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Menachek is a ''tabia'' or municipality in the Tanqua Millash district of the
Tigray Region The Tigray Region, officially the Tigray National Regional State, is the northernmost Regions of Ethiopia, regional state in Ethiopia. The Tigray Region is the homeland of the Tigrayan, Irob people, Irob, and Kunama people, Kunama people. Its ...
of
Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the Er ...
. The ''tabia'' centre is in Addi Bayro village (also called "Debre Birhan"). Until January 2020 it belonged to the
Dogu'a Tembien Dogu'a Tembien (, "Upper Tembien", sometimes transliterated as Degua Tembien) is a woreda in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. It is named in part after the former province of Tembien. Nowadays, the mountainous district is part of the Southeastern Tigray ...
district.


Geography

The ''tabia'' occupies the flanks of the valley of the Tsech'i River that drains Dogu'a Tembien to the west. The highest peak is near Welekhlekha (almost 2700 m a.s.l.) and the lowest place in the lower Tsech'i gorge (1920 m a.s.l.).


Geology

From the higher to the lower locations, the following geological formations are present: * Upper basalt * Interbedded lacustrine deposits * Lower basalt * Amba Aradam Formation * Adigrat Sandstone


Geomorphology and soils

The main
geomorphic Geomorphology (from Ancient Greek: , ', "earth"; , ', "form"; and , ', "study") is the scientific study of the origin and evolution of topographic and bathymetric features created by physical, chemical or biological processes operating at or n ...
units, with corresponding soil types are: * Hagere Selam Highlands, along the central basalt and sandstone ridge ** Associated soil types *** shallow soils with high stone contents (Skeletic
Cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...
, Leptic
Cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...
, Skeletic
Regosol A Regosol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is very weakly developed mineral soil in unconsolidated materials. Regosols are extensive in eroding lands, in particular in arid and semi-arid areas and in mountain regions. Internat ...
) *** moderately deep dark stony
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...
s with good natural fertility (Vertic
Cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...
) *** deep, dark cracking
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...
s, temporarily waterlogged during the wet season (Pellic
Vertisol A vertisol, or vertosol, is a soil type in which there is a high content of expansive clay minerals, many of them known as montmorillonite, that form deep cracks in drier seasons or years. In a phenomenon known as argillipedoturbation, altern ...
) ** Inclusions *** Rock outcrops and very shallow soils (Lithic Leptosol) *** Rock outcrops and very shallow soils on limestone (Calcaric Leptosol) *** Deep dark cracking
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...
s with very good natural fertility, waterlogged during the wet season (Chromic
Vertisol A vertisol, or vertosol, is a soil type in which there is a high content of expansive clay minerals, many of them known as montmorillonite, that form deep cracks in drier seasons or years. In a phenomenon known as argillipedoturbation, altern ...
, Pellic
Vertisol A vertisol, or vertosol, is a soil type in which there is a high content of expansive clay minerals, many of them known as montmorillonite, that form deep cracks in drier seasons or years. In a phenomenon known as argillipedoturbation, altern ...
) *** Shallow stony dark
loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand ( particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...
s on calcaric material (Calcaric
Regosol A Regosol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is very weakly developed mineral soil in unconsolidated materials. Regosols are extensive in eroding lands, in particular in arid and semi-arid areas and in mountain regions. Internat ...
, Calcaric
Cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...
) *** Brown
loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand ( particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...
y soils on basalt with good natural fertility (
Luvisol Luvisols are a group of soils, comprising one of the 32 Reference Soil Groups in the international system of soil classification, the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB). They are widespread, especially in temperate climates, and are ge ...
) * Adigrat Sandstone cliff and footslope ** Associated soil types *** complex of rock outcrops, very stony and very shallow soils ((Lithic) Leptosol) *** shallow, stony sandy Regosol A Regosol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is very weakly developed mineral soil in unconsolidated materials. Regosols are extensive in eroding lands, in particular in arid and semi-arid areas and in mountain regions. Internat ...
and
Cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...
) ** Inclusions *** shallow, dry soils with very high amounts of stones (Leptic and Skeletic
Cambisol A Cambisol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is a soil in the beginning of soil formation. The horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the pers ...
and
Regosol A Regosol in the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) is very weakly developed mineral soil in unconsolidated materials. Regosols are extensive in eroding lands, in particular in arid and semi-arid areas and in mountain regions. Internat ...
) *** deep, dark cracking
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...
s with good fertility, but problems of waterlogging (agriculture) ">waterlogging (Chromic and Pellic
Vertisol A vertisol, or vertosol, is a soil type in which there is a high content of expansive clay minerals, many of them known as montmorillonite, that form deep cracks in drier seasons or years. In a phenomenon known as argillipedoturbation, altern ...
) *** soils with stagnating water due to an abrupt textural change such as sand over
clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay part ...
(Haplic Planosol)


Climate

The rainfall pattern shows a very high seasonality with 70 to 80% of the annual rain falling in July and August. Mean temperature in xxx is 17.4 °C, oscillating between average daily minimum of 9.6 °C and maximum of 24.8 °C. The contrasts between day and night air temperatures are much larger than seasonal contrasts.


