Bilen people

The Bilen (also variously transcribed as Blin, and also formerly known as the Bogo, Bogos[1] or North Agaw[2]) are a Cushitic ethnic group in the Eritrea. They are primarily concentrated in central Eritrea, in and around the city of Keren and further south toward Asmara, the nation's capital.

Bilen
Total population
100,000
Regions with significant populations
 Eritrea100,000
Languages
Bilen
Religion
Islam, Christianity (predominantly: Roman Catholic Church, minority: Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church)

Overview

According to local oral tradition, the Bilen migrated to the Eritrean plateau from Lasta around the tenth or eleventh century. They then mixed with the prior Tigre population.[3][4] The Bilen first appear in historical records from the 14th century onwards.[5] Some of the Bilen entered Eritrea from Ethiopia during the 16th century.[6] These migrations are thought to have produced the two elite ruling clans; the Bet Tarqe and the Bet Tawqe.[5] Primarily agriculturalists, they number about 96,000 and represent around 2.1% of Eritrea's population.[7][8]

Religion

The Bilen practice both Islam and Christianity. Muslim adherents mainly inhabit rural areas and have intermingled with the adjacent Tigre, while Christian Bilen tend to reside in urban areas and have intermingled with the Biher-Tigrinya.[2] Sunni Islam is the most adhered religion among the Bilen (about 50% being Muslims) followed by Christianity of various denominations, and a few practice their traditional faith.[3] The religious diversity of the Bilen has aided the peaceful coexistence among them with little conflict arising out of religious differences.[3]

Economy

The traditional livelihood of most Bilen consisted of pastoralism. However, the recent migration of other groups into the area resulted in the Bilens taking up other occupations including farming. Most modern Bilen are animal herders and farmers.[4]

Language

The Bilen speak the Bilen language as a mother tongue, which belongs to the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Many also speak other Afro-Asiatic languages such as Tigre and Tigrinya. In addition, younger Bilen often employ Arabic words and expressions in their everyday speech.[2]

Notes
  1. Pease, A. E. (1909-10-16). The Book of the Lion. Ravenio Books.
  2. James Minahan, Miniature empires: a historical dictionary of the newly independent states, (Greenwood Publishing Group: 1998), pp.77-78.
  3. Skutsch, Carl, ed. (2005). Encyclopedia of the World's Minorities. New York: Routledge. p. 222. ISBN 1-57958-468-3.
  4. G., Mussie Tesfagiorgis (2010). Eritrea. 174-175: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-59884-231-9.CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. Connell, Dan (2019). Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-5381-2066-8.
  6. Niaz Murtaza, The Pillage of Sustainability in Eritrea, 1600s-1990s: Rural Communities and the Creeping Shadows of Hegemony, (Greenwood Publishing Group: 1998), p.45
  7. U.S. Department of State - Background Note: Eritrea
  8. Woldemikael, Tekle M. "Eritrea's Identity as a Cultural Crossroads." Race and nation: Ethnic systems in the modern world (2005): 337-55.



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