The Amhara of Ethiopia essays

The Amhara of Ethiopia essays The Amhara are the most politically and culturally dominant group in the Ethiopia. They are the most populous group, representing a fourth of the population of the ethic group Ethiopia. They are located in the central highland plateau of Ethiopia. The Amhara have wondered this land for more than two thousand years and have been isolated from influences of the rest The Amhara haven't changed their way of life much over the past hundreds years, they continue to practice a form of agriculture that involves ox drown plows, simples irrigations systems and simples tools for harvesting crops. Some crops that they harvest are barley, hops beans, wheat, and a grain called teff. The Ahamara were able to grow such crops on these cool temperature highland plateaus because the fertile was blessed with volcanic soil and ample rainfall to make three full harvests per year. Amharic is the language of this culture. It shows its Semitic origin both in its alphabet and words shared with Hebrew and Arabic. The origins derive from a Sabean language spoken by merchants and traders who migrated in Ethiopia from Yemen region of South Arabia about 3000 thousand years ago. Amharic is the language of culture and education, spoken by millions of other Ethiopians and Eritreans as a second language. The Amhara people are Coptic Monophysite Christians. Ancient Amhara culture had a writing system that preserved the ancient teachings of Christianity in a language that is not spoken by people today but remains the language of the church. The language is Geez. Geez is used only in the context of Amhara Christianity; its function is similar to Latin in the Roman Catholic Church. Amhara Christianity is very different than our Christianity; Ethiopian Christianity is loaded with Old Testament religion and folklore as well as elements of a so called "pagan" religion. The Amhara consists of four separate religious belie...