10 Random Anthropological Facts on our Neighbors—The Amhara

[TheAnswer]

1. Traditionally, the Amhara have not typically lived in villages. They lived in scattered arrangements, each man living with his family and closest kin. They are not a "community" oriented people.

2. Related to point #1, The Amhara are an introverted people. They do not enjoy non-close family living with them. A saying goes, "Home and the grave are by oneself." They prefer to work alone or with their servants; seldom do they call upon their neighbors for help.

3. Smoking tobacco was considered a major taboo in Amhara culture.

4. The Amhara religion, Ethiopian Orthodoxy, has the most fasts of any religion. Lay people are expected to observe 180 fasts per year; while the number shoots up to 252 for clergy and deeply religious people.

5. Lying and secrecy—mtstir— are widespread in Amhara culture. Amhara believe its improper to reveal your full self and intentions to others. The highest form of Amhara expression, Wax and Gold, involves saying one thing but meaning another.

6. Historically, Gondar was the only Ethiopian city---and never a major city. Addis Ababa was only founded in 1886.

7. The Amharic langauge is very indirect. They do not have words that mean "yes" or "no." Closest word to no is yelem, which means something along the lines of, "possibly not."

8. The Amhara deposed one of their emperors, lij iyasu, after he secretly converted to Islam. (He also married a Somali girl in Jigjigga)

9. Going to court and litigating among one another is one of the most enjoyable activities for Amhara people.

10. Until the 1940s, the highest spiritual authority among Amharas was an Egyptian Coptic monk, Abuna, dispatched to symbolically preside over their church, their most cherished institution. In practice, however, the Egyptian's lack of language ability and local support base meant he was sidelined by his Ethiopian next-in-command.

 

[SOMALI GENERAL]

The Coptic/Egyptian Orthodox Church is traditionally the head/leader of African Christians.

Hence why the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was subordinate to the Egyptian Church which appointed the Abuna/Bishop of Ethiopia until they were given their own native patriarch & still maintain a close communion with the Egyptian Church.

 

[ABG]

They’re wonderful people

 

[TheAnswer]

They’re wonderful people

I thought so too, until I learned being two-faced was a part of their culture

Now I'm going to be a bit more cautious around them.

 

[Ayubi]

I heard 17.2% of their population is Muslim, may Allah guide them all to Islam.

Imagine if the whole horn accepted Islam and we revive the Adal Sultanate with Harar as it's Capital

 

[TheAnswer]

I heard 17.2% of their population is Muslim, may Allah guide them all to Islam.

Imagine if the whole horn accepted Islam and we revive the Adal Sultanate with Harar as it's Capital

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Somalis can't even get along with Muslim Oromos let alone Muslim Amhara who are even more culturally distant

 

[Hybrid()]

Amharas are extremely patriotic and they’re also very welcoming people

 

[Hybrid()]

I thought so too, until I learned being two-faced was a part of their culture

Now I'm going to be a bit more cautious around them.

Yeah they love to tell lies and brag about themselves. Ethiopians were the first people I became friends with when I moved to the state.

 

[Waaqo of Punt]

lij Iyasu never became emperor. Rumours say he converted to Islam after siding with the Muslim Oromos. It's said that he consumed large amounts of khat in jigjiga.

 

[Waaqo of Punt]

I heard 17.2% of their population is Muslim, may Allah guide them all to Islam.

That's the Amxara region. The % of actual Muslim Amxaras is much lower.

 

[Ayubi]

lij Iyasu never became emperor. Rumours say he converted to Islam after siding with the Muslim Oromos. It's said that he consumed large amounts of khat in jigjiga.

It's said that he was an emperor but an uncrowned one. He reigned from 1913-1916 replaced by a women later.

That's the Amxara region. The % of actual Muslim Amxaras is much lower.

I assume the total population of Amharas are 20m and 19m are mostly located in the Amhara region. The diaspora are in other places such as US, Canada etc.

 

[Basra]

1. Traditionally, the Amhara have not typically lived in villages. They lived in scattered arrangements, each man living with his family and closest kin. They are not a "community" oriented people.

2. Related to point #1, The Amhara are an introverted people. They do not enjoy non-close family living with them. A saying goes, "Home and the grave are by oneself." They prefer to work alone or with their servants; seldom do they call upon their neighbors for help.

