Archivists at the Ethiopian National Archives and Library Agency (NALA) have stumbled upon a remarkable collection of old films and audio recordings that had been stored away for decades and nearly forgotten. The discovery was made in the Blatta Merse Hazen Wolde Qirqos Hall during a preservation project aimed at saving Ethiopia’s aging analog media.

Inside dusty vaults better known for storing ancient manuscripts, staff uncovered reels of 35mm and 16mm film, vinyl records with worn Amharic labels, reel-to-reel tapes, cassettes, and VHS tapes. Many of these items had quietly deteriorated over time, yet they contain rare material: early television broadcasts, some of the first locally produced dramas, vintage music recordings, and footage of historical and cultural events once believed lost.

The find coincided with the World Day for Audiovisual Heritage in October 2025 and has sparked excitement among historians, artists, and researchers. Rather than just cataloguing the material, NALA staff see their work as part of a broader effort to reclaim Ethiopia’s modern cultural history. As one representative put it, these sounds and images tell stories that books cannot.

But the condition of the media is fragile. Magnetic tape degrades, film corrodes, and without quick action, much of this history could vanish. A proposal is being discussed to restore and centralize the collection at NALA so it can be preserved and eventually shared with the public.

For linguists, filmmakers, and historians, the discovery offers a rare chance to trace how Ethiopian language, music, and cinema evolved—capturing a chapter of the nation’s memory that was fading in silence.