The Hedareb or T'bdawe[note 1] are a Cushitic ethnic group native to northwestern Eritrea.[3] They are a subgroup of the Beja.[4] They are more diverse than the other Eritrean ethicities; one subgroup speaks the traditional Beja language, which belongs to the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic family, while another is more closely related to Sudanese Hadendoa. They are among the least-researched groups in Eritrea.[5]
.jpg) An illustration of "Beni Amer" men, from 1888 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Eritrea100,000[1]–202,000[2] | |
| Languages | |
| Beja, Tigre, Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| other Beja and other Cushitic peoples |
The Hedareb people live in northwestern Eritrea and extend as far as the borders with east Sudan.[6] Nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoralists, they typically migrate seasonally with their herds of camels, goats and sheep.[3]
Language
The Hedareb speak the Beja language or Tigre language as a mother tongue.[6] In addition to their variety of Beja, known as Hedareb or T’badwe, most Hedareb people also speak at least one other language, typically for a larger group Tigre, and for a small group Arabic as well.[7]
Society
Hedareb society is hierarchical, and is traditionally organized into clans and subclans.[6] Hedarebs are a Muslim group,[5] and most are Sunni Muslims.[3] Marriages are typically arranged to maximize alliances between extended families. It is customary for the groom's family to pay a bride price of five to twelve goats, and a varying amount of money,[8] or as much as 70 camels.[9]
Sociologist Abdulkader Saleh Mohammad writes that the Hedareb have been excluded from state conceptions of Eritrean nationhood, and have become a marginalized group with many members who do not feel connected to the Eritrean nation-state.[10]
Laws
As Muslim people, the Hedareb follow Sharia law in most matters.[5]
In the nineteenth century, blood feuds marked by chains of revenge killings existed among Hedareb groups; unlike those among neighboring groups, they were rarely resolved by the payment of blood money, possibly because the Hedareb had fewer trading practices.[5] Also distinctively, killing one's wife was traditionally punished by death, while killing one's children went unpunished.[5] Rape of a noblewoman by a serf was punishable by death, while rape of serfs by nobles was tolerated.[5]
See also
Notes
References
External links
- YouTube videos of traditional Hedareb dance: [1], [2]
- Eritrean Ministry of Information: Traditional Wedding Ceremonies of the Hedareb Part I Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine and Part II Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
Further reading
- Paul, A. (1959). "THE HADĀREB: A Study in Arab—Beja Relationships". Sudan Notes and Records. 40. University of Khartoum: 75–78. JSTOR 41719580.