Category: Entertainment

Do you remember your favorite childhood memory of food? Perhaps it was a flavorful sweet treat or a crunchy savory meal. You may have dived into it with a fork and knife or ripped open the package and eaten it all! Some of us were inclined to share with our siblings or friends, maybe all reaching into the same bag or plate. Whatever your memory is of your favorite food, we can agree that, for most, food is such a presence in much of our lives and is integrated into our stories, history, and culture. So many great moments of life or even moments we would rather forget may have a food memory connected to them – like birthday parties and favorite cakes! While we think of food as a necessary form of sustenance, which is true, it’s more than that. It often acts as a tying bond and shared experience for people and, many times, can help transcend differences, express the uniqueness of culture – and sustain the human connection.

Meadi is not easily translated. This Tigrinya word – and (there are equivalents in other Eritrean languages, such as Metaagal in Tigre) – is commonly used to describe food served on a communal plate. However, more nuanced meanings go beyond using it to describe the type of foods being served. Meadi describes a common cultural practice that brings people together around a meal. Some of my fondest memories of life were created while seated around a communal plate that held my family’s meal. The plate was placed on, traditionally, a pyramid-shaped –straw-thatched table. Family members gathered around the table, and we waited for a blessing, often given by my father or an elder before they tore a sizeable piece of injera and offered some to all who gathered to eat. Then, my siblings and I each tore a piece, using two hands, and placed the plain of injera into our mouths. This ritual was an indication to us that we could begin eating.

Meadi, for as long as I could remember, meant a cessation of any arguments and fights as this was frowned upon. Often the first time that we gathered after a day of outside activities, it meant the opportunity to hear the stories of others or quietly appreciate the tastiness. Communal plate eating is not unique to just families or individual homes. Whether festive or not, meadi is often the center of the gathering during social occasions. During celebrations, like weddings, there are unspoken guidelines around how the community conducts meadi. For example, guests are seated and wait for eight people to gather before food is served.

Meadi is not served with fewer or more people. Interestingly, the term is also used to communicate amounts or quantities in multiples of eight. As is the ritual, there is a lot of negotiation between families before the marriage of two people. The woman’s family often expresses how many guests they will host from the potential groom’s family by stating how many meadi they will serve. So, if the woman’s family expects 24 people to attend during the negotiation, they will state “seleste (3) meadi”. In a culture where agreements and negotiations are family and community centered, and lead is commonplace, meadi plays an integral role in conveying mutual understanding and expressing compromise or covenant.

Even when the outcome of negotiations is not celebratory, such as in divorce or restitution, it is expected that all parties share a meadi. The coming together happens after all matters are settled and are used as an instrument to seal the agreement. Meadi is used as an informal way for the community to restore those who experienced the harm and to hold accountable those who were harmed. Meadi is like a microcosm of our cultures and societies. It reminds us and continues to normalize that thinking through our community-based frameworks is at the core of who we are as a people. Even with the introduction of individual plates, something is to be said about the lessons taught through meadi. We learn that stretching our hands and grabbing food in front of our siblings is inconsiderate and conveys selfishness.

We learn that celebrations belong to the community because it is precisely the community that supports unions and covenants. We learn that negotiations are complex but necessary – disagreement need not breed hate or remain unresolved. So the next time you think of your favorite food, put it in a communal container and share it with a friend or neighbor – have a meadi!

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

Eritrea is blessed with more than 360 large and small islands. Located between Zula and Buri peninsula, Desie is one of the few Eritrean islands with residents in the Dahlak archipelago. It is 33 km to the south east of Massawa and is administered under the Dahlak Sub-zone. It is around 748 hectares and has 160 residents, who mainly make a living by fishing and herding animals.

Desie is bio diverse and home to various creatures. It is historically, geographically and archeologically important. It has clear sky, breathtaking sunrise and sunset, crystal clear waters and clean sandy beaches.

Unlike the other Eritrean islands Desie has special geographic formation. There are three types of islands in Eritrea. Around 317 of the islands are of coralline origin (they are made of dead corals and rocks); 36 of them are of volcanic origin; and seven of them are of continental origin (with bodies of land that lie on the continental shelf). Desie is one of the seven islands of continental origin and is the only continental island in the Dahlak archipelago.

