The Dahlak Archipelago

The Dahlak Archipelago (Ge'ez: ዳህላክ) is an island group located in the Red Sea near Massawa, Eritrea. It consists of two large and 124 small islands. The pearl fisheries of the archipelago have been famous since Roman times and still produce a substantial number of pearls. Only four of the islands are permanently inhabited, of which Dahlak Kebir is the largest and most populated. Other inhabited islands of the archipelago are Dhuladhiya, Dissei, Dohul, Erwa, Harat, Harmil, Isra-Tu, Nahaleg, Norah and Shumma, although not all are permanently inhabited.

The islands are home to a diverse marine life and sea-birds, and attract an increasing number of tourists. The people of the archipelago speak Dahlik. The islands can be reached by boat from Massawa.

History[link]

Dahlak Archipelago seen from Spot satellite

G.W.B. Huntingford has identified a group of islands near Adulis called "Alalaiou" in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, which were a source of tortoise shell, with the Dahlak archipelago. According to Edward Ullendorff, the Dahlak islanders were amongst the first in East Africa to convert to Islam, and a number of tombstones in Kufic writing attest to this early connection.

In the 7th century an independent Muslim state emerged in the archipleago, but it was subsequently conquered by Yemen, then intermittently by the Kingdom of Medri-Bahri (Land of the Sea) 1517, when the Ottoman Turks conquered them and placed the islands under the rule of the Pasha at Suakin as part of the province of Habesh.

The archipelago became part of the Italian colony of Eritrea, when it was formed in 1890. However, during this time the islands were home to little else except a prison operated by the Italian Colonial Forces.

After Ethiopia allied itself with the Soviet Union during the Cold War, following the rise of the Derg, the Dahlak Archipelago was the location of a Soviet Navy base.^[1] In 1990, Ethiopia lost control of the Dahlak Archipelago and the northern Eritrean coast to the Eritrean independence movement EPLF and by 1991 Ethiopia had lost control of all of Eritrea. Following the international recognition of Eritrean independence in 1993, the Dahlak Archipelago became a part of Eritrea.

See also[link]

• Dahlak Marine National Park
• Dahalik languages

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dahlak - Reef pearls of the Red Sea - Dahlak Islands informative site

Coordinates: 15°50′N 40°12′E / 15.833°N 40.2°E / 15.833; 40.2

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008)

Abraham Afewerki (1966–2006), an Eritrean singer, song writer,and music producer drowned in the Red Sea at the age of 40. In addition to his humble personality, Abraham was one of the most gifted contemporary Eritrean musical artists. A genius of Tigrinya music writing, and a unique Tigrinya lyricist, Abraham was one of the most recognized figures among Eritrean musicians and celebrities.

Biography[link]

Abraham Afewerki is described as an Eritrean musical tour-de-force. Held in high regard by his fellow Eritrean artists his work garners appreciation and admiration from his peers. His musical influence also crosses borders to Eritrea’s neighboring countries where his music is reproduced by other musicians singing in a different language other than his native Tigrinya.

Abraham was born in Asmara, Eritrea. From an early age Abraham was fascinated with musical instruments and by age nine had learned to play a musical instrument independently. Due to the Eritrean War of Independence Abraham, with his family, fled to Sudan and soon after to Italy where he further pursued his dream to be a professional musician. While studying in Rome, Abraham continued to expand his musical skills by working with internationally known musical celebrities in live performances as well as recordings.^{[citation needed]}

Abraham’s first CD, Kozli Gaba was released in 1991, which was produced and distributed by Virgin Records in Europe. The album was the first by an Eritrean artist that was produced by an International recording company and made available to the global audience. Abraham’s music, in due course, was covered by a number of International media outlets.

During the following 15 years Abraham released two more albums which further propelled his popularity among Eritreans. His songs were popular because his lyrics expressed strong and poetic images of Eritrea’s culture. His socially conscious words were evocative and his fans often described his music as inspiring. Abraham is also credited with being one of Eritrea’s master live entertainers.

In his newest CD titled Semai ("Sky" in Tigrinya), Abraham collaborates with several Eritrean musicians, the result of which was an exquisite sound. Abraham continued to blend his music with jazz, R&B, and Reggae rhythms at the same time maintaining his music’s originality and authenticity.

He died in 2006, when he drowned while swimming in Massawa whilst filming his next music video.

Albums[link]

He released the following albums in Eritrea:

• "Wegahta"(Sunrise) - 1991
• "Tesfa'iya snqey"(Hope is my supply or kit) - 1994
• "MsTir fQri"(Secret of Love) - 1998
• "Hadera" (Promise) - 2000
• "semai" (Sky - aka The Sky is My Limit ) - 2006

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This Eritrean biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Teddy Afro (in Amharic: ቴዲ አፍሮ; real name: Tewodros Kassahun, in Amharic: ቴዎድሮስ ካሳሁን, B. 14 July 1976) is a popular Ethiopian singer and critic of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). His opposition to the government has led to legal troubles.

Rise to fame[link]

In 2001, Teddy Afro released his second album, Abugida, named after the Abugida syllabary of the Ge'ez language. Several tracks quickly caught the ear of many listeners in Ethiopia - "Halieselassie", a tribute to the late Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie I; "Haile, Haile", a single in honor of the Olympic long distance champion Haile Gebrselassie; and "Mona Lisa", a song about the measure of human beauty.

His third album, Yasteseryal, was released in 2005. The release of this album coincided with elevated political tension in Ethiopia surrounding the Ethiopian general election, 2005. His politically- and socially-inspired songs acted as a call for unity and peace and made the 17 years of TPLF-led government in power concerned.^{[citation needed]} Consequently the government banned four songs including "Yasteseryal" from playing on radios and TV (http://www.ethiopianreview.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10689&p=53228). The most popular song of the album "Yasetseryal" claims that there is no real change in Ethiopia but a new government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) fight against the Derg was nothing but an infamous military junta. The album sold more than a million copies within a few months after its release, becoming the biggest selling Ethiopian music album to date.^[1]

Legal troubles[link]

Afro was accused of hit-and-run manslaughter and was imprisoned in April 2008.^[2] Some sources claimed that the accusation was politically motivated, following the release of several songs critical of the government, especially during the May 2005 national election.^[3] Afro pleaded not guilty to these allegations, and his court case and imprisonment were national talking points in Ethiopia.^[4] Some members of the opposition viewed his imprisonment as part of the regime in Ethiopia attack on symbols of Ethiopian unity.^[5] Afro was convicted of manslaughter on 5 December 2008 and the judge sentenced him to six years' imprisonment and a fine of 18,000 Birr (apr. 1800 USD). On 18 February 2009, Afro's prison sentence was reduced from six years to two years by an appellate court.^[6] On 13 August 2009, Afro was released from prison eight months early on account of good behaviour in prison.^[2][7]

Released works[link]

Albums[link]

DVDs[link]

References[link]

1. ^ http://www.ethiomedia.com/aurora/when_will_the_daybreak_come.html
2. ^ ^{a b} Malone, Barry; Tsegaye Tadesse (13 August 2009). "Pop Star Teddy Afro Freed From Jail in Ethiopia". ABCNews.com (ABC News Internet Ventures). http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=8321807. Retrieved 13 August 2009. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Teddy Afro - Another victim of Ethiopia's ruthless dictator", Ethiopian Review 20 November 2008 (accessed 26 July 2009)
4. ^ " Protests over Ethiopia pop singer" BBC website, 23 April 2008
5. ^ "In Ethiopia, jailed singer Tewodros Kassahun is a political symbol", Los Angeles Times, 11 August 2008
6. ^ Yahoo News (dead link)
7. ^ [1] - ethiomedia news

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2008)

External links[link]

• Teddy Afro Charity Song - Sew EthioTube Video
• Teddy Afro Music video Collection
• Teddy Afro court Case
• Teddy Afro works and court proceedings