Springs

As there are no permanent rivers, the presence of springs is of utmost importance for the local people. The main springs in the ''tabia'' are: * May Gfay * May Tsechi * Gigbana


Reservoirs

In this area with rains that last only for a couple of months per year, reservoirs of different sizes allow harvesting runoff from the rainy season for further use in the dry season. * Traditional surface water harvesting ponds, particularly in places without permanent springs, called ''rahaya'' * ''Horoyo'', household ponds, recently constructed through campaigns


Settlements

The ''tabia'' centre Addi Bayro holds a few administrative offices, a health post, a primary school, and some small shops. There are a few more primary schools across the ''tabia''. The main other populated places are: * Welekhlekha * Tsech'i * Gulha


Agriculture and livelihood

The population lives essentially from crop farming, supplemented with off-season work in nearby towns. The land is dominated by
farmland Agricultural land is typically land ''devoted to'' agriculture, the systematic and controlled use of other forms of lifeparticularly the rearing of livestock and production of cropsto produce food for humans. It is generally synonymous with bot ...
s which are clearly demarcated and are cropped every year. Hence the agricultural system is a permanent upland
farming system Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...
. The farmers have adapted their
cropping system The term cropping system refers to the crops, crop sequences and management techniques used on a particular agricultural field over a period of years. It includes all spatial and temporal aspects of managing an agricultural system. Historically, cro ...
s to the spatio-temporal variability in rainfall. An elongated rugged landscape extends to the west of the tabia, which is used for
transhumance Transhumance is a type of pastoralism or nomadism, a seasonal movement of livestock between fixed summer and winter pastures. In montane regions (''vertical transhumance''), it implies movement between higher pastures in summer and lower va ...
.


History and culture


Caves and archaeological sites

The Danei Kawlos cave in the Tsech'i gorge at the west of Menachek at an elevation of about 2020 metres, is some 13.5 metres long (). It contains lithic tools, potsherds, and faunal remains of
Pastoral Neolithic The Pastoral Neolithic (5000 BP - 1200 BP) refers to a period in Africa's prehistory, specifically Tanzania and Kenya, marking the beginning of food production, livestock domestication, and pottery use in the region following the Later Stone Age. ...
age.Agazi Negash. (2001). The Holocene Pre-Historic Archaeology of the Temben Region of Northern Ethiopia (PhD dissertation). University of Florida.
/ref> Further down, the May Ila open-air site in the Tsech'i gorge at the extreme west of Menachek at a height of about 1990 metres () contains blades, blade cores, and a few potsherds of
Pastoral Neolithic The Pastoral Neolithic (5000 BP - 1200 BP) refers to a period in Africa's prehistory, specifically Tanzania and Kenya, marking the beginning of food production, livestock domestication, and pottery use in the region following the Later Stone Age. ...
age.


History

The history of the ''tabia'' is strongly confounded with the
history of Tembien Tembien (Tigrigna: ተምቤን) is a historic region in Tigray Region and former provinces of Ethiopia. It is a mountainous area of that country. During the reforms in 1994–95, the old provinces were replaced with regions, zones and woredas. Th ...
.


Religion and churches

Most inhabitants are Orthodox Christians. The Gulha Maryam church with its large forest is located in the ''tabia''.


''Inda Siwa'', the local beer houses

In the main villages, there are traditional beer houses ('' Inda Siwa'').


Roads and communication

The main road
Mekelle Mekelle ( ti, መቐለ, am, መቀሌ, mäqälle, mek’elē) or Mekele is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray. It is located around north of the Ethiopia ...
– Hagere Selam –
Abiy Addi Abiy Addi (also spelled Abi Addi; Tigrigna ዓብዪ ዓዲ "Big town") is a town in central Tigray Region, Tigray, Ethiopia. Abiy Addi is at the southeastern edge of the Kola Tembien woreda, of which it is the capital. Overview The town is di ...
runs 2 to 5 km south and east of the ''tabia''. There are regular bus services to these towns. Further, a rural access road links Addi Bayro and Welekhlekha to the main asphalt road.


Tourism

Its mountainous nature and proximity to
Mekelle Mekelle ( ti, መቐለ, am, መቀሌ, mäqälle, mek’elē) or Mekele is a special zone and capital of the Tigray Region of Ethiopia. Mekelle was formerly the capital of Enderta awraja in Tigray. It is located around north of the Ethiopia ...
makes the ''tabia'' fit for tourism. The high variability of geological formations and the rugged topography invites for geological and geographic tourism or "geotourism". Trekking routes 7 and 19 pass along the southern ridge in this ''tabia''. The tracks are not marked on the ground but can be followed using downloaded .GPX files. They link Inda Maryam Qorar to
Debre Sema'it Debar ( mk, Дебaр ; Albanian: ''Dibër''/''Dibra'' or ''Dibra e Madhe;'' ) is a city in the western part of North Macedonia, near the border with Albania, off the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality. Debar has a ...
rock church. Facilities in Menachek are very basic.


See also

*
Dogu'a Tembien Dogu'a Tembien (, "Upper Tembien", sometimes transliterated as Degua Tembien) is a woreda in Tigray Region, Ethiopia. It is named in part after the former province of Tembien. Nowadays, the mountainous district is part of the Southeastern Tigray ...
district.


References

{{ Tabias (municipalities) of Dogu’a Tembien Populated places in the Tigray Region Dogu'a Tembien