Amhara, Ethiopian in United Kingdom

Introduction / History

The Amhara people are related to the Tigray and Tigre people of Ethiopia and Eritrea who together make up the Habeshans. These people can trace their origins back to Shem, eldest son of Noah. They left present day Yemen and 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. These people are known in antiquity as the Ancient Egyptians who retreated back to Ethiopia and Eritrea after countless takeovers of Egypt. here they established other 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.

After the countless times Egypt has been subdued by foreign power, the majority of the Egyptians retreated to the safe haven of Eritrea and Ethiopia. Today most Amhara live in central and east/Northeastern Ethiopia. Some have migrated to other countries such as the United Kingdom.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There were some Ethiopian students who arrived in the UK as early as the 1960s. These people are now the elders in this ethnic community. Most of them came as political refugees in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. They often had to leave behind high-paying jobs. Those who spoke English were often able to take on good jobs in the UK.

The Ethiopians in the UK are fairly united. They are not facing the ethnic hostilities with one another like they are in other European countries.

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 the Amhara through Coptic missionaries. The Amhara were among the first African converts to Islam after sheltering Mohammed's followers from their enemies in Mecca. Because of the Islamic expansion, Aksum was cut from other Christian kingdoms which created their own unique form of Coptic Christianity. They incorporated Jewish rituals and laws and added a focus on monasticism. Today the majority of Amhara people are Ethiopian Orthodox, and the minority are Sunni Muslim.

What Are Their Needs?

Pray for the Amhara people to have a Christ-centered faith that cannot be shaken.

Pray for them to study and obey the Scriptures.

Pray for Amhara disciples to make more disciples.

Text Source:   Joshua Project