By Karen Price, WalesOnline.co.uk
AS A boy, Yosef Haimanot escaped the troubles in his Ethiopian homeland by walking for three days through desert to reach the coastal state of Djibouti.
Now, more than 20 years later, he recently returned to Ethiopia with two artists – Matt Clark and Melanie Hobday – to retrace his steps to freedom.
Haimanot, who is now a film-maker based in Wales, has produced his second documentary on his early life, The Impossible Journey.
The project is funded by the Arts Council of Wales, and the results have just gone on display in Cardiff before going on tour.
“Through this project I aimed to induce questions by shedding light on the incredible journeys, sacrifices and often heartbreaking decisions that many of Africa’s citizens have had to make before coming to Wales and by, association, the journeys Welsh citizens have faced over the generations when leaving their homeland in order to start life anew,” says Haimanot.
“I hope that this exhibition will help the audience to take a second look at their own identities, surroundings and sense of place.”
The exhibition is at the Butetown History and Arts Centre in Cardiff Bay until October 30