Lauren A. Johnson
Illinois State University
Abstract:
Though often overlooked, postage stamps are photographs bearing nationalistic messages to both the residents of a country from which they originate and to the world at large. They are messages from the country's government in pictographic form. In this paper I examine the cartographic postage stamps from Eritrea and Ethiopia as they pertain to the ongoing border conflicts. I trace the conflict to its historical origin- the rise of African nationalism, and address the phenomenon of Eritrean nationalism. Eritrea has a unique form of nationalism; not linked to religion, language or creed. Using semiotics and image analysis I compare Eritrean nationalism with Ethiopian nationalism through the study of cartographic stamps. I conclude with the assertion that Eritrean nationalism is the result of both Italian colonialism and Ethiopian regional dominance while Ethiopian nationalism is the result of shared experiences, which fits the normal global pattern. With the conflict continuing up to present day, a clear understanding of the roots of the conflict is pertinent to understanding the Diaspora of Western Africa.