Who Are the Tigray?
The Tigray (Tegaru) are an ethnic group of approximately 7 million people in Ethiopia's Tigray Region and 2 million more across the border in Eritrea (where they are called Tigrinya). They speak Tigrinya, a Semitic language closely related to Amharic. The Tigray homeland includes ancient Axum—capital of the Aksumite Empire (100-940 CE) that was one of the ancient world's great powers. Like the Amhara, Tigray follow Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity. The 2020-2022 Tigray War devastated the region, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths and catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
The Aksumite Empire
The Aksumite Empire (c. 100-940 CE) was one of the ancient world's great powers—a trading empire connecting Africa, Arabia, India, and the Mediterranean. Giant obelisks (stelae) at Axum, including the largest ever attempted (520 tons, now fallen), demonstrate engineering sophistication. Axum minted its own coins, developed a distinctive architecture, and in the 4th century became one of the first states to adopt Christianity. The empire's decline shifted power southward to Amhara regions, but Tigray remained conscious of being Aksumite heirs. This ancient heritage shapes Tigrayan pride and identity.
TPLF Era
The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) led armed resistance against the Derg military regime, playing the primary role in its 1991 overthrow. Though Tigray represent only 6% of Ethiopia's population, the TPLF dominated the ruling coalition (EPRDF) for nearly three decades. This dominance—in military, security services, and economy—generated resentment among larger ethnic groups. When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed dissolved the coalition in 2019, tensions with Tigray escalated. The TPLF's three decades of power and subsequent marginalization shaped the conditions for 2020's devastating war.
The Tigray War
War erupted in November 2020 when federal forces attacked Tigray after TPLF defied Abiy's authority. What followed was catastrophic: Ethiopian and Eritrean forces committed widespread atrocities; estimates suggest 300,000-500,000 Tigrayans died from violence, famine, and disease. Sexual violence was systematically deployed. A communications blackout hid the scale of destruction. The 2022 ceasefire ended major combat, but the region remains devastated. The war's trauma—deaths, displacement, and destruction of heritage—will mark Tigrayan identity for generations. Reconstruction and reconciliation face enormous challenges.
References
- Munro-Hay, S. (1991). Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity
- Young, J. (1997). Peasant Revolution in Ethiopia: The Tigray People's Liberation Front, 1975-1991
- Gebrehiwot, K. & Tronvoll, K. (2023). The Tigray War and Regional Implications