In winter the plains and hills of Desie turn green, but the seashores are ever green with the tremendous amount of mangrove trees. The mangrove forests serve as a haven for sea creatures to lay eggs and home to various species of birds. Ontop of their ecological importance the trees have significant economic significance. They are used for building houses and boats while their leaves could be used as animal feed and medicine.

Desie is favorable for the existence of various marine birds. Marine birds include shorebirds and sea birds. Seabirds usually feed directly from the surface of the sea while the shorebirds feed on small animals in the sand and some dead fish and sea weeds deposited by waves. But they all lay their eggs on the dry land.

The birds that come from the cold weather in Europe find the tropical warm climate of Eritrea favorable for breeding and feeding. The existence of mangrove trees along the shores provides breeding habitat for bird species such as flamingos and other migratory birds.

According to the Ministry of Marine Resources, around 200 species of bird are found in the Eritrean coastal areas and islands. Out of the 74 species found in Desie, 26 are migratory that use the island as a transit haven in the cross continental migration. This gives the island great eco-tourism importance.

Desie is also home to the sea turtle, which is globally listed as endangered. Although the sea turtles are not sedentary in nature, they are available the whole year along the coasts of the island. They lay their eggs along the sandy coasts, particularly the western coasts, which are safe from attack by wild animals.

Five of the seven species of turtle in the world are found in the marine territory of Eritrea and two of them, locally called Lida and Bisa, are found in Desie. The residents of Desie use bisa as food and medicine.

Studies show out of the over 300 species of corals in the Red Sea, 200 are found in the Eritrean Red Sea. The very diverse coral reefs in Eritrea are scattered over 15 kilometers from Desie Island to Madot Island. Most of the corals, perfect habitat for various marine creatures some of which are endemic to Eritrea, found in the island are colorful and very attractive. The coral reefs are compact colonies of many organisms.

In addition to its biodiversity and strategic location, Desie is also archeologically and historically important. Some archeological artifacts that show the presence of ancient human beings in the western part of the island call for extensive research to be done to unveil more information. During the ancient civilizations of Zula and Adulis, the Eritrean ports were used by many civilizations, including the Romans.

Its shores, its wonderful formation of land and proximity to the port city of Massawa (Desie is the second closest island to Massawa) make Desie an attractive tourist site with a potential to grow fast in the near future. Considering its potential, Desie has been selected, along with Madot and Shek Said islands, by the Ministry of Marine Resources to be part of the national park with a view to protecting the natural environment and the historical sites that are waiting to be unearthed.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

Eritrean communities in Melbourne, Australia, and Las Vegas, USA commemorated the 32nd anniversary of Operation Fenkil under the theme “FENKIL: Embodiment of Heroism of Generations”.

At the commemorative event conducted on 12 February, Mr. Kidane Ginbot, chairman of the Eritrean community in Melbourne explaining the historical significance of Operation Fenkil, called on the nationals to renew the pledge to strengthen the organization and participation in national affairs.

Mr. Yasin Omar, head of Community and Public Affairs at the Office of Consul General of Eritrea in Australia, on his part, indicating that Operation Fenkil has been a game-changer in the Eritrean people’s struggle for the total liberation of the country, called on families to exert strong effort in transferring the shining history to the young generation.

The commemoration event was highlighted by cultural and artistic performances, the report indicated.

Likewise, Eritrean nationals in Las Vegas, USA, commemorated the 32nd anniversary of Operation Fenkil featuring various programs and expressed conviction to strengthen organization and participation in national affairs.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

The administration of Central region held a two-day seminar on cultural heritage under the theme ‘Preserving cultural heritage through cooperative administration.’ The seminar, which was attended by artists, engineers and individuals interested in culture who come from various ministries, aimed to explore the importance of cultural identity, development of societies, cultural heritage and values and norms of our society.

The papers presented at the seminar, which was held on the 13th and 14th of January, were based on analyses of Eritrea’s capacity in preserving its cultural heritage, the importance of preserving cultural heritage, the current state of Eritrea’s cultural heritage and plans to maintain the cultural heritage.

