ERITREA: Taking in the sights and sounds of Abba Shaul

My visits to Eritrea have always taken me outside Asmara, the beautiful capital… not this time. Arriving there just after Christmas, in time for the New Year, I spent almost all of my two weeks in the city, walking along the famous promenades, relaxing with friends in the many outdoor cafés and of course-shopping in the open markets in search of authentic Eritrean arts and crafts. There was one place that seemed to elude me in all of my past travels-that place is the famed neighborhood of Abba Shaul. In the center of Asmara and in the hearts and minds all Eritreans who were born and raised there, and even in those like me, who had never visited it but had come to know and love Abba Shaul through others-it was my focus during this trip- I was doing Abba Shaul for New Year and nothing was going to stop me…

I didn´t want to just pass through Abba Shaul as I had done many times before on my way to CherHi, the famous restaurant perched high on the hill atop Abba Shaul. On more than one occasion I had looked at Abba Shaul from my look out point and wondered what lay hidden below the odd patchwork that served as the rooftop for so many homes beneath. There were corrugated metal sheets, stones and mud, wood, tires and other materials spread out over the rooftops, keeping the neighborhood and its secrets well under cover. So what was the secret place below? I could not wait to go there and immerse myself in it all...

Unlike poor neighborhoods in some countries where crime and violence is rampant, Abba Shaul is a poor neighborhood but it´s a place where camaraderie, compassion, creativity, pride and dignity call home. It is a place you can visit all on your own and not worry about your safety or that of your belongings. I didn´t want to just drop in, I wanted to experience it in its totality and feel completely at home. Visiting with someone who knows the ins and outs of the place or grew up there helps. I got lucky, I got both. I had the pleasure of having my special friend Girmay Yohannes (Sandiago), a veteran fighter and a renowned comedian/historian/linguist/intellectual accompanying me for the day. Sandiago had promised to show me everything that Abba Shaul had to offer and I was ready…I had to see it all and experience it totally. I didn´t know what to expect but I decided to just go with the flow and enjoy myself fully.

We got up early in the morning and headed towards Shuq-the market place. We parked our car on a side street and entered Abba Shaul on foot, making our way through the narrow streets of oddly placed stones separating the row houses on each side while keeping them close, so close that you could hear conversations taking place inside the one and two room homes. The homes extended to the street side and children lingered on doorsteps waving to passersby, whilst the adults peeked out to offer a brew or more. The smell of fresh coffee and the variety of sounds- the laughter of children, the clicking of pots and pans, of running water and of course music, all kinds of music, that seemed to flow from every corner-all added to the flavor of this lively neighborhood. Abba Shaul was already awake and it was beckoning us…

No doubt that traveling with Sandiago has its perks…but it can also be very distracting-literally everyone, young and old in Abba Shaul seemed to know him and throughout the day we heard them calling out to him. "Sandiago", "Sandish" and more… He waved and called out to all, greeted the young children and chatted with many along the way…On more than one instant we were left hanging on the side streets waiting for him while he made house calls, greeting the residents and promising to return. I took in the views and relished in the warmth and thrill of being in the midst of it all. My friends back in Washington always talked so fondly about this place and now, being there, right smack in the middle of it all, I could see why Abba Shaul was so revered…it seethed with life.

Sandiago told me about the many foreign and local artists and writers who come to Abba Shaul seeking inspiration, to live amongst its dwellers and bask in its heartbeat- the joie de vivre that defines Abba Shaul 24-7. Abba Shawul is home to a number of talented and renowned Eritrean artists, musicians and intellectuals. Many trace their roots to this nostalgic neighborhood... For them, Abba Shaul is not just about the past, but very much of the present, real and emotive, to selfishly guard and defend. Abba Shaul casts a dreamy spell on all whose paths have brought them there.

