Abraham Afewerki, (ኣብርሃም ኣፈወርቂ) (30 January 1966 – 7 October 2006) was an Eritrean singer, songwriter, and music producer. Noted for his unique

Tigrinya (; also spelled Tigrigna) is an Ethio-Semitic language commonly spoken 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. History and literatur ...

-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, Eritrea. During the

Eritrean War of Independence The Eritrean War of Independence was a war for independence which Eritrean independence fighters waged against successive Ethiopian governments from 1 September 1961 to 24 May 1991. Eritrea was an Italian colony from the 1880s until the ...

, Abraham and his family fled the fighting and lived as refugees in Sudan. He was interested in music from an early age, taking up the harmonica. Abraham joined the

Eritrean People's Liberation Front The Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF), colloquially known as Shabia, was an armed Marxist–Leninist organization that fought for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. It emerged in 1970 as a far-left to left-wing nationalist group ...

(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 Krar (Amharic: 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 amplified, much in the same way as an electric guitar or violin. The ''Krar'', along wit ...

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

with honours.

Music career

Abraham’s first release, ''Wegahta'' (''Sunrise''), 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 Alina" ("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, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

, R&B, and

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

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

Death

In 2006, Abraham drowned when he tried to save a friend in the

Red Sea The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; ...

near Massawa. Abraham’s friend allegedly got his foot stuck in quicksand underwater & was drowning when Abraham came to rescue him. 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

Discography

He released the following albums in Eritrea: *1991: ''Wegahta'' (Sunrise) *1994: ''Tesfa'iya snqey'' (Hope is my supply/kit) *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