Tigray, Tigrinya in Saudi Arabia

Introduction / History

The Tigray (Tigrigna) people are related to the Amhara and Tigre people of Ethiopia and Eritrea who together make up the Habeshans. These people can trace their origins back thousands of years. They settled on the African side of the Red Sea inhabiting the Nile Delta and all land east of the valley down to the Ethiopian Highlands. They established great kingdoms such as Sheba/Saba and Axum. After the Middle Ages, they soon split into 3 tribes: Amhara, Tigre, and Tigray with their own languages that all derived from Ge'ez, their ancient language. Habeshans settled in the Ethiopian Highlands and Red Sea coast of present-day Eritrea and North-Eastern Sudan.

The Tigray live primarily in the Northern Highland of Ethiopia and the Southern Plateau in Eritrea. Others have migrated to various North American and European countries. A small number have found jobs in Saudi Arabia.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Many Tigrays come to Saudi Arabia illegally hoping to find work. When they are caught, they are put in detention centers. If the Ethiopian government takes them back, they are sometimes abused by the Ethiopian authorities as well. Often their own government abuses them more than the Saudis.

Others are far more fortunate. Women sometimes work as domestic servants and earn far more than they would in Ethiopia. However, they risk sexual abuse, which is never reported to the authorities. Other Tigrays come to Saudi Arabia to sell illegal drugs and face the possibility of being executed.

What Are Their Beliefs?

From early encounters with the Hebrew people, many adopted the early form of proto-Judaism. Though the high and ruling class continued to practice the Egyptian pagan religion until Queen Makda of Sheba was converted by King Solomon to Judaism. Christianity came to Tigray through Coptic missionaries. The Tigray and other Habeshans were the first African converts to Islam after sheltering Muhammad's followers in the holy city of Negash, located in the Tigray Region, from their enemies in Mecca. The converted (especially Tigray Muslims) became known as the Jeberti (Elect of God). They became the religious leaders and university teachers in the powerful Islamic city of Zeila in NW Somalia. Because of the Islamic expansion, Aksum was cut from other Christian kingdoms which created their own unique form of Coptic Christianity by incorporating Judaistic rituals and laws and putting a large focus on monasticism. Today the majority of Tigray people are Ethiopian Orthodox, and the minority are Sunni/Sufi Muslim.

What Are Their Needs?

The Tigray need to put their faith entirely in the person of Jesus Christ, who died to pay for their sins and rose to victory over death.

Prayer Points

Pray for God to use Somalis in Saudi Arabia to share the fragrance of Christ with their Muslim hosts.
Pray for a Holy Spirit-sent revival in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church that will purify the Tigray people, causing them to focus on Jesus Christ and his kingdom.
Pray for Tigrays to put Jesus ahead of religious traditions.
Pray for Tigray disciples to make more disciples.

Text Source:   Joshua Project