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| | {{ethnic group| | | {{ethnic group| |
| − | |group=Amhara | + | |group=Shona |
| − | |image=[[Image:Tewodros_Head.JPG|200px|]] | + | |image= |
| − | |poptime=23 Million | + | |poptime= c8,000,000 |
| − | |popplace=[[Ethiopia]] | + | |popplace=[[Zimbabwe]], [[Mozambique]] |
| − | |rels=[[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]], [[Islam]] | + | |rels=[[Christianity]], other |
| − | |langs=[[Amharic language|Amharic]] | + | |langs=[[Shona]] |
| − | |related=[[Tigray-Tigrinya people|Tigray]], [[Tigre people|Tigre]], [[Gurage]], [[Argobba language|Argobba]], [[Agaw]], [[Oromo]] | + | |related=other [[Bantu]] peoples |
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| − | '''Amhara''' (አማራ) is an ethnic group in the central highlands of [[Ethiopia]], numbering about 23 million, making up 30.2% of the country's population according to the most recent 1994 census.<sup>[[#Notes|1]]</sup> They speak [[Amharic language|Amharic]], the official language of Ethiopia, and dominate the country's political and economic life. | + | '''Shona''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: {{IPA|[ʃona]}}) is the name collectively given to several groups of people in [[Zimbabwe]] and western [[Mozambique]]. Numbering about eight million people, who speak a range of related dialects whose standardised form is also known as [[Shona language|Shona]]. They also speak official languages of their respective countries: [[English language|English]] in Zimbabwe and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] in Mozambique. |
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| − | ==Agriculture==
| + | However, many black Zimbabweans do not self-identify as Shona, preferring instead to describe their origin in terms of their specific language/dialect group (e.g., [[Zezuru]]) or ancestry group (e.g., [[Rozvi]]). Ancestors of today's Shona groups are believed to have been the first permanent inhabitants of the region where the [[Great Zimbabwe]] site was later established, with archaeological evidence of Iron Age occupation in the 5th century AD. |
| − | About 90% of the Amhara are rural and make their living through farming, mostly in the Ethiopian highlands. Prior to the 1974 revolution, absentee landlords maintained strict control over their sharecropping tenants, often allowing them to accumulate crippling debts. After 1974, the landlords were replaced by local government officials, who play a similar role.
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| − | Barley, corn, millet, wheat, sorghum and [[teff]], along with beans, peppers, chick-peas and other vegetables are the most important crops; in the highlands one crop per year is normal, while in the lowlands two are possible. Cattle, sheep, and goats are also raised.
| + | Most Zimbabweans identify themselves as either belonging to the Ndebele or Shona ethnic group. Dialect groups are nowadays almost irrelevant because 'standard' Shona is spoken throughout Zimbabwe. Dialects only help to identify which town or village a person is from (e.g. a person claiming to be a Manyika would be from Eastern Zimbabwe, ie. towns like Mutare). The above differences in dialects developed during the dispersion of tribes across the country over a long time. The influx of immigrants, into the country from boardering countries, has obviously contributed to the variety. |
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| − | ==Religion==
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| − | Their predominant religion for centuries has been [[Christianity]], with the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox Church]] playing a central role in the culture of the country and of the Amharic ethnic group. According to the 1994 census, 81.5% of the [[Amhara Region]] of [[Subdivisions of Ethiopia|Ethiopia]] (which is 91.2% Amhara) were [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church|Ethiopian Orthodox]], with 18.1% being [[Muslim]], and 0.1% being [[P'ent'ay|Protestant]].<sup>[[#Notes|2]]</sup> The Ethiopian Orthodox Church maintains close links with the [[Coptic Christianity|Egyptian Coptic Church]]. [[Easter]] and [[Epiphany]] are the most important celebrations, marked with services, feasting and dancing. There are also many "fast" days throughout the year, when only vegetables or fish may be eaten.
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| − | Marriages are often arranged, with men marrying in their late teens or early twenties. Traditionally, girls were married as young as 14, but in the 20th century, the minimum age was raised to 18, and this was enforced by the Imperial government. Civil marriages are common, although some marry in churches. After a church wedding, divorce is not considered possible. Each family hosts a separate wedding feast after the wedding.
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| − | Upon childbirth, a priest will visit the family to bless the infant, and circumcise him if he is a boy {{Dubious}}. The mother and child remain in the house, for forty days after birth of a boy, eighty for a girl, before going to the church for [[baptism]].
| + | ==See also== |
| | + | *[[Mbira#Mbira_Dzavadzimu|Mbira Dzavadzimu]] |
| | + | *[[Shona music]] |
| | + | *[[Shona language]] |
| | + | *[[Bantu language]] |
| | + | *[[Zimbabwe]] |
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| − | ==Art==
| + | [[Category:Ethnic groups in Zimbabwe]] |
| − | Amharic art is typified by religious paintings. One of the most notable features of these is the large eyes of the subjects, who are usually biblical figures.
| + | [[Category:Ethnic groups in Mozambique]] |
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| − | ==History==
| + | [[sh:Šona (narod)]] |
| − | Certain [[Semitic languages|Semitic-speaking]] tribes, notably the [[Agazyan]], built the [[Kingdom of Aksum]] around two millennia ago, and this expanded to contain what is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, and at times, portions of Yemen and Sudan. The Amhara inherit their religion and monarchical tradition from Axum, as do [[Tigray-Tigrinya people|Tigrayans]].
