Eritrea

Eritrea is an ancient name, the term “Eritrea” derives from the Greek term Sinus Erythraeus, which can be translated in English as Red Sea. Eritrea is country of the horn of Africa, located on the Red Sea

Independence

1557	The Ottoman empire made Eritrea one of its colonies and colonised it for 300 years.
1865	The Egyptian Khedevites took over Eritrea from the Turks
1882-1941	Italians colonized Eritrea
1941-1952	The British rule over Eritrea
1952-1962	The UN forced Eritrea federation with Ethiopia by the Resolution 390-A(V)
15-09-1953	Eritrean Constitution during the federation was drafted.
01-09-1961	Starting of the Eritrean armed straggle for Independence.
14-11-1962	Emperor Hailesellasies of Ethiopia has forcibly dissolved the Eritrean Assembly and illegally annexed Eritrea as its province
24-05-1991	Ethiopian armed forces were forced out of the country and Asmara was liberated.
22-04-1993 to 23-04-1993	Finally the Eritrean people had the chance to determine his own future through a UN referendum (99.908% voted for independence).

Asmara

The capital city, Asmara, is a testament to our architectural heritage, cosmopolitan charm and is famous for its Italian style structures

Eritrean People

Eritrea’s population consists of nine ethnic groups. Namely, Tigrinya, Tigre, Saho, Kunama, Nara, Afar, Hidareb, Bilen and Rashaida, each of which has its own language.

Afar: Primarily pastoralists who inhabit areas of southern Red Sea. They are Muslims and organized in strong clans.

Bilen: Traditionally farmers, populate Keren and its immediate surrounding. Their social structure is organized by kinship groups. There are equal numbers of Christians and Muslims.

Hedareb: Cushtic Beja (T’bdawie) semi nomadic pastoralists specializing in raising camels and cattle. They are found in the western lowlands.

Kunama: They are mainly found in villages between the Gash River and in Barentu. They are Nilotic and renowned dancers having developed more than 25 different dancing forms. They are mainly Christians and Muslims with some traditional believers.

Nara: Nilotic, they live in the area east of the Gash River. They have mixed culture similar to that of the Kunama’s. They are Muslim.

Rashaida: Most recent tribe to come to Eritrea from the Arabian Peninsula. They are predominantly nomadic people who live along the Northern Red Sea coast. They are Muslim.

Saho: They occupy the territory on the south-eastern slopes of the highlands as far as the coastal plains south of Massawa. They are small scale farmers who emphasize in bee-keeping. They are Muslims and Christians.

Tigre: They cover a large area of the northern, north-eastern and western Eritrea. Their oral literature consists of folklores, legendary war cries, riddles, etc. They are Muslims and Christians.

Tigrinya: Populate the highlands of Eritrea and are mostly farmers. They are mostly Coptic Christians, Catholics and Protestants. A small group of Muslims also form part of the ethnic group.

Tigrinya

Tigrinya primarily spoken in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia. With over 6.9 million speakers worldwide, Tigrinya is a testament to the rich cultural heritage of its people. Experience the unique blend of ancient influences and modern usage that makes Tigrinya a fascinating study for language enthusiasts

Bun Ceremony

The term “bun” is a word for coffee⁴. The ceremony is a time for socialization and is typically held in the company of family and close friends. The coffee is brewed in three rounds: the first round is called “awel”, the second “kale’i”, and the third “baraka”, which means ‘to be blessed’.