N. 16 Periodico Culturale dell’Associazione Onlus Italia Eritrea dicembre 2013 /Aut. 29/2010 Poste Italiane S.p.a. Spedizione in Abbonamento Postale - D.L. 353/2003 (conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n. 46) art. 1 comma 2-DCB-AC/RM Abbonamento Postale - D.L. 353/2003 (conv. Poste Italiane S.p.a. Spedizione in Foto Lusci SOMMARIO pag. Iter Editoriale .................................................... 3 Lidia Corbezzolo Eritrea Experiencing Debresina ............................ 4 PERIODICO CULTURALE DELL’ASSOCIAZIONE Daniel Semere ITALIA ERITREA ONLUS Trimestrale - Reg. Trib. di Roma 87/2005 del 9/03/2005 Eritrea: A Glance at Traditional Via Dei Gracchi, 278 - 00192 Roma Wickerwork ........................................... 6 Tel. 348 40 67 111 - Fax 06 32 43 823 Yosief Abraham www.assiter.org - e.mail: [email protected] MaTea: The Anchor of Modern Direttore responsabile: Lidia Corbezzolo Eritrean Music ....................................... 8 Redazione: Lidia Corbezzolo, Nahom Haile, Pier Luigi Mew ail Weld emichael Manocchio, Franco Piredda The Ancient Adulis .................................... 10 In collaborazione: Daniel Semere Marriage Customs in Eritrea ...................... 11 Daniel Semere A Glance Into The Holy Month Of Ramadan... .............................................. 12 Meron Abraha Afar Traditional Wedding ........................... 14 Meron Abraha Archivio fotografico: Antioco Lusci Progetto grafico e Stampa: Arti Grafiche San Marcello S.r.l. Viale Regina Margherita, 176 - 00198 Roma Abbonamento annuale euro 25,00 Ass.Iter Onlus c/c postale n. 84275023 Finito di stampare: dicembre 2013 In copertina: monaci di Debresina (foto Lusci) Hanno collaborato a questo numero: Lidia Corbezzolo, Nahom Haile, Antioco Lusci, Daniel Semere, Meron Abraha, Mewail Weldemichael, Yosief Abraham eritreaeritrea.com Istituto di Cultura Eritrea EDITORIALE di Lidia Corbezzolo Carissimi Amici e Carissime Amiche partecipare l’Eritrea al corso culturale a Nairobi-Kenya. Nel 2013, anche se a piccoli passi, siamo anda- ti avanti: il Cammino del Nostro Volontariato è SIATE SEMPRE CON NOI, “I BAMBINI sempre in salita. Ma noi siamo fiduciosi nella ED I GIOVANI CI ASPETTANO, NON Provvidenza, nel Vostro Aiuto e nel Nostro DELUDIAMOLI, NON FACCIAMO Impegno. MANCARE LORO IL NOSTRO SOSTE- GNO”. Il Progetto Asmara Benefiting Sport Activities procede bene, abbiamo potuto anche, grazie Nel segno della Solidarietà e dell’Amicizia Vi all’aiuto economico della Dott.ssa Gargano far auguro Buon Natale e Felice Anno 2014. 3 EXPERIENCING DEBRESINA by Daniel Semere ritrean Religion prominent historical sites in the country, one of History: Eritrea is them being the Monastery of Debra Sina. E endowed with sev- Situated in the Eritrean highlands, just around eral and different historical 18 kilometers east of the town of Elabered, on and cultural monuments the Asmara-Keren road, the Monastery of that stand witness to the Debre Sina is a site of pilgrimage by Eritrean historical wealth of the Orthodox Tewahdo believers each year in the nation and its people. month of June. Every patch of land has a profound history to The Debre Sina pilgrimage includes thousands narrate and tell; every corner of the country of ordinary Eritrean believers camping for one embraces histories within its belly. Eritrea’s night in the village of Debra Sina, singing, population is diverse, reflecting many lan- drumming, chanting and celebrating the Virgin guages, cultures, religions yet living together Mary. with harmony under the umbrella of unity. The journey from Elabered to Debre Sina is This unity makes the people even stronger with quite an arduous one. One has to climb to the each passing day. Eritreans are also known for monastery through a steep slope dry weather their friendly and generous nature, not to men- road; very challenging for buses to go through. tion their unique trait of hospitality, which has During the celebration in which it is common been a trademark characteristic for years. to see more than 300 buses and countless small- Eritrea is also endowed with natural and cul- er cars making their way to the monastery. tural heritages that are appealing and attractive Many more pilgrims also go on foot all the 18 to tourists. Beautiful landscapes in the high- kilometers, climbing the hill and carrying their lands and lowlands, valleys, mountains, hills, food and drink. Even though the journey is and ridges are awe inspiring to anyone who exhausting, they manage to reach their destina- happened to visit those places. The picturesque tion safely. The pilgrims do not only come from landscapes, which are seasonally blanketed by inside the country many Eritrean from green carpets of grass, flowers and bushes, are Diaspora also come here to join the pilgrimage. indeed breathtaking to the viewers and a sooth- ing sight to the sore eyes. The cultural relics including remains of houses and household utensils to architectural ruins, tracing their times to ancient human