The Hatata Inquiries: Two Texts of Seventeenth-Century African Philosophy from Ethiopia about Reason, the Creator, and Our Ethical Responsibilities

Written by Zara Yaqob and Walda Heywat

Translated and edited by Ralph Lee with Mehari Worku, Wendy Laura Belcher, and Jeremy R. Brown; Preface by Dag Herbjørnsrud

Published by De Gruyter in December 2023.

Available for purchase.

The Hatata (Inquiries) are two texts of early African philosophy, written by Zara Yaqob (Zärˀa Yaˁəqob) and Walda Heywat (Wäldä Heywat) in Ethiopia in Gəˁəz in the 1600s.

Lesson Plan

These texts are eminently teachable, suitable for classes in philosophy, history, and literature, especially those with units on African philosophy, the early modern period, African history, or African literature. Email wbelcher@ucla.edu to receive the lesson plan.