My name is Qal Fessehaye. The government and doctors know me by Kalkidan Fessehaye.
I’ve been writing officially since 2014 and unofficially since the 2000s. You can expect a mirage of random things on this blog — from personal anecdotes, to opinion pieces, to a smattering of poetry and stories.
I'm here with a hope for some sense of order to the chaotic experience that is being alive in 21st century Addis Ababa as a 20-some years old creative. I draw from my personal experience and from the experiences of the people around me in my writings. I like to discuss the complex cultural and moral “in-between” most young Africans find ourselves in. I’ve had several failed projects and I am not perfect, but I like to be honest about the struggles as well as the beautiful moments of this experience.
A bit about my work
I write for money sometimes. I'm also a video content producer/filmmaker. I co-own a media production company in Addis Ababa where I’ve been able to create different high level projects that have reached millions.
I have extensive experience writing for Tv and producing media for digital platforms including music videos and podcasts I’ve had the pleasure of producing. You can find a few of them here. I’ve had some screenplays made into films and I’ve also had some of my writings and poetry showcased alongside different photography exhibitions.
A bit about me
I live in Addis Ababa. I enjoy live music, sitting aside water bodies and looking up at the sky. I am going to write a novel before I die.
My Newsletters Here
Demaq Against The World is a serialized fiction that follows a group of young urbanites in Addis as they attempt to find success, love and a sense of belonging in a changing city. It will publish weekly starting June 18th.
Circling Qalat is my principal blog where you’ll get my commentary, little essays and things. I’ve been writing under Circling Qalat for close to a decade but only moved it to substack in October 2023. I’ve grown both as a writer and a thinker while creating blogs for Circling Qalat and I hope I continue to do so well in the future.
3 Questions is a segment where I share some wonderful artists and their works with you in no more than three questions. (Although sometimes I cheat and ask about more than one thing in one question)
Would You Like to Support My Work?
You can become a paid subscriber where for a small fee, I will be able to send you little perks and gifts including my monthly, experimental zine TOMAR starting July, 2025.
