Tigray-Tigrinya People - Biher-Tigrinya

Biher-Tigrinya

The Tigrinya people an ethnic group in Eritrea and are referred to as Biher-Tigrinya roughly meaning "Tigrinya nation". Most of them live in rural areas in the highland administrative regions of Debub (Southern), the eastern fringes of Anseba and Gash Barka regions as well as the western fringes of Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea). They are small holding farmers largely inhabiting small communal villages.Most Biher-Tigrinya are christian and members of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church with small minorities of Catholics and Protestants. There is however a considerable Muslim minority of Tigrinya speakers who are officially included in the definition of Biher-Tigrinya but who are largely referred to as (and refer to themselves as) "Jeberti", some even pushing for recognition as such, separate from the Biher-Tigrinya. The Jeberti are largely urban and involved in trade and artisan professions. The predominantly Biher-Tigrinya (and Jeberti) populated urban centers in Eritrea are the capital Asmara, Mendefera, Dekemhare, Adi Keyh, Adi Quala and Senafe, while there is a significant population of Biher-Tigrinya (and Jeberti) in other cities including Keren, and Massawa.