The Amhara people are mostly farmers who live in the north central highlands of Ethiopia.
The Amhara, numbering about 23 million, making up 30.1% of the country’s population according to the most recent 1994 census, are a Semitic people whose ancestors possibly came from what is modern-day Yemen.
These people speak Amharic, the working language of the federal authorities of Ethiopia, and dominate the country’s political and economic life for many years.
They are situated mainly in the central highland plateau of Ethiopia and embrace the major population in the provinces of:
• Begemder
• Gojjam
• In parts of Shoa
• Wallo
Many Amhara live in the mountains, politically strategic, but making it difficult to travel and gain provisions. The work division look like that the:
• men in the fields
• women around the house and
• children at home and watching the animals
The chief food of the Amhara is injera and wot. Injera is prepared from indigenous grain called teff. Wot is a sauce that can be made from beans or meat.
Although their life is hard (due to contaminated drinking water and deforestation causing most Amhara to live in yearly risk of famine) the Amhara are proud people, proud of their ethnicity, their religion, their special place in the world. Their culture is strong, developed over many centuries, and it has resisted the invasions of outside governments and religions.
Most marriages are discussed by the two families. Divorce is acceptable and must also be negotiated. There is also a “temporary marriage,” by oral contract before witnesses. Priests may marry but not entitled for divorce or remarriage.
We know we only said very little about the Amhara people. Feel free to write us any thing related to this topic and we will gladly publish it in this blog.
Keywords: Amhara people, Amharic, Begemder, Gojjam, Shoa, Wallo, injera, wot, teff,
32 responses so far ↓
1 eliza // Dec 5, 2007 at 4:15 am
The Amhara are the economically dominate tribe in Ethiopia. They generally have no acient gods in their religon so unlike other native tribes to africa, they thrive upon ancient pottery and objects they can recover from the Axum empire period.
2 miranda // Feb 11, 2008 at 10:06 pm
nice site……. but i didnt get the info i needed, i need the info for a tribe called the “hamar tribe”!!
but other than that nice job
3 Lenny // Jul 11, 2008 at 6:36 am
Can I ask some question?
I want to know more detail about Amhara people, about their culture, their names, their festivals, and many more.
Can somebody help me?? I want to write a story with Ethiopia background.
Thanks
4 Sola // Sep 29, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Need more information on amhara people
5 hadush // Oct 2, 2008 at 7:50 am
Galla
6 Alyssa // Oct 28, 2008 at 10:01 pm
People should read this.
7 natasha // Nov 2, 2008 at 7:56 am
what made the amhara tribe so unique
8 let the galla // Dec 8, 2008 at 12:14 pm
If you really intersted knowing about amharas uniqueness ask galla people so called oromo who have I dentity crisis acting like animal
9 SES // Jan 16, 2009 at 4:55 pm
How did early European colonialism change the Amhara culture?
10 stifanos // Feb 13, 2009 at 7:49 am
ses
Ethiopians had never been colonised ,we defeated colonialism,we beated the italians,ottoman turks, arabs and so on
11 Muche Maru Eunetu // Mar 26, 2009 at 8:55 am
Temporary marriage not acceptable for Amhara people.
12 kailey // May 11, 2009 at 5:37 pm
k wel nice sit………. but i need info on the governing body of the amhara people
13 mustafa // May 28, 2009 at 7:59 pm
The Amhara Aren’t Ethiopian!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14 zinadini balochi // Jun 16, 2009 at 1:36 pm
it’s very nice site indeed i like it
thanks for all
15 qomaxa killer // Sep 3, 2009 at 11:03 pm
all i know is.. when amara ppl came to oromia they use to be handicaps for exmple.. some of them they dont have fingers some of them they dont have what we call the eyes etc.. thanks to oromo land atleast they look like human know..and you like it or nat gojam is waiting for you guys and that time will come..and oromia shall be free the truth hurts but lies hurt more..
16 qomaxa killer // Sep 3, 2009 at 11:15 pm
the only thing brought these qomaxas to oromia is a hunger.
2day they have enough food thanks to god and oromia land…and have you eva greet amara ppl they have the sign of poorness they shake thier heads ups and down poor qomaxa qomaxa dont eva forget where ya’ll came from gonder desert..lol
17 qomaxa killer // Sep 3, 2009 at 11:18 pm
and the future is oromia and oromia shall be free.
18 qomaxa killer // Sep 3, 2009 at 11:19 pm
and why you guys scared to go back to ur country lol is becoz no food there lol
19 Diro Tafa Birri // Nov 20, 2009 at 1:20 pm
ethiopia is our country . all nation in Ethiopia are equal .
20 Boo // Dec 1, 2009 at 6:17 am
agreed. Throughout history many nations have been built through the assimilation of various lands, peoples and cultures. People were nomadic and frequently traveled and settled in different lands, mixing with the indegenous. The state of the world today is not what it was in the yesteryears, and in all likelihood it probably won’t change for a long time, if at all. That doesn’t change the fact that in the present state of things, Ethiopia is one land with a rich kaleidoscope of cultures, ethnicities, languages and people.
21 bilisummaa yusuf // Dec 24, 2009 at 6:09 pm
please help me i want to know abot are peoples in wollo amhara or oromo?????
