The Tigre are one of Eritrea’s nine officially recognized ethnic groups, known for their pastoralist traditions, maritime history, and Semitic language distinct from Tigrinya.

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1. Location & Population

• Region: Predominantly in western lowlands and northern coastal plains of Eritrea, including parts of the Northern Red Sea and Gash-Barka regions.

• Major Towns: Keren, Agordat (Akordat), and Massawa’s hinterland.

• Population: Roughly 30% of Eritrea’s population — making them one of the largest ethnic groups after the Tigrinya.

2. Language

• Name: Tigre (sometimes called Xasa or Tigrayit in older sources).

• Language Family: Afro-Asiatic → Semitic branch.

• Relation to Others: Related to Tigrinya and Ge’ez, but mutually unintelligible with Tigrinya.

• Writing System: Uses the Ge’ez (Ethiopic) script; also historically transmitted orally.

• Status: One of Eritrea’s recognized national languages; widely spoken in everyday life, local media, and education in Tigre areas.

3. Lifestyle & Economy

• Traditionally semi-nomadic pastoralists, herding camels, goats, sheep, and cattle.

• Many also practice subsistence farming, growing sorghum, millet, and legumes in fertile areas.

• Historically engaged in trade and fishing along the Red Sea coast.

• Skilled in desert navigation and known for seasonal migration between grazing areas.

4. Culture & Traditions

• Social Structure: Clan-based, with strong lineage ties and leadership by respected elders.

• Music & Poetry: Tigre oral poetry is famous for its rich metaphor and is often performed with lyres (krar) and drums.

• Marriage customs: Traditionally arranged, often accompanied by multi-day feasts and music.

• Clothing:

   

  • Men: White jalabiya (robe) with headscarves.

  • Women: Colorful dresses, sometimes with embroidered shawls and intricate braided hairstyles.

• Religion: Majority Muslim, with small Christian communities.

5. History

• The Tigre have deep historical ties to Eritrea’s Red Sea trade routes, acting as caravan traders and maritime merchants for centuries.

• Mentioned in early Islamic histories as part of the peoples along the African Red Sea coast who interacted with the Arabian Peninsula.

• The Tigre language is considered one of the closest living relatives to Ge’ez, the classical language of the Aksumite kingdom.

6. Modern Life

• Many Tigre still combine herding with farming, but younger generations increasingly move to towns for education and work.

• The Eritrean government promotes Tigre-language education and broadcasts national radio and TV programs in Tigre.

• Infrastructure development in Tigre areas has improved road connections to ports like Massawa.

Interesting fact: Tigre is one of the few Semitic languages in Africa that has been preserved through both an oral tradition and written use of the Ge’ez script, keeping alive linguistic links to the ancient Aksumite civilization.

People of Eritrea