Festival Eritrea - July 30th 2006

 

At 10:00 I wake up and update Gebrehiwot, Luwam and Selam about the first day of the Festival Eritrea 2006. They are very much amused about the girl that wanted to seduce me in the Expo Hall. The Expo area and its nightclubs is a known meeting place for these girls, and UN personnel and foreigners.

Two hours later I take the bus from Cinema Roma to the Expo area. The bus is so crowded that there is hardly any place to put my feet. If it has to slow down suddenly, there is a good chance that I will crush the Eritrean passengers in front of me.

In the early afternoon the weather is rainy. I spend most of the time in the exhibition hall, where everyone is proud to tell me something about their presentation. The six regions of Eritrea are represented at the exhibition, giving a glimpse of Eritrea. Each region has presented pictorials of regional development, cultural materials, agricultural programs, and other resources that each region possesses.

After the rain I hurry to find myself something to eat. The choice is extensive, but as a foreigner I should be careful not to eat food that might disturb my stomach. There is more that 50 places selling food, from small snacks and watermelons up to complete traditional dishes.

Around 16:00 I join the spectators at one of the main stages with performances of traditional dance of some of the 17 traditional groups. To make some nice pictures, I carefully move to the front. In an attempt not to hinder the public, I squat in front of them, but this position soon makes my very tired.

Some men from the public point my difficult position to the military guards. And they allow me to come to the front, to take a position right behind the cameraman of ERI-TV, to have a perfect view on the stage. It is a perfect example of Eritrean hospitality.

When a small girl stands next to me, unable to see anything because the stage is 20 centimeters higher than the child, I ask the guard if he can put her on my shoulders, so she will share my privileged position. The scene is recorded by the ERI-TV team and approved by the people behind me. I feel part of a big family.

When the program at this stage is finished at 20:00 I find myself a diner in one of the many restaurants and take a taxi to Cinema Roma to have some extra sleep.

  

Child day-care center - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Pupils of the Dembe Sembel School - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Gash Barka Restaurant - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

watermelons for sale - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Nara woman in her traditional house - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Tigre women dancing - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Woman of the Saho ethnic group - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Tigre women dancing - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Tigrinya dancers - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Tigrinya woman dancing - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Kunama dancers - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.

Women of the Saho ethnic group - Festival Eritrea 2006 - Asmara Eritrea.