Fantaye Tessema is the only known female masinko player in the past 40 years of Ethiopian musical scene. She was the member of the Lalibela folk band that was founded in 1978.
After 12 years, in 1991, at the turn of regime change the band became dissolved and most of the members abandoned their musical career.
And for the past two years, the band’s masinko player, Fantaye Tessema has been engaged in menial work at Piassa in Addis Ababa. Recently, as she told the Amharic weekly Addis Admass newspaper, Fantaye has returned to her musical career as the Lalibela folk band reestablished.
She is now getting a 1700 Br salary at the band.
