# Talk:Abebe Bikila

This review is transcluded from Talk:Abebe Bikila/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: HaEr48 (talk · contribs) 06:43, 21 June 2017 (UTC)

Will take this review. Interesting article. HaEr48 (talk) 06:44, 21 June 2017 (UTC)
First round of review.

Image caption “Receiving the Star of Ethiopia”: is it the emperor giving the star? If so, I think his identity is notable enough to be stated in caption
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“Newsreel of the 1964 Olympics”: mention the agency that produced the newsreel, the fact that it’s about Men’s marathon (vs the Olympics in general), and the Abebe’s victory in it in the caption.
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“Abebe again did calisthenics”: describe what calisthenics is, I think many general readers do not know this word.
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“Abebe and Mamo Wolde ran a ceremonial half-marathon”: brief description of Mamo Wolde would be useful
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
Usually country name for the place of birth/death in the infobox uses the country at the time of birth/death. In this case, I think Ethiopian Empire is more appropriate than Ethiopia which links to the modern-day country
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“the German government refused to accept payment for their services”: Who does “they” refer to? The German government? (shouldn’t it be “it”?) What services does the government provide?
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
Explain what  quadriplegic and paraplegia mean at the first mention of those words
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“February 2015 lawsuit filed in.. ”: who were the plaintiffs?
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“Abebe had begun to limp,” has  a citation needed tag  - please resolve.
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
Lead says he enlisted as non-commissioned officer, but how come in 1964 he was “promoted” to corporal, which is lower than NCO?
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
Also, the NCO rank isn’t sourced in lead, and not supported by the article body.
 Done This was caused by my misunderstanding that a private is considered an NCO. He joined as common soldier and was promoted to corporal which is the lowest NCO rank in Ethiopian military. Nonetheless, I have removed any mention of NCO as it is a modern concept in Ethiopian military. —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
The article focuses on Abebe’s career - which is well because he has a brilliant one - but do we know more about his life outside of athletics? E.g. personal life, kids, hobbies, education, political or religious views?
I added more info about his kids (the plaintiffs in Vibram case). Abebe was mostly uneducated (the shepherd persona is well-found). There is little information on his political and religious views. He in fact seems to have avoided being roped into the coup d'état largely because of his disinterest in politics. I am reminded of Forest Gump. —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“Refuting the mythical aspects of his life (especially the circumstances surrounding his accident)”: this is the first time we hear about mythical aspects - can you elaborate?
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
“According to Tim Lewis”: describe who Lewis is?
 Done —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk)
Overall an interesting article, well-sourced. copyvio and OR unlikely. Some comments above about the prose, captions and scope. HaEr48 (talk) 04:13, 22 June 2017 (UTC)

@HaEr48: I believe I have address a vast majority of the issues you have raised. I agree his personal life needs work before reaching FA level. There are rumors of mistresses and perhaps two other children (no RS to corroborate, the rest of the family does not recognize their claim). I also believe the oldest and perhaps now deceased legitimate child not named in this article, was actually named Dawit (David). But I cannot comfortably add this without some OR and SYNTH. —አቤል ዳዊት?(Janweh64) (talk) 07:08, 29 June 2017 (UTC)
Thanks for your updates, Janweh64. I've checked them and I agree that they address my concerns. I'm happy to pass this nomination. Good work on this interesting biography. HaEr48 (talk) 01:54, 1 July 2017 (UTC)

I would like to propose the following clarifications and additions to enhance accuracy regarding Abebe Bikila’s family background, naming convention, and ethnic identity. ==


### 1. Family & Parentage
The athlete was born on 7 August 1932 in the village of Jato, in Shewa Province, Ethiopia. 
His father is cited in several sources as Bikila Demissie. 
His mother is often cited as Wudinesh (or Widnesh) Menberu. 
After his parents’ separation his mother remarried a soldier of the Imperial Guard named Wodajo Bikila (or similar variant) who acted as his step‑father and mentor figure.
Important note: Ethiopian naming convention means that “Bikila” in “Abebe Bikila” refers to his father’s first name, not a hereditary surname. Therefore the name reflects his biological father (Bikila Demissie) rather than implying the step‑father is the father.
Suggested wording for inclusion:
> “His father is widely cited as Bikila Demissie and his mother as Wudinesh Beneberu. After their separation his mother married Wodajo Bikila, who became his step‑father and mentor. The name ‘Bikila’ in Abebe Bikila follows Ethiopian tradition, indicating he is ‘Abebe, son of Bikila (Demissie)’.

It may also be worth adding a “Notes” or “Alternative accounts” subsection, since some sources list variant father names (e.g., “Bikila Waqjira”) which introduces ambiguity. 


### 2. Ethnic & Cultural Background
Although many articles omit or pass over his ethnic origin, the available evidence supports that Abebe Bikila was ethnically Amhara.
His birthplace (Jato, Shewa) lies in a region historically dominated by Amhara culture. 
He spoke Amharic and practised the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian faith, both predominant in Amhara society.

Because of older sources and name‑sounds, there is confusion: for example, an article argues his father was “Bikila Waqjira” and uses this to claim Oromo identity. 
Proposed wording to add to the article:
> “Although the names of his parents (for example ‘Bikila’, ‘Demissie’, ‘Meneberu’) may resemble naming patterns found in Oromo‑speaking communities of Shewa, the preponderance of biographical evidence (birthplace, language, religion, upbringing) indicates that Abebe Bikila was of Amhara heritage.”

This helps to correct misconceptions that might arise purely from name‑sound similarity.


### 3. Why This Clarification Matters
Ensures the article reflects accurate cultural and historical context for a major athletic figure.
Avoids misleading readers who might assume ethnicity based solely on name similarity.
Honors Abebe Bikila’s identity and roots accurately, which is important for Ethiopian and African sport history.


### 4. Sources & Further Reading
Below are sources for reference. Wikipedia editors should check for full citation details and reliability:
“Abebe Bikila,” Encyclopaedia Britannica. 
“Biography of Abebe Bikila – AssignmentPoint.” 
“Abebe Bikila – Ethiotrans.com” (bio page). 
“The Folklore of Identity Theft: Restorying Abebe Biqila,” Advocacy for Oromia. 
“Remembering Shambel Abebe Bikila” – Observer Voice. 

Editors may wish to source additional academic works, Ethiopian athletics history books, or family archives to strengthen these sections further.


### 5. Suggested Edits to the Article
1. In the Early life and family section: add names of father and mother, and mention step‑father.

2. Add a brief description of Ethiopian naming convention (father’s first name becomes child’s second name) to explain how “Bikila” functions in his name.

3. Insert the sentence under Ethnic/Cultural Background above.

4. Add a notes or alternative accounts subsection to cover name/ethnicity ambiguity.

5. Provide citations for the added information. Yordanos.1 (talk) 08:55, 30 October 2025 (UTC)