Semitic-speaking ethnic group native to northern Ethiopia
Not to be confused with Tigre people or Tigrinya people.
Tigrayans
Regions with significant populations
Ethiopia
4,483,776 (2007)[1]
Languages
Tigrinya
Religion
Christianity (96%) Islam (4%)[2]
Related ethnic groups
Amhara • Argobba • Beta Israel • Gurage • Harari • Tigre • Tigrinya • Zay • other Habesha peoples[3][4]
Tigrayans (Tigrinya: ተጋሩ) are a Semitic-speaking ethnic group indigenous to the Tigray Region of northern Ethiopia.[5][6][7] They speak the Tigrinya language, an Afroasiatic language belonging to the Ethiopian Semitic branch.
The daily life of Tigrayans is highly influenced by religious concepts. For example, the Christian Orthodox fasting periods are strictly observed, especially in Tigray; but also traditional local beliefs such as in spirits, are widespread. In Tigray the language of the church remains exclusively Ge’ez. Tigrayan society is marked by a strong ideal of communitarianism and, especially in the rural sphere, by egalitarian principles. This does not exclude an important role of gerontocratic rules and in some regions such as the wider Adwa area, formerly the prevalence of feudal lords, who, however, still had to respect the local land rights.[5]
Tigrayans are branched out across the world in diaspora communities but are native residence of Tigray. Areas where Tigrayans have strong ancestral links are: Enderta, Agame, Welkait, Kafta Humera, Tembien, Kilite Awlalo, Raya Azebo, Axum, Tsegede, Adwa, Tselemti and Shire, however areas where Tigrayans have historical links are many more.
^Central Statistical Agency, Ethiopia. "Table 2.2 Percentage Distribution of Major Ethnic Groups: 2007" (PDF). Summary and Statistical Report of the 2007 Population and Housing Census Results. United Nations Population Fund. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
^Pagani, Luca; Kivisild, Toomas (July 2012). "Ethiopian Genetic Diversity Reveals Linguistic Stratification and Complex Influences on the Ethiopian Gene Pool". The American Journal of Human Genetics. 91 (1): 83–96. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.05.015. PMC 3397267. PMID 22726845.
^Levine, Donald N. (2000). Greater Ethiopia: The Evolution of a Multiethnic Society. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226475615. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
^Shinn, David; Ofcansky, Thomas (2004). Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia. Lanham, Maryland: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. pp. 378–380. ISBN 978-0-8108-4910-5.
^Ullendorff, Edward (1973). The Ethiopians. London: Oxford University Press. pp. 31, 35–37.
land rights. Tigrayans are branched out across the world in diaspora communities but are native residence of Tigray. Areas where Tigrayans have strong...
Food Programme. Tigrayans' houses were arbitrarily searched and Tigrayans' bank accounts suspended. During the conflict, many Tigrayans were profiled both...
forces engaged in systemic campaigns deliberately targeting Tigrayans in the Western Zone. Tigrayans were often killed en masse, forcibly expelled, or otherwise...
ethnic groups. Tigrayan nationalists accuse Amharas of imposing their cultural, economic and political hegemony over Tigrayans. Tigrayan nationalism is...
in Eritrea and in northern Ethiopia's Tigray Region by the Tigrinya and Tigrayan peoples. It is also spoken by the global diaspora of these regions. Although...
the region and to Africa at large. 96% of Tigrayans are Orthodox Christian. After Armenians, ethnic Tigrayans have the highest percentage of Orthodox Christians...
scorched earth strategy in Tigray has all but ensured the alienation of most Tigrayans. It has also ensured that the TDF will have no shortage of committed fighters...
culturally rejected the Tigrayans, who decreased their usage of Amharic, reverting to Tigrinya, and discrimination against the Tigrayans became strong. Eritreans...
the Tigrayan population of Begmeder was 190,183 people, which made Tigrayans the second largest ethnicity. The study provided evidence that Tigrayans were...
ethnic groups, the four largest of which are the Oromo, Amhara, Somali and Tigrayans. According to the Ethiopian national census of 2007, the Oromo are the...
Washington Post. Retrieved July 16, 2021. "A bid 'to exterminate us': Tigrayans recount massacre by Eritrean troops". RFI. March 3, 2021. Retrieved July...
and their area of inhabitation should not be confused with that of the Tigrayans, who live in northern Ethiopia and the Biher-Tigrinya who live in the...
heavily supported by the RAF sent a signal to the Emperor, that "the Tigrayans weren't only brave fighters but also astute strategists" said Hailemariam...
addition, there exist Italian Eritrean (concentrated in Asmara) and Ethiopian Tigrayan communities. Neither is generally given citizenship unless through marriage...
identifying ethnic Tigrayans from all government agencies and NGOs" being used by federal police to request a list of ethnic Tigrayans from an office of...
were men and 14,612 were women. The largest ethnic group reported was Tigrayans with 98.54% and Tigrinya was spoken as a first language by 98.68%. The...
Predictions of a genocide in Ethiopia, particularly one that targets Tigrayans, Amharas and/or Oromos, have frequently occurred during the 2020s, particularly...
Ethiopia until the mid-20th century and primarily designates the Amhara, Tigrayan and Tigrinya inhabited highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The origin of...
gave frequent coverage to the Mai Kadra massacre, mostly attributed to Tigrayan youth and documented by Amnesty International, while later focusing on...
Global Information
Ethiopia
Christianity (96%)
Islam (4%)[2]