369:, an Amharic term meaning "chair". There were formerly two superior wombers, at Karkar and at Chelga, with the first being senior, and a varying number of subordinate wombers in other parts of Qemantland. All wombers are chosen from certain lineages in the Kïbbïr moiety. The last womber of Karkar died in 1955, and since then the only womber has been Mulunah Marsha, womber of Chelga (born 1935). Each womber chose from the kïbbïr moiety one or more delegates with the Amharic title
70:
388:, the lower, of the Yetanti moiety. Each Qemant locality has at least one of each; they must work together to conduct the traditional sacrifices and other religious ceremonies. When offering a sacrifice, the abayegaria holds the legs of the victim and the kamazana wields the knife. The priests also have a subordinate judicial function.
373:"mouth of the master" to represent him in judicial matters. These men traveled the countryside, settling disputes, seeing that the laws were obeyed, and punishing wrongdoing, usually with a fine. Each womber also chose two stewards with different titles, one from each moiety, who served different elements of the sacred meals.
401:
which is located in northern Amhara region. The meaning of "guna" in Qemant language is "starting point". Qemants are descended from Yaner (also called Ayaner). He is "the grandson of Canaan, the fourth son of Ham, son of Noah." Noah and his family lived there for a few years but Shem and
Japheth
257:
Frederic C. Gamst, their "Hebraism is an ancient form and unaffected by
Hebraic change of the past two millennia". A recent sociolinguistic survey notes that the Qemant religion is in a very precarious situation since very few people still adhere to it due to rapid assimilation. According to this
440:
Today, most ethnic
Qemants overwhelmingly identify as Amharas, and Qemant was removed as an identity from Ethiopia’s 2007 national census, but there are some Qemant communities who are still attempting to preserve their culture and language.
183:
The ethnicity's population is reported to be 172,000, according to the 1994 national census; the latest available national census, the one performed in 2007, does not list them as a separate group. However, only 1,625 people still speak
396:
Due to lack of written evidences, for some scholars, the origin of the Qemant is obscure. However, according to the Qemant tradition and history, everything started when Noah's ark settled at the top of Mount Ararat also believed to be
536:
410:
city, named after her. However according to some legends, Canaan’s son, Arwadi, came to
Ethiopia from the land of Canaan to found the Qemant group, whereas in other legends it is Arwadi’s son, Yaner, who did so.
437:
Writing in 1967, US anthropologist F. Gamst said he expected total assimilation of the Qemant with the Amhara within three decades. However in the modern era, Qemant identity has resurfaced.
245:; the Kɨbbɨr moiety is higher in rank. A traditional Qemant can only marry a member of the other moiety, so, while the moieties are exogamous, Qemant society as a whole is endogamous.
530:
879:
309:
23:7). However, due to their dislike to being observed by the increasingly pervasive
Christians, they eventually constructed a prayer-hall at Chelga. They also practiced
808:
324:
872:
794:
661:
628:
595:
1362:
865:
259:
173:
172:. The Qemant people traditionally practiced an early Pagan-Hebraic religion, however most members of the Qemant are followers of the
1367:
769:
Caste And Class In
Historical North-West Ethiopia: The Beta Israel (Falasha) And The Kemant 1300-1900, 39 JOURNAL OF AFRICAN HISTORY
496:
402:
moved to Asia and the Middle East; however Noah and his son Ham stayed in
Ethiopia until his death. Noah was buried in present-day
555:
258:
study, the respective proportions of Qemant people who follow the Qemant religion and who are baptized and converted to
192:; likewise, adherence to the traditional religion has dropped substantially, as most of the population has converted to
1316:
837:
Leyew, Zelealem (2002) 'Sociolinguistic Survey Report of the Kemant (Qimant) Language of
Ethiopia' (SILESR2002-031).
1326:
455:
888:
692:
Tafla, Bairu (1986). "Titles, ranks and offices of the
Ethiopian Orthodox Tawāho Church: a preliminary survey".
253:
The Qemant traditionally practiced a religion which is often described as "Hebraic" . According to the
American
434:." Gobat knew little more about this "small Pagan people inhabiting the mountains in the vicinity of Gondar."
