Daniachew Worku

Daniachew Worku (Amharic: ዳኛቸው ወርቁ; 24 February 1936 – 1 December 1994) was an Ethiopian writer whose works include novels, plays and short stories.

He gained international recognition after his second novel, The Thirteenth Sun, was published in Heinemann's African Writers Series and translated into German and Portuguese.

His father, Worku Bezabih, went to France in 1914 and served in World War I before returning to Ethiopia and marrying his mother, Asegedech Habte-Wold.

During these early years Daniachew started to write poems and record folk tales told to him by his mother.

While in Harar he wrote another play called ሰቀቀንሽ እሳት (Seqeqenish isat), which depicts a traditional hierarchical society.

[1] Daniachew joined University College Addis Ababa in 1960, where he began to write poems that were later collected in ሾምቧ በሉ ሰዎች (Imbuwa balu sewoch).

[1][3][4] Kurtz argues that some of Daniachew's writing during this time provided the basis for his English-language novel, The Thirteenth Sun.

The widow rents rooms to Ato Tiso, a judge visiting the area from Addis Ababa to rule on local disputes.

[2][7] The novel was received poorly upon its release, including among other writers and intellectuals who challenged its lack of narrative and use of language.

The plot centres on Fitawrary Woldu, an ageing nobleman undertaking a pilgrimage to St Abbo's Shrine on Mount Zuqualla.

[9] Its release in Ethiopia was disrupted amid concerns that it would be censored by the government of Haile Selassie, with small numbers reportedly sold under the counter of the United Nations bookshop in Addis Ababa.

[9] After the revolution Daniachew worked for the Ethiopian Standards Institute, as an external examiner at Addis Ababa University and at the Kuraz Publishing Agency.

Daniachew died of food poisoning at Yekatit 12 Hospital and was buried at the Medhane Alem church in Debre Sina.