The papers presented at the seminar covered ‘the importance of culture and tradition,’ ‘Ways of preserving culture,’ ‘Cultural inheritances and ways to maintain them,’ ‘2003’s UNESCO contract and the importance of Tigre oral poetry in society,’ ‘international Asmara heritage,’ ‘Guidance and administering cultural heritage,’ and ‘the importance of institutional culture.’

In his opening address following artistic performances of the nine Eritrean ethnic groups, Mr. Endrias Asmerom, director general of the Department of Culture and Sport of Central region, said the aim of the seminar was to explore and analyze our monuments and antique objects that are the pride of our society. In a cooperative way, he said, we should all be responsible to maintain the safety and longevity of our culture, traditions and history. It’s also a duty of every person to pass down the knowledge to the younger and upcoming generations. As a nation, we need to fully understand what culture is, how to adopt it and how to preserve it. Mr. Endrias added that “as culture plays an essential role in strengthening national identity, it must be taken care of and preserved for posterity.”

Dr. Senait Bahta, an anthropologist and assistant director of the Bureau of Standard Evaluation of Higher Education, said in her presentation that culture is a meaningful human identity that differentiates human beings from animals. The innovations and creations we have come across in our lives since the very beginning of our existence is what makes us unique. Culture is something that people develop based on their unique resources and natural gifts to cope with their environments. With time this small practices and ways turn into culture that a specific society follows. Culture can be divided into tangible and intangible. The intangible covers the norms and values that a society follows such as rituals, ceremonies and festivals. And the tangible include monuments, places, and historical sites.

Dr. Senait’s presentation ended with a slide show expressing the nine Eritrean ethnic groups’ innovations of survival strategies against social and environmental problems, dances and musical instruments, etc. that are now all parts of the cultural identities of the nine ethnic groups.

Mr. Solomon Tsehaye, who does research on Culture, gave a presentation on how religion, writings (myth, legendary, genealogy, songs, and poems) and parts of indigenous knowledge evolved. He said the rules and regulations that we follow today, the art that represents us are part of the culture we cherish. At the end of his presentation, Mr. Solomon suggested that the deliberations of the seminar be compiled in the form of a book that can serve as a reference. He also expressed his wish to see the wisdom he witnessed at the seminar be practiced on the ground. He called on the participants of the seminar to work together and show the world the Eritrean culture and history and fight against biased views toward Eritrea.

Mr. Mohad Suleman gave a presentation on UNESCO’s contract, which has over 176 members, that Eritrea signed in 2010 and its implications for Eritrea. UNESCO helps nations identify, record and maintain intangible cultural heritage, get international recognition for the individual nation’s heritage, and create the ground for a worldwide support. Being a signatory to the contract helps Eritrea to exchange information and experiences with the rest of the world, get international recognition and support for cultural maintenance projects and programs.

Participants of the seminar applauded the efforts made to enlighten people about the importance of our culture and identity and called on all concerned to organize awareness raising programs periodically and work to preserve our cultural heritage. At the end of the seminar, Mr. Endrias, after thanking the paper presenters, seminar organizers and the participants as a whole, called on everyone to pay more attention to our historic and cultural heritages.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

Eritrea celebrates a host of holidays in January. First comes New Year, followed by the Orthodox Christmas, and twelve days later comes another holiday to celebrate: Timket or the Epiphany, as it is called. I am somewhat certain we all gain quite a bit of weight over these twenty days of nonstop feasting and celebrations.

In all seriousness, Timket or Epiphany is one of Eritrea’s nationally celebrated holidays. It’s is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. The name of the feast as celebrated in the Orthodox church may be rendered in English as the Theophany, as closer in form to the Greek (“God shining forth” or “divine manifestation”). Here it is one of the Great Feasts of the liturgical year, being third in rank, behind only Easter and Christmas. It is celebrated on January 6 of the calendar that a particular Church uses. On the Julian calendar, which some of the Orthodox churches follow, including the likes of Eritrea, the date corresponds, during the present century, to January 19 on the Gregorian or Revised Julian calendar.

Many in the West observe a twelve-day festival, starting on December 25 and ending on January 5, known as Christmas tide or the Twelve Days of Christmas. However, for the Catholic Church today, “Christmas Time runs from First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Nativity of the Lord up to and including the Sunday after Epiphany or after January 6”, a period not limited to twelve days. Some Christian cultures, especially those of Latin America and some in Europe, extend the season to as many as forty days, ending on Candlemas (February 2).

Today in Orthodox churches, the emphasis on this feast is on the shining forth and revelation of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Second Person of the Trinity at the time of his baptism. It is also celebrated because, according to tradition, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist marked one of only two occasions when all three Persons of the Trinity manifested themselves simultaneously to humanity: God the Father by speaking through the clouds, God the Son being baptized in the river, and God the Holy Spirit in the shape of a dove descending from heaven (the other occasion was the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor). Thus the holy day is considered to be a Trinitarian feast.

The celebration in Eritrea is one of the spectacle scenes quite colorful and jubilant. The gathering at Mai Timket, a wide water basin with a statue depicting John the Baptist baptizing Jesus Christ in the middle, has always been a landmark event, both for locals and foreigners.

Thousands of the Christian faithful attend early morning Mass featuring preaching, ceremonial dances of the priests, and spiritual songs.

The celebration of Timket has specific traditions of course. The major tradition is a process ceremony that involves the Tabot. This is a model of the Ark of the Covenant, which is present on every Eritrean altar. The Tabot is wrapped in rich cloth and borne on the head of the priest, who takes part in the procession. This represents the manifestation of Jesus when he came to Jordan for baptism. The procession is finished near a pool or a stream, where the Divine Liturgy is served at about 2 a.m. The Tabot is carried by priests from each church to the body of water, accompanied by the faithful and members of the clergy chanting, dancing, beating drums, and waving prayer sticks. As evening falls, the priests and the gathered crowd participate in an overnight vigil and Mass around the Arks.

Following Mass, the Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church, usually in the presence of the Governor of the Central region and invited dignitaries, dips a golden processional cross in the water of Timket and blesses it and then sprinkles some on the faithful. This is to serve as a reminder of baptism – the remission of sins and that through the baptismal waters a person accepts the obligations of Christian commitment.

After the ceremony, most people enter the water and immerse themselves, as a symbol of renewing baptismal vows. Some even go to the extent of filling up their water bottles and containers they brought with them solely for that purpose, and as they leave the water basin they sprinkle it all over the people around. To some it might be bothersome, but to young kids it is what they look forward to, going around splashing water at complete strangers and soaking their clothes.

Also common among the youth, back when I was in college in Adi Keih, was to hurry back to their dormitories with bottles filled with the holy water and the intent on emptying them on their friends, who probably skipped the ceremony to catch forty winks. Waking up to cold water descending upon one’s face can be a rather rude awakening, but it is just a matter of seconds before all get into the act as well.

Past all the shenanigans, the celebration of Timket is not over. The Tabot is brought back to the church, escorted by dancing and singing by children, paraded in a long procession through the streets with the priests dressed in their elaborate robes followed by huge crowds. By the end, everyone goes back home to continue the celebration. After having managed to dry up, families usually gather together to feast as different varieties of cuisine are set at the dining table. After the food is blessed, members of the family feast as they immerse themselves in deep conversations of the ceremony, accompanied by the little ones’ hilarious antics of the day.

Timket is a significant holiday for Eritreans. Besides the colorful ceremony, it is said that Timket ends the cold holiday season, the icy winds supposedly drown away in the Timket water. If such is true, I for one can’t wait for the cold season to be over.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

KIGALI, The Africa Food Prize committee is pleased to announce the launch of 2022 nominations for the Africa Food Prize. The Africa Food Prize is the preeminent award recognizing an outstanding individual or institution that is leading the effort to change the reality of farming in Africa—from a struggle to survive to a business that thrives.

The funding partners AGRA and UPL are inviting nominations from organizations, institutions, and businesses that have created opportunities for Africa’s farmers to gain viable livelihoods from their trade.

The nomination criteria, procedure, and online application are available at www.africafoodprize.org/nominate. Nominations will close on May 16.

The prestigious US $100,000 Prize puts a spotlight on bold initiatives and technical innovations that can be replicated across the continent to create a new era of food security and economic opportunity for all Africans.

Winners will be selected by the Africa Food Prize committee led by Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, and will be announced at the AGRF Summit 2022 to be held in Kigali, Rwanda in September.

“The Africa Food Prize celebrates Africans who are taking control of Africa’s agriculture agenda to create wealth and jobs for the continent, its economy, and people,” said Obasanjo.

In 2021, hundreds of robust nominations were received and after rigorous evaluation, the Prize was awarded to The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for work that has improved food security across 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Between 2007 and 2019, ICRISAT led a collaboration of partners to deliver the Tropical Legumes Project.

The project, undertaken together with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), developed 266 improved legume varieties and almost half a million tons of seed for a range of legume crops, including cowpeas, pigeon peas, chickpea, common bean, groundnut, and soybean. These new varieties have helped over 25 million smallholder farmers become more resilient to climate change, as well as pest and disease outbreaks.

The Africa Food Prize began as the Yara Prize, established in 2005. It was moved to Africa and rechristened the Africa Food Prize in 2016.

Source: Nam News Network

I have a friend from the Afar ethnic group who likes to talk about her heritage and culture. So one day, as she always does, she was telling me and some friends about Afar’s wedding ceremony and their system of dowry. The Afar culture is fascinating but we were all mesmerized especially by the bride price. The bride price consists of several things, including preferably a golden belt. The groom gives gold not only to his bride but also her maid of honor. For this reason, every friend of the bride wants to be her maid of honor. In short, the dowry system in Afar is favorable to women.

Many Eritrean families claim dowry is given with good intentions and induces harmony in the relations of the families of the bride and the groom. However, in many parts of the world the dowry is seen as a problem to the bride’s family mainly because it causes financial problems and is degrading to the bride. In today’s world where women have made major strides in their struggle for equality and women’s empowerment, many rightly wonder why the bride’s parents have to always give dowry. The Afar dowry system is perhaps the right answer to that question and it truly shows the value of women.

Afar wedding ceremony is a very colorful event characterized by the constant offers of gifts. It all starts with the groom’s family heading to the bride’s house to ask for her hand. On that occasion the groom has to give a bag full of clothes and shoes for his bride-to-be. He also has to bring along a bag full of clothes for his future wife’s extended family, both her mother’s and father’s close relatives. The groom is also expected to give to the members of the bride’s extended family a certain amount of money which is fairly distributed among them. The whole process is repeated on the engagement ceremony.

On the engagement ceremony the bride’s and groom’s families set a date for the marriage and then preparations for the wedding and life there after begin. The first thing that happens in the process is Ad Ari. Ad Ari is a tradition of building a house for the bride, which is built in the compound of her family’s to make it easy for her to start her married life in a familiar environment where she is likely to be most comfortable. She usually stays in her family’s compound for two years, or until she has her first child, before she goes to live with her in-laws. The building of Ad Ari, which takes almost four days to complete, is fully financed by the groom’s family. When Ad Ari is built, the groom’s family hosts a dinner party for all those involved in its making.

After Ad Ari a tradition called Ebna Nikson is organized. This tradition is a fight between the married and the single women of the bride’s family. The bride’s friends also participate in this event. In the fight, which is long and hard but friendly, the winners put henna on the bride’s hands and feet. And the married women’s team is made to win. A similar event takes place at the groom’s house too but it is often less violent. Two kids, relatives whose parents are still alive, are chosen to put henna on the groom’s hands. The groom’s best men also put henna on their hands. Finally, the wedding takes place.

The cost of the wedding ceremony is covered by the groom and his family. In Afar culture, a camel, which is very expensive, is one of the most precious gifts you could give to your bride’s family. Besides camel, gold in the form of a set of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, belt, and hair and face ornaments is given to the bride. Just like the engagement gift a bag of clothes and shoes is also given to the bride, her family and her maid of honor.

On the wedding day the groom and his best men go to the bride’s house and before entering the house they slaughter a goat. Once the groom and his best men enter the house and are seated, the wedding ceremony begins and ends with a prayer by the sheiks.

The Afar dowry might seem expensive but the tradition shows how much the Afar respect the woman and her family. In any case, though, I am not claiming a woman’s value is measured by how much money the groom offers.

The peculiarity aside dowry is traditionally practiced in all Eritrean ethnic groups. But it is not legal in the current modern Eritrean Civil Code.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea