Abraham Afewerki, () (30 January 1966 – 7 October 2006) was an Eritrean singer, songwriter, and music producer. Noted for his unique Tigrinya-based compositions and lyrics, he was one of the most recognized figures among Eritrean musicians and celebrities and also the world.

Early life

Abraham Afewerki was born in 1966 in Asmara. During the

Eritrean War of Independence The Eritrean War of Independence was an War, armed conflict and insurgency aimed at achieving self-determination and independence for Eritrea from Ethiopian rule. Starting in 1961, Eritrean insurgents engaged in guerrilla warfare to liberate ...

, Abraham and his family fled the fighting and lived as refugees in

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

. He was interested in music from an early age, taking up the

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

. Abraham joined the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) at the age of 12, as a member of a cultural troupe which toured areas controlled by the EPLF. He began writing his own songs and music regarding the war, performing them from 1979 onwards. Abraham moved to Italy, where he learned to play the

krar The ''krar'' (Geʽez: ክራር) is a five-or-six stringed bowl-shaped lyre from Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is tuned to a pentatonic scale. A modern ''krar'' may be Instrument amplifier, amplified, much in the same way as an electric guitar or el ...

and continued to write songs in the theme of Eritrean nationalism. After several years, he moved to the United States where he studied for a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

with honours.

Music career

Abraham’s first release, ''Wegahta'' (''Dawn''), was released in 1991. 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 song "Abzelena Halina" ("Wherever We Are") became greatly popular in Eritrea and the world; his socially conscious words and evocative lyrics talked of the bravery of the nation. In his final release, entitled 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 Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

, R&B, and

Reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...

rhythms at the same time maintaining his music’s originality and authenticity. One song from the album, "Semay Deretey Iyu" ("The Sky Is My Limit"), has become one of the popular songs in Eritrea.

Death

In 2006, Abraham drowned in the

Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...

near

Massawa Massawa or Mitsiwa ( ) is a port city in the Northern Red Sea Region, Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea, located on the Red Sea at the northern end of the Gulf of Zula beside the Dahlak Archipelago. It has been a historically important port for ...

. He had returned to Eritrea to produce a film musical. Posthumously, Abraham continues to be held in high regard by his fellow Eritrean artists, who bear much appreciation and respect. His musical influence has also spread to Ethiopia where his music is reproduced by other musicians singing in a different language other than his native Tigrinya.

Discography

He released the following albums in Eritrea: *1991: ''Wegahta'' (Sunrise) *1994: ''Tesfa'iya snqey'' (Hope is my treasure) *1998: ''MsTir fQri'' (Secret of Love) *2000: ''Hadera'' (Promise) *2006: ''Semai'' (Sky)

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Afewerki, Abraham 1966 births 2006 deaths People from Asmara 20th-century Eritrean male singers Deaths by drowning Accidental deaths in Eritrea 21st-century Eritrean male singers Krar players Eritrean expatriates in Italy Eritrean expatriates in the United States