In the recent discussion about Awate, I agree on the concluding remarks of Elias.
He wrote:
> politics. In this recording of history, although primacy should be
> given to those who actually experienced it ( "zweAle yngerka: znebere
> ymkerka," ) a collective urge from all of us must be created to
> encourage those who are in the know before they fade out from the scene,
> and those who have the expertise and resources to do the necessary leg
> work.
>
Here are couple of observation that may or may not help researchers in
collecting the pieces together.
One is the time Tedla Bairu joined the High or Supreme Council. When
Tedla Bairu defected from Ethiopia in 1967 +/-1 the infamous Asmara
(Eritrea) daily "Hbret" (in tgriNa/Arabic) had an article captioned
"sAid Tedla Bairu ...." The substance was to blackmail the Eritrean
revolution as religious (Islamic) movement and the prove was even Tedla
changed his name to sAid. The source for the Hbret's article was a
Syrian (I think) news paper's article announcing the defection. I don't
think any one was fooled then for the prefix "said or a'said" was formal
address in Arabic which has no religios conotation. Ironically there was
also an article on the Asmara (Eritrea) weekly "itiopia" (in amHariNa)
criticizing the Hbret's article pointing that the Emperor Haile Selassie
bestowed the title grazmatch and Tedla should be addressed as such even
if he defected. The point being only Haile Selassie could revoke the title.
The other observation emanates from Paulos's quote from his friend, On
4 Sep 1997 he writes:
>"I want to tell you a story my father-in-law told me... When he was young,
>he was recruited by Grazmach Ghebre Fessehazion to join him as a shifta.
>Ghebre distinguished himself as a celebrated shifta during the British rule.
>He was one of those who harassed the British and was calling for Eritrean
>union with Ethiopia. As his reward, [Emperor] Haile Selassie gave him three
>ranches in Badima...."
I do not recollect the title whether it was grazmatch or beremberas,
but I do remember a man by the name Ghebre, that resembles the
description above, in shambuqo in an incident between the kunamas and
tgriNa nationalities over grazing land in 1973. A meeting was held to
resolve the conflict between the two groups chaired by the DO in
shambuqo, an Eritrean Afar. Memory failed me to recall the leader of
the kunama delegates. The leader of the tgriNa nationality was Ghebre.
The kunamas objected reserving grazing land and want to farm while the
tgriNa wanted grazing land reserved for their catlle. The meeting was
tense as the kunama would not budge to demand of the other side. There
was an air distrust among them. The impasse was resolved amicably after
separately consulting each group.
selam,
Araya Kassa
Calgary AB