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The Life and Struggles of Our Mother Walatta Petros: A Seventeenth-Century African Biography of an Ethiopian Woman
The first English translation of the earliest book-length biography of an African woman
This is the hardcover scholarly edition of the award-winning English translation of the earliest-known book-length biography of an African woman, and one of the few lives of an African woman written by Africans before the nineteenth century. As such, it provides an exceedingly rare and valuable picture of the experiences and thoughts of Africans, especially women, before the modern era. It is also an extraordinary account of a remarkable life--full of vivid dialogue, heartbreak, and triumph.
The Life and Struggles of Our Mother Walatta Petros (1672) tells the story of an Ethiopian saint who led a successful nonviolent movement to preserve African Christian beliefs in the face of European protocolonialism. When the Jesuits tried to convert the Ethiopians from their ancient form of Christianity, Walatta Petros (1592-1642), a noblewoman and the wife of one of the emperor's counselors, risked her life by leaving her husband, who supported the conversion effort, and leading the struggle against the Jesuits. After her death, her disciples wrote this book, praising her as a friend of women, a devoted reader, a skilled preacher, and a radical leader. One of the earliest stories of African resistance to European influence, this biography also provides a picture of domestic life, including Walatta Petros's life-long relationship with a female companion.
Richly illustrated with dozens of color illustrations from early manuscripts, this groundbreaking volume provides an authoritative and highly readable translation along with an extensive introduction. Other features include a chronology of Walatta Petros's life, maps, a comprehensive glossary, and detailed notes on textual variants.
This is the hardcover scholarly edition of the award-winning English translation of the earliest-known book-length biography of an African woman, and one of the few lives of an African woman written by Africans before the nineteenth century. As such, it provides an exceedingly rare and valuable picture of the experiences and thoughts of Africans, especially women, before the modern era. It is also an extraordinary account of a remarkable life--full of vivid dialogue, heartbreak, and triumph.
The Life and Struggles of Our Mother Walatta Petros (1672) tells the story of an Ethiopian saint who led a successful nonviolent movement to preserve African Christian beliefs in the face of European protocolonialism. When the Jesuits tried to convert the Ethiopians from their ancient form of Christianity, Walatta Petros (1592-1642), a noblewoman and the wife of one of the emperor's counselors, risked her life by leaving her husband, who supported the conversion effort, and leading the struggle against the Jesuits. After her death, her disciples wrote this book, praising her as a friend of women, a devoted reader, a skilled preacher, and a radical leader. One of the earliest stories of African resistance to European influence, this biography also provides a picture of domestic life, including Walatta Petros's life-long relationship with a female companion.
Richly illustrated with dozens of color illustrations from early manuscripts, this groundbreaking volume provides an authoritative and highly readable translation along with an extensive introduction. Other features include a chronology of Walatta Petros's life, maps, a comprehensive glossary, and detailed notes on textual variants.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1672
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 16, 2018
Great translated work about an Ethiopian saint from the early modern period. Belcher and Kleiner have worked on redefining the history of religion and gender roles in Africa from the missionary perspective.
November 15, 2025
This was quite convoluted to get through at times, but I do very much appreciate the story of Walatta Petros (WP), or rather, the first African woman whose life is told through a hagiography, or RATHER the seventeenth-century African woman likeness of Jesus Christ. I particularly enjoyed reading through the consequences imposed upon anyone who speaks against her position, and her free will/agency in selecting these repercussions according to each circumstance. WP is very humble and resilient, so I can understand why God has faith in her and protects her whenever necessary. Though I do wonder: does she even need to channel God in performing her miracles or are the latter completely reliant on trusting God? Would these miracles be possible without God's will and mercy, since WP has established 7 communities? This is interesting to me as an atheist, though WP's ethos is based on Orthodox Christianity so she directly invokes God to bring forth HER wisdom as a spiritual leader. I guess my questions are quite speculative, but regardless I am in awe of WP's Divine presence, and I wish more people knew her story in its entirety. Her post-death experience was quite intriguing too, as an eternal light is cast amid her transition to the afterlife/Heaven.
October 24, 2020
I heard about this book on a podcast and thought it would be interesting. I can't speak to how well it was translated, though I have heard some disputes in that regard.
I am only slightly familiar with other hagiographies, though what I have read before is more stories from them included in other works. I wanted to see if one that came from Africa felt different than what I have read from Europe. Speaking as one who is not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, it did feel different. There were interpretations of scripture that are not the ones I am accustomed to and she was more rough around the edges than other saints I've read about. It was fascinating.
I am only slightly familiar with other hagiographies, though what I have read before is more stories from them included in other works. I wanted to see if one that came from Africa felt different than what I have read from Europe. Speaking as one who is not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, it did feel different. There were interpretations of scripture that are not the ones I am accustomed to and she was more rough around the edges than other saints I've read about. It was fascinating.
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October 29, 2018281.75092 G124 2015
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews