Tigrayans

Not to be confused with Tigre people or Tigrinya people.
Tigrayans
Regions with significant populations
 Ethiopia4,483,776 (2007)[1]
Languages
Tigrinya
Religion
Christianity (96%)
Islam (4%)[2]
Related ethnic groups
Amhara • Argobba • Beta Israel • Gurage • Harari • Tigre • Tigrinya • Zay • other Habesha peoples[3][4]

Tigrayans (Tigrinya: ተጋሩ) are a Semitic-speaking ethnic group indigenous to the Tigray Region of northern Ethiopia.[5][6][7] They speak the Tigrinya language, an Afroasiatic language belonging to the Ethiopian Semitic branch.

The daily life of Tigrayans is highly influenced by religious concepts. For example, the Christian Orthodox fasting periods are strictly observed, especially in Tigray; but also traditional local beliefs such as in spirits, are widespread. In Tigray the language of the church remains exclusively Ge’ez. Tigrayan society is marked by a strong ideal of communitarianism and, especially in the rural sphere, by egalitarian principles. This does not exclude an important role of gerontocratic rules and in some regions such as the wider Adwa area, formerly the prevalence of feudal lords, who, however, still had to respect the local land rights.[5]

Tigrayans are branched out across the world in diaspora communities but are native residence of Tigray. Areas where Tigrayans have strong ancestral links are: Enderta, Agame, Tembien, Kilite Awlalo, Axum, Raya, Humera, Welkait, and Tsegede. The latter three areas are now under the de facto administration of the Amhara Region, having been forcibly annexed by Amhara during the Tigray War.

  1. ^ Central Statistical Agency, Ethiopia. "Table 2.2 Percentage Distribution of Major Ethnic Groups: 2007" (PDF). Summary and Statistical Report of the 2007 Population and Housing Census Results. United Nations Population Fund. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  2. ^ Pagani, Luca; Kivisild, Toomas (July 2012). "Ethiopian Genetic Diversity Reveals Linguistic Stratification and Complex Influences on the Ethiopian Gene Pool". The American Journal of Human Genetics. 91 (1): 83–96. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.05.015. PMC 3397267. PMID 22726845.
  3. ^ Prunier, Gerard; Ficquet, Eloi (2015). Understanding contemporary Ethiopia. London: Hurst & Company. p. 39. OCLC 810950153.
  4. ^ Levine, Donald N. (2000). Greater Ethiopia: The Evolution of a Multiethnic Society. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226475615. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b Smidt, Wolbert (2007). "Tigrayans". In Uhlig, Siegbert (ed.). Encyclopaedia Aethiopica. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag.
  6. ^ Shinn, David; Ofcansky, Thomas (2004). Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia. Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. pp. 378–380. ISBN 978-0-8108-4910-5.
  7. ^ Ullendorff, Edward (1973). The Ethiopians. London: Oxford University Press. pp. 31, 35–37.