From: awetnayu@hotmail.com
Date: Tue Aug 18 2009 - 16:52:36 EDT
EriAm Sisters and DC Eritrean Festival 2009
Amanuel Biedemariam
Eritrean festivals are fun, meaningful, informative and consistent. Every year they add on new meaning to an already rich tradition and history that started during the struggle for the liberation of Eritrea. And after decades of organizing these festivities, it has become a second nature to Eritreans that they conduct them flawlessly and without a hitch year after year. Eritreans never take it for granted. On the contrary they upgrade the events by going to better and bigger venues to meet growing demand and by adding-on more informative and entertaining programs. That is the hallmark of Eritreans around the world, uncommon to other African communities. There is no community that comes together the way Eritreans do.
That in large part is a result of a leadership that fully understands the value of unity and nurtures it in order to reach its highest potential to benefit Eritrea. However, Eritreans in the Diaspora deserve credit for nurturing it year after year fully understanding its ramifications and to ensure perpetuity.
Any one who wants to write about these events can find multitude layers of rich story lines to choose from. These are stories that are reflections of Eritrean lives based on a journey that is graced by courage, bravery, wit, resilience and the will to continually strive for a dream based on unity and desire to better Eritrean standard of living tirelessly no matter the hurdles and regardless of the price. It is that spirit that carries Eritreans through, no matter the obstacle or the challenge sometimes making it feel like we are walking on water.
The story of Eritrea is a secret that many are beginning to discover for different reasons. This year, I was lucky to entertain African guests at the Eritrean festival in DC and they were enamored with the whole process, amazed by the organization and clearly astounded by the participants’ zeal - particularly the youth.
After the question and answer session with Mr. Saleh Meki, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the youth took over. First, they conducted a fashion show, which was timed perfectly and choreographed well with Eritrean music on the background. And as soon as that ended, Eritrean kids instantly swarmed the dance floor hungry to see and hear what they waited for a long time.
All of a sudden the stage got dark and it was taken over by three young beautiful girls with sultry and sweet voices. The screams by the adoring young fans were so loud that it felt like we were someplace other than an Eritrean festival. The EriAm Sisters, who had come all the way from Seattle, have effectively controlled the stage moving from side to side singing songs the kids loved and sung along. The hands of these loving funs stretched to reach out and get attention of the singing sensations. The place was electrified and controlled by a strong professional singing trio that was clearly home to give love back to their own. The EriAm sisters were giving love to kids their own age, which share exactly the same life experiences, aspirations and share similar community circles.
The EriAm Sisters are very talented, beautiful singing sensation with a natural stage command. It is easy to notice how comfortable they are on stage. They understood their audience and gave them exactly what they longed for. It was a demographic match made in heaven. The EriAm Sisters are singing sensation who understand their loyal fun-base well and gave them what they wanted by singing a variety that worked well. And the audience has a stake on the success of EriAm Sister because they are indirectly representing them. That is unshakeable bond cemented by love of each other and Eritrea.
The EriAm Sisters were graceful, natural and full of energy on stage. And to add flavor to a colorful night, the EriAm Sister sung a classic Tigrigna song called Ab Tsem Tsme Berekha originally sung by singer Haile Ghebru, a renowned Eritrean artist. The audience was captivated, on their feet and taken by emotional flashback and surprised by kids who are full of pleasant range and reach. Better yet, Haile Ghebru jumped on stage to accompany them while they sung his song. It was an electrifying occasion. What stood out was the grace and the affection showed by the EriAm Sisters to Haile Ghebru as they sung together. The EriAm Sisters knew what the song meant because that is likely a song their parents grew up listening.
What the EriAm Sisters are is a reflection of their parents. And the parents are a reflection and part of the Eritrean community they came to entertain. They deserve kudos for their hard work and for working to fulfill the dream of their kids. They deserve praise for maintaining a dream of a united Eritrean community, for sharing their success and for adding flavor to an already colorful event that included Eritrean star singers like Bekita Ali, the legenday Bereket Mengisteab, and Tesfalem Arefaine (aka Korchach). They deserve to be appreciated for setting the example of success that is grounded on one’s own community, proudly! Since it is certain that there are many families who take the EriAm sisters as role models as they strive to achieve similar successes.
Eritrea is assured success by her resilient communities around the world who dream together to achieve a peaceful and prosperous Eritrea. They understand what it is going to take to carry Eritrea to the next stage. Therefore, they have made unspoken commitment to carry on the torch of their fallen heroes in this manner. This is what makes Eritrea resilient, a fact many fail to grasp and keep underestimating Eritrea not knowing Eritrean will to succeed.
To make a bold statement, Eritrea is the mission, purpose and a way of life for majority of Eritreans. That is what blossoms every year. Eritreans are engaged on various missions under that umbrella in
order to promote additional programs. Some focus on programs that attempt to meet Eritrea’s medical needs by supporting Physicians for Peace, education, EAAA sports and so on. In addition, it is rewarding to witness the youth actively engaged and taking over most of these campaigns enthusiastically.
What EriAm sisters did is cement this continuity at a higher level. They inspired young Eritreans and made sure the young look forward to bigger and better gathering. This is yet the best example of a thriving community that is determined to grow while making sure the needs of Eritrea is being met.
Many thanks for the parents of the EriAm Sisters Mr. Mulugetta and Mrs. Tiblets for doing it the right way!
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