introduce myself using the heard or the unheard part of me. Who would listen to the unheard? Where are the real ears? Are there many ears that heed to the sublimated pains? If introducing me is worth the effort, I would just voice my name, 'Beyene'. This is partly because I am beginning to see beaming faces that are starting to recognize me. I find my self in constant dialogue integrating art and management to help organizations attain perfection. I am recording my diary with paintings that are never sold. And I cannot help being surprised when I discovered that those I thought intimate and at close range to see my real self were only petty intruders chasing their mischievous interests.
Q: Beyene Haile the author, playwright, sculptor, painter.on one hand and a management expert, consultant, on the other. What is your designated profession? How are you addressed?
Yes I write. Yes, I compose creative stories and plays. Using colors and symbols of assorted concepts related to administration, I introduce my world to people and interact with them to revamp their worlds. My profession and work are like the tip of an iceberg. The better part of me is lurking beneath the sea of becoming. Based on the visible part, people call me various names. Those who know me the most do not need to be told how they should address me. When I see the sound of their knowing glances, I feel like living for ever. There are times I show gratitude for the correct articulation of my true calling. On the other hand, there are some who failed to know me even after a long period of intimacy. If I can be assured that the designation of my profession and work is not, by any means, to reflect my worth as a person, I would almost tend to respond to the role calls that cast me as a management consultant, a writer, a playwright, a song-composer, and a painter. If I have to tell my present occupation, I am the director of the Eritrean Center for Organizational Excellence, Ercoe. Yet I keep on writing and painting. Although it may not be in line with prevailing conventions, I would have preferred to be known (my work) as one engaged in the search for perfect organizations, humans and life. I believe that there are some who may regard me as 'Mohamed Edris of Tisbit Bahgu' when they see me use my thoughts and feelings digging for truth in the frightening stillness of high noon. If the collection of truth and beauty was to be a legally registered occupation, it would come close to the job I desperately wish to tackle.
Q: Your writings verge on fantasy. And you, are you from our world or you have another one? And how do you regard our world?
Schopenhauer speculates that the world seen with the eyes of humans is not the actual. The world, known with the weak perception of humans, is fantasy or non existent or something that resembles the real, while the authentic is revealed through the will to be. To describe the true one, art uses emotion and ideas and creates its own world. Some of the personages and characters in my creative writings do not seem to exist in the factual world. Yet we see readers loving them as if they were real. I think they help us understand and beautify the world that seems genuine through the eyes of our thinking. The likes of Mezgebe, Abdu, Guulay, Mehamed Edris, Tijar, Azamit, etc have been treated as part of the society and are coexisting with us. Those who ask Frewoini for a breakfast of 'Helbet' are quite too many. I wouldn't be surprised if I were to be told that preparations to erect the colossal statue of Hirity are underway. Art and life are in an endless dance of love one trying to imitate or change the other.
I have never come across a sweeter book than Don Quixote. Miguel de Cervantes had created a character that lives to make dreams come true. I too, always strive to realize the impossible. My wish is so intense, that expect our country to be peopled by Don Quixote's. Indeed, I would have been delighted to come face to face with a Don Quixote on Harnet Avenue. In my peculiar world, I spend much time laboring to discover more and to create with fantasy. My profession or my work is closely entwined with invention and creativity. To all the organizations I come across, I sing, 'Create! Create new things! Climb up looming towers and scan distant horizons! Embracing your young members, rise from the muddy life, and soar up to the higher plane of becoming.' I repeat the same to the entire country. I feel as if it is my profession and my work to shout, 'Launch your selves to the highest with love.' The freedom stored in my world is unique. It is true that the characters in 'Is He Mad?', 'Tiberh's Boutique', 'The Long Wait for Bahgoo', 'Heart to Heart Talk', entertain me without any reservation. Indeed they are a balm to my loneliness. My wife, Frewoini had once said, 'These are characters you created to while away your lonely spells.' Now I do not claim them as sole inhabitants of my world. If what the children of my creative writings say is true, they have made many friends and relatives who pamper them more than I do. I feel my formerly alien looking world merge with the other worlds. There is no need to prove the emergence of a young generation who is bringing life on stage and books using the ideas and feelings I ones considered only mine. Those who are ashamed to enter into my world do not invite me to theirs. They turn back after a mere step on the threshold. Those who wallow in the swampy mud of their world find it hard to cross over to the buoyant world. They invite only their fallen companions to the world of their doom. I have almost considered it my work or profession to prevent the wheel of change from stopping. However, I spend more time wishing than actually doing something.
