It was “Day 8” of Untamed Borders’ Horn of Africa – Ethiopia and Somaliland itinerary. I spent the past three days discovering Ethiopia’s famous Tigray Region [see post: Ancient Africa: Mek’ele to Axum]. After a flight from Axum to Dire Dawa via Addis Ababa, the group and I met our new guide and driver and headed east by road to the medieval city of Harar.
The Hyena Man of Harar
We arrived in Harar by nightfall. Instead of heading to the hotel, we asked our guide and driver to take us to meet the Hyena Man.
Hyenas roam freely around the walled city of Harar. In the 1960s, a farmer started feeding hyenas to keep them away from his livestock. That farmer became the first “Hyena Man”. As the years went by, the practice turned into a permanent occurrence. Decades later, the Hyena Man passed down the tradition to his son, Abbas Yusuf.
Every night, Abbas calls for the wild animals to come eat. Per the Hyena Man himself, hyenas have never attacked the people of Harar after his father started feeding them. Abbas developed a bond with the hyenas; feeding the wild animals directly from his mouth was the ultimate display of trust. Over the years, the family’s work has turned into, well, an attraction.
We spent at least an hour feeding hyenas with the Hyena Man – we all wanted that famous shot mouth-feeding a wild hyena. Sitting on a rock next to Abbas, I nervously waited for a hyena to approach me. Straight from the bush, the leader of the pack snuck up behind me. As she patiently waited for the meat with her paws on my back, I could hear and feel her breathing. Such a unique, yet thrilling experience.
In and Around the Walled City of Harar
“Day 9” was our only full day in Harar.
Harar is not only famous for its hyenas; the ancient city is also considered by some to be the fourth holiest city in Islam.
Harar was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site to highlight its unique character, which captures the African and Islamic culture of its habitants. Inside of the Walled City, medieval townhouses and a hundred or so mosques are connected by over three hundred narrow alleyways.
The city’s walls, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, even have small entrances in them to allow the hyenas to enter at night.
We spent the first half of the day getting lost inside of the maze. We visited a museum, coffee factory, and orphanage before meeting our driver.
On the other side of the wall, several markets line the fortified city.
Our guide led us around the markets before leaving us for the day.
After another night with the Hyena Man, we packed our bus and headed for the Ethiopia-Somaliland border early the next morning. [see post: SomaliLAND, Not Somalia]