Many have sung about and written about this beloved neighborhood and there is no doubt that many more will sing her praises in the future. Edward Dennison, one such visitor wrote about Abba Shaul in his guidebook on Eritrea. He wrote:

"…Further north, beyond the Market square and Afabet Street, is the old "indigenous´ quarter where the houses, to this day, are considerably more modest in their construction and size. The disorganized narrow lanes and humble mud walls of the densely populated dwellings here are by no means a slum. This area known as Abbashaul, is where the local population was herded under the Italian rule and little has been done since to combat the negative impacts that were instilled then. It remains a deprived area, with no running water and poor sanitation, but there is an electrical supply and, above all a very strong sense of community. It is as enjoyable to witness this part of Asmara where the city´s heart really beats, as it is to the shabby chic aesthetic of the old European quarter…"

Dennison is right, Abba Shaul´s strong sense of community is what defines this neighborhood and it has been the cultural source for all the wonderful poetry and music produced by those who grew up there. A very famous song about Abba Shaul by legendary Eritrean musician Al Amin Abdeletif speaks volumes of the affection and longing this uniquely diverse group I will call Abba Shaulians, have for the neighborhood that nurtured them in their childhoods and young adulthoods. More on Al Amin, his thoughts and his tribute to Abba Shaul later…

Abba Shauls unique and historical aural and visual identity is unmatched by any other neighborhood in Asmara, rich or poor. Sandiago had promised me a day of discovery and fun and it began with a visit to what looked like a private home for a taste of Sewa-the local brew. It would be a first for me-drinking Sewa for breakfast. We tasted a few varieties and decided that we needed to search further for just the right taste and a few winding roads later, we found it in a house… up a few stairs with the doors ajar with a privacy curtain adorning the doorway, blowing in the soft wind. We heard happy sounds coming from the inside and decided it was just the place for our early morning escapade.

We peeked in and the lady welcomed us to her place as she engaged in familiar chit chat with Sandiago. We sat on wooden benches against the wall facing a group of young men who were sitting across from us. We greeted each other and soon we were drinking her special brew and sharing conversations that seemed to invite everyone to partake in. This was no place for private talks…it just didn´t feel right to keep the conversation within our own tables…it´s a shared experience in every way. The ones leaving were replaced by new comers who went through the same routine as we did. The folks seemed to be doing what we were doing- bar hopping…only they looked like they were at much longer.

I was enjoying each ´melelik´ full and we listened to the various songs that played over the loudspeaker. The songs varied; there were love ballads whose lyrics seemed to tell everyone´s story of love lost or found. One of the guests asked us a question on love and soon a discussion on whether love hurts or not began spontaneously. We each offered our take on the subject...if there was someone in the room hurting because of a lost love or a found one…it was a perfect place to bounce off and share anonymously. We listened to Gregory Isaac´s ´Night Nurse´ and then there was the love song ´YefiQir Gedam´ from Neway Debebe (Ethiopian singer). But it wasn´t all pain and hurt. There were many other songs played and when we liked the song we had the owner turn up the volume and when we were deep in our conversations, we turned it low.

There was one song that had to have the volume turned up…the young men in that home were obviously great fans of Tedros. ´Segum´, his song of valor and courage-the lyrics that even my children have managed to memorize- seemed to be one of their favorites too. They sang out loud and the message was loud and clear…it was about staying the course, not being bothered by those who quit midcourse…it was about doing your part…carving out your niche in the journey…it was about reaching seemingly unimaginable goals-like landing on the moon, crossing the Atlantic were at that time etc. etc. and they seemed to agree.

We invited them for more drinks and soon we were swaying to the music and enjoying each others company as if we had known each other for years. Some seemed a bit shy…didn´t say much, but there were those who couldn´t stop the chattering and laughter. They spoke for every one of us. We spent the entire morning sharing and building new friendships. Sandiago told us several jokes and soon they were telling us some of their own. Abba Shaul was just the place to gather ideas for creative persons…the social culture was inviting and warm…it was hard to say goodbye and move on...around the corner and into someone else´s home…which also doubled as a rent earning business.

After wondering around a little bit, we decided that it was time for breakfast. There was a stoic woman standing outside her house and Sandiago called out to her. He told her that we wanted coffee. We found the perfect spot. We sat in her cozy living room as she hurried to gather everything she needed to make us coffee. The room soon filled up with the aroma of the roasting coffee and eTan (incense) and we listened as the owner told us about her life in Abba Shaul. She had a sense of elegance about her and I was sure that she was must have been quite a looker in her younger days. Her slim lips and straight nose sat on her lightly wrinkled face. Yehdega was generous in her reception and made us feel quite at home. While the restless Sandiago went to the neighbors in search of the famous Asmara yellow eggs for our breakfast, we sat back and enjoyed our conversations with our new host.