Q: Do people understand you through your writing, talking . everything about you?
I believe that there are people who understand me. I am witnessing it happening. I am not surprised to learn of people who do not understand me because I see the fence that lies between people. It is not easy to communicate with people who are inside various types of fortresses. Some live in fortresses of fear, shame, or ignorance. However, I do not think that there are fortresses reluctant to open their gates to love. In the beginning, those who allowed 'Is He Mad?' to gates of their fortresses were few. Now there is hardly anyone who asks for a permit to let it in. I think the time for the complete downfall of fortresses of doubt is beginning to reveal its presence. Carrying the enlightening lamp of Mezgebe, the young are becoming visible inviting the supremacy of light and the need for a heart to heart talk on the elevated form of pain. Nothing has gotten on the way between the people and me trying to connect with love through all my creative works. In the areas of management and organizational excellence, concepts derived from my artistic creations are being used to dig additional meanings. I also see more people inhabiting the same world I live in. The field of management research is replete with ideas of: wala climbing, concept of the flowering stone, the meaning of the stage of infinite possibilities, the riddle of the beautiful Hirity, etc which are becoming an accepted part of dialogue forums. I am not an island in my country. This is not a country that lets you locked up to yourself. Since the number of those I understand and those who understand me are increasing, I feel I am swimming in a flood of love.
Q: You are greatly interested in the youth, you write, talk. about them. What are you asking them to do?
There is nothing I do not ask the young to do. I have set my high hopes on them. In my play, Wegi Lebi, (heart to heart talk) I have told them a lot of things. It would give me pleasure if the play has increased their courage to dare point their fingers at themselves and begin to fly high with great ideas that help them reach heights of grand identity. I am happy to be a witness when the young actors were embracing and stretching truth and beauty to assimilate the characters of Heart to Heart Talk without any external force or attraction. My hope grew high when I saw them continuously practicing and contemplating to still perfect their skills.
There are still things I would like the young to do and to show. I want them gathered and organized from the four corners of the world and build the stage of infinite possibilities. I want them to first agree on the initial architectural design followed by an agreement on building styles, creativity, and degree of technological quality. Having done these, I expect them to translate the ideas in the book into a reality guided by the concept of the flowering stone and using the training methodology of Video. There is no doubt that the tower of their thinking will reach the sky when they undertake this task.
Q: Using all your works, are there messages or reservations that you wish to express?
As I have mentioned before, I am passing my messages to a considerable degree. The greater part of the message I would like to communicate is still buried within me. It is not yet released. Nor is it an easy task. The giant in me is yet to emerge. The message that is to be communicated to the world has to conduct a dialogue with the sender to be meaningful. The channel of communication could be creative writing, play, poetry, painting, conversation or song. I would have used dirges and chants if I were to master the art. However, I do not like messages channeled through cries and groans. The messages I have so far passed have dropped into attentive ears. I am happy to learn that people with a sense of honor give honor to their members. Since I have great expectation to see the fulfillment of my messages, I would proudly depart if I were to see in my life time, the construction and operation of the stage of infinite possibilities.
Q: As a management expert, how would you respond to what some say regarding the skill demonstrated in the administration of the government? Some say, "You maybe dashing heroes, but hardly so when it comes to management."
Those who say so may have seen only the colonial without having any knowledge of real administration. Such people have also come my way. It seems that their understanding is mostly based on the colonial. Small talks about misadministration are prevalent. Yet we do not see people coming forth with ideas to change the source of the problem which is the wrongly embedded perception of administration. I think that concepts raised in the play, 'Heart to Heart Talk' can play a part in changing the prevailing mode of administrative thinking.
Of course, one does not see an impeccable style of administration. The organization I lead claims to inspire organizations to reach heights of perfection by providing them a road map to distinction. I wish to see excellent and competent organizations. Since change of thinking is the key, the old form of thinking should be burned and turned into ashes to give way to the best.
Q: As a citizen, how do you envision future Eritrea?
Future Eritrea seems like the stage of infinite possibilities. I see many like Guulay, Abdu, Wedi Emni, Jabre, Melashu, Wedi Sesere, Tiberhe, Azamit, Wedi Dengola, Flasfa Hindi, Mehamed Edriss, Milena, Habte, Tijar, and their friends leisurely strolling on Harinet Street. I see a looming statue of Hiriti, with all her graceful beauty, guarding a gate at the heart of Bahti Meskerem. Musing on how in height and in beauty it excelled the statue of liberty, I feel proud.
© Copyright 2001-2007 Shaebia.org