22 Kemekem // Dec 31, 2009 at 12:06 am
If we are talking about Ethiopia,all nations & nationalities should be viewed equally. However, if it is about Amharas let us not forget their significant contribution in establishing the Ethiopian state.Down looking or attempting to rewrite Ethiopian history on false & fabricted ways as we see now a days by numerous individuals affiliated with some groups is (are) without merit.
23 Kemekem // Dec 31, 2009 at 12:17 am
The majority in Wello (Wollo) are Amharas.Infact the orgion of the name Amhara itself is derived from Wello’s Amhara Saint district.Oromo soldiers who followed Grange Ahmed in the 16th century came from the south and remained there after Ahmed’s defeat.If any one has a different documentation of history I would like to hear about it.
24 KADIMA // Dec 31, 2009 at 7:27 am
The WOOLOIANS are neither AMHARA nor OROMO .Just WOLLOIAN.
25 hailu // Jan 1, 2010 at 10:22 pm
The Amhara are the rightfull owners of the Blue nile,this was not mentioned so far outrightly. but that dose not make them the only people to utilize the waters of the river,that is why ther is a sort of grouping by the so - titled Nile valley countries exist.Still Amharas will play a pivotal role in this regard. Maybe at present they are not in that position yet but the time will come .Although the government in Addiss is contemplating to build a huge dam in an oromo area to supply electricity to Sudan And Egypt. Amharas are left out in this regard and this is not good in the future.All peoples must be encouraged to use their natural resources to better their lives. However, the Amharas are shut out and silenced. Oromo and Tigryan alliance is hurting Amharas deeply. For the good of all peoples of the so - tiltled Nile valley let us utilze the river on amutually beneficial way and build the dam in its proper place inside Amhara.
26 hailu // Jan 1, 2010 at 10:26 pm
The Amhara are the rightfull owners of the Blue nile,this was not mentioned so far outrightly. but that dose not make them the only people to utilize the waters of the river,that is why ther is a sort of grouping by the so - titled Nile valley countries .Still Amharas will play a pivotal role in this regard. Maybe at present they are not in that position yet but the time will come .Although the government in Addiss is contemplating to build a huge dam in an oromo area to supply electricity to Sudan And Egypt. Amharas are left out in this regard and this is not good in the future.All peoples must be encouraged to use their natural resources to better their lives. However, the Amharas are shut out and silenced. Oromo and Tigryan alliance is hurting Amharas deeply. For the good of all peoples of the so - tiltled Nile valley let us utilze the river on a mutually beneficial way and build the dam in its proper place inside Amhara.
27 BEKALU // Jan 1, 2010 at 10:56 pm
case in point.1/ a dam is built ,another is onits way on tekeze river of north east amhara in tigray. 2/ a dam is built on kesem river of south east amhara (semen shoa) in afar. This rivers that belong to amhara are providing all sorts of development activities including irrigation,safe drinking water and electricity to tigray and afar,while amharas languish in poverty ,darkness and thirst among other ills despite the fact that the source of the two rivers is amhara.
28 Abegaz // Jan 3, 2010 at 9:26 pm
Long live Ethioia.A country of more than 80 ethnic groups and languages is worth preserving.I have seen so many opinions about Amharas,Oromos and Tigryans, what about the rest of the people who call ethiopia home sweet home? Can somebody come out on the surface and say something about what other Ethiopians think and wish for the future? Let us not allowe the big three A, O,&T dictate ethiopias future.In short we need to fully practise Democracy & Human Rights in shaping the new Ethiopia. Because if we dont get involved the big three will destroy our dreams of equality,prosperity & democracy when they fight one another for supermacy and controll of the center of power,as they have done for centuries,leaving Ethiopia and its dignified,humble and religious people impoverished.Their power hungry culture continues to make our country the loughing stock of Africans,because all the countries that we helped to become free are enjoying a much better political and economic life than ours comparativelly speaking.Aren’t we ashemed to be hungry time and again,beg the world to feed us year after year? If we fail to come together as Ethiopians and not as Amhara,Oromo,or etc.we might loose it all sooner than any one of us can imagine.Think about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
29 mestewat // Jan 6, 2010 at 1:06 am
I am proud to be an amhara.todays ethiopia is divided into ethnic based territories.For me the allocation of land is mis representative of demographic facts,for example,in adama zone amharas are the majority,humera is predominantly amhara,kimbibit has been an amhara land for centuries,metekel is also part of gojam,etc.In short amharas are not and will not be treated fairly as long as their treatment as second class citizens continues.I am not surprised to read a huge dam will be built on the blue nile outside gojam,which is ofcourse a travesty and an illigal move disrispecting amharas by stabing their psycology in the heart.The blue nile although an “international” river, is the natural resourse (god given) of all amharas.
30 Evelyn // Jan 29, 2010 at 1:31 pm
Amhara is an intresting religion but not the right one.
31 sierra // Jan 29, 2010 at 1:54 pm
You know, I don’t believe this Amhara religion either, but don’t talk crap about it just because you don’t believe it because that is just terrible… you must have no conscience. How can you feel OK insulting other people just because they are different. They find your religious practices strange too. So just don’t mock them, they have a very interesting religion.
?????????????????
32 sierra // Jan 29, 2010 at 1:59 pm
You know, I don’t believe this Amhara religion either, but don’t talk crap about it just because you don’t believe it because that is just terrible… you must have no conscience. How can you feel OK insulting other people just because they are different. They find your religious practices strange too. So just don’t mock them, they have a very interesting religion.
(:
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