The
Bilen—also variously transcribed as
Blin or
Bilin and also formerly known as the
Bogo or
North Agaw[1]—are an
ethnic group on the
Horn of Africa. They are primarily concentrated in central
Eritrea, in and around the city of
Keren and further south toward
Asmara, the nation's capital.
Overview
Some of the Bilen entered Eritrea from
Ethiopia during the 16th century.
[2] Primarily
agriculturalists, they number about 96,000 and represent around 2.1% of Eritrea's population.
[3]
Religion
The Bilen practice both
Christianity and
Islam. 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.
[1]
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.
[1]
Notes
- James Minahan, Miniature empires: a historical dictionary of the newly independent states, (Greenwood Publishing Group: 1998), pp.77-78.
- Niaz Murtaza, The Pillage of Sustainability in Eritrea, 1600s-1990s: Rural Communities and the Creeping Shadows of Hegemony, (Greenwood Publishing Group: 1998), p.45
- U.S. Department of State - Background Note: Eritrea
Eritrea
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