3. Smoking tobacco was considered a major taboo in Amhara culture.

4. The Amhara religion, Ethiopian Orthodoxy, has the most fasts of any religion. Lay people are expected to observe 180 fasts per year; while the number shoots up to 252 for clergy and deeply religious people.

5. Lying and secrecy—mtstir— are widespread in Amhara culture. Amhara believe its improper to reveal your full self and intentions to others. The highest form of Amhara expression, Wax and Gold, involves saying one thing but meaning another.

6. Historically, Gondar was the only Ethiopian city---and never a major city. Addis Ababa was only founded in 1886.

7. The Amharic langauge is very indirect. They do not have words that mean "yes" or "no." Closest word to no is yelem, which means something along the lines of, "possibly not."

8. The Amhara deposed one of their emperors, lij iyasu, after he secretly converted to Islam. (He also married a Somali girl in Jigjigga)

9. Going to court and litigating among one another is one of the most enjoyable activities for Amhara people.

10. Until the 1940s, the highest spiritual authority among Amharas was an Egyptian Coptic monk, Abuna, dispatched to symbolically preside over their church, their most cherished institution. In practice, however, the Egyptian's lack of language ability and local support base meant he was sidelined by his Ethiopian next-in-command.

Interesting. Well, for sure Amharas are complete opposite of their neighbors in terms of Personality distinction. While their neighbors are loud, crazy & God forbid Brave with a lion heart- the Amhara is simply the opposite.

Amhara are particularly suited to academic pursuits, a lonely pursuits.

 

[Yukon_Niner]

Until the 1940s, the highest spiritual authority among Amharas was an Egyptian Coptic monk

I swear to god if this was Somalis and Islam you'd be ing about how an Arab rules over us. Still though f*ck Africa it's bloody cursed.

 

[DR OSMAN]

I thought so too, until I learned being two-faced was a part of their culture

Now I'm going to be a bit more cautious around them.

You behind bro. Somalis/Ethiopians both are two faced cultures but it's so old with the advent of science. Now no-one really cares what 'misleading words comes out of your mouth' They now sit there and observe your 'actions' and use probability analysis for your agenda by finding correlations of data purely thru your 'actions' not 'words anymore.

The days of secrecy is over wallahi, if it worked, i would be ADAMANTLY using it. If u want proof it doesn't work look how much of a shit hole ethiopia and somalia is.

You need to adopt scientific academic mind this will mean we can create NUKES BRO while your using age old tactic from 15th century by MAKAVELI, he introduced 'secrecy' culture. We are so behind it's not funny. That's why America can sit there in bed and precisely kill u thru mathamatical calculations and geographical coordinates while having 'tea' in any city of somalia. He isnt stuck in 15th century secrecy as the 'book' of makaveli EXPOSED IT ALL and made it 'old game' that isn't used.

 

[DR OSMAN]

@IslamIsTheAnswer I can't wait to send drones from garowe to 'gedo' and nuke u out. Garowe will have it's own plant for drones. We will tell the west we are not using 15th century secrecy game, we know 'books' exist about how to catch it out and is 'old'. We are adopting 21st century tactics now. Science and Evidence talk, this will show the west your in 21st century METHODS and moved out of the 15th century two face games. No wonder we look like the 15th century in Somalia, it's because the mind is still stuck in there no wonder Gedo looks no different to an amhara village. War update yourself, the world has updated nigga or be left behind, discard secrecy/lying to many books about how to spot it.

You still have 15th century mind, superstition about lying and secrecy and all that, its exposed BRO, it's happened so many times, they found the 'traits' of those people and listed them in books. Its' game over for that technique

 

[PhySom]

@IslamIsTheAnswer I can't wait to send drones from garowe to 'gedo' and nuke u out. Garowe will have it's own plant for drones. We will tell the west we are not using 15th century secrecy game, we know 'books' exist about how to catch it out and is 'old'. We are adopting 21st century tactics now. Science and Evidence talk, this will show the west your in 21st century METHODS and moved out of the 15th century two face games. No wonder we look like the 15th century in Somalia, it's because the mind is still stuck in there no wonder Gedo looks no different to an amhara village. War update yourself, the world has updated nigga or be left behind, discard secrecy/lying to many books about how to spot it.

You still have 15th century mind, superstition about lying and secrecy and all that, its exposed BRO, it's happened so many times, they found the 'traits' of those people and listed them in books. Its' game over for that technique