Music of Eritrea
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Eritrea is an North East African country. Its cultural heritage is closely linked to its neighbor, Ethiopia, of which it was recently a province. Eritrean music is especially similar to that of the Ethiopian province of Tigray. Perhaps the most famous Eritrean musician's in history are bereket mengisteab and yemane baria &ato abirha segid , some of whose music was banned by the Ethiopian government in the 1970s. Also of note is Bereket Mengistab, who has had a lengthy careerand the main target for the dereg gov. , and 60s legend Haile Ghebru.
Eritrean music has a unique rhythm that sets it apart from the rest of Africa. Modern popular stars include bereket Mengistab,Teklé Tesfa-Ezighe Tekele Kifle Mariam (Wedi Tukul), Tesfai Mehari (Fihira), Osman Abdulrihm, Abrar Osman, Abraham Afwerki, Yemane Ghebremichael, Idris Mohamed Ali, Tsehaytu Beraki, Atewebrhan Segid and Berekhet Mengisteab. In 2003, the Government of Eritrea banned Amharic language music [1].
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[edit] Folk music
Traditional instruments include the stringed kraar, kebero, lyre, kobar and the wata.
[edit] Popular music
Modern Eritrean popular music can be traced back to the late 1960s, when te MaHber Theatre Asmara began to produce stars like Helen Meles, Elsa Kidane, Wedi Tikul, Yemane Ghebremichael, Jabber, Ato Ateweberhan Seghid, Yonus Ibrahim, Osman Abdurehim and Tukabo. This music was influenced by American psychedelic rock and Motown soul music [2]. The list of eritrean singers and eritrean bands is long.
In the 1970s, Eritrean popular music grew more similar to Ethiopian music, in its trumpet-based style [3].
Since then, some musicians, like kraar-player Dawit Sium have helped to incorporate Eritrean roots elements in popular music. Imported styles of music from Europe, North America, and elsewhere in Africa, as well as the Caribbean, are also very popular throughout Eritrea. Ethiopian music is especially popular.
[edit] Dancing
Traditional Eritrean dancing involves two main styles of dance. In the first, the dancers slowly move in a counter-clockwise circle. Then, they stop moving and dance with each other for a short time before resuming the circular movement. During this time, they shuffle their feet to the beat of the music and bob their shoulders in a rhythmic fashion. Female dancers usually move their shoulders more than the male dancers. In the second style of dance, two groups (often a group of men and a group of women) line up and face each other. The dance features a skipping step to the music. Periodically, the two groups with change places, dancing across the floor and passing each other in the process.