1207:
1341:
1321:
1003:
896:
853:
Caste And Class In Historical North-West Ethiopia: The Beta Israel (Falasha) And The Kemant, 1300-1900.
1336:
744:
Caste And Class In Historical North-West Ethiopia: The Beta Israel (Falasha) And The Kemant 1300-1900
323:
is observed on Saturday, when it is forbidden to light a fire. The extent to which they observe the
1053:
813:
1193:
1331:
905:
118:
113:
226:. Most remaining speakers of the language are near Ayikel, about 40 miles (64 km) west of
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657:
624:
591:
492:
310:
1275:
1100:
1070:
933:
701:
381:
274:
234:
189:
154:
95:
809:"In Ethiopia's civil war, violence against civilians is eroding support for the government"
1220:
1178:
963:
559:
540:
355:
302:
185:
90:
838:
1235:
1183:
1118:
1026:
653:
The Kemantney Language: A Sociolinguistic and Grammatical Study of Language Replacement
620:
The Kemantney Language: A Sociolinguistic and Grammatical Study of Language Replacement
587:
The Kemantney Language: A Sociolinguistic and Grammatical Study of Language Replacement
306:
204:
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1021:
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988:
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223:
197:
169:
1300:
1295:
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1230:
1225:
1215:
1173:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1143:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1113:
1085:
1058:
1036:
973:
968:
948:
943:
938:
552:
415:
403:
293:, wrapped in variously-colored strips of cloth. This appears to be a survival of a
282:
254:
193:
157:
651:
618:
585:
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1270:
1153:
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1031:
983:
958:
918:
913:
450:
423:
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328:
177:
150:
137:
133:
289:. Worship is conducted outdoors, usually at a site near a sacred tree called a
1188:
1090:
928:
431:
398:
351:
347:
265:
Qemant religious observance includes a literal reading of the 11th chapter of
1285:
1080:
857:
266:
219:
365:
The highest political and religious leader among the Qemant is called the
705:
532:
1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region
278:
161:
75:
993:
342:, which might be a proper name. He is described within the religion as
320:
298:
270:
17:
427:
407:
314:
227:
215:
212:
208:
165:
358:. He is approachable directly or through figures called in Amharic
294:
301:
planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there the name of God" (
281:. Qemant practices include animal sacrifices and the tending of
861:
795:"Violent Qemant dispute fueling explosive Amhara-Tigray divide"
176:. They are historically related to, but distinct from, the
305:
21:33) and "where the women wove hangings for the grove" (
277:, even permitted animals can only be consumed if they are
188:, and it is considered endangered, as most children speak
784:, 1851 (New York: Negro Universities Press, 1969), p. 263
1309:
1206:
1099:
1012:
904:
895:
529:and 169000 according to the 1984 Ethiopian Census.
127:
104:
81:
61:
49:
38:
656:. Kuschitische Sprachstudien. Köppe. p. 129.
623:. Kuschitische Sprachstudien. Köppe. p. 153.
516:
514:
472:
470:
422:, or sorcerers, along with "the Falashas or Jews (
832:The Qemant. A Pagan-Hebraic Peasantry of Ethiopia
590:. Kuschitische Sprachstudien. Köppe. p. 48.
362:"holy ones", which are angels or culture heroes.
203:The Qemant live in an area traditionally called
579:
577:
414:According to the early 19th century missionary
327:or the traditional Shabbat prohibitions of the
40:
782:Journal of Three years' Residence in Abyssinia
488:Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the World
873:
771:, (Cambridge University Press, 1998), p.35-37
325:rabbinically prohibited activities of Shabbat
8:
758:, (Cambridge University Press, 1998), p. 197
233:The Qemant are divided into two patrilineal
33:
729:
727:
717:
715:
196:. Converts often consider themselves to be
901:
880:
866:
858:
32:
418:, their neighbours considered the Qemant
57:(of whom only 1,650 retain the language.)
376:There are two orders of priesthood: the
27:Ethnic minority in northwestern Ethiopia
834:. New York: Holt, Rinehart And Winston.
466:
694:Internationale kirchliche Zeitschrift
7:
313:, similar to the Jewish practice of
62:Regions with significant populations
543:, Table 2.7 (accessed 6 April 2009)
25:
406:and his wife Aykel was buried in
207:, along an axis stretching from
68:
260:Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity
1:
848:. Köln: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag.