She told us that she was a mother of two martyred children, one died in the war for Eritrea´s independence and the other during the 1998-2000 Ethiopian war of aggression and invasion. Her pain hidden by her defiant spirit…she told us that she was proud to be the mother of two brave sons who died fighting for their country. She said that it was better to be the mother of a jigna swue (valiant martyr) than to be the mother of a kedae (runaway traitor). She said she was able to walk with her head held high, her sons were a source of great pride and dignity for her and the rest of her family. She showed us pictures of her only two sons and the official plaques displayed proudly over her bed. Next to her sons were stunning black and white pictures of herself in traditional attire. There were many other pictures of family members plastered on all her walls.

Soon our breakfast of eggs mixed with onions, hot peppers and spiced to perfection was brought in by a neighbor. With it came hot baked thin breads-kitcha. We sat around the big plate and ate together-Yehdega and the neighbor too. Our conversations continued as we drank the many rounds of coffee. Her two room dwelling was large in contrast to those of the others in the area. Her house was scantly furnished but had everything-even a television that sat covered with lace atop a cabinet. She moved elegantly around her tight quarters, reaching for coffee cups in a glass cabinet packed with other valuable ware. She was a natural talker and didn´t need much prodding. I liked her attitude, she was brutally honest-blunt if you will, and made no apologies.

Sandiago and Yehdega took turns telling us about the old and new Abba Shaul and the warmth and communal atmosphere that seem to have transcended generations and several authorities-from the Italians in the early 30s, to the British in the early 40s to the Ethiopian colonization that began in the early 1950s and lasted until Eritrea´s independence in 1991. Many have left Abba Shaul and moved to other neighborhoods in Asmara and beyond, but none have forgotten the spirit of Abba Shaul. It was exactly what Al Amin was singing about in that famous song of his he said, "ade kulu d´ha, alay zektam nerki"-lossely translated- a mother to all the poor and a caretaker for orphans.

In was sometime in the early 70s that Al Amin Abduletif, a famous Eritrean musician sang his farewell song for Abba Shaul. It was a song of great fondness, longing and fear of what the proposed demolition of some part of the neighborhood meant to long time residents of the area and the generations of Eritreans that had blossomed in her midst. In his song, Al Amin captured the spirit of Abba Shaul, the fond memories of all those whose childhoods were played out on the narrow streets and one room dwellings, of the poor amidst the culturally rich, of the orphans surrounded by families for all, all living in Abba Shaul, building lifelong memories.

In an interview with the Eritrean Profile in 1999, Al Amin described his feelings when he explained why he sang that classic song- a tribute to Abba Shaul:

"…I sang the farewell song Dehan Kuni Abba Shaul (Good bye Abba Shaul) because the city administration in the 1960s was planning to demolish that part of this city quarter in order to create wide streets. I felt sorry for the people of Abba Shaul who lived in love and harmony. To me destroying Abba Shaul meant destroying the long standing cultural ties, value systems and social fabric of the inhabitants. I felt sorry for the broken hearts and shattered dreams of the young lovers and old acquaintances of that place. Of course I was not against developmental projects in general but I felt that it should not have been done at the expense of the poor and the needy who were left homeless and uprooted following the demolition project. Fortunately, the demolition work stopped right near my house…"

Al Amin prided in the sacrifice and contribution of his beloved neighborhood was making towards the beautification of Asmara. For him and others like him who have sung about this place, it was not about the real estate as much as it was about the aura, the sounds rather than the sights, the welcoming neighborliness and the optimism and fervor of those carving out deep and meaningful lives amongst the poverty and meager stone dwellings. The fear of Abba Shaul´s gentrification still exists today and residents there tell me that they are afraid that developments in the area would destroy Abba Shaul´s distinct historical character and charm... I agree. It would be close to being sacrilegious…for Abba Shaul is a living phenomenon and not simply a place of multiple dwellings packed one on top of the other.

We continued our walks through the narrow alleys and back streets and stopped to chat and take pictures. Sandiago posed with the children and soon there were others who wanted to pose with him. I was only too happy to keep snapping. Sandiago introduced me to several people. There were the women who were hailed for their culinary skills. Some made their living by cooking for bachelors in the area who came in daily with their own ´silTania´-container for carry out food- and got homemade food for a few Nakfas. Sandish pointed out some of the the best known bars and more. Much of Abba Shaul remains intact today…to enjoy and visit over and over again…and to share with the next generation of young Eritreans who know Abba Shaul only in song.

For me, this is just a beginning of what I know will be a long and never-ending love affair…where the variety of sounds that define Abba Shaul´s uniqueness and laissez faire spirit will remain with me...and keep me coming for more and more.