civiliza- tions are found in this very land, spreading in every corner of the country. There are different historical places: the Steles of Metera and Qohaito; the monasteries of Debre Sina, Ham and Debre Bizen; Mariam Dearit; the Liberation Struggle trenches in Nakfa; rock paintings in Karura; ancient ports of Zula and Adulis… the list goes on. The Anseba Region is home to some of the most 4 one another, the safely to their respective homes and to have a good rainy season. What the mothers were asking St. Mary through their songs all the way were really heart touching and astonishing. Both Muslims and Christians make the pilgrimage to Debre Sina. The landscape inside the monastery is unbe- lievable. Every rock you see seems to be carved out by a great architect. The pilgrims continue praying all the way into the night and the net day. Despite the freezing night air, the pilgrims were kept praying and chanting praise hymns. The older, inner part of the church (which I also witnessed the generosity of Eritreans. unlike many monasteries in Eritrea is open to People, I think they were inhabitants of the both men and women) is hewn from rock and, area, were offering free water and food to those according to local tradition, is 2100 years old. who were climbing on foot. They welcomed The troglodyte dwellings of the 60 nuns and these complete strangers to their house for priests who live there can be visited. shelter. Some of the inhabitants were also One of the oldest religious sites in Africa, offering Siwa (traditional drink) to anyone thought to date from the 6th Century AD, who passed by their doors. Debre Sina could play a great role in reviving When we reached the monastery, everybody the tourism industry in Eritrea. And for that to was so relieved to reach at the top of the moun- happen, we have to work hard towards devel- tain. Finding a parking lot was another difficult oping the basic infrastructure and especially mission. After getting off the buses and cars, the road that leads to the monastery. The everyone starts packing and arranging their Ministry of Tourism has to work relentlessly to things, then walk for about a kilometer to the guarantee easier and more comfortable accessi- church, call the time carrying our belongings. bility to the place, so as to make it a tourist-lur- Once again, I observed the kindness of the ing site. youth and children of that area. They ask you if you need any help and offer their hands to sup- port to carry your belongings. You feel so proud to be part of this harmonious and loving people. When we reached to our final destination, we could see down to where the buses were parked. There you can’t help but notice how all those buses made out that almost triangular shape of Eritrea. Everybody was happy and cheered with amazement. The pilgrims were singing praising song all the way the 83 kilometer starting from Asmara. The themes of their songs were God to bless Eritrea, peace to prevail, to have peace and love with Daniel Semere, is a researcher at Research and Documentation Center, he is also a columnist in Eritrean profile. 5 ERITREA: A GLANCE AT TRADITIONAL WICKERWORK by Yosief Abraham magine what possibilities the highlanders open markets of Agordat and Keren abundant- in Eritrea could have had, if such numer- ly. After buying it from the market at afford- I ous wickerwork products had not been able price, our mothers take it home. After part of their daily lifestyles? thinking cautiously, they start to exert their skills in accomplishing such eye-capturing tra- As it is commonly known, most of the Eritrean ditional wickerwork. families households feature utensils made of the leaves of arkobkobay (doum tree), highly Therefore, when ready to start the tedious prevalent in the Eritrean lowlands. And work of crafting, the women soak the lakha in assuredly, during your first pace to a tradition- water to make it flexible. And some well skilled al home in the Eritrean highlands, take for women use a colored powder which needs to be granted the fact that your eyes will witness the mixed in hot water. And as a result of this, the existence of Mesob, conical shaped wicker- leaves get good looking colors known as kihe work with platform tslmi, certainly. for holding injera, a typical food staple Another interested among Eritreans. researcher, Marcel What really takes Claxton, has also me by storm of detailed about this interest about in his article entitled Mesob is the fact “Eritrea: The Other that it consummates New Horizon for a lot of time and Tourists (The skill to make. Chronicle of Travelers’, p.21, Meanwhile, the 2009). He elaborat- skills to prepare ed clearly that the such traditional spiral structure on wickerwork are not which the lakha is easy and are truly wound is called laborious. In the edni. One uses an initial stage, you awl to pierce holes expect to take in the edni to make leaves of the doum the lakha which tree and allow a lastly describe as a time till it became complete revolution fully dried.