682:Gamst (1969) pp. 34–37
380:, the higher, of the Kïbbïr
230:. They are mainly farmers.
1384:
830:Gamst, Frederic C. (1969)
756:JOURNAL OF AFRICAN HISTORY
558:February 14, 2012, at the
539:November 15, 2010, at the
456:Jews and Judaism in Africa
41:
1363:Ethnic groups in Ethiopia
889:Ethnic groups in Ethiopia
174:Ethiopian Orthodox Church
132:
109:
86:
66:
54:
1368:Semitic-speaking peoples
491:. Elsevier. 2010-04-06.
218:to Kirakir and north to
844:Leyew, Zelealem (2003)
562:, first draft, Table 5.
149:(also known as western
851:Quirin, James (1998),
846:The Kemantney Language
262:are about 1% and 99%.
128:Related ethnic groups
706:10.5169/seals-404721
426:), most Mussulmans (
334:The Qemant call God
279:properly slaughtered
55:Est. 172,000 in 1994
1054:Soddo Gurage people
817:. 18 December 2021.
814:The Washington Post
797:. 16 December 2018.
721:Gamst (1969), p. 62
571:Gamst (1969), p. 27
476:Leyew (2002), p. 8.
35:
733:Gamst (1969), p.43
650:Leyew, Z. (2003).
617:Leyew, Z. (2003).
584:Leyew, Z. (2003).
520:Gamst (1969), p.67
222:in the woredas of
164:, specifically in
114:Ethiopian Orthodox
1350:
1349:
1202:
1201:
663:978-3-89645-067-8
630:978-3-89645-067-8
597:978-3-89645-067-8
311:levirate marriage
143:
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119:Traditional faith
16:(Redirected from
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1317:African American
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275:Rabbinic Judaism
160:in northwestern
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170:Amhara Region
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1208:Nilo-Saharan
1059:Chebo people
1037:Beta Abraham
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897:Afro-Asiatic
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502:. Retrieved
487:
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439:
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430:), and some
419:
416:Samuel Gobat
413:
404:Fasil Ghebbi
395:
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377:
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331:is unclear.
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297:tradition: "
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194:Christianity
182:
158:ethnic group
146:
144:
30:Ethnic group
1042:Falash Mura
1032:Beta Israel
451:Beta Israel
424:Beta Israel
386:abayegariya
344:omnipresent
329:Beta Israel
273:). As with
178:Beta Israel
138:Agaw people
134:Beta Israel
1357:Categories
700:(4): 299.
669:2023-09-22
636:2023-09-22
603:2023-09-22
504:2023-10-25
462:References
432:Christians
399:Mount Guna
384:, and the
352:omniscient
348:omnipotent
1342:Jamaicans
1286:Shanqella
1276:Nyangatom
1184:Wolaitans
934:Daasanach
267:Leviticus
220:Lake Tana
82:Languages
1337:Italians
1322:Armenian
1179:Shinasha
1081:Tigrayan
964:Kambaata
906:Cushitic
556:Archived
537:Archived
445:See also
378:kamazana
307:II Kings
295:biblical
249:Religion
235:moieties
162:Ethiopia
155:Cushitic
136:, other
105:Religion
76:Ethiopia
1327:Chinese
1236:Kichepo
1119:Basketo
1027:Argobba
1014:Semitic
994:Somalis
746:, p. 39
428:Muslims
392:History
371:afa liq
340:Mïzgänä
321:Shabbat
303:Genesis
299:Abraham
287:degegna
285:called
271:kashrut
243:Yetanti
198:Amharas
190:Amharic
96:Amharic
1332:Greeks
1251:Majang
1101:Omotic
1076:Wolane
1071:Silt'e
1066:Harari
1049:Gurage
1022:Amhara
999:Tsamai
989:Sidama
979:Qemant
954:Hadiya
924:Arbore
660:
627:
594:
495:
420:boudas
382:moiety
367:womber
360:k'edus
354:, and
336:Yïdära
315:yibbum
239:Kɨbbɨr
228:Gondar
216:woreda
213:Chilga
209:Ayikel
186:Qimant
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