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| − | The region now known as "Amhara" in the feudal era was composed of several provinces with greater or less autonomy, including [[Begemder]], [[Gojjam]], [[Qwara]] and [[Lasta]].
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| − | Some time in the late middle ages, the [[Amharic language|Amharic]] and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]] languages began to be differentiated. Amhara warlords often competed for dominance of the realm with Tigrayan warlords. While many branches of the Imperial dynasty were from the Amharic speaking area, a substantial amount were from [[Tigray province|Tigray]]. The Amharas seemed to gain the upper hand with the accession of the so-called [[Gondar]] line of the Imperial dynasty in the beginning of the 17th century. However, it soon lapsed into the semi-anarchic era of [[Zemene Mesafint]] ("Era of the Princes"), in which rivalling warlords fought for power and the [[Yejju Oromo]] [[inderase]]s (or regents) had effective control, while [[Emperor of Ethiopia|emperors]] were just as figureheads. The Tigrayans only made a brief return to the throne in the person of [[Yohannes IV]], whose death in 1889 allowed the base to return to the Amharic speaking province of [[Shewa]].
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| − | Historians generally consider the Amhara to have been Ethiopia's ruling elite for centuries, represented by the line of Emperors ending in [[Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia|Haile Selassie]]. Many commentators, including Marcos Lemma, however, dispute the accuracy of such a statement, arguing that other ethnic groups have always been active in the country's politics.
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| − | One possible source of confusion for this stems from the mislabeling of all [[Amharic language|Amharic-speakers]] as "Amhara", and the fact that many people from other ethnic groups have Amharic [[Onomastics|names]]. Another is the fact that most Ethiopians can trace their ancestry to multiple ethnic groups. In fact, the last Emperor, [[Haile Selassie]] I, often counted himself a member of the [[Gurage]] tribe on account of his ancestry, and his Empress, Itege [[Menen Asfaw]] of [[Ambassel]], was in large part of [[Oromo]] descent. The expanded use of Amharic language results mostly from its being the language of the court, and was gradually adopted out of usefulness by many unrelated groups, who then became known as "Amhara" no matter what their ethnic origin.
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| − | ==Notes==
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| − | #[http://bxabeg.people.wm.edu/Ethiopia.Census%20Portrait.pdf Ethiopia: A Model Nation of Minorities] (accessed 26 March 2006)
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| − | # [http://www.ethiopar.net/English/basinfo/infoamra.htm FDRE States: Basic Information - Amhara], Population (accessed 26 March 2006)
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| − | ==Bibliography==
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| − | * Wolf Leslau and Thomas L. Kane (collected and edited), ''Amharic Cultural Reader''. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz 2001. ISBN 3-447-04496-9.
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | * Lemma, Marcos (MD, PhD). {{cite web | title=Who ruled Ethiopia? The myth of 'Amara domination' | work=Ethiomedia.com | url=http://www.ethiomedia.com/newpress/the_amara_myth.html | accessdate=February 28 | accessyear=2005}}
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| − | [[Category:Ethnic groups in Ethiopia]]
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| − | [[de:Amharen]]
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| − | [[es:Amhara]]
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| − | [[nl:Amharen]]
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| − | [[sh:Amhara (narod)]] | |
| − | [[fi:Amharat]]
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Shona (IPA: [ʃona]) is the name collectively given to several groups of people in Zimbabwe and western Mozambique. Numbering about eight million people, who speak a range of related dialects whose standardised form is also known as Shona. They also speak official languages of their respective countries: English in Zimbabwe and Portuguese in Mozambique.
However, many black Zimbabweans do not self-identify as Shona, preferring instead to describe their origin in terms of their specific language/dialect group (e.g., Zezuru) or ancestry group (e.g., Rozvi). Ancestors of today's Shona groups are believed to have been the first permanent inhabitants of the region where the Great Zimbabwe site was later established, with archaeological evidence of Iron Age occupation in the 5th century AD.
Most Zimbabweans identify themselves as either belonging to the Ndebele or Shona ethnic group. Dialect groups are nowadays almost irrelevant because 'standard' Shona is spoken throughout Zimbabwe. Dialects only help to identify which town or village a person is from (e.g. a person claiming to be a Manyika would be from Eastern Zimbabwe, ie. towns like Mutare). The above differences in dialects developed during the dispersion of tribes across the country over a long time. The influx of immigrants, into the country from boardering countries, has obviously contributed to the variety.
See also
sh:Šona (narod)
