Gurage
The term Gurage describes several ethnic groups in Ethiopia that consider each other culturally and historically as belonging together.
They speak several languages, some of which are very closely related and belong to the Semitic language family . Phonetically , lexically and grammatically , however , they are strongly influenced by Cushitic languages (10 vowel phonemes compared to 7 in Amharic ).
The Gurage are regarded by the other peoples of Ethiopia as hardworking and skilled in their craft. Originally they live in the fertile mountain regions around Weliso , 100 km southwest of Addis Ababa , but now many of them live as workers in Addis Ababa and other cities in Ethiopia. The original settlement area of the Gurage is now part of the Ethiopian Southern Province ( region of the southern nations, nationalities and peoples ), in which many of the smaller ethnic groups of south-western Ethiopia are grouped together.
They belong to about the same parts of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as to Islam . The most striking feature of their independent culture are their large, round houses. The pulp of the "false banana" ( ensete ) forms the basis of their nutrition . The Gurage are known outside of their region for the typical preparation of Kitfo , their national dish made from raw, finely chopped beef, which is prepared with mitmita (spiced chili powder) and melted butter and served with cream cheese.
The origin of the people is unclear; it is believed that their ancestors were descendants of a military expedition by the Aksumite Kingdom to the southern highlands of what is now Ethiopia. Their number is estimated at around 1.8 million (two percent of the Ethiopian population).
The Silt'e were referred to as 'Eastern Gurage' until the 1990s, but are now recognized as an independent ethnic group.
See also
List of ethnic groups in Ethiopia
