Heritage of Tigrayan Betä Israelites in Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia
Heritage of Tigrayan Betä Israelites in Northwestern Tigray, Ethiopia
Friyat Angesom Kidane
Negasi Awetehey Nega
Betä Israelites in Ethiopia have a debated origin and history. This debated nature and the need to preserve Tigrayan values prompted the researchers to work on this heritage documentation. Tigrayan Betä Israelites lived in northwestern and western Tigray, Wolqait areas. The objective of this paper, therefore, is to explore and promote the heritage of Tigrayan Betä Israelites in the Northwestern zone of Tigray. To achieve the objective, the researchers assessed historical sources and conducted a pedestrian survey in the villages where Betä Israelites lived. The areas where the community lived are: Ajeramera (Taḥtay Qoraro), Tierer (Taḥatay Adiabo), Gudulo or Erer (Taḥtay Adiabo), May Weyni (Ǝndabaguna), Semema (Taḥaty Qoraro), ʿAddi awuala (Tahtay Adiabo), ʿAddi Hageray (Tahtay Adiabo), Mäntäbtäb (Sheraro, Taḥtay Adiabo), May Tsebri (villages in May Anbessa, ʿAddi Wäsäne, and May ʿAyni). Out of these villages, only four are with conspicuous pieces of evidence. The villages with material evidence are Tierer, Ajeramera, Gudulo (Erer), and May ʿAyni in Ǝndabaguna. The material heritages documented are burials, ruins of praying houses, and metal workshop areas. The available material evidence is under serious deterioration due to various factors. The heritages need urgent mechanisms of sustaining the material evidence such that urgent fencing and sheltering measures are required.