A show drawing on photographer Cherie Richardson?s new passion for Ethiopia ? as well as from over 1,000 images she took on her recent visit there ? will open at Masterworks tomorrow.

?In the Spirit of Ethiopia? will feature photographs captured by Ms Richardson while travelling in various areas of the country such as Addis Ababa, Bahar Dar, Gondar, Lalibela and Axum.

But the show, to be held in the Museum of Bermuda Art West Gallery, will also include authentic music and dance from the region, a slide presentation and a traditional coffee ceremony to ?re-awaken, revive and rejuvenate one?s spirit?.

Ms Richardson said she was increasingly drawn to Ethiopia as she neared the end of her 20s.

?As I got closer to 30, it was becoming more and more critical for me to journey across to embrace and connect, see, smell, taste, touch and hear ? a complete use of my five senses,? she said.

?After all, it is the birthplace of mankind and the oldest form of human skeletal remains was found in Ethiopia, which is commonly named ?Lucy? ? but to Ethiopians and now myself known as ?Dinqnesh?, pronounced Dan-quin-esh, and interpreted as ?thou art wonderful?.

?I don?t know a more appropriate name for a woman.?

The photographer has travelled to many places around the globe, but said this trip held more resonance.

?This journey was one of the most culturally and historically enriching, life-changing experiences in my lifetime thus far,? she said. ?Ethiopia has always had a special place in my imagination and visiting it was like visiting my Genesis, unearthing the roots of what makes me an African descendant.?

She fell in love with the country, its people and its traditions.

She told the connections she felt were almost immediate.

?The Ethiopian people were all-embracing, hospitable and welcomed me as if I was family,? she said. ?More often than not they thought I was a local and when I spoke what little Amharic I knew, it was harder to convince them that I grew up in the Western World.

?As a matter of fact, while over there I saw several people who resembled or were practically identical to local Bermudians.

?They welcomed me home, they embraced me, thanked me for revisiting generations later. I was deeply moved and stirred by the resilience, perseverance, demure spirit and pride of the Ethiopian people that I befriended, met and visited.

?I was also inspired by several young people and their insatiable desire for learning and their unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I have made life-long connections with Ethiopia.?

To share some of the warmth she felt amongst the Ethiopians, Ms Richardson has elected to include a traditional coffee ceremony in her show.

?It is a time for family, friends, neighbours and or visitors to gather around and spend quality time together,? she said.

The tradition binds together many of the small niceties of the society, she added: ?(There is the) importance of having three cups. The first cup is the strongest, while the second and third is are a little weaker. Several traditions are done in threes and this is no different ... People also greet each other in with triple kisses from check to check to check. I greet you in the name of the father the son and the holy spirit. It?s beautiful.?

Ms Richardson speculated that having three cups of coffee also probably serves to prolong the amount of time the warm people spend in each other?s company.

While the photographer spent only three weeks in Ethiopia on this past trip, she hopes it will be the first of many.

?I travelled with a group of 14 people of which I knew three,? she said. ?Most were members of the local Ethiopian Orthodox Church. A few of them had travelled to Ethiopia before and were familiar with the country and also knew the Amharic language.

?I was truly appreciative for their presence. They taught me how to communicate and effectively barter like the local people. Travelling with the group was a great pleasure and an unforgettable experience.

?I don?t know what it would?ve been like with other people, or travelling with another tour, but what I do know is that my outlook on life has been forever affected and evolved from this experience.?

Part of the proceeds from the sales at her show will be given to an Ethiopian orphanage the photographer visited while she was there.

?It was the faces, places and events of Ethiopia that allowed me to produce the material for this show,? she noted.

Another portion will be donated to The Family Centre, which assists Bermudian families in need.

?My aim is to stimulate and encourage the historical and cultural ties that bind us all together as Africans on the continent and throughout the Diaspora and specifically here in Bermuda,? she said.