The “Awassa” region includes more than fifty different nationalities from the nationalities of southern Ethiopia, and is considered one of the smallest lakes in the “Rift Valley” region.
On the shores of Lake Awasa, fishermen abound to prepare the seafood popular in the area.
The area teems with different animals, birds and plants, and is known to the Ethiopians as “Lake of Love”.
Wawasa is a large or wide body of water. This is what the name of the city means in the language of the Sidama peoples, since the city saw the light as the capital of Sidamo County in 1968 AD.
This came after obtaining its cultural and knowledge assets through Lake Awasa, one of the smallest lakes in the Rift Valley, which gave the city an unmistakable beauty, especially when it comes to sunrise, charming nature, and the sails of fishing boats loaded with fish.
“This place has been in constant activity since the founding of the Fishermen’s Association, which has a membership of 500 as well as 780 others who benefit from the presence of an ever-expanding market due to the increase in population,” said Dawit Abraham, Chief Fisherman in Awasa.
He added, “The catch coming to the market reaches no less than eight thousand fish, which may increase or decrease depending on the climate conditions, but in any case we can cover local consumption as we export other quantities to the capital, Addis Ababa, and prices also rise and fall according to supply and demand situations, but they are in Everything is within everyone’s reach.”
In turn, Cassette Tdiso, the owner of a fish restaurant, said: “I have been working here providing fish meals for many years. Our lives are linked to the lake and fishing, and we cannot do without them. We are keen to preserve these resources, as they are our source of livelihood, just as we cannot do without fish, as they are Our staple food throughout the day.
However, the lake, which covers a large part of the city, still needs to legalize the work of fishermen, reduce the risks of work and expand the production dates, especially since the number of fishermen is constantly increasing due to the lack of job opportunities in other fields.
All this requires the local authorities to provide facilities in the areas of awareness and training, especially since the resource generates income for the treasury of the region.
In this context, Dawit Abraham, head of fishermen in Awasa, said: “The government is working on training fishermen according to goals that are in their entirety for the benefit of fishermen, especially those related to the sustainable development of resources.”
He continued, “In addition to the research carried out by specialists, the number of fishermen is increasing, and the government is helping them in many needs to develop work, as well as helping fishermen’s associations and funding some related projects and activities.”
He concluded by saying, “The market that you can enter with a symbolic amount represents a suitable place for young people to earn a living and an outlet that reduces the pressures of daily life due to the lack of job opportunities in a region where more than half of its residents are young.”
The fish market is one of the most important tourist attractions that every visitor to the city of Awasa should go to. At a time when fishermen unload their catch on the shore of the lake, gulls and birds begin a similar day of toil and work in pursuit of their food.
Here, nature is in its most beautiful form, where boats roam the surface of the lake loaded with tourists and visitors for the purpose of hiking and watching creatures, aquatic weeds, birds and seagulls.
This encouraged the authorities to provide an environment conducive to tourism, as it is an important source in providing livelihoods for the population and safe conditions in resorts designated for rest and recreation away from the noise and hustle and bustle of life.
For his part, Ebbi Tafsi, official of culture and tourism in Sidama region, said: “The relationship between the residents and the lake is an old and intimate one, as they call it the Lake of Love under the pretext that its banks are a meeting place for lovers, and its waters are free from predators.”
Because tourism has become an industry, the Sidama region, in which Lake Awasa is located, has been able to provide attractions in natural places free of pollution and climate fluctuations, with permanent greenery around it, and regular flights, especially for foreign tourists wishing to discover new places whose environments are not available in their countries. .
Not far from the fish market, you will find Mora Qadal Park, which is most interesting in watching wildlife on nature, especially the types of monkeys that people are familiar with and familiar with, which makes communication with them easy.
In this context, Akhlilo Casa, an activist in the culture of nature, said: “This place is not only intended for the convenience of residents and citizens, but also there are many animals that live here in one way or another among the population, and these animals that you see live on the fruits of trees and fruits, as well as what they offer.” Residents dine as a pastime, and visitors who come here enjoy sights of the diverse fauna.”
Taking a boat trip to see the birds and creatures that have made the lake their home, sitting on the banks to enjoy the scenery, and following the golden rays of the sun on Mount Tabor as it bids farewell to the city towards sunset will make your trip to Awasa the most memorable city in Abyssinia.
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