People of Tigre
Tigré-speaking people who share a common heritage with the Christian Tigrinya-speaking people, who founded the ancient kingdom of Aksum in present-day Ethiopia. Both the Tigréand the Tigrinya languages are related to Ge'ez, the ancient liturgical language of Ethiopia. The two peoples and the two languages are sometimes confused by outsiders. Thus, the Muslim Tigréare sometimes called the northern Tigre in order to distinguish them from the Tigrinya speakers who live to the south. It is thought that the ancestors of the Tigrémigrated into the region shortly before the first century. The nomadic pastoralist Tigré, however, were converted to Islam by Muslim traders who brought Islam to the lands bordering the Dahlak Islands and down the coast shortly after the start of the eighth century. Politically, the Tigréare organized into clans based on family ties.
Family life
Tigreans believe children are the gift of God. Most will have as many children as they can, even if resources are scarce to support the family. Family planning is not commonly practiced. Most Eritrean parents do not talk about sex with their children. Girls who menstruate before marriage are thought to be no longer virgins; many will hide menstruation. Pregnancy before marriage is absolutely unacceptable to Tigreans. It is considered morally wrong and a disgrace for the family and the village.
What Are Their Lives Like?
The nomadic Tigre raise cattle, goats, sheep, and camels. These animals are sold in the markets, and the earnings are used to buy essential items. The nomads do not live in villages but roam about the countryside with their herds. They live in round huts, usually covered with mats made of woven goat or camel hair.
The semi-nomadic Tigre usually spend half the year in the northern highlands and the other half in the western lowlands. Their villages usually have only two or three huts. Their huts are also round and are covered with mats made of woven goat hair. They also tend livestock, usually cattle and goats.
The settled Tigre farmers raise corn, sorghum, wheat, barley, legumes, and linseed. They live in villages, and their homes are usually round with cone-shaped roofs made of branches and leaves. The walls are typically made of palm mats. Most of the farmers raise goats and, occasionally, cattle. Oxen, mules, and donkeys are used as pack animals. With unpredictable amounts of rainfall and families averaging seven children, many Tigre are dependent on government aid for survival.
The Tigre's traditional animal skin clothing has now been almost entirely replaced with commercial clothes. Their diet consists of dairy products, fruit, grain, and some slaughtered stock. The men tend the livestock while the women carry water from local water holes, build the huts, and care for the children. Tigre women like to wear jewelry, especially silver bracelets and strings of pearls. They also prefer to make their clothing from colored cloth, which is available at trading markets. Tobacco, coffee, and beer are frequent indulgences.
Tigre society is patrilineal, which means that the line of descent is traced through the males. Marriages are arranged by the parents; however, wedding customs have varied somewhat since the Tigre converted to Islam. Some of the people now adhere to Islamic customs, while others continue to follow the traditional customs. Members of a tribe usually follow the same set of rites and customs.
WEDDINGS
Among the Tigre ethnic group, marriage is intimately connected to the financial and social well being of families. Marriages may be arranged, even before birth, among affluent families strictly for the purpose of keeping their wealth in the family. However, if two families are experiencing a blood feud, they may settle their agreement through a marriage alliance. Also, if a poor man is able to marry off his daughter to a wealthy man in order to pull his family out of financial difficulty, he will do so. Tigre parents have the final say in their children's marriage arrangements. Such agreements are preceded by many lengthy familial consultations, which include everyone's opinion except those who are to marry.
However, in many Tigre villages, practices are changing as a result of influences from both Catholic and Protestant churches. Ethnic border influences and geographical differences among Tigre communities have created variations in how marriages are arranged and conducted.
Among the Tigre, marriages between two closely related people may take place. This allows families to keep family wealth within a close circle. In some Tigre communities, people may not marry if they are blood-related within seven generations.
Music and dance
Songs are usually celebratory in nature, and sung on such special occasions as weddings, holidays, and religious festivals.
Singing is usually accompanied by clapping hands and the beating of the kabaro, while celebrants dance together in a circle. Everyone joins in the sesie(barej), or circle dance, which often occurs spontaneously when a joyous event occurs. Dancing the sesiet(barej) is a boisterous activity, which builds in momentum as the rhythms of songs increase in tempo and the beating of the kabaro grows faster. More and more family members and friends join in a large circle, which moves slowly around. Singing and dancing is accompanied by a great deal of laughter and joking, and spirits remain high among the participants.
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